Truck - what do you drive, and why?

[Challer]

I drive a 2020 GMC Denali 6.6 Turbo Diesel. It is a beast. 10 speed Allison transmission. I bought it to tow my RV. I LOVE this truck.
View attachment 585662

Have the GMC Yukon Denali. Best diesel in the business. And do buy diesel. No ethanol, more stable, no county by county and seasonal variations. And much more efficient. Then there’s the torque.

 

[PARA45]

The dealers are full of it, and they try to nickel and dime you every time you step in for service. My wife's Nissan Armada had to go in for a recall, so I figured I get the oil changed while there. I provided my own oil (AmsOil) and they do the work. So, after they did the work, the service advisor handed me the printed-out sheet with "all" the things they looked at. I walk over to the vehicle, and I noticed a small puddle under the vehicle, I look, and the oil drain plug was loose, so loose that I could turn it with my fingers. I called the service advisor and pointed that out to him. I open the hood to check the oil and noticed that the battery terminals were full of corrosion. Something they claimed they looked at as part of their inspection. I pointed that out to him as well. After they took my vehicle back to tighten the drain plug, the manager came out, handed my keys back and told me my service was free. Not happy with their work, I ripped them a new a$$hole on the service review they send out. I don't go to that dealer anymore, especially after the fiasco with my Titan.

I hope my Chevy Z71 2500 HD will last me a while.

 

[fourfive8]

Oil and filters, I buy online. Every recommended service mileage +/- 500-1000 miles I take mine (pickup or car) to one of a couple of the local service garages that charge $25 to change the oil and filter. Get to know your local garages. I do my own regular tractor service because it can be done without a lift and is easy access.

Some of the dealerships provide the worst service- but unfortunately no choice for most warranty work. Maybe if every two years you bought a new vehicle from them for $100k a pop you'd get the VIP treatment but as an average Joe... your are just a nuisance. After buying my last used pick up, a 2014 F150, I took it to the local Ford dealership to see about an extra key and have them scan for the digital door lock code that was missing. They said a scan would cost $160 and the extra key would cost well over $250. They talked to me like I was wasting their time. Forget that! I went online and found where to find the digital door lock code on the vehicle.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I'd guess that pickup in the work truck market is going to make a pot load of $$$ for Toyota. Add 4x4 in the future and combined with the diesel, I could see that being a big seller to African safari operators.

 

[Scooter12741]

Toyota Tundra. Mine is just a basic model nothing fancy but it has been awesome. Hunt mainly elk and mule deer in Wyoming so we get in some nasty country. I changed out the factory tires for wrangler dura tracs and make it most places without chains. Make sure you look at the fuel tank size. That’s my only regret is the small tank. The mileage isn’t great but I didn’t buy a truck for the mileage I bought it to hunt and it does great at that.

If size isn’t an issue I’d do the Tacoma. I have 3 boys so I need the full cab.

 

[mdwest]

The tundra is definitely a gas hog…

I just drove about 150 miles pulling a light trailer (10’) with a light UTV (Polaris 570)…

All but about 10 miles were on 4 lane highway..

I averaged 7.4 miles per gallon… and that’s without me getting hard on the gas.. traveling relatively flat north Texas highway..

I don’t even want to ponder what pulling a heavier load somewhere like through the Rockies would look like..

 

[Wyatt Smith]

The tundra is definitely a gas hog…

I just drove about 150 miles pulling a light trailer (10’) with a light UTV (Polaris 570)…

All but about 10 miles were on 4 lane highway..

I averaged 7.4 miles per gallon… and that’s without me getting hard on the gas.. traveling relatively flat north Texas highway..

I don’t even want to ponder what pulling a heavier load somewhere like through the Rockies would look like..

It probably won’t get much worse, because that’s about as bad as it gets. My old ford 460 gets 6-7 mpg no matter what you are doing. Driving empty or pulling 20,000 pounds. 25 miles and hour in the backroads cutting wood or 80 on the interstate, it gets 7 mpg. If you idle a bunch it will get down to 6.
If you wanted mileage while pulling, diesel is the way to go.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Have the GMC Yukon Denali. Best diesel in the business. And do buy diesel. No ethanol, more stable, no county by county and seasonal variations. And much more efficient. Then there’s the torque.

I've thought about buying a diesel truck for my next purchase, but the $5k to $10k added cost and then at least a $1 per gallon more for diesel make the value equation somewhat questionable. Still, there is the cool factor of a diesel. For my needs, the GM straight 6 Duramax diesel would work.

 

[Newboomer]

I've thought about buying a diesel truck for my next purchase, but the $5k to $10k added cost and then at least a $1 per gallon more for diesel make the value equation somewhat questionable. Still, there is the cool factor of a diesel. For my needs, the GM straight 6 Duramax diesel would work.

