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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Recommendation? I need a new pickup
- Thread starter Shann
- Start date
I went through this dilemma a 3 years ago. I looked at everything that was out there at the time, both full size, and compact.
In the compacts, it's really tough to beat the Tacoma in any flavor. It's quite capable on and off road. But it pays a little for it in ride comfort compared to the Chevy Colorado (or GMC Canyon). The Chevy drives and rides more like a passenger car, and can (at least at the time) be had with a nicer interior. That's not to say the GM isn't a capable truck, it's just set up more for a DD commuter, and less of a hard core toy. Both Crew cabs were acceptable, but I found them all a bit small for my tastes. At 6'2" I was uncomfortable in the back of both, which means my passengers would be too. The only other small truck at the time was the Honda (the Ranger wasn't released yet), and it was the older styling, which I absolutely hated, so it was out.
In the full size trucks, any from the Big 3 were all comparable. An inch or two here or there in the cab didn't make much difference, as the were all quite roomy in a Crew cab. The Nissan just didn't stack up to them at all for what you paid, but the Toyota was quite nice. The problem with the two Japanese trucks was that they didn't offer any incentives, so you paid full MSRP. Any of the Big 3 offered all kinds of incentives, knocking close to $8k off of the price at the time.
I went full size. Value for price was the big deciding factor. I could get a nicely equipped 1/2-ton full size for not much more than the nicely spec'ed compacts, while getting a lot more capability. I have more room, a can haul more, and I can tow more. It was just a no brainer for me.
I debated between the F150 and the Ram 1500. The Ford had that nice Ecoboost v6 (hell of a motor), but the Ram looked better. I ended up with the Hemi Ram in the Big Horn package, for no other reason than I got the best deal on it. I would could have been happy with either, realistically.
I'm glad I went full size. Sure, the Taco or Colorado would have done just fine for me at the time, but the savings in downsizing wasn't enough to justify it. I've also since bought a camper, which I couldn't have towed with one. And I never have to worry about how much payload I'm putting in the bed (within reason, obviously). I do pay a toll in fuel though... my commute is stop and go through Pittsburgh, which isn't exactly flat (motorcycle offsets that in decent weather thought). Had I gone with a compact, I would have upgraded by now. But as it stands, I plan on having this truck for at least another 7 or 8 years.
And my dog gets in the cab just fine!
In the compacts, it's really tough to beat the Tacoma in any flavor. It's quite capable on and off road. But it pays a little for it in ride comfort compared to the Chevy Colorado (or GMC Canyon). The Chevy drives and rides more like a passenger car, and can (at least at the time) be had with a nicer interior. That's not to say the GM isn't a capable truck, it's just set up more for a DD commuter, and less of a hard core toy. Both Crew cabs were acceptable, but I found them all a bit small for my tastes. At 6'2" I was uncomfortable in the back of both, which means my passengers would be too. The only other small truck at the time was the Honda (the Ranger wasn't released yet), and it was the older styling, which I absolutely hated, so it was out.
In the full size trucks, any from the Big 3 were all comparable. An inch or two here or there in the cab didn't make much difference, as the were all quite roomy in a Crew cab. The Nissan just didn't stack up to them at all for what you paid, but the Toyota was quite nice. The problem with the two Japanese trucks was that they didn't offer any incentives, so you paid full MSRP. Any of the Big 3 offered all kinds of incentives, knocking close to $8k off of the price at the time.
I went full size. Value for price was the big deciding factor. I could get a nicely equipped 1/2-ton full size for not much more than the nicely spec'ed compacts, while getting a lot more capability. I have more room, a can haul more, and I can tow more. It was just a no brainer for me.
I debated between the F150 and the Ram 1500. The Ford had that nice Ecoboost v6 (hell of a motor), but the Ram looked better. I ended up with the Hemi Ram in the Big Horn package, for no other reason than I got the best deal on it. I would could have been happy with either, realistically.
I'm glad I went full size. Sure, the Taco or Colorado would have done just fine for me at the time, but the savings in downsizing wasn't enough to justify it. I've also since bought a camper, which I couldn't have towed with one. And I never have to worry about how much payload I'm putting in the bed (within reason, obviously). I do pay a toll in fuel though... my commute is stop and go through Pittsburgh, which isn't exactly flat (motorcycle offsets that in decent weather thought). Had I gone with a compact, I would have upgraded by now. But as it stands, I plan on having this truck for at least another 7 or 8 years.
