What buying reasons did you factor in when buying your newest truck or SUV? I always want to make sure I'm providing you the information you are looking for and your answers would be helpful with future reviews.
Why did you buy your newest truck or SUV?
- Thread starter testerdahl
- Start date
NMTRUCKER
Well-known member
I bought a 2023 GMC SIERRA with the LZ0 back in December 2022. I had been following your videos that you posted on your High Country Silverado. What really sealed the deal for me was the interview you did with GM’s chief engineer for the LZ0 (John Berta). My previous truck purchase was a 2003 Silverado 2500HD. So you can imagine the difference between these two pickups.
You and Jill are thorough in your vehicle coverage. I’m always interested in how a vehicle drives on dirt/gravel roads since I have to drive 8 miles on this type of road to get to a main paved highway. Also do the tires seems to pickup and throw lot of stones on gravel roads? Road noise at highway speeds is also a welcome measurement. ThanksMrAlan1976
New member
I bought a 2021 GMC 3500HD SRW back in 2021. To me it was the best balance of what I needed. The payload, and towing supported my needs, and the power was more than sufficient to tow my 5th wheel through any pass I wanted. The interior was functional, although admittidlt not as plush as some others. The technology and associated options were well integrated. I really like the HUD…. To me, each vehicle is a compromise, and each of us value different traits or capabilities to make the decision.
Beninbeta
Well-known member
When we purchased our 23 Tucson, 1 year review coming soon, we were looking for a few things:
- A comfortable long trip vehicle (came from a Tesla Model 3 and we were driving CO<->CA serval times per year)
- Comfortable Power seats
- Heated seats
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Lumbar support
- Something we could car camp in and had good cargo capacity
- Decent fuel mileage
- Good safety systems. Lane Keep, Blind Spot, Auto Cruise
- Good infotainment and sound system
- Android Auto/Carplay (Missed that a lot in Tesla)
- LED headlights
- Value for the money. Wanted the hybrid, but the dealer was marking those up several thousand at the time.
- All/4 wheel drive
- Decent ground clearance with a 360 degree camera
- A comfortable long trip vehicle
- Comfortable Power seats
- Heated seats
- Heated Steering Wheel
- Lumbar support
- Enough payload to accommodate overlanding. All the gear and roof top tent.
- Decent fuel mileage
- Good safety systems. Lane Keep, Blind Spot, Auto Cruise
- Good infotainment and sound system
- Wireless Android Auto/Carplay (Missed that a lot in Tesla)
- LED headlights
- Reliability This vehicle we'll be keeping much longer and we don't want to be stranded when overlanding
- Off-road capability
- Clear 360 degree camera
- Rear Locker
- Good ground clearance
- Under body protection a plus
- Front locker or sway bar disconnect a plus
- Power in the bed
- Ability to modify over time and good aftermarket accessories
- Good power/performance. Good on road acceleration and decent off-road torque/low range
- Needs to fit in my garage
- $50-$60k Max
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Fightnfire
Moderator
I was coming from a 2009 Access Cab Tacoma, went through a divorce, and needed a vehicle to fit my two sons who at the time were 13 and 11. I've mostly been a pickup guy and wanted something that could haul 3-5 people, tow a large travel trailer (29' bunkhouse 6500lb dry), haul bark/gravel etc, looked good, drove great and had solid off road capability for crossing the mountins in washington in winter as well as cruise forest service roads in the mountains we have here.
The short list was: (In no specific order)
The Tundra was nice but as always was lacking in tech compared to the Rebel and the AT4. Then I saw the new design and didn't really care for it.
Generally speaking I thought the GMC was better looking than the Chevy and came with more standard equipment on the AT4 vs the Trail boss. I wanted a rear locker which almost pushed me to the Rebel but I read up on the G80 and liked the GMC more overall, especially with the 6.2.
Edit: I'll add that with the features I wanted all of these trucks at the time were 58kish to upper mid 60's. So price wasn't a determining issue. I believe the Trail boss was the cheapest and the Ford Lariat FX4 was the most espensive.
The short list was: (In no specific order)
- Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
- Chevy LTZ Trail Boss
- Ford F150 Lariat FX4 (Intersted in a Tremor but in summer 2021 they were impossible to find)
- Ram Rebel
- GMC AT4
The Tundra was nice but as always was lacking in tech compared to the Rebel and the AT4. Then I saw the new design and didn't really care for it.
Generally speaking I thought the GMC was better looking than the Chevy and came with more standard equipment on the AT4 vs the Trail boss. I wanted a rear locker which almost pushed me to the Rebel but I read up on the G80 and liked the GMC more overall, especially with the 6.2.
