[kieran]

I'm all about a vintage Mustang as an EV.

Ford would sell a bazillion of them.

I do love all of these vintage looking trucks coming back into style though. The new Bronco is incredible and I'm sure it'll be all EV in a few years. Would love an original Bronco as an EV more than a new one though.

[PB PM]

My general feeling is that conversions are a good way to keep using mechanically sound vehicles, question is, is it worth it? If it becomes a normal thing to do, will regulators force you to modify and upgrade safety features on a vehicle, the way they do when you renovate a older home? If you have the money, or can DIY, sure. Normal people no! Conversion could easily cost more than a new EV, from the information I have found.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by PB PM Tundra is a nice truck, even the older ones I test drove were great. I could go for one with the 8 foot bed, and I like the look of the 2007-2013, but that’s just me. New ones are way more than I could justify though, it would just get beat up with work supplies and tools.

I had a 2007 for a couple years that I used for a work truck. When I found my 2017, the dealership gave me way more than the old one was worth (it was dented, tinge, and scratched up, and they did the trade at night without even looking at the old one. Whoops on them. ).

I have the SR5 Extended Cab. I like the Crew Max, but the bed is a solid foot shorter, and I carry a truck-bed tool box, so I want that extra space in the bed more than the back seat. You lose that with the Crew Max.

BUT!

The 2023 1894 Addition seems to be a Crew Max with the 6.5' bed, and that has me drooling!

I'm also more fond of the 2007 styling, but my '17 is growing on me.

Two things bother me bout the new model: That grill, and Toyota finally caved in and replaced the big, easily-used knobs and buttons with a stupid touch screen.

[PB PM]

I’m a hypocrite. I ordered my new vehicle, it looks like things will get worse before it gets better. Don’t think I can wait another 2-3 years to get around this. I ended up ordering a Ford Maverick Hybrid. Crossing my fingers that it will be well made, and that I picked a good dealer that won’t do crazy markups.

[psmith2.0]

My former-in-laws just got a 2021 Jeep pickup. It's pretty nice. White with black trim, double-cab, brown leather interior, the roof comes off, V6, etc. It replaced a 2005 Nissan Frontier pickup. The MPG is actually slightly more/better than the Nissan, which surprised me.

Huge tires. Not the knobby type, but easily up to my upper thigh, although the cab/cockpit itself sits somewhat normal/comfortable to the ground and not as high up as you'd think with such tires. He's got a front tow thing on the front (they'll pull it behind their RV as they did the Nissan for 15 years) and he's putting hold-down clamp-cleats around the perimeter of the bed like he had in the Nissan. It's got a towing hitch on the back and he's already attached his utility trailer and drove around with a golf cart in it.

The Nissan was also white with black trim, so, just glancing into their driveway, nothing looks too different (a white pickup with black trim, front towing system, big tires, etc.) until you go "wait a minute...there was a more traditional-looking pickup here, and now it's quite Jeep-y...".

I like it. Way nicer than I ever thought a Jeep interior would/could be. And rides smoother than I ever thought a Jeep could.

[PB PM]

A Jeep Gladiator? That’s the only Jeep truck that I know of, interesting choice. Seems like an odd vehicle to me, but I’ve never really been a fan of Jeeps design philosophy.

Given the price point it better have a good interior, considering it starts around $10-15k higher than other mid-size trucks (in Canada). I remember seeing reviews when the Gladiator was released, and thinking, why would anyone want that ugly boxy thing? But hey, plenty of people like jeeps, so if that’s the style they like, who am I to question it? The removable top looks like a recipe for leaks, and kind of a pain to deal with long term. Looks like you need at least a few people to do it, one guy tried on his own and scratched it up. He sold the thing when it was 6 months old due to the rough ride and handling.

The Nissan Frontier is a nice truck, not sure I’d buy one over a Tacoma though. The 2022 Frontier is a new engine and all, so it has improved over the 2005-2021 engines, in theory anyway.

