Looking at the fullsize pickups from the Big 3, I always thought the Ram was the biggest in all dimensions by a good measure, with the Ford looking the narrowest by a good shot. But, in reality, they're pretty close together in size:

GM:

79.9 wide

73.6 high

205.6 long

4463 lbs

Ford:

79.2 wide

74.8 high

213.2 long

4685 lbs

Dodge:

79.4 wide

73.4 high

209 long

4519 lbs

This is for shortbed regular cab 2WD versions.

Blu-Face it, your as much of a truck guy as GMCTG74....

You need a Wrangler....you need to keep the Cruze as a daily, and you just flat out need to get a Wrangler. You will no more be happy with a small car as you will with breasts and a vagina...just not gonna happen...Trucks and guys are both in your blood dude...hate to tell you but....

YOU NEED A TRUCK...

Blu-Face it, your as much of a truck guy as GMCTG74....

You need a Wrangler....you need to keep the Cruze as a daily, and you just flat out need to get a Wrangler. You will no more be happy with a small car as you will with breasts and a vagina...just not gonna happen...Trucks and guys are both in your blood dude...hate to tell you but....

YOU NEED A TRUCK...

This!

Oh I tell ocnblu this every time he mention he wants to buy a new car, but he never listens to me

As for the suggestions of keeping the Cruze and adding a truck (be it a Wrangler or whatever), I believe he has stated that his financials won't allow for a second vehicle. His desire for a car stems from his desire not to pay through the roof for fuel on a daily basis (cars give him the financial security he needs). I think he should enjoy the Cruze for now and wait until the new Chevrolet Colorado (or the GMC Canyon replacement) comes to market here in the gool ol' USA. The new one should offer better gas mileage over the current truck.

Looking at the fullsize pickups from the Big 3, I always thought the Ram was the biggest in all dimensions by a good measure, with the Ford looking the narrowest by a good shot. But, in reality, they're pretty close together in size:

GM:

79.9 wide

73.6 high

205.6 long

4463 lbs

Ford:

79.2 wide

74.8 high

213.2 long

4685 lbs

Dodge:

79.4 wide

73.4 high

209 long

4519 lbs

This is for shortbed regular cab 2WD versions.

Pretty close, which I too didn't know. Thanks for posting this information!

(btw, didn't you already go this route? I vote for another Sierra!! You know, this is usually how you announce you're shopping again )

Edited October 17, 201114 yr by GMTruckGuy74

Actually as far as financials go...the Wrangler ain't gonna loose value, nor will a mice older GMC fullsize truck....

They will hold value until doomsday...people will always want them, and will always need trucks so....you won't be looisng equity.

As far as insurance goes, I pay about $50 a month extra to keep the miata, a Wrangler would be even Cheaper according to state farm...and that's with towing, rental car, and full coverage.

Ever considered a vintage truck, Blu...something like a nice 67-72 GM fullsize?

I don't know what my insurance is going to do come February when it renews after totaling the Fiesta and repairing the Nitro that I hit.

The Chevrolet Cruze is a sweet, quiet little car to drive. I turned another 30.5 MPG tank, having filled up over the weekend. DIC said 33.6 for this tank... hmmm...

I'd love to have a '67-'72 C-10 shortbed, but something like that is definitely out of reach on a semi-permanent basis, with maintenance, repairs and insurance figured in. Plus a shelter for it, I'd never want to leave something like that out in the weather.

The Cruze was an emergency choice, after all. It's what I need at the moment. Not sure what winter will bring, though. I've read it's supposed to be a mild one. First snow over 6" though, and you might see me post in the whine and cry thread. I just cannot abide having my mobility compromised, even temporarily. I suppose some might say I was shortsighted, hindered in my decision process by the necessity to move quickly without build-up or planning after losing my Fiesta.

Such is life in a single income household. The Cruze as a weekday car, and some sort of 4X4 for weekends and bad weather would be ideal, but it simply is not in the cards. It has to be one or the other.

The '12 Wrangler, with that sweet powerful efficient V6, is hard to beat. Not sure what it costs to insure one in the relative scheme of things, however. Plus, the new Colorado, if it has a diesel, should get about 25-28 mpg. I really want to see what the US version will look like, and cost, before any decision is made regarding a replacement for the Cruze.

