Thursday, March 15, 2007

New Truck Conundrum...

Okay... Here's the scoop. The G family recently upgraded our teeny little Jayco pop-up camper (GVWR: several bunnies) to a 26 foot Trail-Lite Max-Sport bunkhouse (GVWR: Two elephants and a municipal parking garage).

While our 2001 Durango is technically rated to pull the new camper (*cough* yeah right *cough*), it needs about a grand worth of work (new front and rear brakes, tune-up, and shocks) before I'd even think about towing the casa del rhino behind it. And, from what I'm reading, the 4.7L V8 powered Durango is not up to the task of towing much more than a pop-up anyways, so...

Not to mention that it *is* six years old and our other car (Honda Accord) is a year older, so we need to be thinking about replacing at least one of our cars in the near future anyways... So...

The Durango's getting traded in for a full sized pick-up truck. But which one?

I've eliminated Ford (three friends have them and each has had significant problems in the first 2 years); Chevy/GM (too pricey, plus GM seems to be circling the crapper at an alarming rate); and Nissan (waaaayy too $$$). That leaves Dodge:

and the all-new Toyota Tundra:


The Tundra comes with a 4.7L V8 with 271 HP capable of towing 7800 pounds or a 5.7L V8 with 381 HP (!!!) capable of towing a staggering 10,200 pounds. Advantage: Toyota.

The Ram, with the optional (for the 1500) 5.7L Hemi puts out 345 HP and can tow 8750 pounds (the standard 4.7L V8 is the same motor as my Durango, and hence is not up for consideration).

Dodge has better incentives: The 1500 has a $5,000 rebate *and* a free Hemi upgrade, retailing for $23K. The 2500 has extras (remote start, towing package, etc.) and retails for $28K. The Tundra starts at $31K. Advantage: Dodge.

Reliability, the advantage has got to go to Toyota, who has near-legendary customer satisfaction ratings WRT the reliability of their trucks. However, our Durango has been very good, and we are personal friends with the owner of the Dodge dealership, who has treated us extremely well (Port City Chrysler Dodge in Portsmouth, NH for those that are in the area and interested). Pretty much a wash.

It's all going to boil down to how good of a deal I can wrangle with the Toyota people. Word on the street is that the new Tundra is flying off the lot literally faster than Toyota can ship them out (this is from a truck cap manufacturer that I spoke to earlier this week), so I don't know if they'll be too willing to wheel and deal or not...

Thoughts? Concerns? Anecdotes? Just curious what others think...

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Get the Dodge . . . it's a HEMI !!!

Anonymous said...

Try some internet wrangling through Edmunds also.

Anonymous said...

I was in San Antonio last fall. Texans are very very excited about the new Tundra plant down there.

El Capitan said...

I've owned a Dodge Ram 1500, and absolutely loved it. OTOH, my brother in law owns the Tundra, and I have to say it's a very nice truck. Go for whoever gives you the better interest rate!

Jay G said...

Not really helping there, El Capitan... :)

I'm pretty much leaving it up to fate as to which truck I get. If Toyota is unwilling to budge on their price, then it makes the choice easy...

Anonymous said...

It's been a while since I've been in a Dodge, but I'm absolutely in love with Toyota's trucks. The next truck I buy (which won't be until I move somewhere a little less urban) will almost definitely be a Toyota. (The last one I owned was a '70 Chevy CST-10...)

Anonymous said...

I would go for the Toyota...
I have a 95 Tacoma with 200k on it which I used quite a bit to tow a 20' boat, but that got sold after I had kids.... Anyway, I have never had any work other than brakes and exhaust done on the truck and it still runs great. It has never left me stranded or without transportation, and that is worth the extra $$ to me. An it is at least assembled here.

Anonymous said...

Cool site. Go with the Dodge.

Cassidy

The Conservative UAW Guy said...

Dodge, for sure.

Jay G said...

So far, we have 3 Dodge, 2 Toyota, and 2 either.

Yeah, that's about how I'm looking at it...

It really will come down to price - I have a pretty solid idea what I'm looking at for the Dodge, but the Toyota is more of a wildcard.

If Toyota can get me into a Tundra for the same price as the 2500 Ram, then I'll have to do some thinkin'... (always a scary proposition...) ;)

Jay G said...

Okay, breaking news. I just got off the phone with one of the local Toyota dealers. $34,700 for the Double cab 4X4 Tundra with the 5.7L V8.

That's only $3,000 OVER MSRP. Apparently Toyota has been taking pricing lessons from Harley Davidson...

The balance just shifted to Dodge...

Anonymous said...

I suggest you go to a construction site and check out what tradesman rely on.

It will look like Ford and Chevy/GMC decided to have a commercial at the same time and place. Then you will see Nissans and Toyotas.

Dodge trucks are notorious for guzzling gas and transmission failure. You couldn't pay me to drive one. I currently own a 2001 F150 XLT, and when I replace it in a few years (only 58K on it) it will be with a Toyota Tundra. Best truck out there, most powerful half ton, and even though the profits go to Toyota it is still sticking it right up the ass of the reprehensible UAW.