Posted on 02/06/2019 4:48:54 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
DECATUR, Texas/FLINT, Mich. (Reuters) - Mickey McMaster is on his 12th pickup truck.
The 61-year old farm equipment dealer in Decatur, Texas, two weeks ago treated himself to a 2019 GMC Denali for around $69,000 - a reward for long hours at work.
“For me this is the Cadillac of trucks, it’s a real luxury vehicle,” McMaster said. “I’ve worked my way up to afford a truck like this and it shows that I’ve earned it.”
McMaster is the kind of customer General Motors Co is banking on as it plans to add 1,000 jobs at a plant in Flint, Michigan that will build a new generation of its largest pickups. Demand from Texas and other heartland states for big pick-ups is providing a lifeline to many workers the No. 1 U.S. automaker is laying off at plants elsewhere....
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
The Ranger starts at $35K, but no manual options. 10 speed auto only!
It depends on the year and yes; the 5.4 does/did have trouble with plugs blowing out on occasion because the designers only made 3 threads for the plugs to screw into. There was a recall for trucks having this issue where they replaced the heads. I'm on my second 2001 5.4L Ford truck and have never had a plug blow out. These trucks generally run 300k-400k. The transmissions sometimes get replaced. It all depends on if they get used for towing heavy loads a lot or just generally beat on. I have heard some of the newer models have had problems though.
It's the gas mileage that's a pain. I only get 13 mpg city and 16 mpg highway. The engine does have 174k miles on it though. My first one with only 60k miles when I sold it got 22 mpg on the highway after I installed a tuner, a K&N air filter, and some Cat back pipes. All to make it run better and breathe better.
I'm just one person though. The next guy might tell an entirely different story about his experience.
Automatics have come so far.
I just moved from my 200+k gmt800 chevy to a gmt900 luxury truck.
I thought like you. Then i experienced the difference.
Of course I’m still running a 363 v8, and not one of those strange turbo 4 bangers.
I have a 22 year old Ford F150 that still runs pretty good. 5 speed stick.
Low miles - 170,000
I can’t see spending $69,000 on any vehicle.
Concur. I have a ‘95 F-150. 163,000 miles. Still cherry. Paid $16,000 new.
And, unlike the new trucks, I can park it in my garage.
That is a beautiful truck. Well done!
I've got a '98 Chevy Silverado that I bought new twenty years ago. It amazes me how much value that thing has held.
“I bought a 1983 Toyota 4wd pickup for I am pretty sure, $7000. Toyota was having a sale and there were I learned later some very large factory incentives. It was pretty basic, AM/FM radio and that was about it.”
similar story here, but was an 1981 Datsun pickup ... REALLY, REALLY basic, not even a radio ... I still have it and use it occasionally for small hauling tasks ... less than 80,000 miles on it, body is rusted, but still runs great and some have told me it’s a collector’s item ... when i take it for emissions inspections, older Hispanic gentlemen in the waiting room go nuts over it for some reason ...
True dat, but they can still be ordered with the longer beds. You don't see them all that often, but they're out there.
We bought a 2018 Ford extended cab. When shopping we ran into flack from two dealers that just did not want to sell us one, they wanted to sell the full double cab because they have higher trade in value. It struck me as odd.
We also special ordered this truck, and few dealers will special order.
It makes the front 2/3 of the bed unusable. And, it is a pain to have to climb up the tailgate to get to the from to load something.
But, I am 75 and ain't the man I used to be to be lifting cargo that high.
Spark plug thread engagement only 2 to 3 turns.
I have a Ford with the 5.4 engine. Just rolled 210K miles.
I pull a 6,000 lb travel trailer with it regularly.
Haven’t had any engine problems.
Put a K&N air filter to give it a bit of a boost.
I looked at a new F-150, King Ranch 4x4 2019 model. $67,000. But if you shop right you can find a lesser model for a lot less. My son just bought a 2016 F-150 crew cab for $18K with 60K miles.
My daily driver is a 2012 Silverado 2wd. I’m 85 and don’t travel much any more. I had my son put automatic running boards that fold out when you open a door and close when you close the door. My wife is a young 78 so I ride with her when we take her car...
You have a Challenger.
You are happy.
You changed the oil regularly. They have issues with the oil ports internally. Once they get get clogged the engine dies
And fewer have long beds. The short 5 foot beds are practically useless.
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Any pickup that can’t carry a stack of 4’ x 8’ Sheetrock or plywood is not worth buying IMHO.
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