Car angst at age 47... shouldn't I be over this by now?

Edited October 17, 201114 yr by ocnblu

Car angst: the gift that keeps on giving.

Car angst at age 47... shouldn't I be over this by now?

Heh ... I don't think car angst will ever go away for me....

*sighs*

Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic

* PRE-SURGERY PARTY = ~5:30p-10:30p, Saturday, 10/29/2011 at Beef Villa, 1225 W Spring St, S Elgin IL *

"You really think you're in control?" __ Gnarls Barkley __ 'Crazy'

Me either

Car angst: the gift that keeps on giving.

Ya...after 11+ years with the same daily driver, I'm getting the new car itch..strongly. I have to reconcile that with the bigger issues..

I'm in the same boat...I don't want to buy another four door car. However....can't buy a two door as a daily driver until my daughter is out of high school and my mother daughter is out of college. That gives me a year and a half.

Blu changes cars about as often as I change sheets on the bed methinks.

I priced out 3 similar trucks:

2012 F-150 XL shortbed 2WD 5.0L 3.55 electronic locker

XL Decor Group

Power Equipment Group

XL Plus Pkg

Box side steps

foglights

17" aluminum wheels

Gem Green/gray cloth

15/21 MPG

$27,310

2012 Ram 1500 Tradesman 2WD 5.7L 3.55 Anti-Spin

sliding rear window

chrome package

power/remote entry package

Sagebrush/gray vinyl

14/20 MPG

$25,030

2012 Silverado 1500 WT 2WD 5.3L 3.23 G80 locker

power door locks

LS chrome package

Imperial Blue/gray cloth

15/21 MPG

$26,035

And a wildcard:

2012 F150 XLT 2WD 5.0L 3.55 electronic locker

Box side steps

Gem Green/tan cloth

15/21 MPG

$30,575

Edited October 22, 201114 yr by ocnblu

Since the F150 XL trim has a black grille and bumper cap, I'm thinking it would look right wicked in the Gem Green with that black headlamp and taillamp Ford accessory kit and aftermarket black wheels, dark windows and a 2/4 suspension lowering... plus a Flowmaster muffler. (Ford even has Carhartt tan seat covers as an accessory! Cool!)

The GMT900 seems old and a bit dumpy in low-end trim, with NO cool available colors, aluminum wheels or foglamps, and the Ram... meh, vinyl seats are for Depends wearers. Ford F150 is a winner. FIVE.OH!

Edited October 22, 201114 yr by ocnblu

When I'm bored, I dream. This thread is all speculation at this point.

I dream too...

I think you would be happier with a smaller truck...something like a Jeep TJ Wrangelr, an S-10, or (you won't hear me say this) a clean used Ranger.

Lower payment, better fuel economy, and you won't be afraid to get it dirty.

What a perfect segue into a shift in direction. Went lot hopping today. Love the Wranglers. The one I'd want is $27,600+. Then I was thinking about compact pickups, and... lo and behold, I stopped by the Yota dealership, and boy, was I bowled over. The base model regular cab Tacoma 4X4, at $21,800+, has so many important functional features as standard equipment. It trounces the GMT355 for value in a small regular cab 4X4 pickup, when it comes to real, honest capability:

High ride height, looks the part

locking rear diff

tilt AND telescope steering

nice, big 245/75R16 all-terrain tires (not wimpy car tires)

wheel flares

composite, rustproof inner bed

sliding rear window on the regular cab (optional at $140) (can't reach it in the GM ext cab, can't get it in the reg cab, in which you COULD)

clutch-start lockout button (handy in certain off-road situations)

I think I'm going to test-drive one and see how it is. Based on the features list, it offers the most bang for the buck in a traditional, honest, functional, no-nonsense 4WD vehicle.

Edited October 31, 201114 yr by ocnblu

The only compact, regular cab 4X4 pickups available anymore are Tacoma and the GM twins. I am disappointed in GM's lack of attention to the GMT355. This Tacoma kills for the price.

