Truck?

[desdak4]

Guys I am looking for advice on my next truck. I sold my Chevy 2500 6.0L Light Duty before leaving on my current deployment due to horrable fuel mileage. If you've owned one you know LOL. Anyway, I don't have a true need to go deisel and gas 3/4 tons aren't any better on gas so we are looking at 1/2 ton trucks. I am looking at the Chevy and Ram 1500 Crew Cabs (3 kids and 3 Dogs) but am concerned with the bed length and the power of the 5.3L in the Chevy.

It would be great if I could get the opinions of the guys I know use trucks to get their quads and families around. Like will the Raptor fit in the bed of either and what truck would buy in this same boat.

Thanks for any and all help guys,

Jay

[Spartan]

I have had an 06 2500hd with the 6.0L so I know about the shitty gas mileage...I think I only saw double digit mileage once in my 10 months of having that damn truck. Now I got an 07 1500 ext cab...The 5.3 is a great little motor, haven't had any problems pulling weights up to 12k (not RATED for it technically but it'll do it). The Raptor will fit in the back of a crew cab with the tailgate down on a stock swinger.

[vern burny]

I'm driving an 05 chevy 1500 crew cab with the 5 1/2' bed.  It gets about 16mpg for city driving and does fine on power.  I have pulled a 6 place aluminum sled trailer with 5 wheelers, 4 people in the cab and all our gear with no problem.  It usally gets about 12mpg when pulling that trailer loaded.  My 660 will fit in the bed, its just very tight.  I often curse the short bed when trying to pick up some buidling materials.  That 1 more foot of bed in the 6 1/2 would be nice but then the truck would not fit in the garage.  I love the crew cab and probably will never go back especially with the car seat in the back.  I would check to see how many car seats and booster seats fit across the back.  I would be suprised if it fit more than two.  It has low enough sides on the bed that it is still possible to get things in and out with out having to climb in.  That has been a problem for me with the new body style chevys.  Hope that helps.

[Kamakazi]

take a nissan titan for a drive, I have one and love it, decent fuel milage (one you put in an airraid filter), tons of power, the best riding(comfort) truck arround.  just take one for a spin and you will immediately see what im talking about.  as for the bed length, 4.5ft is too short to clase the tailgate with a rappy in it, if i woulda known i woulda definately got a 5.5ft box, so all i do now is put ramps in the front of the bed and put the front of the rappy on em to close the tailgate.

[preddy08]

Last year I helped my old man look for a new truck this last time around. We drove a Tundra, Dodge, and the new Fords. He didn't even want to drive a Chevy. Don't ask why, our family just doesn't like Chevys. It all boils down to this. Tundra has tons of power, Dodge is still a Dodge, still a step up, but still not on par. We test drove a 08 ford (previous body style) and were ready to buy it, untill the salesmen asked if we wanted to see the new style Ford. Needless to say we went home with that truck and loving ever minute of it. Plent of power to pull a 4 place trailer with all our gear (I mean TONNNSSS of gear) and 4 guys through the Rockys. Fully loaded down and doing 80+mph we managed to get 12mpg. My old man manages to get 22MPG on his daily routes.

If I had the coin without a doubt I'd be in a newer F-150.

[Langford]

I just bought a new truck last fall, and I looked at pretty much everything available. 

The dodge was nice, but the cab on the "4 door" was waayyyy too small.  And I didn't like the mega-cab styling.  The motors are great, tons of power...but I wasn't impressed with the rest of the truck overall. 

The Chevy was just as small as the dodge...great looking truck, but not for me (I drive a 2009 3500 Chevy every day for a work truck, and that truck squeeks, rattles and vibrates more than anything I have ever owned).   

I did like the interior room on the 4 door Tundra and the motor was nice... but the exterior styling was just so-so.  Plus I come from a big union family, and driving a Toyota wouldn't have went over too well.

The F-150 was the winner for me.  I came home with a 2010 Crew Cab Lariat 4x4, and couldn't be happier.  The motor isn't quite as strong as the Dodge or Toyota, but it gets good mileage and will get out of its own way without any issues.  The cab is HUGE on this truck...bigger than my old 2004 F-250 crew cab by far, and it is extremely comfortable.  Mine has the 5.5' bed, and I can't fit my Raptor back there with the tailgate up (but I do have a +4 swingarm).   I did fit a 400ex back there, but I had to let the air out of the tires to get it to close.  But with the fords, you can get the full crew cab with the 6.5' bed...you can fit any quad back there without a problem. 





