Choosing A Mate: How to Buy the Right Truck
May 01 '01
The Bottom Line Choosing a truck you can live with means considering two wheel drive versus four wheel drive, standard versus extended cab, and several other important concerns.
If you are going to use a truck often as I do mine, it makes sense to put some effort into picking out the right one. Okay, maybe not as much effort as you'd put into choosing a mate, but certainly it's worth your time to look at and drive many different makes and models.
Some people are loyal to a particular brand, while others will consider many. Obviously it's to your advantage to look at what various manufacturers offer, but even if you're set on a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, or whatever, there are certain other pertinent choices you still need to make:
Small Truck vs. Full Size
I've had both, and currently have a (full-size) F-150. With a small truck you can do about 90 percent of the things you can do with a big one, but there are certain limitations. First of all, you have to be careful not to overload it -- much more so than with a big truck. Small trucks are easier to handle and park than big ones, get better gas mileage, and often cost less.
But you can easily spend as much or more for a compact truck than for a full-size one if you load it with options. Rangers and S-10s with stickers above $20,000 are common, and the buyers of those trucks could have bought their full-size counterparts for the same or less money if they would have been content with a few less optional accessories.
I bought my F-150 after owning two Rangers. After 200,000 miles I can tell you I like the F-150 somewhat better than the Rangers because it does carry bigger things more easily. But the Rangers were fantastic trucks, and they were cheaper to drive due to considerably better fuel economy. For trips to Home Depot, occasional moving of things, etc., small trucks get the job done. But you can definitely carry more in full-size and with a big truck heavier cargo does not affect the truck much at all -- it just takes it in stride.
Short Bed vs. Long Bed:
I really can't think of any reason to get a short bed pickup. They are a little shorter (so easier to park) and less expensive, but other other than that there are no real advantages. The longest bed available for the truck you are getting (generally 8' on a full size and 7' on a compact) seems like the logical choice for most people, since you have just that much more cargo space and really do not spend that much more.
Two Wheel Drive vs. Four Wheel Drive:
If you're going to be doing a lot of driving off road, or if you live in a place where it snows A LOT during the winter, you need four wheel drive. Everyone else should stay away from it. Here's why: 4WD trucks cost more than 2WD models, get worse gas mileage, cost more to maintain owing to more mechanical parts that can wear out, ride worse, and cannot carry as much weight as their 2WD counterparts.
Unlike the systems on some cars and SUVs, the 4WD systems on nearly all pickups are the type that cannot be left on all the time, so you can only use it in truly treacherous conditions. I live in Indiana, and here we get one or possibly two weeks a year during the winter when 4WD would really come in handy. Personally I can't see suffering all of the disadvantages of 4WD during the other 50 or so weeks of the year so I can have the benefit of it for two. I have no clue why people who live in places like Florida, or most parts of Texas or California buy it. They're hauling around a bunch of extra hardware essentially for nothing.
Standard Cab vs. Extended Cab:
Small trucks with standard cabs do not offer much room for anything else but the driver and a passenger. With this type of truck, going to the grocery store pretty much had better be a solo voyage, unless you can set your purchases in the bed of the truck for the trip home. (Not advisable in bad weather or if you're stopping other places due to risk of theft.)
Full size standard cabs do offer a bit more space in the cab than compact trucks do, but they're still not liable to be confused with limousines. The biggest advantage of a standard cab truck is that it is a little shorter than an extended cab, making for slightly easier handling and parking, and the purchase price is lower.
For those who are going to be using their truck as their "car," the extended cab is usually the better choice. You pick up some interior storage space for carrying small to moderate sized objects, and also gain the ability to recline the front seat(s) a little if needed for comfort.
Third and fourth doors notwithstanding, most extended cab trucks do not offer comfortable passenger accommodations for full-size people in the rear.
The only disadvantage of the extended cab is that with some trucks you can't get both the extended cab and long bed.
Engines:
With gas prices breaking the $2 a gallon barrier in many areas of the country, fuel economy is becoming a greater concern. With this in mind, unless you are going to be pulling a trailer or carrying very heavy loads often, it's probably best to stick with a truck's standard engine rather than opting for a bigger one.
For example, in the Ford Ranger the standard 4-cylinder engine is a reliable, relatively economical powerplant that performs adequately, especially if paired with the five-speed manual rather than the automatic. (I like manual transmissions myself, but if you prefer the automatic do not get the 5-speed just to save gas. Fuel economy differences between manuals and automatics are not great anymore, and your day-to-day satisfaction with the vehicle will be greatly diminished if you're shifting gears and don't like it.)
My full-size truck has the standard 4.9 liter six cylinder engine. I've had people look down their nose at me and tell me they wouldn't buy a big truck without a V8. This is not based on logic or common sense but simply on a preference, and an outdated one at that. A smaller engine is more efficient than one which is oversized, and it will do the job and perform adequately. You have to adjust your driving style to the characteristic of your engine - obviously my six-cylinder full-size truck isn't going to beat anyone in a drag race, but since I have more than five working brain cells I am not going to be drag racing anyone on the street. Anyone who is buying a truck with that purpose in mind is probably not the type to be reading this opinion.
Axle Ratio:
With many trucks, unlike cars, you often have a choice of the axle ratio, which is also sometimes called the "final drive" ratio. The lower the number of the axle ratio, the "taller" the gearing; the higher the number, the "shorter" the gearing.
To understand this, think of a 10-speed bike: When you are in first gear, you turn the pedals really fast and the bicycle moves ahead slowly, but you have lots of reserve power for getting up hills. This would be equated to a truck with a "short" (numerically high) axle ratio. On the other hand, in tenth gear, you turn the pedals slowly and the bike moves a long way for each pedal revolution, but if you encounter a hill you really have to push on those pedals to keep them moving. This equates to a "tall" (lower number) axle ratio on a truck.
Okay, so who should get each one? For carrying heavier loads, pulling a big trailer, or driving a lot in mountains, a short axle ratio is better. The engine will spin faster at any given speed (and use more gas in so doing) but you'll have the power to keep going when the going gets tough. On the other hand, if you plan to drive a lot on the highway at a relatively high speed, and do not frequently plan to pull a big trailer, buy the tallest axle ratio you can get. This will maximize fuel economy and minimize wear on the engine, as the engine will turn fewer times for each mile you travel.
Most people should get a tall axle ratio. For those few times when they do want to carry a heavy load, they can just keep the truck in a lower gear if it's a manual, or shift it out of overdrive if it's an automatic.
Rear-Sliding Window:
These are a really cool feature of trucks - these are a lot of fun to have open on the highway, especially with a side window because with both windows open there's very little turbulence inside the cab. But they make the truck a lot easier to break into. Avoid them if you have to leave the truck parked outside a lot in areas where crime is a serious issue.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
cowboyind
|
 - Top 200 |
|
Location: Indiana
Reviews written: 42
Trusted by: 35 members
About Me:
If you need more information on any of my articles, write me at kenjw@aol.com.
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.