2020 Family Truckster !

[thatz4u]

Had a full sized Dodge Ram Van for years, only serious mechanical issue, a burned coil wire...

[Leonidas]

Wow, that thing is 50 shades of ugly. 

[High octane]

My most recent truck had to be a "special order" as I wanted a 2-door to begin with and certain options. My wife wanted me to get a 4-door truck and I explained that we already had a 4-door sedan with a car seat in the back for our grandchild. The manufacturers have been pushing 4-door trucks for quite awhile now and they look like big sedans with no trunk lids to me. I told one salesman that if the trucks would come with 6-doors I would buy six of them and start a limo company. In the last 2+ years I've been happy with my latest truck.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, thatz4u said:

Had a full sized Dodge Ram Van for years, only serious mechanical issue, a burned coil wire...

I didn't have major issues with mine either, but it was more than I had learned to expect from a virtually new vehicle.

When I traded it, it had a front wheel bearing going out & the power steering pump was about shot. (leaking all over the place)

After decades of owning Hondas & Mazda trucks & never having to make a trip to the shop for anything other than tires & oil changes, these little things were enough to scare me off.

There is nothing I hate more than repair bills. 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I loved the look of my 2003 Ram 1500.

Unfortunately, mechanically it began to give me cause for concern after about 30,000 miles, so I traded it for something that I knew would last forever with no issues.........a Honda Civic.

 

Steve

 

 

 

Good frienda mines bought one a doze wit jus a few thousand miles on it (on my recommendation, as I'd worked on a few and was very much impressed with how remarkably intelligently several major things were designed on it..easy to service and repair). He maintained it well but not obsessively. It went to over 200,000 miles before it started making expensive sounding internal engine noises, but it still looked new. No cracked dash or split seats or dings everywhere. Just a nice, clean truck. He sold it to another friend who is building a new engine for it, and who appreciates how well designed it is (like me). It'll probably run forever.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Good frienda mines bought one a doze wit jus a few thousand miles on it (on my recommendation, as I'd worked on a few and was very much impressed with how remarkably intelligently several major things were designed on it..easy to service and repair). He maintained it well but not obsessively. It went to over 200,000 miles before it started making expensive sounding internal engine noises, but it still looked new. No cracked dash or split seats or dings everywhere. Just a nice, clean truck. He sold it to another friend who is building a new engine for it, and who appreciates how well designed it is (like me). It'll probably run forever.

You just never know.

Oh, mine was beginning to show surface rust towards the end of the 3 years that I owned it as well.

 

By the way, you can make nearly anything run forever if you replace engines.

 

 

Steve

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

21 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

You just never know.

Oh, mine was beginning to show surface rust towards the end of the 3 years that I owned it as well.

 

By the way, you can make nearly anything run forever if you replace engines.

It went 200,000 miles with no issues other than a fuel cap, and front balljoints...because they were designed to be "sealed for life" and couldn't be greased. It's getting a new engine because the now-owner wants a Hemi. The engine that came out of it was easily repairable.

Far as "replacing engines" to make something run forever, actually, if you replace the normal wear parts like rings, bearings and seals within the engine BEFORE anything breaks, replacement of the entire engine just isn't often necessary. And nothing on the planet or anywhere else will run forever with no parts replacement as things wear.

I have a Geo Metro that is widely known by internet experts to be an unreliable, short lived POS. It has a tiny, highly-stressed engine that really has to scream to make any power. Interestingly, a friend bought it new, also on my recommendation. I maintained it from day one, again not obsessively. At 160,000 miles, it burned an exhaust valve, which I replaced (along with the other two, and rebuilt the head). I replaced the clutch at the same time, though it really didn't need it yet. It never missed a beat for years afterwards, and I bought the salvage from the insurance company after it was declared an "economic total" for $800 worth of body damage. At 250,000 miles, I replaced the rod bearings which were just barely worn out; they lasted...and when I had the head off, there was no measurable "ridge"...because we used high-quality synthetic oil from new. It just goes and goes and goes, all the while happily returning 40MPG.

It will also probably run forever, because by the time I die, there will most likely be so few left that whoever gets the thing will continue to treat it with the care and respect that ANY machine deserves, but that very few actually enjoy.

[bismarck]

19 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

Hollywood strikes again with their influence on stylling . I present to you , the 2020 Chevy Family Truckster !

Maybe GM will throw in one of those nose cover things to hide this mess. What would MSRP be on this thing? 40 to 50 grand fully loaded? NO THANKS. No wonder import trucks are so popular.

Edited December 6, 2018 by bismarck

[Agent G]

This is identical to the one I lost in the great divorce of 2005. Loved that truck. The ex just recently traded it off for,  get this, a Dodge Journey.

G

 

Edited December 7, 2018 by Agent G

[426 pack]

All trucks now are ugly, over complicated and to expensive in my opinion.  

That truck will probably end up being close to $100,000 Canadian where I just got this truck for $1,700 and it looks better, biult better and if it is taking care of it will last just as long. 

[iamsuperdan]

MSRP on the highest trim level wit hall the options will still be over $90k CDN. Just like the high level offerings from Ford and Ram.

If you know where to go though, you can get the truck for significantly less. Hint, hint.

A nice mid-level truck with a few extras and a diesel will be had for under $60k CDN.

Base model work spec with gas engine and a few extras, around $40k CDN.

Which is where all the brands have had their trucks priced for years.

 

Meh, I still like it.

