I liked being able to flip up the seat base and put stuff on that area with the 4 dr tacoma, I would put the stuff on an upside-down rubbermaid stool which was waterproof
not the the same on tundra
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I liked being able to flip up the seat base and put stuff on that area with the 4 dr tacoma, I would put the stuff on an upside-down rubbermaid stool which was waterproof
not the the same on tundra
I love my first gen Tundra. '01 with 412,000 miles. I only drive it maybe 2,000 miles a year now. Mostly for ski, camp and boat trips. The suspension was squeaking not handling great . Aside from some front shocks, I haven't done anything underneath. I know the first gens are known for ball joint issues, so I had to make the call: just let it squeak and hope for the best. Then wait until I retire in a 2-4 years and buy new truck. Or start throwing some money at it.
I chose the latter. It's at a Toyota specialty shop getting the entire suspension replaced and new tires. I was thinking about going all in and doing a paint job, reupholster, new stereo with back-up camera and remote start. The engine I'll just run until it dies and then just replace it.
Is this stupid? It would be cool to have restored first gen, but would I be better off keeping my powder dry for a new truck when I retire? I plan on towing a small travel trailer when I retire and expect I'll be using a truck a lot more.
^^^Get the Tundra in nice shape as you are doing, but do not sink so much $$$ into that you will be forced to sell it to buy the new tow vehicle. I have a 13 Tundra reg cab, short wheel base as a daily, and a 24 Chev 3500 for the truck camper and towing. It's a great combo.
You should plan a 250/2500 or more for the FWC. And the 8 foot FWC (grandby) makes a huge difference in livability over the HawkQuote:
Originally Posted by snowaddict91
Mrs. Snowaddict has been adamantly opposed to a 3/4 ton every time I brought it up. I finally got her to drive a 2015 F250 today and she liked it so I guess she's on board now. She's set on a 4 door short bed and I'm good with that for how/when we use our camping rig. I've been driving a 4 door 6.5 bed for like 12 yrs now, including an old 97 F250 that I never should have sold.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeless Sinner
Dealer 30 min away has a 2015 gasser lariat that the Mrs. Is trying to get me to go look at, but I kinda want to go newer/lower miles, it has 133k.
The 6.2 is proving to be a pretty good high mile motor. Mine has 150k with lots of 5-10k towing over mountain passes, dirt roads cold weather starts and it has been trouble free. The 7.3 Godzilla is sweet but I'm not sure you actually get a better more reliable, lower cost of ownership truck. They are just nicer. Which, aside from picking your favorite game and being a dick about it seems to be the game. How much new and fancy do you need? There are plenty of $30k trucks that do the truck stuff just as good as the $90k ones and if you shop hard you can get a nice new 3/4ton for $60k,
So are you D1 baller or baller on a budget? How much money do you want to put in a truck?
I believe you can get a 1T Chevy LT gasser btwn 55-60K, nicely equipped, but no leather, heads up display, etc. And the price difference btwn 3/4T and 1 T is neglible, which prompts me to wonder why one would choose to buy a new 3/4T.Quote:
Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles
Ford will have more payload, and bigger gas tank in the long bed(48 gal), and not as good a ride as a GM.
One of the things I l really liked about the OBS Fords, like your 97, is that the shortened was 6'9" or 81". 6.5ft beds, although not much shorter, kinda suckQuote:
Originally Posted by snowaddict91
I'd not up on all the model specs but the reason to get a 3/4 ton over a 1ton is that is fits your use case better. The 1ton is basically just a suspension designed to haul and tow heavy loads but the unloaded ride suffers.
Tuco, what bed and door config are you looking for? Can you get a true 4dr. 8' bed in a half ton? You can't in an F150.
But again, use case. I like a 4dr 8' bed but I live in the sticks and don't mind parking far away and walking at the grocery.
My advice would be to drive a GM 1T before buying a 3/4 T of any brand. They ride very well even empty and exactly the same as the 2500, it's the same spring pack.Quote:
Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles
The 3500 includes 2 overload springs w 5 leafs, compared w 5 leafs only for the 2500, heaviver axle, and bigger rear diff and the most important factor is much higher payload. In my case I future proofed myself from ever buying another HD truck in case I start towing a boat, or trailer of some sort w my FWC in the bed. The price difference is around $1200 btwn the 2500 and 3500.
