Confession
My 1997 Ford Exploder was getting old and had some issues that I didn't want to deal with anymore (It's no fun working on your daily driver instead of your Fun Stuff) So, about a year ago I started grazing for a replacement, first requirement, cost less than 10 years wages (I'm retired so I don't get wages so I picked $21,000, equal to or bigger cargo space than my exploder, AM/FM Radio with either CD or USB, standard shift, non-carpeted floors, electric windows, room for my dog (70lb Lab/Shepard/Idiot mix), room for 5 bags of food - rated to tow 3000lb -Anything else (Unless it made the vehicle inop) was gravy - That meant I wanted the Base vehicle plus a few upgrades
Grazing discoveries, there are no SUZ's with as much cargo space as my Exploder, there are no small utility vans that were 23,000 or less configured as I wanted, i.e. if there was something I wanted there was something else either not available or in a $1250 package with a bunch of stuff that was a no go for me (I don't need an automatic sanitary pad changer) and it always took at least 3 of those packages to get a vehicle that met my needs.
Late Fall of this year I decided to bite the bullet and see what the 2016 models would cost. First Toyota was out, next the base Ford F150 was just slightly above the 23,000 but by the time I had my musts it was 28,650 - That left me with the Nissan Frontier at 18,190 start, a Chevrolet Colorado at 20,995 and the GMC Canyon at 21,880
The Nissan didn't come with a tow package and I was told that if I added a hitch it would void the warranty - Bye bye Nissan - The Colorado had almost everything I wanted except for the AM/FM radio with a CD or USB and it didn't come with any packages - Soooooo I looked at the Canyon - It had everything that I wanted except for a Class III/IV hitch and that would be $395 installed at the dealer and no warranty problems - Oh ya, it is almost Ford like in that you had a choice of Black or White and there was a Black one about 110 miles away while the White one was about 500 miles away
So my new black Canyon went out the door at $24,000, hitch, tax, title and license
Yep - I'm driving a damn GMC pickup
I still have 3 Fords 46 Coupe, 48 Panel and a 52 xF2 , Plus I have a 2008 Harley Sportster Trike and a 57 Massey Ferguson TO 35 Tractor

I've bared my sole and after all the crap I've been laying down for the past 23 years let it flow - I've failed Big Blue : X19

 

Brand loyalty is foolish, you have to buy what's best for you. Feel no shame.

Will the Exploder become a donor??

 

No...Big Blue failed you by not offering a midsize pickup !!!

 

No worries
While the best truck I ever owned was a Ford (1983 F-150) I've had a couple of GMC's that I really liked. I sold the 83 Ford when my youngest was born as I needed more room. I bought a 87 GMC 4 door 1 ton. It was a pretty good truck. After that I bought a 1993 GMC Suburban. I bought it used, it had 80K miles and was(is) a great truck.
In fact, I spent the day today dropping the fuel tank on it so I could replace the deteriorated fuel line between the fuel pump and the fuel sender assy (dang ethanol), so yes, I still have it and have no plans of getting rid of it. It now has 180K on it.


Congrats on the new daily driver
Bobby

 

Dick, soon I'll have a story to tell you guys.....it involves trading a GMC for a Ford.
So I just balanced things out to neutralize your perceived sin.
Watch my posts in the next week or so to see what I did.
By the way I agree with what AVF100 said.
Tom

 

Exactly, when I went shopping for a truck, I was shocked to hear Ford stopped making the Ranger. Hopefully it will compete now that they are bringing it back. The F150 is just too big for my needs. I looked at the Sport Trac, but it's bed was just not right. I love my Frontier.

 

Kind of - I sold it to a friend for $100 that was in desperate need of a vehicle for work - The day before I called him his Buick let go, a cop saw him pull off the road smoking and came back to see what was going on, there was no fire. As he was standing there talking to my friend he noticed that it was 4 months overdue inspection - The kind genital loving ****** wrote him a ticket for $400 + court costs - Mark was very happy that I called him

I've driven nothing but Ford Trucks since 1983 and up until 97 I was putting between 75 and 100,000 per year

 

All my family vehicles are Toyota 4x4's. Two of them have 450 K miles plus. Two are pretty capable rock crawlers.

