Glenn,
Very nice muscle car collection. The Dodge net RT was one of the best looking mopars ever designed. The 440 is a torque monster. The SS w/ SLP mods can run with a Vette.

Very true, the domestics built some dogs. As you mentioned, the Asians also built a few dogs. They have yet to prove they can build a real tough work/tow truck.

I know why some people buy Japanese. They only want basic transportation or bland luxury (i.e. Lexus). What I don't understand is why a true car/truck enthusiast would buy one. I've attended hundreds of car shows and cruising events. You rarely see a Japanese car at those. At a Ford show you see everything from model A's, T's, '32 Ford flatheads, 50's T-birds, 60's muscle/race cars, and current 82-04 Mustangs. Then you have a huge amount of restored and/or modified trucks. I can count on one hand the collectable Japanese cars.

 

You know, I've thought the same thing on Japanese collectable cars. Maybe the 240, 260, 280 Z's, the Datsun 1600 and 2000 roadsters, the 510's, the 300 ZX, and maybe the Mazda RX 7 and that's about it. Funny, they all seem to be Datsuns/Nissans. Can you think of any others? Seems like for collections, people prefer American iron or European.

 

just thinking outloud here...

The Titan has better specs, performance, better features (for me)and I would bet better reliablity. But it will always trail the big 3 in sales. It will never be used as a work truck like Ford in significant numbers and I'm not sure that really matters. You'll also see less of them on the road in 20 years for 2 reasons:

1. fewer sold
2. There are a lot of Ford truck lovers that are passionate about thier trucks and take pride that their driving a 15 year old truck. They keep them fixed up instead of letting them die.

Everyone here seems to talk about torque and towing as the measure of a truck. For some people, towing matters less than off-road abilty. The Titan clearly is head and shoulders above the FX4 in that regard. As far as towing, the titan's specs are better too when comparing apples to apples. Sure the regular cab Ford with 8' box can tow more but if if look at crew cab vs crew cab or supercab vs king cab than the titan wins.

Anyway, all I'm saying is that Nissan built a hell of a truck and it won't matter to most people here. Ford will continue to dominate the market. As much as the Titan has going for it, I'm leaning towards the F150 and part of the reason is because when each truck has 200K miles on it and needs work I bet I'll find it easier to replace stuff in the Ford. Also because I'm shallow and like the looks of the F150.

 

86 toyota pickup cant harldley be stoped me and my cousin have taken one on every backroad and mud trail in arkansas and we always made it back, but still yet i know of alot of fords that would have went trough the same things

 

Not sure about the age and model years that those speak of as rusting so badly. I had a 1981 Datsun 4X4 that was starting to rusti within five years of age. I had a 1985 F-150 4X4 that wasn't rusting too badly at 13 years of age - both with similar useage. I do think that most vehicles sold in the U.S. today have enough rust protection built-in to avoid the worst of these kind of problems.

Those that choose to ignore the Titan as a serious threat to the domestic full-size truck manufacturers must be blind-folded. Nissan has made great engines for a long time and this latest truck V-8 complimented with the 5-speed automatic is one more milestone for them. Just read my new 4-Wheeler magazine and although the Armada didn't place first - it was mid-pact, mostly due to the four-wheel independent suspension that rides a lot better on the highway than it performs in the dirt. (The same sort of reviews the Expediton/Navigator and now the Explorer get.) I found it interesting to note in that review that the Armada was faster than the Porsche or VW SUV's and weighed a little more too. No doubt - Nissan has a nice powertrain here and there is no way around it - speed and smooth power delivery will always sell a certain number of vehicles.

How will it hold up over the long-term? How will Ford's new F-150 hold up? I will be surprised if the new Nissans have any serious reliability problems. So far, the build quality looks great. And, yes from everything I have read - these new Nissan trucks have more American content than many "domestic" trucks and are 100% assembled and designed in the U.S. - all of that helps with the job market in the U.S in one way or another.

Keep picking at these new trucks, but they are very real competition. To ignore them is bliss. I for one have bought Fords all of my life - over 30 years now. But, I have also tried an occasional Japanese product. It is not difficult for me to see this Nissan as serious competition, worthy of a test-drive. If Ford doesn't resolve some of their reliability and spotty build quality issues of late, the Nissan may start looking better all the time to more and more people. They won't take the market by storm, just do like all the Japs have done with the U.S. car market - steady market share progress over time. Not good for a U.S. auto industry that is already losing market share every year.

 

Glen, I can't think of any more. I put the 240/260/280 together as a series (like 69/70 or 65/66 Mustangs) and then the 300ZX although it wasn't half the car as the early 240 series. OK on the 1600/2000 roadsters but they didn't send but a few thousand over here. 510's were OK, but collectable?

I think people collect American and European cars because they had a certain emotional attachment with their owners. The Japanese can make affordable bland transportation but have been unable to add the flair or emotional attachment that takes it beyond just transportation to a love-type affair with their owner. They had it briefly with the 240/260 and lost it.

P/S Ford has made 8 million Mustangs, will celebrate 40 years in Nashville the weekend of 4-15,16,17-2004. From all I've seen the new '05 will be very succesful.

Happy New Year

 

If you dont think the Nissans and Toyota's will take market share. Take a look at the mid-size trucks. As far as mid-size 4x4's go I bet Toyota sells more than Ford and Chevy put together. Dont know for sure though. Most people that start off with a midsize move up to a full size over time. That's the position I am in. The only brand loyolity I have is with Toyota but the Tundra is just not a true full size. Now that Nissan has come up the the Titan the choice is hard. My father was always a ford man back when trucks were trucks. That's why I have limited my two choices to the F150 and the Titan. Just hope I make the best one.

 

95cobraR- I just got the latest issue of Hot Rod, and they have a spread on the new '05 Mustang. Wow- what a good looking car! And, the standard GT engine is now a 4.6 with the 3 valve heads (like the new F150) and 300 HP. They only showed the hardtop, I'm waiting to see the GT convertable.
The 510 does seem to have some intrest here in California, they were a pretty neat little car back in the late 60's and early 70's, I had a friend who put a Capri 2.6 liter V6 in one. Not real fast, but better than the 4.

 

Why is it said that the Ranger has been the best-selling mid-size for 16 years??

 

I remember when I was in Somalia, the UN used these Nissan 4 Doors. They seemed to be alright but cargo space and leg room was really short. I guess itd be ok if the back seat was used as a storage area. Give me leg room. And besides that I only get 24 mpg in my 93 cherokee with a 4 cyl. so I'd sacrifice the 6 mpg to drive a big truck.

 

Could it be that none of the Japanese trucks are midsize?

 

Only Dodge has a mid-size, the Dokota.

 

I had one for all of 3 months . . . the 3.9 was a gutless wonder . . . wondered if I was going to get up to speed to merge!

 

Well, excuse me.......I meant small truck.

 

a very difficult decision lays before you, a toy or truck with proven toughness,lets see 1 for years,lots us pride in driving an american product that is owned by americans, ect ect..... the list goes on and on, nisson hmmmm.....its newww! well im just going to have think about this,while driving my ford, does any body know of any web sites that i can get some help with why i should buy a nissan