Test drove the 2012 Tacoma base model 4X4 today over my lunch hour. All I can say is... wow. Feels positively agricultural compared to what I'm used to. Coarse engine, buckboard ride, bolt upright seatback angle. Definitely feels old-school on the short drive I had time for today... or could it be that I'm the one getting old? Maybe if it's still there this weekend (it's the only one they have in this config), I'll venture back out there and take a longer spin. Oh, and Flo says it would be $85 more per 6-month policy period to insure it over the little Chevy Cruze.

Edited October 31, 201114 yr by ocnblu

I am with you, 'blu. I went to the Toyota dealer across the street from my alignment shop Sunday when I was getting the Miata li8ned back up after its little mishaps. I had driven a used GTI (Sunroof, DSG, Black on black, 2008, nice) at the local Lexus dealership Saturday. Tried to talk myself into test driving a Scion TC, if for no other reason to put something in C and G drives.

Couldn't work up the courage to ask for the keys. The car felt so agricultural (good choice of words on your part, IMHO) compared to the GTI and the Civic SI that it almost made me ill to sit in the damn thing. Ughhh. We've been talking about the new Scion FRS in other forums here. If the TC is ANY indication of the luv Yota will put into thew FRS...CAll me a GM or VW or MAZDA customer any day.

I actually thought of you when I looked at a Tacoma that was next to the TC in the showroom...and was hoping that you wouldn't go THAT direction.

Eighty five bucks for insurance to drive what you want....are you stoned? That is SO CHEAPO to get the ride you want..hell...most of the members here spend more than that in Wax and die cast replicas....

So I understand your reckoning for days of yore and all, but the dimensions you listed are for a vehicle that is not the typical truck being sold on the lot. Extended cab trucks are most common. Do you have comparasion numbers for that size truck?

Well I could look it up and post it if anyone's interested. I'll do that tonight after work.

Thanks!

Eighty five bucks for insurance to drive what you want....are you stoned? That is SO CHEAPO to get the ride you want..hell...most of the members here spend more than that in Wax and die cast replicas....

Just who are you referring to there, Mr. Horsey?

Edited November 1, 201114 yr by GMTruckGuy74

Why buy this....

...when you could have this:

...or this:

Speaking of shortbed regular cab trucks, I saw a Ram one the other day..didn't know such a configuration still existed at Ram.

Speaking of shortbed regular cab trucks, I saw a Ram one the other day..didn't know such a configuration still existed at Ram.

Yes, Ram short beds do exist. Here's a totally awesome 2011 R/T model I saw a couple of months ago:

Those are some mighty fine looking pickups, GMTG, all of 'em. Sorry I couldn't get in last night to post the extended cab dimensions, butt there was a Futurliner with its buttocks all up in my face when I tried to make an entrance.

ANYHOO... my automotive fetish of the moment is once again Jeeps. Wrangler and Liberty, namely.

Jeep FTW!

ANYHOO... my automotive fetish of the moment is once again Jeeps. Wrangler and Liberty, namely.

Okay then, you asked for it...

As you can see, my vote is for the Wrangler, and in the new-for-2012 color "Dozer Yellow"

Or the Deep Cherry Red is nice too (and likely the color I'd go for):

Or if you're really feeling BOLD, go for Crush:

A True Blue, Winter Chill, or Canyon Brown Liberty Sport, with the simple addition of BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO LT235/70R16 tires, would also be sweet.

But those Wranglers are the bee's knees, dude. I have an appointment to drive a 2012 Wrangler 6 speed and a 2012 Liberty Sport this Saturday @ 11 a.m.

Then there's the Liberty's 2012 special Arctic Edition... sounds tough, although the brochure doesn't have a picture of it.

Then there's the Liberty's 2012 special Arctic Edition... sounds tough, although the brochure doesn't have a picture of it.

Allpar has a pic of the Liberty Arctic Edition..white. Sharp. There is a Wrangler Unlimited Arctic Edition also.

http://www.allpar.com/SUVs/jeep/arctic.html

Edited November 4, 201114 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

Thanks fer the link, Moltie. Winter Chill (light silver blue metallic) would look cool with this package. The Jeep website has no mention of the Arctic package in their Build&Price section, but Edmunds has it in theirs. It's a comprehensive package of style changes and features that seems worth it for the price, especially with Jeep's $3000 cash incentive on Liberty right now. It would be affordable to buy, and I believe it would be cheaper to insure than a Wrangler.