My old 05 Dodge 3500 4x4 6 speed stick Cummins diesel flatbed. No smog, no piss tank, pre all of that crap. I rigged it fore and aft with receiver hitches for winches and mounted a crane on the bed. I replaced the stock 35 gal tank with a 60 gal aftermarket that gives me around 900 miles depending on load and speed.. Not so pretty but it does everything I ask of it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

My old 05 Dodge 3500 4x4 6 speed stick Cummins diesel flatbed. No smog, no piss tank, pre all of that crap. I rigged it fore and aft with receiver hitches for winches and mounted a crane on the bed. I replaced the stock 35 gal tank with a 60 gal aftermarket that gives me around 900 miles depending on load and speed.. Not so pretty but it does everything I ask of it.

What's the crane for?

 

[Newboomer]

What's the crane for?

It's a shop crane I redesigned and fixed a 9k winch onto for lifting stuff I can't handle by hand. I mounted it on the rear right corner of the bed and power it with welding cable run from the batteries. I have Tweco welding sockets mounted to the side of the bed with cables runniing to the crane. The remote will work out to about 100 feet from the truck. I designed the boom to accept different size square tubes telescoping inside each other to extend the reach. I use it for dragging trees up to the truck and lifting bucked firewood into the truck. The mast rotates to swing stuff onto the bed after I lift it. I have a hydraulic jack attached to mast and boom for elevation. It stands about 40 inches tall and can reach out to 8 feet.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I thought the crane might be for loading large elk.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I thought the crane might be for loading large elk.

View attachment 588294

Must be nice to get a vehicle to where a downed elk is at. LOL To get the REAL FUN and excitement out of the hunt, skin and quarter the elk where it drops and pack it out while walking behind the truck. LOL

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I’ve packed out a few on my back, but most have been on pack mules. The photo I posted above was of a 6x6 taken not far from the cabin. With all the snow on the ground, we were able to drag the elk down slope with a horse. We got it to a logging road and the truck was able to get close. This outfitter doesn’t like to field dress elk in some prime areas as the gut pile attracts predators. The truck in the photo is actually down slope about 150 yards from the cabin and we’re getting ready to field dress it there. If a predator shows up there, someone in camp might have a chance to pop it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I’ve packed out a few on my back, but most have been on pack mules. The photo I posted above was of a 6x6 taken not far from the cabin. With all the snow on the ground, we were able to drag the elk down slope with a horse. We got it to a logging road and the truck was able to get close.

That's the way to do it!

 

[Newboomer]

I thought the crane might be for loading large elk.

View attachment 588294

That, too. Big bears, cows, moose, etc.

 

[Scooter12741]

The tundra is definitely a gas hog…

I just drove about 150 miles pulling a light trailer (10’) with a light UTV (Polaris 570)…

All but about 10 miles were on 4 lane highway..

I averaged 7.4 miles per gallon… and that’s without me getting hard on the gas.. traveling relatively flat north Texas highway..

I don’t even want to ponder what pulling a heavier load somewhere like through the Rockies would look like..

That’s about what mine averages pulling my camper if it’s not windy and pretty flat. I pulled it home from South Dakota into a bad wind 35+ mph and barely got over 4. It basically cost me a dollar a mile to drag it home. Should’ve stayed one more day and waited that front out.

With that small tank I usually have to take gas cans with or call ahead and make sure the gas stations are open they don’t have credit card pumps.. I usually stop every 100 miles to fill up

 

[Patrick Hargan]

If you’re on the Ford side of the fence, then I’d certainly look at one of the new ones! I’ve had multiple power strokes of all generations starting in 1996, and absolutely nothing holds a candle to this high output 2024. 500 hp w/ 1,200 ft lbs of torque averages 21 mpg empty and 12 mpg loaded with whatever you can hook up behind it. My ‘16 had a hysterectomy to take the DEF moodiness out of her, and averaged 9.8 pulling anything and 12.5 on the highway. Ford has really stepped up their game, and this is the most comfortable pickup I’ve ever owned. My two cents

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I own 2 trucks and am starting to go through the debate you are.

1) 2017 F150 Super Crew w/ ecoboost. I drive it exclusively for work (helps with mileage log) and it’s got around the same miles as yours. I bought this new (leftover on lot in 2018). I’ll drive this till the wheels fall off but am looking at trying to find something else for a good deal when this one goes.

2) 2003 F250 King Ranch. This is what I drive for anything non work related. Had a bunch of issues last year but hoping they’re all repaired and I can get another couple hundred thousand miles on that engine.