Nothings better than a truck!!!!

So, I have a history of living far enough from work that by the time I get home I'm not pissed at work anymore. I'm military so in the past 15 years I've worked in San Diego, Boston, Wash. DC, and now Little Creek, VA. Each of these places I have lived ,at least 30 minutes from work. It's just nice to be away from the people you work with, have some time to clear your head at the end of the day and usually deals on housing are a little better when you get out of town a little ways.

Anyway, to the point, I've always had small econo cars for gas mileage and I can't count the number of times I wanted/needed a truck whether to pick up a new motorcycle or to bring something home from Lowes or whatever. It sucks to rent a truck or a trailer to get something home that you just paid for. Yes, the money I saved in gas was nice but not as much as I thought it would be. My last car was a 2008 Suzuki SX4 that got about 32 mpg on the highway but that's where they get you. Yes, 32 on the highway is nice but city always brings the average down.

Now I live in Elizabeth City, NC and the commute to Little creek, VA is about 53 miles one way and the past year I've been commuting with the lil Suzuki. I would average about 27-28 mpg per tank commuting (roughly 75% highway and 25% city). Not very impressive. So, I finally gave in and got myself a truck. Of course more for want than anything else but whatever.

I am a no frills kinda guy. I like a good looking truck but I don't want/need all the bells and whistles. I'm fine with crank up windows. Give me AC and a CD player and I'm happy. After shopping around for a month I soon realized that trucks go up in price fast. I was looking for small/medium size truck with an extended cab, 4 banger and manual transmission. Pickens are slim!!!

Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon - horrible reviews, very dated and the closest extended cab manual four banger was in South Carolina, the next in Canada and the dealer wanted a deposit and were going to charge to have it delivered!!!!!!! I couldn't even get a test drive of something similar!!!! I ran from them.

Ford Ranger - Discontinued in 2011. There were a couple about 75 miles away but I wasn't to big on it to begin with. Very old design and the smallest of trucks.

Toyota Tacoma - pretty ugly but best reviews. They are higher priced. Well, I found during a test drive that while I could easily get a 4 banger with manual and extended cab, my 6'2" 230lb frame didn't fit to well behind the wheel. Not great and rather unimpressed.

Nissan Frontier - Last to check out, never really thought of them but they are a close 2nd behind the Tacoma in most reviews and #1 in truck reliability in Consumer Reports! Hmm, I never knew! They can be found all over the place with a 4 banger, manual tranny extended cab with AC and CD player and nothing else. Just what I wanted!!!!!! I shopped around 3 dealerships. Found one in Chesapeake, VA that would give me the truck for $17500 and take my Suzuki and pay it off (I was only $1000 upside down but she was a little beat up). I left 3 hours later with my new truck, no money down and payments stayed the same as the Suzuki.

Well, I've put about 3000 miles on it so far the past month and at half commuting (I don't ride my VF1000R to commute much and now I'm laid up after surgery for a long time). At first i was skeptical of the gas milleage. I figured I'd be taking a big hit since the truck is only rated at 23mpg on the highway. Well, I was wrong!!!!!!!!

I average 23-25 mpg per tank!!!!!! (same 75%- 25% highway/city driving). Yes, that's right, over 450 miles per tank in most cases. I am very impressed with it although I do drive like an old man shifting at 2k rpm most of the time. I think it looks great (had to find the discontinued 18" NISMO rims and OEM fog lights, both installed by me). It does everything well. not much power but it's a four banger and I'm hauling 8 bikes at a time. I won't be winning races but the manual is awesome in the twisties. I prefer driving than being driven.

Anyway, I have found what I think is the best compromise. i have a truck that gets decent mileage and above all, I'm finally very happy with what I'm driving. I can say, I will run the effin wheels off this thing and not mind doing so.

I'm done sharing now. Here's how she looks sitting in my driveway cause my reconstructive surgery on my left ankle will definitely be keeping me from clutching anytime soon.


By smackdoogle at 2012-04-01

By smackdoogle at 2012-04-01

By smackdoogle at 2012-04-01

By smackdoogle at 2012-04-01

 

That's a nice lookin' truck. Well done!

 

Nice.

I've owned (Jap-built) Nissans and they were great cars.

Here in Australia, the Nissan trucks we get are pretty much identical to the Toyota equivalents but they just don't hold their value. It's the local mindset.

 

Nice truck...........I miss my Titan sniff......sniff........
I will get anothe one eventurelly...........

 

i want a truck so bad and this is not helping!

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of 18MPG.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Nissans are ok but Toyota rules. Watch the news, every pickup with a fifty cal mounted and twenty Hajis hanging off the back is a Toyota.


Congrats on your new truck :thumbsup:

 

Ha!!!!! You are right. If Toyota advertised that I bet it would help sales. On second thought maybe not.

 

I really need a truck. It doesn't even have to be a nice truck. Just something with an extended cab that I can haul stuff with. The wife wants it for track days. Yes, you read that correctly. She rocks! :guitar:

 

Nice looking truck. Congrats. I like the wheels too. Nice pick.

I love having a truck - can't be without one now. Just way too many uses. I'm driving the Ram Laramie right now, but my hemi is before they started the active cylinder management. So I'm on all 8 cylinders all the time. And since I ordered it with the tow package, its AWD all the time, and a 3.96 rear. That adds up to about 15mpg highway at 70mph. At 75, it drops to 13.8mpg. Around town is about 11mpg. If I'm towing my boat (about 4500lbs), it just gets ugly - single digits around town, and maybe 11 or 12 on the highway.

Oh well. Shit happens. I'm gonna put a big Confederate flag in the back window and go visit Vfoubear and Deadsmiley. Yeeeehaaaaawww!

 

Here is mine that I miss dearly...........Spend a lot of time with the kids




Will get me another truck soooooooon.

 

Same here Reg71. 1979 Chevy 4 door duelly, 454 big block. Gets about 12 miles per gallon on a good day. Here in Virginia you can get an antique plate for a one time fee and no annual inspection though. Some limitations , but have never been messed with by the authorities.