Green light!

Camper_bob · 03-14-2015, 08:08 AM

I've been green-lighted by DW to buy the new truck!

I've been thinking it wouldn't happen until this winter. DW has been against me on it from the beginning, but I've told her there are no long trips in our future until we have the bigger truck. The other day she comes to me and admits (in dramatic fashion of course) that she's ready for a long (like 2 weeks) road trip this Fall so I can go get my truck!

Let the SERIOUS shopping begin!!

YAY!

TCNashville · 03-14-2015, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

I've been green-lighted by DW to buy the new truck!

Truck shopping is fun. Do we see a Ram 2500 crewcab with the 6.4 in your future? Good luck and remember, nothing looks better than a clean black truck. Problem is keeping it that way.

Iraqvet05 · 03-14-2015, 09:47 AM

Sweet!! Did you already have a truck in mind, Bob?

SouthCo · 03-14-2015, 12:40 PM

Yeah you've got a good sized trailer. Upgrading to something bigger than a half-ton would make towing soo much better...

spoon059 · 03-14-2015, 02:07 PM

Wow... upgrading after 3 years? My truck is 5 years old and I fully anticipate at least another 5 years to go before I can even consider asking my bride...

KYCAMPER · 03-14-2015, 06:42 PM

Just took delivery on my new truck. (Went from a 1/2 ton Chevy to 1-ton GMC). I am very happy with it so far but I have not towed with it yet. My 1/2 ton was adequate for short trips but on a trip to Florida last summer decided I needed more truck for planned western US trips. I kind of overkilled it for towing my Whitehawk but I plan to go to a 5er in a couple of years for extended stays in a warmer climate during winters.
I almost pulled the trigger on a 3/4 ton Duramax until I checked the payload on one on the lot. It was only about 600lbs more than my 1/2 ton and would have left me tight for many of the 5ers. So for another $1200 I went for a 3500. Turns out the diesel engine is very heavy and eats up payload.
Be sure to check the sticker on the door/pillar for payload before you buy.

Iraqvet05 · 03-15-2015, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spoon059

Wow... upgrading after 3 years? My truck is 5 years old and I fully anticipate at least another 5 years to go before I can even consider asking my bride...

I switched from a 1500 to a 2500 after a season for the same reason Bob is upgrading. Sometimes a towing combo looks good after some calculations but real life towing leaves you with the impression that your truck is not up to the task.

Northern Jay · 03-15-2015, 07:34 AM

Woohoo!!. Congrats on the green light for shopping. Our Chev 3500 gasser tows our 28BHBE no problem. Its a 6.0L. Cargo capacity is 3750lbs according to door sticker. Did add 5000lb SuperSprings to haul the Northern Lite better tho. Happy shopping.

RedHorse1 · 03-15-2015, 07:54 AM

Ok, there's been no pulpit time for the Blue Oval crowd. Our F350 6.7 diesel is a BEAST and it loves to pull!
Enjoy shopping.

NC Roamer · 03-15-2015, 10:10 AM

As I recall from living in Texas, I didn't think they even sold small pickups there.

Happy shopping!

RedHorse1 · 03-15-2015, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC Roamer

As I recall from living in Texas, I didn't think they even sold small pickups there.

Happy shopping!

Of course they do. That's so you can tell which are the big ones.

fielro · 03-15-2015, 07:38 PM

Way to go, I'll have to try that line. I'm considering upgrading, so post all the info you can on new truck

Camper_bob · 03-15-2015, 07:51 PM

Thanks guys! I really got a kick out of reading all the responses!

It is pretty early for an upgrade I agree, but it's got to be done. I'm going to be SUPER sad to drive away from the Sierra, I LOVE my truck. But when I bought it, it wasn't meant to haul as much as I'm going to ask of it in the next few years. We just had our first baby boy, and I want to show him all the great places this country has to offer, just like I was shown. While the GMC pulls my trailer fine around the flats of Central and South Texas, it's just not up to the task of hauling the whole clan cross-country.

Right now the tippy top on my list is a 2015 RAM 2500 SLT Megacab, 4x4, with the 6.4l Hemi (the special prize goes to TCNASHVILLE, good guess, or am I just that transparent! LOL) I'm going to have to get to a dealership and put a tape measure in the back seat though. I have to make sure the extra room back there is worth losing my spot in the garage. The Crew Cab will fit, but the Megacab is just a little long!

One of the GM twins wouldn't be out of the question. It's just hard to give up the extra HP and torque offered by the Hemi. And of course, all the extra space in the Megacab. My dad can get me employee or supplier or whatever that super duper pricing is.

I considered going to the blue oval, but for the options you get in a RAM you have to go pretty high up in the Ford lineup.

Camper_bob · 03-15-2015, 07:55 PM

Sorry, forgot to mention, I got the green light, not a blank check! There's no way I can afford a 1 ton diesel dually in King Ranch/Denali/Laramie trim! LOL!