Towing the above load, I got 11mpg on the way to the dunes.  A friend of mine has an 06 titan crew cab, and he gets about the same with the truck unloaded (but he is on 33" tires). 
The titans aren't bad trucks, but a little outdated compared to the rest of the manufacturers now.  Plus the mileage is much worse than some of the others.  Unloaded with my heavy foot, I average around 18mpg. 

If you can wait, give it another month or two...Ford is going to offer the new 5.0 v8 and the 6.2 liter v8 in some of the 2011 F-150's.  The 5.4 in my truck works, and gets the job done without an issue...but I wouldn't mind a few extra ponies under the hood.  In a few weeks, I'm actually going to go to the dealership and have them work up some numbers on a 2011 F-150 harley davidson edition with the 6.2 for me...If they don't rape me in trade-in, I may make the swap.  Don't get me wrong, I like my current truck...but I LOVE the new Harley F-150's...especially with 400+ hp. 

[preddy08]

Could not of said it better myself.

I LOVE THIS TRUCK!!!!!!!! I rode down to Saint Athonys with three of my good buddys and they all want a truck like this. I mean come on, Air Conditioned seats, how sweet is that!

[Alkire193]

2006 Dodge Ram 1500, I was worried that it wouldnt be good to pull a trailer but I think it can take it on the HEMI model. Ive never had problems hauling a car trailer with 3 ORV's on it. Im going to try pulling an enclosed trailer when I get back. I hope I dont have to upgrade to the 2500 HD

[Havn2muchfun]

I have a 2008 quad cab 1500 dodge, back seat is tight for adults but works for our 3 kids. The new dodges have 3 different 4 doors, socheck to see what fits you best, any of the 6 and 1/2 foot box's will work. Cruizing at 75mph to georgia last year, we got 18-20 on the flat stretches, 13-15 in the hills of kentucky with the hemi. Have had a couple buddies with the chevy 5.3, they got good mileage but drove like old women. My parents just got a '10 ford and love the ride and space, don't know about their mileage because it's mostly short trips in town.

[preddy08]

I miss my old Ford

[Mad Dog]

I am comfortable with the size of my penis, and therefore suggest you purchase a midsize pickup, if you even need one or 4wd at all.

[desdak4]

LOL, penis size has nothing to do with it. I live in North Dakota, I have to move my Raptor, RZR 170 and a HammerHead Buggy and would like another camper. This is why I am a little concerned in the power department. I am looking Crew Cab because my kids are 16, 14 and 10.

Jay

[Kamakazi]

LOL, penis size has nothing to do with it. I live in North Dakota, I have to move my Raptor, RZR 170 and a HammerHead Buggy and would like another camper. This is why I am a little concerned in the power department. I am looking Crew Cab because my kids are 16, 14 and 10.

Jay

truly sounds like you want a diesel my friend, crewcab diesels are just so roomy, easily able to haul around 3 kids and luggage, will not have any problems with a camper or a large trailer at all.  im not saying a gas pot will have any trouble at all, its just that a diesel in this case is a much better fit.  nowadays used diesels are not much more expensive to buy or own than gas pots, but the 100$ oil changes kinda suck.  And the big 3 companies all make excellent diesel trucks but in that department i am torn btw the duramax and a cummins. 

[Mad Dog]

LOL, penis size has nothing to do with it. I live in North Dakota, I have to move my Raptor, RZR 170 and a HammerHead Buggy and would like another camper. This is why I am a little concerned in the power department. I am looking Crew Cab because my kids are 16, 14 and 10.

Jay

That information is quite useful, we now have an idea what you are going to be using it for and perhaps what parts of it will be most important.  For instance, comfortable rear seating is a priority and you're towing a large load and possibly even double pulling.

[desdak4]

A deisel is really not an option. My drive to work daily is only 9 miles and the cold weather in the winter can be a real bitch on the deisel trucks. This truck is more about moving the ATVs and family than any real heavy hauling. We will most likely be picking up a used motorhome for our little camping trips, they are never over 150 miles away.

Thanks for all the advice though everyone,
Jay