Tacoma said:
hey Mark, I don't want to make you any more... lukewarm about that PSD, BUT... on the way to CA with a nearly 10k load (8020lb M715 w/Rock's and 46's) and 2 people in the truck, my good pal Tom's Duramax got a no-sh*t 17mpg average all the way there. He was somewhat incredulous, and triple checked, against the odomete and fuel use, not using the onboard computer. .........
I've got to respect the Duramax, but until that truck has even a little aesthetic appeal to me, it'll never be in my driveway (put a Dmax or Cummins w/overdrive trans (NV4500/5600) in your '88 crew and I'm VERY INTERESTED, though). The GMC is 'OK', IMHO, but the "Taz" look of the Chev does NOTHING for me (and I'm about as big of a GM biggot as they come). And while they're redesigning their new platform for me, I'd like to see a 3500 HD solid axle option. (I'll keep dreaming...... and buying/using different branded trucks until then.) I also hate the 'packaging' of options (every automaker does it, but GM is totally annoying to me for some reason). I like leather, but don't want Onstar and all the other latte maker, toaster, printer/fax/copier/scanner, walk-in-closet, jetted tub options that come with the leather.
I'm an IFS hater and proud of it. If people like it, I respect that. I HATE the feel over the road expansion joints and bridge gaps and prefer the solid axle 'bounce'. Maybe it's what I'm used to and if I drove the IFS longer, I'd appreciate it, but I'm just not willing to pay for something I 'might' end up liking. I'm curious to see the Toyota and Nissan entries over the next few years. I've put 80K on a Nissan medium duty (UD) and have a lot of respect for that truck platform.
I bought the PSD because it was one of the best 'deals' I could find. I spent a few YEARS looking at trucks and kinda narrowed it down to a few things
I wanted.
Not red. (no offense to red truck owners, it's just not the right color for me. Maybe I've painted to many red Mustangs or something?)
I wanted a full crew cab ('03-current Dodges would work fine. An earlier Dodge ext. cab would work OK for a decent 'deal' and a solid truck.).
Solid axle front.
Manual trans.
Comfortable interior.
4WD shifter on the floor (not into that switch thing on the dash).
I got everything but the manual trans in this truck. My wife was happy that was the compromise that I accepted (she can't/won't drive a stick). Despite my IFS hate, I did look at a few GMC HD trucks. There was a SWEET deal on a burgandy one, but it honestly drove like a Buick, not a truck (maybe some people like that?). It bugged me I couldn't get past it, but I couldn't. {It also had an auto, IFS, button shift 4WD, lazy boy seats, and was somewhat red. I didn't think I'd be happy with it.} My $$$ went elsewhere.
moderator note:I'd like to not see this thread denegrate into someone trying to convince me I'd be happy with the IFS. It's just not going to happen. I tried it a A LOT. My neighbor is a Chev salesman and let me drive anything/everything I wanted at their lot for as long as I wanted (within reason--overnight, over the weekend, etc.). I just couldn't buy something I don't like.