If considering any Ford 250/350, I'd strongly recommend test driving and test parking it during that drive. Like just pulling into a regular striped spot in any parking lot.
The F350 crew cab long bed I had was horrendous to park or maneuver at all. I had lots of other reason to dislike it, but that was certainly one of them. I would guess that a solid front axle Dodge would be similar, but I never drove any.
Re: 250 vs 350 - - some states charge different registration fees for one ton vs 3/4 ton, sometimes much higher fees. This is worth checking into before buying.
I did a hot shot for a buddy in an almost new Chev 3500 PU that I had never driven before, he gave it to me loaded with 2800 lbs of drill gear in the bed, I could just leave it in cruise the duramax had assloads of power and it rode smooth like a Cadillac so i thot wow !
then the guy at the air cargo in Fortmac grabbed all the the freight with a fork lift and suddenly it rode like a truck
Dude, I drove an hour and a half to check out a Tundra a few years ago. Beautiful truck, low miles, Limited, etc. Walk around to passenger side and there was huge damage to the side. WTF? You guys weren't gonna mention that?Quote:
Originally Posted by snowaddict91
I honestly think you'd be pretty happy with a Tundra with a camper on it. Like I have mentioned, mine (2009 w/ 150k) has a 1200 lb camper on it full time. Beefed up suspension helps for sure. It is really nice that it drives and parks like a 1/2 ton. Pull into the ski area parking lot and no problems whatsoever. Stop for groceries, etc. easy. I also rock a 2x moto carrier sometimes. Parking gets more difficult, but I honestly do not notice the extra load even then. I'm not hitting bumps as fast or slamming the brakes, but I can set cruise control at 80mph in UT no problem. Never had any issues with transmission temp either, at some point I think they got rid of the tranny cooler though. I get 11.5 mpg hwy which I feel like is pretty good considering.
3/4 tons are nice, but expensive and american, which makes them extremely unreliable in my book. I almost bought one from my FIL but that thing had more gremlins than Gremlins 2. haha
^thanks for the Tundra report, haven't totally ruled it out yet as I too would rather drive a Toyota. But also trying to future proof this purchase and long term travel with a bigger camper a few years down the road is a possibility that still has me leaning towards something with more payload.
Re: 3/4-1 ton parking, registration, etc. all good points to think about. BTDT with a 250 before so fairly familiar. I'm in agreement on parking lots being a pain but the Mrs. Said it was fine enough on a short drive yesterday. I specifically asked about parking.
I'm leaning strongly towards a 6.2 Ford as I know that vintage of Ford well and can get one cheap enough to avoid a payment if I want. That means I can have another DD and not put a ton of miles on it.
Probably won't consider a Chevy, in the pick a brand and be a dick about it argument I'm a Ford or Toyota guy. Won't try and argue about why, just what I like.
I agree, as much as I hate Ford, a friend of mine's recent experience with Chevy has me even more against their new trucks. Ram doesn't even enter the discussion unless it has a Cummins and even then.... I guess Ford it would be. Now, for the camper side of things, if you have that kind of payload capacity, and want to spend more time in it, I'd definitely go with a hard sided camper. Especially if you plan on using it in the winter. Depending on your budget, there's some pretty badass flatbed Total Composites. This might be something I'll be looking at in the future. [img]https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/...Camper-2-1.jpg[/img]
I like Chev and Toyota, but would consider a Ford if I wanted a giant truck camper and it kept me from needing a dually in GM. Fords w aluminum bodies have substantially more payload than Ram or GM and I believe the solid front axle is much more HD than GMs IFS, but Fords ride suffers. Z71 package also softens the ride of the GMs from their stock form.Wifey is a bit scary driving the 22 foot long, CCLWB truck in towns so we swap out for that. Small active gas stations can be a bit of a challenge, but w the diesel I can use the truck/rv side and avoid all the cars zipping around.