TCNashville · 03-16-2015, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Right now the tippy top on my list is a 2015 RAM 2500 SLT Megacab, 4x4, with the 6.4l Hemi (the special prize goes to TCNASHVILLE, good guess, or am I just that transparent! LOL) I'm going to have to get to a dealership and put a tape measure in the back seat though. I have to make sure the extra room back there is worth losing my spot in the garage. The Crew Cab will fit, but the Megacab is just a little long!

Just call me Karnak. {Johnny Carson} Actually I recalled you salivating about this truck in a previous thread. Funny you mentioned garage space. My F-250 has 3in to spare front/back to fit in our garage. I have a mark on the garage floor that I line up with the Ford emblem on the running board when I park it. Good luck with the truck hunt. I don't think you can go wrong with the Ram, really nice trucks.

tugboat95 · 03-17-2015, 08:25 PM

After sinking close to a thousand dollars in a dirt cheap suburban my wife has given me permission to buy a new truck as long as it meets certain conditions. I have to trade both my Escape and the suburban in on it. It has to get at least 25 mpg and have enough power to tow the camper. And here's the kicker. Payment has to be the same as the Escape (I own the Chevy). Mind you I bought the Escape for the 30mpg hwy it gets and I also bought it used. I have to have that mileage every day for work. She doesn't get the concept that power doesn't equal fuel efficiency. Whereas the newer ecoboost Fords seem to deliver only way I can afford one is to finance it for 10 years. I will be driving my clunker a few more years and dreaming of when I can get a Ram 3500/diesel crew cab. I miss my old Ram.
Enjoy you new ride and make it worth it.

Camper_bob · 03-18-2015, 07:31 AM

Yeah, I'm thinking this one is going to be a bit of a stretch for me from a budget standpoint. But I've always compromised in the past. When I bought my GMC, I wanted 4x4, but I stumbled across a stupid good deal on this 2wd model. It has served me and my family VERY well, but this time I want to do it right and keep the truck for a LONG time. We bought as big a trailer as we would ever need first, so there's not much chance of a bigger rig in the future. This truck will exceed our needs for as long as I can see. Our next RV will likely be a Class C when the kiddo becomes too cool to go camping with the parents.

I told DW yesterday that I could probably get a truck that will work (and very well at that) for a bit less money, but if we're going cross-country in it, and I'm going to keep it for a while, I'm going to want the options; I want to be comfortable.

RedHorse1 · 03-18-2015, 08:19 AM

We knew a new TT was in the future pretty soon after buying the X23B. I started TV shopping a year before pulling the trigger on either. Pretty much settled on a pickup but which model, 150, 250 or 350? Yeah there's bigger ones but I figured if I couldn't pull it with a 350 I didn't need it. Looking at TT floor plans and visiting the RV shows we pretty quickly settled on a 5th. The weights of the likely contenders led me to the 250-350 pretty quick. I wanted to pass on the dually and preferred a short bed for non-towing drivability ( I know I'll get some heat over that comment).
The $$ difference between the 250-350 wasn't significant and I'd read "somewhere" that you can't have too much truck so I ordered the 350.
The hunt was fun but the drive is better.

Camper_bob · 03-18-2015, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

We knew a new TT was in the future pretty soon after buying the X23B. I started TV shopping a year before pulling the trigger on either. Pretty much settled on a pickup but which model, 150, 250 or 350? Yeah there's bigger ones but I figured if I couldn't pull it with a 350 I didn't need it. Looking at TT floor plans and visiting the RV shows we pretty quickly settled on a 5th. The weights of the likely contenders led me to the 250-350 pretty quick. I wanted to pass on the dually and preferred a short bed for non-towing drivability ( I know I'll get some heat over that comment).
The $$ difference between the 250-350 wasn't significant and I'd read "somewhere" that you can't have too much truck so I ordered the 350.
The hunt was fun but the drive is better.

I did the same thing with my 1/2T. I bought it over a year before we bought our TT. When I bought it, I was looking at R-Pods, single axle TT's and Hybrids. Surely the GMC could tow any of those with ease. Got DW out to the RV show, and she fell in love with a much bigger trailer. I thought "uh oh". But my truck was still good by the numbers, so I stopped sweating it. Got to the RV dealership and she fell in love with an even bigger one, the one we bought (28BHBE); started sweating again. I ran the numbers and knew we would be close, but I figured that was okay, we could handle it. Then she got pregnant, and the sweat started pouring. With just the two of us we were okay, with another, and a baby no less, there's no way, we're going to be over!

So we're a little over right now, but it's still doable for what we're doing these days (relatively short trips in the flats). I definitely won't "kick a 1T out of bed", and if that's the deal that works, I'll do it. Only problem is that on the RAM 3500 Mega Cab with the 6.4L gas burner, they de-tune them somewhat to meet emissions standards. Will it make much difference to me? I doubt it. It's still a possibility if that's the deal that lands.

RedHorse1 · 03-18-2015, 12:33 PM

Camper,
Have you visited the CAT Scale yet? I'm a solid believer. When I weighed our first TV/TT I was surprised to learn that I was so close to the Rear GAWR (about 200# shy). With another couple in the back seat I'm pretty sure we were over on the rear axle. Knowing your weights will also help as you shop for the new TV.

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