Best vehicle for The Game

[Poet Jones 99980]

Howdy all,

Happy Turkey Day! I am in the market for a new vehicle and I am taking suggestions. I need a vehicle that is perfect for toting my Cowboy stuff. Also Musical gear to and from gigs. I prefer something that can tow a small trailer if need be as sometimes I might trailer the bike to events. Comfortable for two people on the occasional longer trips.

What ya think?

Poet

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

I am a pickup person....need I say more!

[Cat Brules]

I suggest a either a 3/4 ton pickup with an extended cab (not a full crew cab) and a 6-foot (not a full 8-foot) bed. Check out suspension options and towing options. You want a car-like ride; not a super-stiff truck ride. This combination will keep the over all length of the vehicle down to that of a regular 8-foot bed pickup, while still giving you extra cab room and plenty of load room in the truck bed.

 

But if a truck isn't your style, a good suv-type vehicle would work.

 

In any case, an 8-cylinder gas engine would be my choice (not a 6-cylinder) and not a diesel, since your load requirements are modest.

 

US-made. My choice, in order, is Ford, GM/Chevy, or Dodge.

[Utah Bob #35998]

Fi50

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

I agree with Cat Brules only I'd go with a full size crew cab. I sure like mine and the four doors makes it easy for folks to get in and out of the back, plus that's where I carry my CAS guns and ammo to and from matches. I have an F-150 and love it.

[Reuben McCoy Rankin # 34239]

Bob knows best!!

[DocWard]

Well, I hope this doesn't create a storm that distracts from the topic, but I am fond of my Tundra. The current iteration is a bit big (wide), but I love mine. Made in the USA, mine is the CrewMax, but the smaller DoubleCab version would likely do just fine, based on what you are describing.

 

One question, though, what kind of musical gear, and how much of it? That might mean either a cap for the bed or an SUV.

[Cat Brules]

An F150 is basically a car. If you get close to the upper limits of its load capacity you will feel it quickly, no matter what suspension options you have. Then, you'll start adding aftermarket gear to mitigate that, which can't really compensate. Unless you can predict with any certainty what your ten-year requirements will be, 3/4 ton vehicle is your best decision, regardless of the cab and bed decision. And, crew cab and 8-foot bed on a 1/2 ton is bad ju-ju.

[Sparky Nelson]

The new crop of F-150s have aluminum bodies - less weight, better fuel economy. (Ford is claiming 20% better over last year's model. As always, YMMV.) (And that's the first time I've ever said "your mileage may vary" and was actually talking about mileage.)

[Jackson Rose, SASS #45478]

I travel anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours to a match. I put my gun cart in the back seat of my Corolla, guns in the trunk. I get 36 miles to the gallon. Of course it limits the number of people I can take with me, but then it is usually just me.

[G. I. Tarpicker, SASS #998]

Last May, I bought a new GMC short bed, double cab (what used to be called extended cab), 1/2-ton pickup. So far I'm pleased with it. The mileage is much better than the 3/4-ton 2006 GMC diesel I traded on it, and gas here is $2.54/9 while diesel is still up around $3.40. The new truck handles my 21-foot travel trailer with no problem even at high altitude. There is room in the rear of the cab for my sound system, two large acoustic guitar cases and room left over for a suitcase if I'm not pulling the trailer. This works for me, but might not fit everyone. BTW the new truck is short enough to fit in my garage, while the diesel, with its 8-foot bed, was about 6 inches too long. -- GIT

[Grizzly Dave]

I travel anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours to a match. I put my gun cart in the back seat of my Corolla, guns in the trunk. I get 36 miles to the gallon. Of course it limits the number of people I can take with me, but then it is usually just me.

 

Honda Civic is my monthly match car. For an away match that someone goes with me I sometimes rent a mini van, lots of room and in way better shape than any of my vehicles.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Subaru Forester, given 25mpg works for us.

OLG

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

I've never had more pickup than I needed for anything.

 

The argument against buying a 3/4 ton because it's "more than you'll need" has always sounded a lot like arguing that I won't need 15 rounds in my carry pistol, so I'll only put a few in the mag.

