TrailManor Owner's Forum  

Go Back   TrailManor Owner's Forum > TrailManor Technical Discussions > Towing and Hitching
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-22-2010, 12:21 PM   #11
ED-n-KEL
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I felt the same way when GM killed the Astro/Safari.....couldn't imagine what they were thinking. My family has owned 3 over the years, my company used them for delivery trucks for as long as I can remember, my wife has several friends that are florists and they all used Astros, most of the telephone, cable, and other repairmen all used them.... so it was quite a shock.
In my opinion it was a perfect "in between" vehicle that fell between the full size "work horse" vans and the "soccer-mom" mini-vans... and apparently a lot of others felt the same way... except for the geniuses at GM of course.

I personally wouldn't own an American made car for many reasons, but when it comes to a truck....it's becoming a toss up. The Japanese are just starting to get trucks right. I've always liked Ford trucks, but now would consider certain Japanese trucks.

I read and heard somewhere that certain Japanese trucks now have more North American parts in them than their "American made" counterparts.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2010, 07:36 PM   #12
mjlaupp
Site Sponsor
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Downsville, Louisiana
Posts: 1,069
Default The Ranger is gone as well.

I found this article on pickuptrucks.com:
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/01...placement.html
Note the comment about urban transport use.
Mike
__________________
Mike Laupp

2013 Jayco Eagle Premier 351RLTS 5er - Honda 2000i x2 w ext. run tank

2017 F350 King Ranch ultimate CCLB SRW 6.7L V8 TD Fx4 BakFlip F1 & BakBox

TM History: '97 2720, '02 2720SL, '03 2720SL, '04 3326K. 2001 - 2012 yrs owned.

1990 Isuzu Trooper II 283 V6
mjlaupp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2010, 10:45 AM   #13
Bill
Site Team
 
Bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
Posts: 10,088
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mjlaupp View Post
The Ranger is Gone As Well
I found this article on pickuptrucks.com:
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2010/01...placement.html
Funny thing. I have a '98 Ranger in addition to my Explorer. I use it for carrying "stuff" on relatively short drives, generally less than 200 miles. Somehow I can't see myself carrying 40 bushels of wet leaves to the town dump in a Fiesta or Focus as Ford seems to suggest. I'm bummed.

Bill
__________________
2020 2720QS (aka 2720SL)
2014 Ford F-150 4WD 5.0L
Bill's Tech Stuff album
Bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-23-2010, 12:44 PM   #14
Wavery
TrailManor Master
 
Wavery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 2,824
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
Funny thing. I have a '98 Ranger in addition to my Explorer. I use it for carrying "stuff" on relatively short drives, generally less than 200 miles. Somehow I can't see myself carrying 40 bushels of wet leaves to the town dump in a Fiesta or Focus as Ford seems to suggest. I'm bummed.

Bill
Sounds like you may be due for an F150.......

I've actually never owned an SUV of any sort. I've always had a passenger vehicle of some sort (including a few mini-vans) for hauling people and a truck for hauling stuff.

The extended cab P/U seems to be an acceptable alternative for taking some small people (grandkids). At some point, we may go to a crew cab. My only reluctance to going to a crew-cab now is that I can't get it in and out of my garage parking space due to the 157" W/B. My ext-cab has a 147" W/B and will barely make it. Making u-turns is a real joy.

Like some others, I just like having the cargo separated from the passenger area.
__________________
TrailManor Elkmont
640W solar- 230AH LiFeP04 Battery
Wavery is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2010, 07:17 AM   #15
gocntry
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Redhawk View Post
May be time to look at a Chevy Tahoe.


  Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2010, 11:45 AM   #16
PopBeavers
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I went with my son recently to Home Depot to pick up some sheet rock on a rainy day. This was not a good idea with my pickups, for fear of the heavy rains last week damaging the product.

So we took his Chevy Suburban. This can carry several sheets of 4x8 material with all doors closed, and 3 adults sitting in the front seat.

I do not know if modern Suburbans can still do this. I think they started making the smaller.

I used to carry 4x8 plywood in my Ford Station Wagon. Not often, but sometimes.

In the future I wonder what will be available that will carry 3 adults and 4x8 plywood or sheet rock on a rainy day?
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2010, 12:14 PM   #17
Wavery
TrailManor Master
 
Wavery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 2,824
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PopBeavers View Post
I went with my son recently to Home Depot to pick up some sheet rock on a rainy day. This was not a good idea with my pickups, for fear of the heavy rains last week damaging the product.

So we took his Chevy Suburban. This can carry several sheets of 4x8 material with all doors closed, and 3 adults sitting in the front seat.

I do not know if modern Suburbans can still do this. I think they started making the smaller.

I used to carry 4x8 plywood in my Ford Station Wagon. Not often, but sometimes.

In the future I wonder what will be available that will carry 3 adults and 4x8 plywood or sheet rock on a rainy day?
A truck!
__________________
TrailManor Elkmont
640W solar- 230AH LiFeP04 Battery
Wavery is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2010, 04:43 PM   #18
PopBeavers
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by harveyrv View Post
A truck!
Sure, a truck with a camper shell. But on days when you are not carrying cargo, the kids can not ride in the back of the bed of the truck. They can ride in the back two seats of the Suburban.

The only flaw in the old K3500 suburbans (circa 1986) was the (lack of) fuel economy.

Very few vehicles serve the dual purpose of:

1. 6 adults and 2 kids, plus luggage for the weekend

or

2. 3 adults, several 4x8 sheets of building material plus a bunch of other cargo.

Another option would be an enclosed cargo trailer that was big enough. But when driving 150 miles to the cabin in the mountains, you have to drive 55 towing the trailer but can drive 70 if it was all in the suburban.

I always thought the 3500 series Suburbans were a tremendously versatile vehicle. But, I drive a truck anyway.

Large SUVs, on a truck frame should be classified as a truck. Small SUVs built with uni-body construction should be classified as a passenger car. IMO

Alternatively, use cargo and/or towing capacity to distinguish between a car and a truck.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2010, 07:51 AM   #19
allenj
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

It sounds to me like that purpose is getting into full size van range, of which there aren't many options. For example, according to Edmunds a Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter can seat up to 12 and tow 5000 lbs with mpg up to the mid-20s, if you can swallow the starting price.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2010, 01:57 PM   #20
freein05
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I read recently all three US manufactures are going to be putting diesels in 1/2 ton pickups. From what I understand they will be 3 to 4L diesels. The article said this could happen in 2010 or 2011.
  Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Rear-view mirrors for Ford Explorer chanticleer Trailmanor Elkmont Models 11 12-30-2009 03:38 PM
Mirror Modifications on a 99 Ford Explorer KenetteK Towing and Hitching 7 09-19-2008 07:08 AM
Towing w/ 2004 Ford Explorer V6? SKJcamper Towing and Hitching 1 07-25-2005 06:06 PM
Towing with Ford Explorer Sport truesdac Towing and Hitching 8 02-28-2005 06:50 AM
2002 Ford Explorer with V8 question jgilliam1955 General TrailManor Topics 5 09-19-2003 08:34 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 2022 Trailmanor Owners Page.