Edit: I'll add that with the features I wanted all of these trucks at the time were 58kish to upper mid 60's. So price wasn't a determining issue. I believe the Trail boss was the cheapest and the Ford Lariat FX4 was the most espensive.
- Looks
- Capability
- Towing
- Hauling
- Off Road
- Features
- Back seat features
- Tech/Cameras
- Reliability
- My feeling after studying this was they all have their issues...I'm not married to a brand, even Toyota
- Power
- Useability
- Multi Pro Tailgate
- Bed configuation
- Interior storage etc.
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chaseydog
Well-known member
I have not owned a pickup truck since my ’86 Power Ram W250 which I sold in the early ‘90’s. Last month I decided it was time to sell my 15-year-old Toyota Highlander, and since I’m getting close to retirement decided it was time place desire over practicality.
To that end picking up my 24 GMC Titanium Rush Sierra 1500 AT4 Duramax this afternoon. I was initially looking at Colorado’s and Tacoma’s, decided to give the GMC’s a look. By this time, I was leaning towards a GMC Canyon but something about shelling out 50K+ for a midsize didn’t sit right with me, so started looking at full size options. I instantly fell in love with the half ton AT4, which landed me on the dealer lot a few days ago plunking down a not insignificant amount of cash.
What sold me on the AT4?
To that end picking up my 24 GMC Titanium Rush Sierra 1500 AT4 Duramax this afternoon. I was initially looking at Colorado’s and Tacoma’s, decided to give the GMC’s a look. By this time, I was leaning towards a GMC Canyon but something about shelling out 50K+ for a midsize didn’t sit right with me, so started looking at full size options. I instantly fell in love with the half ton AT4, which landed me on the dealer lot a few days ago plunking down a not insignificant amount of cash.
What sold me on the AT4?
- Looks – Both inside and out I really like the look of this truck. One of the must haves for me was little to no chrome and the AT4 hit this mark. I wanted something a bit more upscale than the elevation. I looked at the AT4X, but the interior was a bit loud for my taste and while I’ll be going off road, I don’t think I’ll be hitting anything so demanding that the ruggedness of the AT4X would really come into play. Plus saving a bit of cash compared by choosing the AT4 over the AT4X helped sway the odds in the non-X’s favor.
- Diesel – Until last month I don’t think I’ve ever considered owning a diesel. Watching reviews of the LZO 3 liter left me impressed with what this engine is capable of. I considered the 6.2 liter, but don’t need the extra grunt, and the Duramax seems like the me economical option. If I’m being honest though the idea of owning a diesel strikes a chord with my red-blooded male DNA that the big gas engine just didn’t hit.
- Features – Cameras, heads up displays, 13” info screens, adaptive cruise control, and the like are light years away from the bare bones Power Ram of my youth.
- Reliability – I tend to own vehicles for 10 years or so, and while I’ve seen there have been a few issues with the current gen Sierra/Silverados, I didn’t see that any other brand was significantly more reliable.
- Material Quality – I was very impressed with the quality of the materials used in the interior of the AT4. To my eyes it strikes a good balance between luxury and ruggedness, which again is light years ahead of what my W250 had.
- Power – I don’t anticipate to much towing, 305hp and 492 lb-ft of torque will meet my needs.
- Multi Pro Tail Gate – Initially was not a big fan, but once I tried using to get into the bed I was sold.
Thanks and I’m jealous. Great choice! If I’m being honest, it has been a struggle to educate people on the 3.0L Duramax. People want it to be a HD towing machine and it is about fuel economy and low-end torque for off-road. Sounds like you got that message.
NMTRUCKER
Well-known member
Desire over practicality
that put a smile on my face. I’ve had my ‘23 GMT SIERRA SLT 1500 for just over a year (1year review posted in this forum) and am very pleased with its performance. Make sure you update the firmware on the IDASH. When I did my second oil change I switched to Mobil 1 ESP X2 (Dexos D, 0W-20) which is now available in 5 quart jugs at the major parts stores. Still using the PF-66 oil filter although there are a bunch of alternatives. The LZ0 sips fuel and DEF so you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy.
Jayray274
Member
My story is very simple, always loved Trucks. I had a 20’ 3.0 Sierra and the lease was set to expire during the “vehicle shortage” as rates started to rise I looked to unload it. Ended up with a 22’ Ram Laramie. Why did I choose Ram? Simple, wanted one last V8 and it meant all my other wants/needs. I’ve had zero issues with it thus far.
Fast forward to today, looking at downsizing back to a midsize. No more towing, child seats/boosters. Etc.