BUT.....................I built three 66 Mustangs and one 67 Mustang for my kids when they were in High School. Two of them are still being driven by them and they are in their 30's now.

Also have the 48 F2 and 52 F3. So don't give me THAT look!

 

My daily is a 2003 Ranger that I bought new and really like. The size is just right. I do not want one of today's full size pickups (don't need it). It was a mistake as far as I am concerned to cancel the Ranger. I see that they are bringing the Ranger back in name. It looks like it is coming back as a 4 door with a wanna be bed. Was it the Sport trac (?) explorer in that configuration that did not do well. Will it be a lesson to be relearned?
I would want an extended cab with a 6 1/2 foot bed (my current Ranger).

 

No blast from me. Since '84 all I have bought are Chev's. I have or still own numbers 4 and 5. They have all been great trucks. Only Ford I have owned is this '53 that is in 100's of pieces and will have a Chev motor and Corvette suspension in it. Go figure, I just like the body style better then Chev for that age.

 

Ok since we're confessing! In 2003 I bought a mustang cobra convertible I loved it, didn't drive it much though ,in 2012 I sold it with only 5500miles on it and bought a Jeep Wrangler, since I was moving rural I figured the jeep was practical . Although I sometimes miss the cobra, I must say I love my jeep and I'm surprised because everything I read says there plagued with problems. My roots will always be my old ford trucks for cool rides,the jeep is a point A to point B thing

 

My daily driver is 150 Crew Lariat and it is too big for me since retiring. I almost bought a GMC Canyon but when I heard Ford was going to soon have a smaller P/U I'm waiting to get one of those. I also looked at the 2016 Takoma and liked it , but Ford will win the day if they come through with a new Ranger size truck.

 

I too drive something other than a Big Blue for my daily driver. Being a Ford nut for all my life I immediately went to Ford for my first new puck-up (2000). I wasn't thrilled with the ride quality. I had buddies with Dodges as well as Toyotas so I decided to give them a try. I must have driven 5 or 6 manufactures pick-ups. I ended up settling on a Dodge Dakota Clubcab. I loved that truck and drove the wheels off of it. My dad liked mine do much he bought a Dakota Crew cab 5 years after I got mine. Almost immediately he found out the Crew Cab was too big and asked me if I wanted to trade. I did and hate the newer Dakota. I recently went to look at new Ford's and a F150 Club Cab was closer to $30,000. Bottom Line your driving it so get what you want. We know where your heart is.

 

I was thinking about trying to wait for the ?new Ranger, then I got to thinking about how Ford has turned every work vehicle into a soccer transport or a vehicle to haul bags of mulch to the flower garden
I want something that I can walk out of a wet muddy field stomp off as much as I can and be able to wait a week or two until I get around to scraping the crap off the floor.
When I started buying Fords in 83 it was because of their ability to haul stuff over the road and handle odd size boxes. I was in the AF and my job was to go from Major Command to Major Command and also to all the Training Bases and show, demonstrate or test new develop equipment. - Even though I was in the AF it was impossible to schedule cargo movement from base to base on a one day notice and have it at the next location within two days - I also wanted the ability to load up my fishing equipment on the odd day or two that I had off and go unwind
Ford was the only brand that was able to meet my needs up till the end of the second gen Exploders, The last two of those I was out of the AF, but I was working Emergency Management and had to haul everything from training equipment to hazmat supplies thru blinding snow storms sometimes plowing snow with my bumper to driving up creek beds. Ford was the only thing again that could meet my needs - Then Soccer Mom's struck and Ford had to give them soccer Mom stuff and be able to concur the dreaded parking lot speed bumps

 

a man's got to do what a man's got to do. no looking back.