I know we have a "truck" forum but I am certain that most hunters drive or have driven 4x4 trucks, and I think I'd get more opinions here.

The Chevy Silverado now comes with a 5 year/100K mile warranty.

Would this influence you to go with the GM model vs. other makes like Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc.?

For longevity, I'd big time go Toy or Nissan way before any others.

Mark D

quote:

Would this influence you to go with the GM model vs. other makes like Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc.?

Yes! GM makes a good product. Sad thing is, no one makes a "truck" any more. Most pickups are a cross between a car and a light duty truck! Similar to an el-camino or ranchero but 4x4.

I honestly believe there is a niche market for a no frills, vynal floor, 5 speed, small engine,no elec. locks, windows, and blah blah type pickup! I don't think ford has made a good off road type hunting rig since 1979. I don't know if chevy ever did, that wouldn't rust out.

Most are pretty plush unless you opt for a 1 ton heavey duty. That gets 8 mpg, is to big to get onto a two-track in the mountains. Tacomas were close, but they followed every one else. And you won't survive a head-on with a doe antelope in the older models. It is and would be a tough choice.

My pick would be Toyota.

The only thing you call pull with a rice burner is your finger.....buy an american truck.
my 2c

HMMMM...

I can remember the day I pulled not one but 2 big Ford Diesel trucks out of the mud with my "little" 1987 Nissan Pathfinder.

PS this Pathfinder has over 282,000 miles on it and still drives as good as it did when it was new.

Who would go off roading in the mud with such a heavy diesel truck anyway? And hauling actual weight on a road ur pathfinder wouldn't compare, they are good for off roading tho as they are light with decent clearance and suspension and not such a long wheelbase.

As far as I'm concerned truck is spelled "F" "O" "R" "D"

But I'll be honest and say I don't like the newer Fords as much as the older ones.
Why don't I like them? because they've been making them more and more like Chevy's.

Frankly, I consider a truck to be a group of parts much like George Washington's original hatchet, and it doesn't matter how many times the head, handle or wedges have been replaced...

Like the truck I drive now, an '87 Ford Ranger Supercab.
It's far easier to list what I haven't replaced than what I have... what's original is the Cab Shell, the two side rails of the frame and only two of the frame crossmembers (of an original seven the truck now has nine)

what else is original? not a damned thing! And MOST parts have been replaced more than once in the 21years and 400,000 miles since it left the twin cities assembly plant!

I'm only slightly more likely to buy a chevy than I am to go sheep herding with Heath Ledger, and those odds just shifted because Heath is in the news for being found
dead in his NY apartment.

AD

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
The Chevy Silverado now comes with a 5 year/100K mile warranty.

Would this influence you to go with the GM model vs. other makes like Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc.?

I'd look at it; the later GM diesels are supposed to be pretty good. My 93 Dodge/Cummins will probably wear out in another fifteen years and it will be time for a new truck if my health holds out.

Doc before I retired I was in the wholesale car business... and a decade running one of the major national valuation services, east coast based. Bottom line is I drive a Chevrolet because of the warranty! The dealer only sells them, he doesn't design or build them. He had better damn well be prepared to fix them though. To me vehicles are totally expense based propositions... no sex and no love for them. Major repairs expense is enough to ruin ownership experience on any brand. The warranty allows you to assign the risk to the manufacturer/designer where it belongs.

I forgot to mention the value to the off roader of On Star, a satelite phone based life saver.

Couple of my opinions... buy American is one of them, though content is an issue there as well.

I was raised in a General Motors vehicle family and drove them myself for several years, but after lemons in 1999 and 2000, I am a Ford man. I am on my fifth Ford one ton and dearly love my 2006 F350, but with diesel prices so high and mileage so low, I would seriously look at a Toyota Tundra if I were buying today.

Depends. If you are into Diesel, the Cummins or Duramax are really solid. If you also want an automatic tranny, there is no question. The Allison Grear Box is bullet proof.

As a plus, My duramax gets 20+ mpg on the highway empty, with a 12,000 fith wheel I average 13mpg+

I've owned them all Ford Chevy and Dodge..

And they only truck for me is A FORD.