Fast forward to today, looking at downsizing back to a midsize. No more towing, child seats/boosters. Etc.
I heard from a fan this weekend that's there some confusion on why the Ram V8 went away. Do you understand the reasons why? Just looking to see if this is a video idea.
Jayray274
Member
I have no idea on the real reasoning, other than EPA/CAFE reasoning. I do know Stellantis was buying CAFE credits from Tesla to offset what they were paying the government in fines.
I honestly admit that I purchased from peer-pressure. My father had a full-size p/u, my uncle and cousin did as well, and they said I should, so I did. My 1st full-size was a 3yr old Ram in '06, then sold that for a brand new '11 which I still have. I bought Rams because to me, they provided the best truck for the money. In 2011, only Ram offered heated steering wheels and a great ride. Sure, full-size trucks are great, but I realize I don't really need one, no passengers. Now I'm going to down-size. The funny part is that even though I'm getting a smaller truck it'll still cost so much more than anything else I've owned.
NorthskyBlue NHT
Member
I went from a 2017 Colorado to a 2019 Silverado. My 2 main reasons are I wanted to upgrade to a larger travel trailer (23' to 30') and I wanted more passenger space (the Colorado's rear seats are cramped).
I bought my first truck in 2019. I needed a truck to pull my trailer, and I'm not brand loyal in the slightest so I did think about all 5 trucks. All my comments/thoughts are back in 2019 of course, so things may have changed. Also not trying to offend anyone if they happen to own a truck I didn't like. Going through this process today in 2024 may look differently. Back then I insisted on a v8 or a diesel, no gas turbos or small v6s. Just my preference.
Titan:
Almost immediately disqualified. It didn't have any advantages that couldn't be found in other trucks, but had some major flaws in my opinion, like lack of used parts and finding mechanics that know the engine/truck inside and out. I just didn't see a point to this truck, even with cost it wasn't cheaper than the others. I was worried about resale as well.
Tundra:
Too old, hard on fuel, mediocre interior, rougher ride. It had a solid engine and good performance, but so do others.
F150:
It was stale back then, still is to be honest, the 2024 doesn't look all that different from a 2014 other than fascia and bumper, I did want a fresher look if I could get it. The 5.0 was a definite attraction, still is, but the 10 speed its mated too seems to cause issues for some owners. It was also quite pricey compared to other options, might be region specific.
Silverado/Sierra:
I spent a lot of time evaluating these trucks side by side with the Ram. I liked a lot about it, exterior was nice and fresh and muscular (finely getting rid of the square wheel wells) but the interior was somewhat disappointing and I wasn't able to get my engines of choice in a reasonably priced truck. My preference was for the 6.2 (before the new lifter issues became apparent) and they weren't going to sell that to me in a basic or volume trim. What I really wanted was the upcoming 3.0 duramax but that wasn't in production yet and I guessed (correctly) that GM wouldn't offer that in cheap trims either.
Ram:
This was the best compromise of features and value. It rides amazing (important to me as it's a daily driver), has very smooth linear power, amazing interior (the others have caught up now for the most part), and a very reliable transmission that was used for at least 7 years prior, and an engine that was used for 10 years prior, in short it was a known quantity. It's not the fastest truck, but its still the most powerful vehicle I've owned and tows what I need it to and gets decent MPG when daily driven. In the end what tipped the scales in favour of the Ram vs the Sierra was simply cost. I got a lot more truck for my money, the GM dealer wanted an additional $10k CAD for a work truck sierra with vinyl floors and a smaller engine (5.3) with a problematic 8 speed (I think they've fixed this now but back then it wasn't good at all). MSRP's were similar, but when it came time to crunch the numbers the Ram dealer put more on the table and offered me more on my trade in. It was a no brainer decision at that point.
I don't think there is necessarily a bad truck these days, seems like its the bread and butter of all these manufacturers and they pour lots of effort and money into these trucks. But buying new today I would definitely still only really consider the American trucks, and if I'm being honest I'd still have a hard time between the final two choices I had back in 2019. It would more than likely come down to cost again, I'd probably "downgrade" to a 4th gen Ram Classic just because it's the cheapest V8 around.
If money were no option I'd lean more towards the 3.0 duramax, or even a 3/4 ton truck which is a whole different comparison.
Titan:
Almost immediately disqualified. It didn't have any advantages that couldn't be found in other trucks, but had some major flaws in my opinion, like lack of used parts and finding mechanics that know the engine/truck inside and out. I just didn't see a point to this truck, even with cost it wasn't cheaper than the others. I was worried about resale as well.