And my dog gets in the cab just fine!
I went through this dilemma a 3 years ago. I looked at everything that was out there at the time, both full size, and compact.
In the compacts, it's really tough to beat the Tacoma in any flavor. It's quite capable on and off road. But it pays a little for it in ride comfort compared to the Chevy Colorado (or GMC Canyon). The Chevy drives and rides more like a passenger car, and can (at least at the time) be had with a nicer interior. That's not to say the GM isn't a capable truck, it's just set up more for a DD commuter, and less of a hard core toy. Both Crew cabs were acceptable, but I found them all a bit small for my tastes. At 6'2" I was uncomfortable in the back of both, which means my passengers would be too. The only other small truck at the time was the Honda (the Ranger wasn't released yet), and it was the older styling, which I absolutely hated, so it was out.
In the full size trucks, any from the Big 3 were all comparable. An inch or two here or there in the cab didn't make much difference, as the were all quite roomy in a Crew cab. The Nissan just didn't stack up to them at all for what you paid, but the Toyota was quite nice. The problem with the two Japanese trucks was that they didn't offer any incentives, so you paid full MSRP. Any of the Big 3 offered all kinds of incentives, knocking close to $8k off of the price at the time.
I went full size. Value for price was the big deciding factor. I could get a nicely equipped 1/2-ton full size for not much more than the nicely spec'ed compacts, while getting a lot more capability. I have more room, a can haul more, and I can tow more. It was just a no brainer for me.
I debated between the F150 and the Ram 1500. The Ford had that nice Ecoboost v6 (hell of a motor), but the Ram looked better. I ended up with the Hemi Ram in the Big Horn package, for no other reason than I got the best deal on it. I would could have been happy with either, realistically.
I'm glad I went full size. Sure, the Taco or Colorado would have done just fine for me at the time, but the savings in downsizing wasn't enough to justify it. I've also since bought a camper, which I couldn't have towed with one. And I never have to worry about how much payload I'm putting in the bed (within reason, obviously). I do pay a toll in fuel though... my commute is stop and go through Pittsburgh, which isn't exactly flat (motorcycle offsets that in decent weather thought). Had I gone with a compact, I would have upgraded by now. But as it stands, I plan on having this truck for at least another 7 or 8 years.
And my dog gets in the cab just fine!
Great and thorough review. I appreciate it.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Messages
- 19,385
My personal need for a full sized pickup is minimal except for the possibility of towing power. But I seldom tow. The 4x4 versions of the medium sized ones have enough power overall for this purpose.
I used to drive Dodge pickups (full size) a lot for work in the woods and although they looked nice, I hated them for their wide turning radius. Don't know if that still applies, but I pretty much won't look at a Dodge pickup at any price.
The Cheve Colorado's are nice.... a bit more square looking than the Toyota or Nissan. As mentioned above, I went with the Tacoma. The irritating thing about Toyota is that in my area the dealers won't discuss price. Price is fixed, take it or leave it. Cheve dealers will deal with you, but I chose the Tacoma because I have had a Tacoma since 1980. That is multiple trucks and never any serious problems, never. Can't beat that history as far as I'm concerned even if they cost a bit more than the Cheve Colorado.
Personal opinion is that you should probably save up more than $2K for this trade in and purchase. Thinking more that $5-6K would probably work.
Ford's are okay, especially if it is a full sized pickup. Have gotten very good service from a Ford Van with only a few problems to date. Worst problem other than tire replacement ran me about $1,000.
I used to drive Dodge pickups (full size) a lot for work in the woods and although they looked nice, I hated them for their wide turning radius. Don't know if that still applies, but I pretty much won't look at a Dodge pickup at any price.
The Cheve Colorado's are nice.... a bit more square looking than the Toyota or Nissan. As mentioned above, I went with the Tacoma. The irritating thing about Toyota is that in my area the dealers won't discuss price. Price is fixed, take it or leave it. Cheve dealers will deal with you, but I chose the Tacoma because I have had a Tacoma since 1980. That is multiple trucks and never any serious problems, never. Can't beat that history as far as I'm concerned even if they cost a bit more than the Cheve Colorado.
Personal opinion is that you should probably save up more than $2K for this trade in and purchase. Thinking more that $5-6K would probably work.
Ford's are okay, especially if it is a full sized pickup. Have gotten very good service from a Ford Van with only a few problems to date. Worst problem other than tire replacement ran me about $1,000.
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