Wrangler is a lot cooler vehicle IMHO...but either way...I think you'll find what you are looking for in a Jeep..

I knew the darn Cruze would not be around for long...

I was behind a recent Wrangler this evening and the rear sure looked to be about a 6"er under there; TINY!

I pay no attention to Jeeps in general, but it was visually surprising.

Balthy please stop looking at tiny Jeep rears.

Horse person guy, yes, the Wrangler is very cool, I'll have to see if things click this weekend. If not, I have a brand new car to Cruze around in unassumingly... benignly... quietly.

Balthy please stop looking at tiny Jeep rears.

Horse person guy, yes, the Wrangler is very cool, I'll have to see if things click this weekend. If not, I have a brand new car to Cruze around in unassumingly... benignly... quietly.

Life is too short to drive boring vehicles.

I was behind a recent Wrangler this evening and the rear sure looked to be about a 6"er under there; TINY!

I pay no attention to Jeeps in general, but it was visually surprising.

I didn't know you were of the rearward persuasion...I always thought you were probably more of a breast man of leg man myself.

Well, The B-59 has a 9.75"er, so there!

Buy whichever one you like, but I'd go for a Wrangler 2-door in a heartbeat if I was a single guy. Nothing says "fun and adventurous" like a Jeep Wrangler

Had an appointment at eleven this morning to drive a Wrangler and a Liberty at the Jeep dealer. Salesdude smelled and looked like he partied way too hard last night, but he was decent otherwise.

I'm surprised at how nice to drive the Wrangler is. The rear coils help a lot, I think. It rides much smoother than the Tacoma pickup I drove earlier in the week, actually. I drove a base model with tiny wheels and a soft top, 6 speed manual. The Pentastar is smooth and sprightly. It didn't take long for me to get used to the clutch operation... although I stalled it out once at a stop sign.

The Liberty is also nice to drive, and very comfortable. I like the throttle set-up in the Liberty, it is deliberate, set up for off-roading where a jack rabbit start is not a good thing. It feels like a tank, a characteristic it shares with its much-lamented ancestor, the Cherokee. And it has a good-sized cargo hold for camping with the back seat up, something I can't honestly say about the Wrangler.

MSRP for the two as I spec'd them is less than $300 apart, with the Wrangler at $27,200 and the Liberty at $26,915. Only thing I'd do to the Liberty is put a set of BFG All-Terrain T/A tires on it immediately instead of the crappy Goodyears. I also don't really like the silver 17" aluminum wheels and the white letter tires on the Wrangler, I wish a darker wheel and blackwalls were available from the factory for the Sport S model.

One huge thing: Chrysler is giving $3000 back in a discount on the Liberty, and dealers are more willing to discount them in addition, whereas the Wrangler is selling with no factory discount and a smaller dealer discount. We did not talk specific figures today, but I'm pretty sure I can get into a Liberty for about 4 grand off MSRP. The Wrangler, I'll be lucky to get $1000 off. And then there's insurance... I have yet to call my insurance company with VINs for quotes.

We couldn't do any real figuring today. My car is too new, so the sales manager is going to make calls on Monday and get back to me. If I end up doing the Jeep Thing, either way it would be a factory order, as there are none on the ground in the area exactly like I want.

Then I went to the Subaru dealer and inquired about a 2012 Impreza 2.0i Sport Premium 5-door... hmmm... cute saleskid said he's getting ONE in toward the end of this munt, and a larger shipment next munt.

Edited November 6, 201114 yr by ocnblu

IMHO the Liberty just trumps the subie to no end...and would also be a much better car for you than the wrangler.

Keep us posted dude...I have serious car angst as well, as I am ready to be rid of the wife's Scion xB

Good Grief, Charlie Brown. I just called Flo and she said my insurance would go DOWN $45 over the six-month term if I replaced the Cruze with a Liberty... or a Wrangler! I cannot believe I lulled myself into thinking a sweet, comfortable and quiet little sedan would be much cheaper than a 4WD Jeep, especially when the Colorado was so much HIGHER than the Cruze.

This project just got a bit easier!

Trucks are often easier to insure as they are easier to fix...at least that's what my state farm agent told me.

That's why it strikes me as very odd, the Colorado was much higher than the Fiesta, and the Fiesta was higher than the Cobalt (barely).