My 1999 F-350 with 162k miles gets 22 mpg (Diesel)

Steve

Guess I'll have to speak up for the dodge boys. I like my cummins powered TRUCK. It is design built for hauling on the road. I have used ti extensively off road and it does ok-these things are heavy!! Weight allows one to have and maintain better traction. I don't care how low the gearing in a toy or nissan may be, if you don't have weight you ain't gonna pull as much load. Any doubts lets get a chain and be prepared to be embarrassed. I also like 15K mile oilchanges on dino oil, no spark plugs, no wires, no coil, no tune ups, comes with a turbo. Mine is 4wd,lwb,4door,6spdHO 2004 model. I do ok in the sand. I try to stay away from deep mud. Lots of folks tell me I'm #1(or maybe that is their IQ) on the highway when I drive 55 and get 25mpg with a 7200lb truck. I get 20@65 and 18@70. I feel if ya' wants to haul get a truck with an inline six. My old truck was a ford with a 300 inline-my only complaint was a crappy tranny that went out like clockwork every 84k miles. I don't like the new 6.7 liter cummins--too many emmission controls. Mine was 50 state legal with none for that year. Additionally try to smoke out anybody with a gasser--ain't gonna happen!!!!!
I don't want to start a war. We all have preferences as to our vehicles and what we intend to use them for. My best advice is to do lots of research on ALL the brands available then make your best educated decision and buy what you want. Don't ever settle for something you don't really want.
Andy

quote:

100K mile warranty

Warrantys are a joke! 80% of the problems are not covered.
Buy American ? Isn't Ford also made in Mexico!
I will never by another Ford or a Chevy truck bad gas mileage, $35.000 -$50.000 City cars!

The true test of any truck is how far ya can take it off an Alaskan road without getting stuck in the muskeg & swamps. Ala the "Tundra Dummies".

Bear in Fairbanks

Doc, Do you plan on putting 100,000 miles on your truck? If not, will the warranty increase the resale value?

I currently own a 2005 Suburban and a 2006 F-250. Both have around 30k miles on them and are both still under warranty. The Suburban has been back to the dealers shop 3 times, the Ford has been back none despite the relitively "hard" miles that I've put on it.

Even under warranty, it's still a hassle to have your vehicle in the shop so do your homework and may the luck of the draw be with you

215K on my 02 Tundra, I'm in 4wd every day trapping. All I do is drive it and change the oil. 20mpg. I have had new Fords, Chevys and Dodges and they can't even come close to Toyota's quality and toughness.In the mountains I go every where I want and I have pulled other trucks out of the rivers and mud and snow. I have never had to be pulled out. My truck is American made, most other "American" trucks are made in Canada or Mexico

Toyota Tundra 4X4 LWB 5.7 litre.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc:
...The Chevy Silverado now comes with a 5 year/100K mile warranty.

Would this influence you to go with the GM model vs. other makes like Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc.?

Hey Doc, The Dodges are selling in KY with an Unlimited Lifetime Power Train Warranty. So, if a person plans on keeping one for a long time, that should be a consideration.

A local buddy has two sons who just bought new Diesel trucks. One son, Jason, bought a Ford because the company he works for does the Production Floor changes for Ford and he gets the employee discount. He is also getting 9mpg with the current Diesel engine Ford is using. There has been some news about Ford having problems with it's Diesel engine supplier for about 3-4 years.

The other son works for a company that puts in Fencing all over the East Coast and the company uses nothing but Dodge Diesels. Based on their service, Aaron bought one of them and gets 15mpg.

But, they are both getting ready to install an Aftermarket Computer Chip which is supposed to raise the mileage considerably. (I'm skeptical of these next figures.) The Ford is supposed to go up to 18-20mpg and the Dodge 24-26mpg. And the Chip maker claims it will not void their Warranty.

Two of the local Thoroughbred Farms drive Dodges and apparently do no maintenance at all on them. Neither has a "mechanic" on the payroll to do even oil changes. A friend does all their repairs and told me an older large Dodge just needed a $6000 Transmission. And it took 6 work days to get it from Jasper.
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I've driven both Fords and Chevys for many years, mostly having two 4x4s at the same time. I like both, but agree with those that said most of them are punier than they used to be as far as Frame stiffness. Of course, that is an attempt to lower the weight so mileage will increase.

I'm currently driving a Chevy S10 4x4 ZR2. The best mileage it gets in the Summer on flat ground is a bit over 19mpg and does really well in sand, mud and now this totally worthless KY snow. Mileage has dropped to 12-14mpg in the Winter.