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, I don’t know. I didn’t even know they were getting anything until a few days ago. I’d like to assume they did their research and thinking on it…but I’ve also known them for 30+ years and I know better than to think that.

I think the rear badge says “Overland”?

This looks to be it.

I think one of the things that factored in is that several other retiree/RVers they know have one, and apparently one of only a few such vehicles that can be pulled, all tires on the ground, as an automatic. But I’m just piecing together what I’m hearing, etc.

[PB PM]

Yeah that is a trim package for the Gladiator.

There aren’t a lot of vehicles you can tow level anymore, without damaging the transmission, since so many vehicle that were used that way moved to CVTs. When My parent got a new vehicle for RV towing, they went with a 2014 CR-V because the 2015 couldn’t be towed without lifting the front wheels. I noticed that Ford is equipping some of their vehicles, even hybrids, with a mode that allows for towing now. Guess they heard a lot of people complaining about that.

[turtle]

Just remind them not to leave it in gear when they tow it.

[PB PM]

My parents made the mistake of leaving the parking brake on once when towing the CR-V. Just taking it around the block at under 10Mph was enough to destroy the tires.

[drewprops]

Truck Thoughts
I like the Raptor/Bronco/Whatever style grill with the truck model discreetly emblazoned across the it. I like the bracket headlights. I've never had a truck, but these "trick" tailgates with extra configurations seem like they're begging to get broken. Trucks with giant cabs and anemic beds look DUMB. Lifted trucks look cooler than show trucks with zero clearance. Honda brought knobs back to their cars after a dalliance with primary input through touch screens. Mechanical isn't evil. Muscle memory is faster than soft menus.



...

[PB PM]

I don't think I'd be very tempted to use the Maverick tailgate in the higher loading position that the marketing people have been pushing, not regularly anyway. I went for the Maverick for the hybrid power-train more than anything else. If I was going to have a truck as a daily driver, it could not be a gas guzzler. I was a little disappointed in Toyota's approach to putting a hybrid system in the new Tundra, but I get it, it's a towing/hauling machine at the heart of it. Ford says the Maverick tailgate is rated for 500 pounds, but I don't know I'd want to try pushing it. I don't feel that confident on the tailgate of the F150 tailgate of a friend of mines, of course it's beat up from years of use as a work truck.

Not big on off road driving either, so clearance isn't something I care much about. To me lifted trucks just look pretentious. I have not cared much for driving full size and modern mid-size trucks I've been in (F150, Tundra, Tacoma, Frontier, Ranger), particularly when the bed is empty, not my cup of tea. For work they are essential, but as a daily driver? Nah.

[turtle]

The complete fun a joy of mudding is something you really need to experience! It is so much fun and requires real skill to traverse without getting really stuck. Out there, ground clearance is king. I had a '98 Ranger 4x4 and spent so much time playing in the mud with that truck.

[PB PM]

So word in the industry is that GM is pulling heated/ventilated seats and steering wheels from many trims of their new vehicles. Customers will get $50 off the package price as a reward. They must be nuts.

[turtle]

I was that and thought of Yontsey on that one. That $80k truck will feel like a beater without the heated seats.

[PB PM]

Unlikely to see them pulled from top level trims like Yontsey ordered.

[Yontsey]

Yeah doesn’t effect the Denalis and stuff like that. It’s the mid tier ones that has that as the standard or option. I got heated/vented/16 point massage seats in my bad boy.

[Frank777]

I don't go too upscale with my vehicle choices, but I will never again buy another car without a heated steering wheel.

I never knew what I was missing. In Canada I feel like this is a necessity, not a luxury.

[turtle]

For a guy in the south, heated steering wheels just seem like something to raise the price of the car. I'm sure they are great on a cold day, but it never gets that cold around here, at least not long enough to feel like we should have heated wheels.

Glad it won't effect your model either, Yontsey. I'd be pissed if I had that trim and they cut something like that. I mean, the transmission is optional, but heated seats and steering wheel is a line you just can't cross. Of course, for that level of vehicle nothing should be cut from it.