[espo]

One of the big reasons you see mostly loaded 4-door trucks in dealers stock, MORE MARKUP. Fewer and fewer people order their new vehicles anymore. We all seem to need instant gratification no matter what we are doing or buying. Thus when you go into a dealership all you see is a sea of 4-door trucks with equipment you didn't even realize you needed. After the initial sticker stock with the dealer offering you a discount and rebate package it may not seem so bad. If all a dealer stocks is these behemoth trucks than that is what everyone is forced to buy. About your only choice is color. I have had to order everyone of our vehicles, with only 2 exceptions, since the '90's. the inventory situation at dealerships has gotten worse over an extended period of time. I have know idea where it will all end up, but if they don't do something about the appearance of todays trucks I hope they aren't banking on me buying one anytime soon. 

[iamsuperdan]

53 minutes ago, espo said:

One of the big reasons you see mostly loaded 4-door trucks in dealers stock, MORE MARKUP. Fewer and fewer people order their new vehicles anymore. We all seem to need instant gratification no matter what we are doing or buying. Thus when you go into a dealership all you see is a sea of 4-door trucks with equipment you didn't even realize you needed. After the initial sticker stock with the dealer offering you a discount and rebate package it may not seem so bad. If all a dealer stocks is these behemoth trucks than that is what everyone is forced to buy. About your only choice is color. I have had to order everyone of our vehicles, with only 2 exceptions, since the '90's. the inventory situation at dealerships has gotten worse over an extended period of time. I have know idea where it will all end up, but if they don't do something about the appearance of todays trucks I hope they aren't banking on me buying one anytime soon. 

I deal with this constantly! People don't realize that they can custom order a truck the way they want. Dealers and sales people rarely let them know, because they want to move the units on ground so they get paid faster.

 

And if a dealer tells you that you cannot factory order your next vehicle, they're probably lying to you. There are sometimes delays in production, or mayeb a model changeover, but you can always factory order. 

 

[espo]

2 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

I deal with this constantly! People don't realize that they can custom order a truck the way they want. Dealers and sales people rarely let them know, because they want to move the units on ground so they get paid faster.

 

And if a dealer tells you that you cannot factory order your next vehicle, they're probably lying to you. There are sometimes delays in production, or mayeb a model changeover, but you can always factory order. 

 

I agree. If you want a vehicle optioned in a curtain manor you just have to have patience and realize it will take a couple of months to get what you want. As I said most people just settle for what ever is available and to many dealers seem to settle into a rut when it comes to ordering inventory. 

[High octane]

About the only time you cannot order a vehicle from the factory is when they're changing over the model year which is in the summer. And yes if you want a color other than what is always on hand like black, white, or silver a dealer will have to check on the web site or you'll have to order it.

[NYLIBUD]

One of the worst example of a hideous vehicle that was once a nice looking car has to be the new Cherokee.No offense to anyone who owns one,but they are simply UGLY!!!!.I own a 2000 Cherokee,and I can't believe that Jeep would use the "Cherokee" name on their new truck.

[Rob Hall]

The facelifted 2019 Cherokee looks better.

 

[NYLIBUD]

7 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

The facelifted 2019 Cherokee looks better.

 

Yea I guess it looks a little better,but it still looks like a NASA vehicle that should be driving around exploring on Mars.Again,no offense to anybody

[Bill J]

They're all ugly and since the average buyer can no longer afford them, they should all just go away. GM and Ferd can close some more plants and lay off more workers. It seems to be a theme.

[Rob Hall]

3 minutes ago, Bill J said:

They're all ugly and since the average buyer can no longer afford them, they should all just go away. GM and Ferd can close some more plants and lay off more workers. It seems to be a theme.

Just your opinion, the market thinks differently---truck, CUV andSUV sales are pretty much at an all time high these days and make up a large percentage of sales.  GM's plant closures are for slow selling cars. 

[Eshaver]

On 12/5/2018 at 11:43 PM, martinfan5 said:

I thought after the last redesigned GM could not possibly make the Silverado any uglier, they said , hold my beer, and sure enough, they made it even uglier, good gravey, that is hideous

Jonathan , my I second your comments please ?

 

[Spex84]

So last year I got back from vacation and Chevy had announced a spectacularly ugly truck. I drew a little spoof image satirizing Chevy's current design direction and posted it here.

Now it's a year later, and here we go again, except this time I'm not even gonna bother with satire. I mean...wow.

WOOF!

Edited December 8, 2018 by Spex84

[Ace-Garageguy]

26 minutes ago, Spex84 said:

So last year I got back from vacation and Chevy had announced a spectacularly ugly truck. I drew a little spoof image satirizing Chevy's current design direction and posted it here...

I think they used your spoof design for inspiration.

[unclescott58]

I don't belong here anymore. Something's gone wrong. Car lines are being dropped. And trucks are getting uglier by the minute. Sad times. ?

[MrObsessive]

4 minutes ago, unclescott58 said:

I don't belong here anymore. Something's gone wrong. Car lines are being dropped. And trucks are getting uglier by the minute. Sad times. ?

Scott, unfortunately I have to agree. While I don't hate trucks and SUV's, I just wish when I go onto car sites, every other article isn't about something trucky. That's the car guy in me I guess, but I've never been a big fan of vehicles that sit up too high.

I like things that can corner quickly and get out of their own way. While there are some mighty swift trucks out there, the law of physics can't be changed. That high center of gravity can be a sure fire way to see yourself roof down and wheels up!

Interestingly, it's the American car makers that are giving up on cars. You don't see the European or Asian market cars doing the same. There's something to be said about that.