In the infinite wisdom of Chevrolet, they replaced the S10 with the ugliest truck made since the real old Dodges. If this truck gets run over, I'll not replace it with the weird looking Colorado. And the 2008 full size Chevys seem to be designed to create the largest Air Dam possible with the front end, but they do have a better appearance than the 2007 models.
-----

One of my SC buddies is going to rebuild a `58 Chevy 4x4 from the Frame up, put a Diesel in it, and burn French Fry oil.

Best of luck in your choice.

I would say the dealer I visit has a lot more to do with what truck I buy. I had bad experiences with even looking at Chevrolets a few times and haven't even looked twice at them. My family had 2 bad Ford cars and I considered the 6.0 diesel when it first came out but I went with Dodge as I have had a Jeep and a Dodge truck right before it. Toyota cars in my family have been very good but I never had one of their trucks. I will consider them the next time around

My requirements for a truck are simple - solid axles front and rear, manual transmission, reputable engine. As far as I know, that leaves me only Ford and Dodge. I absolutely hate the interiors of Ford, and I've had great luck with several Dodges, so that's what I'm in now. I have a 2000 quad cab 3/4 ton short bed wtih a 360 and a five speed tranny. It's got Dana 60 axles front and rear and a heavy duty NP231 transfer case. The rest is superfluous in my opinion. It's not the ballsiest (what do you expect with that much steel and only a 360), but it takes me pretty much wherever I point it, and it still churned out a semi-respectable 16.3 MPG on my NM to WY trip last year. With only 71,000 miles, it's not really broken in yet, but I expect it'll do what it needs to for years to come.

As pointed out earlier, Dodge now has a "limited" lifetime drivetrain warranty. That doesn't include diesels though. If I were looking for a new truck (not a car with 4 wheel drive), I'd opt for a four door dodge with a hemi and a six speed. I'd still get solid axles front and rear, a real tranny and transfer case, and enough power to do what I want. I figure if you're looking at $40K+ trucks, gas mileage shouldn't really be the deciding factor. If it was that important, I'd hunt out of a Subaru Brat.

Now, if I were shopping for a large truck to drive the family around in, and maybe hit the desert on occassion, I'd look awful hard at a Toyota Tundra.

It's all in what you intend to use the truck for... If you are hauling or towing heavy loads your only choices are the big three from the U.S. The Japanese half tons are excellent trucks but simply can't handle the 3/4 or 1 ton truck workloads... If it's off roading for the purposes of hunting, it depends on how large a critter it is you are hunting and whether you would want to put it in the back of an SUV.. Smaller pickups and SUVs can go places no "full size" truck can go simply because of their size...

I take my F-250 hunting every year and I do manage to get it into some pretty tight places but my friends "compact" pickup is much easier.. Course his won't tow my 11,000 plus pound 5th wheel ...

For my purposes, only a diesel 3/4 or 1 ton will do... I have my doubts as to whether the Japanese will ever break into the "big" truck market with much success...

If it's a half ton or smaller you're after, it's going to be a rough decision, that's for sure...

Ken....

To answer the question at hand, yes.

I wouldn't buy a full size truck if it didn't have a 100,000 mile warranty.

I have owned GMC, Chevy, Dodge, and now Ford.
The one thing they all have in common is that they ALL break down sooner or later.

My current Ford's flywheel busted (for the second time) luckily both times were covered by the 100,000 mile warranty that came with the powerstroke engine.

My thinking is that you will have the truck payed off by the time you exceed 100,000 miles.

quote:

I know we have a "truck" forum but I am certain that most hunters drive or have driven 4x4 trucks, and I think I'd get more opinions here.

The Chevy Silverado now comes with a 5 year/100K mile warranty.

Would this influence you to go with the GM model vs. other makes like Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc.?

Funny you should ask, I just bought a new truck. Haven't been hauling much lately and the 40cents per gallon higher diesel cost were getting ridiculous, so I traded the cummins in. Got 29K for it and had nearly 50k miles and 2 years on her, so I can't complain.

My best trucks by far have been Dodge in the past. I still have a 98 Ram 4x4 with a lift and superswamper tires for a camp truck that has nearly 200K and has the same 318ci motor, same auto tranny that was factory installed and it's been put through pure hell in our sticky mud without any trouble. The only diesel to own has Cummins written on it in my opinion, their outstanding reputation against the others speaks for itself.