Our local Ford dealer just announced that they are closing their doors :
Teton Auto Group Announces Closure of Summit Ford in Silverthorne, CO Silverthorne, CO – July 7, 2025 – Teton Auto Group has announced that Summit Ford in Silverthorne, Colorado will be closing as the dealership begins the process of winding down operations this week. The closure follows Ford Motor Company’s decision to restructure its dealer network and consolidate operations in select markets, including Silverthorne. This strategic move is part of Ford’s broader efforts to align its retail presence with long-term market performance goals. Therefore shutting down this point permanently. In addition to the network changes, local market conditions have presented long-standing challenges. Another key factor has been the area’s tax structure, which often results in customers paying less tax when purchasing vehicles outside the region—making it difficult for local dealerships to remain competitive over time. “Summit Ford has faced a number of market-based challenges over the years,” said Crystal Zmak, Chief Operating Officer of Teton Auto Group. “We’ve worked hard to support this location and team, and this decision was hard to accept. Our focus now is ensuring a smooth and respectful transition for our employees and customers.” Effective immediately, the sales department has closed. The service department will complete current repairs already in progress but will not be taking on new work. Customers with existing service appointments, vehicle orders, or pending repairs will be contacted directly with options. “This store has been part of our group and our story, and we’re proud of the people who worked here,” said Mario Hernandez, CEO of Teton Auto Group. “Even though the time has come to close this chapter, we’re committed to doing right by our team and to honoring the relationships built in this community.” *Customers with questions about service or next steps can contact the dealership directly at 1-970-262-9230 for more information."
Teton Auto Group Announces Closure of Summit Ford in Silverthorne, CO Silverthorne, CO – July 7, 2025 – Teton Auto Group has announced that Summit Ford in Silverthorne, Colorado will be closing as the dealership begins the process of winding down operations this week. The closure follows Ford Motor Company’s decision to restructure its dealer network and consolidate operations in select markets, including Silverthorne. This strategic move is part of Ford’s broader efforts to align its retail presence with long-term market performance goals. Therefore shutting down this point permanently. In addition to the network changes, local market conditions have presented long-standing challenges. Another key factor has been the area’s tax structure, which often results in customers paying less tax when purchasing vehicles outside the region—making it difficult for local dealerships to remain competitive over time. “Summit Ford has faced a number of market-based challenges over the years,” said Crystal Zmak, Chief Operating Officer of Teton Auto Group. “We’ve worked hard to support this location and team, and this decision was hard to accept. Our focus now is ensuring a smooth and respectful transition for our employees and customers.” Effective immediately, the sales department has closed. The service department will complete current repairs already in progress but will not be taking on new work. Customers with existing service appointments, vehicle orders, or pending repairs will be contacted directly with options. “This store has been part of our group and our story, and we’re proud of the people who worked here,” said Mario Hernandez, CEO of Teton Auto Group. “Even though the time has come to close this chapter, we’re committed to doing right by our team and to honoring the relationships built in this community.” *Customers with questions about service or next steps can contact the dealership directly at 1-970-262-9230 for more information.
Sucks for people who depended on them but it is only an hr drive on the I70 shitstorm to the next dealer. I'd be bummed if my fleet or business depended on them.
Their presser forgot the part about their service department just sucks.
But the rest of it is true. For new domestic trucks, the mega dealers have been winning big on price for years.
The reason to shop local have always been service. Steamboat Ford is pretty good.
Sent from my Turbo 850 Flatbrimed Highhorse
Trump cutbacks ?
> 20 yrs ago I had 2 ford dealers that were my IT customers they all had IBM gear they went under up here in small town BC mostly due to the forest industry cutbacks
The local guy who delivers trucks for the Chev dealer here in small town of 5000 sez that dealer sells 1000 trucks a year he puts em on a trailer behind a PU and delivers them so it doesnt have to be a big town to support a dealer
I could tell many long stories about the Ford dealership and theiur service department. I will not be sad to see them go. Plus they worked with my competitor so that's good for me I guess. It'd be cool if a Toyota dealership opened there and did an awesome job but I won't hold my breath. It'll probably just turn into condos or a outlet mall.Quote:
Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles
Where do you service your GMC? Twin?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeless Sinner
Yup was down there last week. It is $80 for diesel oil change and $60 for gassers. $10 tire rotation. Free software upgrades, but they take hours.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reverend Floater