 

Someone said stay away from diesels, and I have to disagree. Same argument. If you're worried about not loading the engines hard enough to make them run like they were designed, don't be... Thousands of weekend warriors never tow at all with their diesels, and auto manf are taking that into account when they design and build them these days. One of ours has 320k on it, and the engine was completely stock at 303k when I altered a few things. I promise you quite a few of those miles were with no load at all, although that one is our go to "trailer truck." If you think it needs to work to purge carbon, go through a few heat cycles, etc... Let the horses run now and then, punch it onto the interstate, etc. Although just about everything built in the last 10 years has a couple hundred pounds of emissions equipment on it to catch all that anyway.

 

If you're worried about economy, Ford diesel pickups are usually a thousand pounds heavier in any given cab/bed configuration than the other two, so they get worse mileage. But there were a few years of GM and Fiat ( ) er, Dodge diesels that have been witnessed getting over 20mpg. So buy accordingly. YMMV.

[Michigan Slim]

I have a GMC 1/2 ton crew cab. It replaced a Chevy extendec cab. If I could do it again, I would have gotten the 3/4. Go the full crew cab with the short bed route. You won't regret it. Bigger doors for your equipment with a luxury ride for your occasional passengers.

[Church Key, SASS # 33713]

Mine is a 2005 Tundra Work Truck, auto, V8, Towing package, 8' Bed, cost $15,750 new; still worth about 1/2, even with 127K miles. Repair costs to date = $2.50 (two bulbs over bed). It has a tonneau cover which hides everything. Gets 18-19 MPH if kept to the speed limit, which is 70 on interstates around here. BTW - Made in the USA.

[Cat Brules]

Subaru Forester, given 25mpg works for us.

OLG

How do you cope at those Subaru conventions, LG?? ;-) :-)

[Blackwater 53393]

For what you have, depending on the PA and such, a Chevy or GMC Suburban is my choice. I've had three and can say without a doubt, no other maker can match the utility and durability of the Suburban!!! Even Ford had to admit that they couldn't compete. All of your stuff is inside and thus more secure, and it will tow anything a full sized pickup will tow except a gooseneck trailer. If you're going to tow one of those you should look for a ton truck anyway. On top of that, you can haul lots of passengers comfortably, or any other kind of gear you want or need.

[Muleshoe Bill SASS #67022]

Wanna play cowboy.. get cowboy truck.. Ford F450 4x4 Diesel turbo lift kit, with gooseneck rigging and extended mirrors and I love the LPTO (useful for clearing cedars by the dozen)... 10 mpg unless I'm hauling a Skid Steer, or a backhoe.

[Church Key, SASS # 33713]

West Virginia driving test question: If four vehicles arrive at a four-way stop at the same time, who has the right-of-way?

 

 

 

Correct answer:

 

 

 

"The Truck with the Biggest Wheels."

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

How do you cope at those Subaru conventions, LG?? ;-) :-)

I just drive around'em is all-

We have 2 Suby's, and lov'em.

My For. is 11 yrs old with 106K miles on it, and still go'n strong. Will say the paint is not in the best shape. But, what do you expect for sit'n outside in the desert all it's life.

When the time comes-We'll buy another Subaru.

 

OLG

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

For what you have, depending on the PA and such, a Chevy or GMC Suburban is my choice. I've had three and can say without a doubt, no other maker can match the utility and durability of the Suburban!!! Even Ford had to admit that they couldn't compete. All of your stuff is inside and thus more secure, and it will tow anything a full sized pickup will tow except a gooseneck trailer. If you're going to tow one of those you should look for a ton truck anyway. On top of that, you can haul lots of passengers comfortably, or any other kind of gear you want or need.

I forgot about suburbans. You can get them in 3/4 ton too. And 4 wheel drive.

 

You can get vans in 3/4 and ton too.

[Rusty Chains]

Realistically anything that will carry a couple of folks, folding gun cart, guns and ammo should be plenty for most folks. Heck my little Honda Fit will do that. If I gotta carry more than that, I will just fire up the old 3/4 ton GM pickup I bought for cheap a few years back.....she is long in the tooth with a ton of miles and thirsty as they come, but she will carry and pull about anything I would ever need.