That said, I just bought a new truck and didn't go with Dodge despite my loyalty. I decided to be open and look at all aspects mainly focusing on fuel mileage, ride quality, comfort, bed capacity, warranty etc..

That said the GM won. The 4x4 GMC silverado rode the best by far, got better fuel mileage, had equal or better power, and all the convienences I could want. Notice I said 4x4 instead of Z71 the Z71 package rode noticably rougher than the High performance package they offer on some of the 4x4s. I went with the high performance package that had the better sway bar, 20" rims w/ 275 tires, etc. The captains chairs are nice, the large console is nicely designed the bed was plenty big enough for a UWS tool box and my Grizzly 700 ATV(with the tailgate down of course). I really wanted a 4 door but all of the 4 doors with exception of the Dodge had terribly short beds and would not aloow a atv and a tool box including the GMs. So I went with a extended cab. The extended cab on the GMs now has more room, its own set of electric windows that go completely down, and interior door latch handles. I hardly ever have someone ride in the rear, I just like the 4 door for the room for my hunting gear. I went from a dodge 2500 4 door to this extended cab and have no complaints on the room of the ext cab as it's very near the size of the rear of the Dodge.

The Fords rode rough and got horrible fuel mileage. The Dodges got horrible mileage as well.

One thing to consider about the Dodge is that they do offer by far the best warranty, the lifetime powertrain and they are about the lowest priced of the bunch.

Some are die hard Toyota fans and they are good trucks, I'm just not convinced they are worth the 10k extra compared to the others. The new tundras are well over 40k with any sort of options and they look terrible IMO. That said, they do get good mileage for the power plant they're running.

Good Luck

Reloader

I love my Chevy 3/4 ton Duramax and the Allison transmission. Chevy kicks butt with this combination.

the 100k warranty wouldn't influence me at all. i go by reputation for dependability and first hand knowledge. I drive toyoto only. have 2 trucks and a camry. live on a farm, drive em in mud, slop, across fields, hauling firewood, out to new mexico and colorado every fall/winter, and nothing seems too difficult for the trucks. i've owned both ford and chevy trucks, and they just don't hold up as well on the farm. other farmers in the area are also switching to toyoto. imo, they are a better truck. ymmv..

Doc,
I just bought a 07 Silverado 2500HD and I love it. The warranty was one of the reasons that i bought it. I got the gas 6.0 ltr engine and the 6 speed tranny. It just has 500 miles on it so I can't tell you much about it.
I traded off a 04 silverado 1/2 ton and it is a bit rougher ride but not too much. This is my third GM truck and I have friends who have Fords and Dodges and it's all in the eye of the beholder. What I have noticed is the Fords don't get as good of milage and the Dodges ride a litle rougher but other than that they are very close. It's like Winchester or Ruger. I liked the dealer service and customer support and thats what I bought.
Good luck.

I have a 99 Dodge deisel with 300k on it. It is by far the best truck I have ever owned. I wouldn't thank for another chevy .20 years ago Chev had a good truck but not any more.

There is only one best off road truck...and thats the chevy ZR2 with the xtend cab. It has the right wheelbase and width, the right powerplant/drivetrain, sits just high enough, has a great suspension system, has just enough room inside for your hunting gear, a decent sized bed and looks so bad assed. Just a super truck for the hunting/off road guy. Oh, and after 9yrs and very few washings...NO rust anywhere. Chevy really did get this one right. I almost cried when my son put it under a moving tractor/trailer...at 70 MPH and then it drug the ZR2 over 200 ft before spitting it out clear across a 4 laner. Really lucky and most importantly, I still have that son. I now drive a 2004 2500HD with a 6.0ltr 300hp gas engine and its a tough damned truck with gobs of power and rides great for a HD truck, but it loves gas. About 14mpg highway. It ain't no 4x4 car thats for sure. As for Toyota...well the first 3 letters are a hint as to what I think about them. I have been a bowtie guy all my life and had damned few problems with them. As for warranties...they are ONLY AS GOOD AS THE COMPANY/PERSON STANDING BEHIND THEM.

As they have all extended their warranties, it doesn't mean much. It is whether or not you need to use the warranty that counts. Unfortunately, the only truck I have ever had a real problem with was a Ford, so fool me twice, shame on me. Using the warranty 18 times in the first year does not cause endearment.