[Yontsey]

Those days when there’s 10” of snow outside and it’s 10°, you really want those heated seats. Hell I use them now when it’s 35°.

[PB PM]

I find I don't even need the cabin heater on, other than for defrosting, with heated seats, they are great. Heated wheel, don't have one now.

[Quagmire]

Tesla has been delivering models with missing/non-functional USB-C ports. Though they have been retrofitting them once the part is in.

[turtle]

I was wondering about retrofitting them for the Teslas. I read about them missing too so it had me wonder how they were handling it.

[drewprops]

Truck nuts: the new Ford Ranger will debut tomorrow!

https://youtu.be/YVtnlGrz7F8

...

[turtle]

Originally Posted by drewprops Truck nuts: the new Ford Ranger will debut tomorrow! https://youtu.be/YVtnlGrz7F8 ...

Live 2AM tomorrow? I'm not waking up that early to see the stream. I'll get pictures and reviews on it later. I want another Ranger... mine is loooong in the tooth.

[psmith2.0]

From that one little in-shadow pic, it looks a bit squared-off (I think things have swung back to that look). Cars seem to go from sleek/rounded to blocky/chamfered on a repeating cycle, every decade or so.

I don't think I'll get up at 2am, but I'll see the pics/coverage tomorrow.

I've sometimes thought about having a small truck. Probably would've made more sense 10-15 years ago when I was doing more woodworking/construction/carpentry/building type stuff on a fairly regular basis. Might be a waste now, but I love the idea of not trying to fit 8-foot 2x4's from Home Depot into my car (which I've done more than I ever would've expected/planned).

Cool thing is, I do have access to three pickups (dad, brother-in-law and ex-father-in-law...no, not all the same person, I'm not that far South/in the mountains ) that are mine to borrow any time I truly needed. Two Toyota Tundras and, as of two weeks ago, a Jeep pickup. So that probably makes more sense to just do that 1-2 times a year than to own one full time.

But I love the look/design of many pickups.

[Dave]

Wait, Jeep makes a pickup?

[psmith2.0]

Yep.

I know someone who just got one a few weeks ago.

It's probably less of a true "pickup" than a Jeep with a little bit of a butt pooching out the back to haul stuff (why they don't hire me to write their copy/marketing, I'll never know ). But it's classified as a pickup/truck in everything I see. It's the same size bed as the Nissan Frontier it replaced, the person I know. Not huge, but they've hauled lumber, bricks/pavers, mulch, trash, dirt, gravel and tree limbs/yard waste in it a gazillion times. They'll do the same with this new one. It's 6-7 feet long. Any 8-foot lumber rests on the closed tailgate, sticking out about 18-24", roped/bungee-corded down and with a little red flag tied on the end.

They use it to tow a utility trailer throughout the year as needed, and then the truck (formerly Nissan, now Jeep) itself is towed behind their RV 2-4 times a year as they travel (retirees).

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by drewprops Truck nuts: the new Ford Ranger will debut tomorrow! https://youtu.be/YVtnlGrz7F8 ...

I hope it looks better than the current one, because that thing is just fugly!

[Matsu]

As with most things, I usually have a good idea once it makes little/no difference to my life anymore. We did a pretty extensive reno a few years ago, so I just paid the delivery on the big orders, and the rest of the time I either crammed stuff into our "beater" hatchback and/or coerced a pick-up owning relative to spare an afternoon.

But... It would have made a whole lot more sense to have had a trailer hitch installed on our larger car (compact/mid SUV) and just rented a uhaul utility trailer for $20 for the weekend. perfect for a load of dimensional lumber/drywall/plywood/rental tools or bags of concrete/redimix, and gardening stuff etc... I wouldn't own and store a trailer long-term, but there are U-hauls everywhere here, and the trailers are cheap. Might still do it, since there are just enough to-do's left where it could come in handy for another 4-5 years...