[Yul Lose]

My 2005 Nissan Frontier has been a great match truck. I put a shell on it and it hauls a couple of my carts nicely. It's a crew cab and all of the guns go on the backseat floor board. Mrs. Lose just got another Subaru Forester and it will handle one of my carts with all of my gear and gets about twice the MPG as the Frontier. She's pushing me to get a new truck because it has 157,000 miles on it and I'll probably get another Frontier, I've had absolutely no problems with it.

[Irish Red OToole, #48939]

I've been driving a Ford F-150 full crew cab with the short 5 1/2 foot bed and a camper shell for the last ten years. I put my own version of a Truck Vault in the bed to carry all the cowboy gear. It even tows. I hauled a 23-foot travel trailer for quite s few years too. Cowboys and trucks go together.

[DocWard]

Mrs. Doc has had two Subies. If they still made the Baja, and I were in the market for a new vehicle, I would consider one. Of course, I've been called peculiar before.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

pickem up truck , I have 5 of em

 

54 Chevy 5 window

76 Ford X cab

78 Dodge

01 Ford 4 dr 150

03 Ford Ranger x cab

 

Ya might say I is a pickup man

 

CB

[Blackwater 53393]

I forgot about suburbans. You can get them in 3/4 ton too. And 4 wheel drive.

 

You can get vans in 3/4 and ton too.

 

Yep! I towed a thirty foot three axle race car trailer with the last Suburban we had. Truck was a 454 cid automatic 3/4 ton with seating for nine. Trailer carried a big block door slammer with engine and transmission spares and a workshop with tools. The trailer had brakes on all three axles. We bought Ol' Green when I quit racing because we could load three motorcycles in the bed and we no longer had kids and crew.

[Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103]

Jeep Wrangler 4 door.

Get the Reese hitch factory installed.

Decent mileage, good power, sure footed, fold down the back seats and room to keep your shooting gear inside out of the weather.

My wife's is 4 door, mine is 2 door, and the two door is shy on room, I have the devil's own time getting my gun cart et al in it, need to redesign & build a smaller folder.

[guitar_slinger]

I have a Honda Pilot.

Hauls all my cowboy stuff, hauls a butt-load of music gear to and from gigs (well, I play in a church praise band these days so not really gigs but same basic thing, hauls all the speakers, boards, monitors, etc. that I need.). Comes with a receiver hitch and will haul a moderate sized trailer.

 

Has 3 rows of seats when hauling cowboy butts is more important than hauling cowboy gear (can haul 6 sets of cowboy butts pretty well, 7 if a couple of the cowboys are not of substantial girth and their cowboy butts are narrower than mine).

 

4 wheel drive for when the weather heads south.

 

I get about 24mpg on highway and about 18mpg in city. Has reasonable power (not a race car but good enough for this fat cowboy) and a decent sound system and a really good heater and air conditioner (to keep all those cowboy butts comfortable).

 

Other than oil changes it has not been in the shop. It's a 2012 and has about 30K miles (no, it's not for sale, i plan to keep it until the wheels fall off).

 

I can highly recommend it.

[Utah Bob #35998]

I just drive around'em is all-

We have 2 Suby's, and lov'em.

My For. is 11 yrs old with 106K miles on it, and still go'n strong. Will say the paint is not in the best shape. But, what do you expect for sit'n outside in the desert all it's life.

When the time comes-We'll buy another Subaru.

 

OLG

Got a Forester last year for the wife. It would work very well for shoots. Gets 32mpg consistently, comfortable, sufficient power. So far it's been an excellent choice.

[jrswanson1]

To answer the original question with the parameters stated, I would say a Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Room for five, nice bed with tie-downs built in, and can tow a small trailer without breaking a sweat.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

The 3/4 T cargo van my wife and I use would fill the bill. With its long wheel base it rides well and its interior volume is incredible. We tow a small travel trailer with it to CAS matches. It would tow a trailer with bike quite easily.

[Guest Hoss Carpenter, SASS Life 7843]

I've had four P/Us (one Diesel); two Suburbans, two S-10 Blazers, seven Jeeps ( from CJ 3B to Cj5s , CJ7s and two TJs) and two Ford Explorers. All these were 4x4s.

 

I now have a 2013 Ford Edge with a V6 twin Turbo in AWD. It does everything I now need and would fill your "bill" perfectly.........!

 

Good Luck Hoss

[Poet Jones 99980]

Thanks for all the good advice...keep it coming.