Tundra:
Too old, hard on fuel, mediocre interior, rougher ride. It had a solid engine and good performance, but so do others.
F150:
It was stale back then, still is to be honest, the 2024 doesn't look all that different from a 2014 other than fascia and bumper, I did want a fresher look if I could get it. The 5.0 was a definite attraction, still is, but the 10 speed its mated too seems to cause issues for some owners. It was also quite pricey compared to other options, might be region specific.
Silverado/Sierra:
I spent a lot of time evaluating these trucks side by side with the Ram. I liked a lot about it, exterior was nice and fresh and muscular (finely getting rid of the square wheel wells) but the interior was somewhat disappointing and I wasn't able to get my engines of choice in a reasonably priced truck. My preference was for the 6.2 (before the new lifter issues became apparent) and they weren't going to sell that to me in a basic or volume trim. What I really wanted was the upcoming 3.0 duramax but that wasn't in production yet and I guessed (correctly) that GM wouldn't offer that in cheap trims either.
Ram:
This was the best compromise of features and value. It rides amazing (important to me as it's a daily driver), has very smooth linear power, amazing interior (the others have caught up now for the most part), and a very reliable transmission that was used for at least 7 years prior, and an engine that was used for 10 years prior, in short it was a known quantity. It's not the fastest truck, but its still the most powerful vehicle I've owned and tows what I need it to and gets decent MPG when daily driven. In the end what tipped the scales in favour of the Ram vs the Sierra was simply cost. I got a lot more truck for my money, the GM dealer wanted an additional $10k CAD for a work truck sierra with vinyl floors and a smaller engine (5.3) with a problematic 8 speed (I think they've fixed this now but back then it wasn't good at all). MSRP's were similar, but when it came time to crunch the numbers the Ram dealer put more on the table and offered me more on my trade in. It was a no brainer decision at that point.
I don't think there is necessarily a bad truck these days, seems like its the bread and butter of all these manufacturers and they pour lots of effort and money into these trucks. But buying new today I would definitely still only really consider the American trucks, and if I'm being honest I'd still have a hard time between the final two choices I had back in 2019. It would more than likely come down to cost again, I'd probably "downgrade" to a 4th gen Ram Classic just because it's the cheapest V8 around.
If money were no option I'd lean more towards the 3.0 duramax, or even a 3/4 ton truck which is a whole different comparison.
NorthskyBlue NHT
Member
"with a problematic 8 speed (I think they've fixed this now but back then it wasn't good at all)"
GM had a voluntary recall where if you told the dealer you had harsh shifts they would flush the transmission fluid and add Mobil 1 synthetic. My dealer was nice enough to do this to my truck without me even asking. It's an improvement but there's still a smidge of clunkiness sometimes. Like you said the 2024 version of the 8 speed supposedly solves these issues.
GM had a voluntary recall where if you told the dealer you had harsh shifts they would flush the transmission fluid and add Mobil 1 synthetic. My dealer was nice enough to do this to my truck without me even asking. It's an improvement but there's still a smidge of clunkiness sometimes. Like you said the 2024 version of the 8 speed supposedly solves these issues.
GMT 900
Well-known member
I was interested in the RAM last year and was lucky enough to rent one on a business trip. Black Ram Laramie Trim, 22" Black Aluminum Wheels, Tim's favorite, a pano roof, and leather seats, The deal breaker was two things, The body lean in turns was excessive and it seemed to wallow even on smooth roads...Okay, it was a rental, but not the #1 Deal Breaker That was the dial shifter. Just could not get used to it, annoying when parking.
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Yeah, I won't deny it, the knob was hard to get used to. But once I was, it was just as easy as any lever I've ever used. I could flick it from D to R to P without looking. Started driving my 2011 again and I kept reaching for it. Damn near put it in 4wd every time I backed out. Can't speak of the body lean, never noticed that.
A lot of us are running a Hellwig swaybar to correct that body lean, about $300 IIRC on amazon and I put mine in the tightest setting. Compared to stock, it's like it's on rails now.
I also hated the dial but after 2 years of ownership it stopped getting on my nerves. Life is just too short.
You know, I'm waiting for the first manufacturer to just put a D and an R button on the wheel. Or the shift paddles but they are just D or R. That way, your hands never leave the wheel. The Park can be its own button somewhere. Hell, that can be attached to the electric parking brake as far as I'm concerned.
NMTRUCKER
Well-known member
My dad had a’58 Plymouth with the push button automatic transmission. It never worked very well especially in the cold weather. I like my center console shifter in my ‘23 GMC SIERRA 1500 as well as the shift paddles on the steering wheel.