My '96 Dodge has 153K on it and has been in the shop exactly once for a transmission valve since I bought it. The rest is standard maintenance stuff like tires, batteries, lights, etc. Since I can't complain, I will probably buy another. The Chevys are also very nice trucks, as are the Nissans. Like someone else said, I have to get my 4-wheeler into it as a requirement.

well i'm die hard chevy but those toyota's are worth looking at

Small truck - Nissan or Toyota.
Big truck - American

quote:

Originally posted by bluefin:
Small truck - Nissan or Toyota.
Big truck - American

Small truck Ford Ranger, particularly if you are talking about an older truck '97 or earlier...

The toyota's are "ok" but if you skip a couple of oil changes the only thing you can do is melt them down and start over.

AD

I have owned GMC, Chevy, Dodge, and now Ford.
The one thing they all have in common is that they ALL break down sooner or later.

In ten years, most of us will driving a Chinese made truck.. If GM or Ford do not get their act together. The labor unions have wrecked our auto industry...

Ford is supposed to be coming out with a F150 with an allison tranny and a small diesel, it is a forgiegn diesel.

There are more Toyotas made in America than chevys.

Hey guys, thanks for all of your kind responses.

I guess I should make a couple of points.

1) towing is not a concern
2) truck must be 4x4 "supercab" style, i.e., I need the largest cab
3) I am not a brand loyal guy. I love a lot of features about most all I've seen, regardless of make.
4) purpose is truly for hunting only. largest towing would be a trailer with a atv or 2. Truck bed would be used to haul dead animals.

5) the only offroading I'll do is to pick up a recent kill. I do not offroad for fun.

Now, I've owned Dodge, Ford, Toyota, and I've driven Chevys, GMC, and Nissans.

As long as they are running well, I really do not care what make the truck is.

I owned a nice Ford F150 (2005 model), supercrew 4x4 Lariat, for 2 years and sold it just b/c some guy kept upping his offer...he liked the truck that much, so I gave in with the new 2007 Tundras and promise of F150 diesels coming, and sold it. It was the best, smoothest riding truck I've owned....well, the ride was about the same as my 2002 Tundra.

As far as what a "truck" is, well, I don't mind if they have a car chassis. I think it makes them ride better anyway. I don't care for all of the aftermarket mods, lift kits, fancy bumpers and shocks....just not my thing.

As far as American trucks go, the fact is, that includes the Toyota Tundra. Made in America is made in America any way you slice it. My F150 was mostly Canadian/Mexican. So, if that is what we call "American" it needs to be changed to "North American."

Bottom line is, I just LOVE new stuff. I like how all the makers are coming out with new designs. There's not much about many of them that I don't like. Does this mean I'm easy to please?

I guess the one reservation I have about a Dodge and their top of the line warranty is that Dodge has the most notable reputation for ignoring their warranties. Daimler gets involved and their arrogance has clouded their judgment. That said, I have no personal experience with it. There is just a ton of websites out there regarding Dodge and how they do not honor warranties. BUT, I really like the exterior of the Dodge trucks. I think they look pretty damn sweet.

It doesn't really matter what kind of warranty Toyota has, you probably won't need to use it.

Alan

This BS about this truck and that wears me out. I've been in the car business since 1984, have managed a dealership since 1990. I t doesn't matter what kind of warranty a Toyota has, you won't need it, absolutely BS statement. I started out selling Toyotas and Hondas, most had 12-2-0 techs and they were churning out 60 hours of labor a week and were sure as hell not doing oil changes. They all break, they all need warranty. Lets not be silly here, just because we like something. Desert Ram said something about Ford and solid front axles, Ford hasn't had one since the F350 of 1997 I believe. As for drivetrain, you will have more problems with a Dodge auto transmission than any other model. The simple fact is that most of the later model trucks are good for over 200000 miles, whether Dodge, Ford, Chev or toyota. I have for a hunting truck a very clean 1994 full- size Blazer- with 180000 miles. My son just got back from a ski trip to Co. with it in Dec., I wouldn't be afraid to take it anywhere. Pick whatever you like they are all pretty good, but don't tell me a Toyota doesn't need a warranty, that is a foolish statement. If they didn't need a warranty to compete and take care of repairs, they sure as hell wouldn't offer one.