I Gotta Ask...

[Tulecreeper]

I know I'm old school, but who besides me bought their truck to use as an actual truck? You know, for hauling heavy stuff in the bed and towing a lot of weight behind them. That is the only reason for buying a truck, to haul and tow crap, IMO of course. And it's not just RAM. I see so many people paying large bucks for Chevys and Fords, then buying all these pretty bells and whistles - light bars, trim kits, etc. - and raising and lowering and tricking out their trucks, and yet they never take them off the asphalt. Then they take them through the car wash every week and wax them every month. If people want a show vehicle, they could spend a lot less and buy a Mustang or Charger.

I picked up my truck at the end of March. Since then I have swept out the inside about 3 times because I like to keep the interior relatively clean, and I took an actual wet rag to the outside once in May because the pollen was building up to the point I couldn't see out the windshield. Other than that, I haven't touched it cosmetically. I did add some real nice camo seat covers to it because the gray vinyl was boring, and I bought some Husky floor mats because it's easier than mopping off the rubber flooring. And I've dented the bed when I dropped a battery in there, and chipped some paint off the tailgate when I hit it with a 2x4. It's a truck, that's why I bought it.

 

[dsherman26]

I bought it for towing my travel trailer. When the wife's car met an untimely demise, she pitched the idea of maybe getting a truck, even though my Pilot was adequate to tow the travel trailer. Passed up the loaded Ford Ranger I test drove after I test drove this one, even though it didn't have all the fancy bells and whistles that the Ranger did, simply because it was bigger, quieter, and a better beast of burden.

 

[Mb7640]

I take mine off road frequently and it has been scratched. I mostly haul camping equipment. I wash mine every now and then. Mine is a strippo warlock and I only paid 35k new in 2021 with 10 miles. The only bells and whistles I have is nav and satellite radio

 

[nlambert182]

I personally like the bells and whistles since it's my daily driver AND to use it as a truck. I don't lift/lower, etc... but I want to enjoy looking at it as much as hauling with it. But I also do it to retain resale value as best I can. My 3500 had 130k miles on it... most of them towing heavy but it looked like a brand new truck when I sold it. Even the black leather interior didn't show any wear. If I got it dirty hauling lumber to the woodshop, or when I was using it to mow yards on the side (I was not afraid to get it dirty inside or out) I would clean it right back up. But... I'm a little bit OCD and really enjoy detailing as well so that helps.

I think you can have the best of both worlds if you want it, but certainly nothing wrong if you don't. My current 1500 has 65k miles and cloth interior and the cloth still looks brand new. I opted for a BigHorn instead of Laramie for cost. I was still able to keep enough bells and whistles to satisfy me while still paying less for a truck to use as a truck.

 

[turkeybird56]

I know I'm old school, but who besides me bought their truck to use as an actual truck? You know, for hauling heavy stuff in the bed and towing a lot of weight behind them. That is the only reason for buying a truck, to haul and tow crap, IMO of course. And it's not just RAM. I see so many people paying large bucks for Chevys and Fords, then buying all these pretty bells and whistles - light bars, trim kits, etc. - and raising and lowering and tricking out their trucks, and yet they never take them off the asphalt. Then they take them through the car wash every week and wax them every month. If people want a show vehicle, they could spend a lot less and buy a Mustang or Charger.

I picked up my truck at the end of March. Since then I have swept out the inside about 3 times because I like to keep the interior relatively clean, and I took an actual wet rag to the outside once in May because the pollen was building up to the point I couldn't see out the windshield. Other than that, I haven't touched it cosmetically. I did add some real nice camo seat covers to it because the gray vinyl was boring, and I bought some Husky floor mats because it's easier than mopping off the rubber flooring. And I've dented the bed when I dropped a battery in there, and chipped some paint off the tailgate when I hit it with a 2x4. It's a truck, that's why I bought it.

I have a truck because I had horses, now just 1 horse, so U have to go and get all those things needed for hossies like, hay, wire when needed, and and and, and if necessary transport hossie. Also I pull my stock trailer to get things that are oversize. IT also makes the Nanny runs to the Grocery store and such for items needed, LOL. FTR, I would not choose to ever have a "car" again, and cringe at the thought of an SUV. But when U shop around and look at prices, geez. I guess could go Out and get a Mid Size 4 X 4 truck, but hey, all of them if U get anything decent and do not mind a 4 banger with a friggin turbo, all top over 40K, so guess
my 5 yoa RAM now a staying, LOL. Yeah, my Odometer makes me cringe when I look at it, as this early 2019 has under 22K displayed.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Haul stuff? Yes. Tow? No. Offroad? Yes.

I still take care of my stuff, which includes washing and keeping a good coat of wax on it. Probably why my 2012 is completely rust free when I passed it along to my son. I made magnetic armor for my truck when I'm offroad so it's not needlessly scratched up on brush, etc. To me it's just knowing the value of a dollar, beating on or neglecting something just because "it's a truck" is wasteful.

 

[Tom Davis]

Mine is a daily driver, but also gets used as a truck. It gets used to haul things, going fishing and hunting, camping with the Boy Scouts, carrying things for other folks, down the roads in the wildlife preserves for wildlife photography, and so own. This is why I bought it. I don't normally tow, but have a few times. I do however take care of it maintenance and appearance (to an extent) wise. It gets a bath when needed, but I don't go overboard with it. Through the years it has some scratches and a few minor dents, but I can tell you where most of them came from. The only mods I have done to it since buying is to yank the plastic bed liner (which got all chewed up with a few holes in it) out and have a Line-X sprayed in, which has turned out to be a great investment, and added a truck box to lock some things up in while traveling, etc.

So yes it gets used as a truck, but also gets taken care of. I just can't see spending this much money on an item (truck or anything else) just to abuse and neglect it.

 

[mikeru]

I know I'm old school, but who besides me bought their truck to use as an actual truck? You know, for hauling heavy stuff in the bed and towing a lot of weight behind them. That is the only reason for buying a truck, to haul and tow crap, IMO of course. And it's not just RAM. I see so many people paying large bucks for Chevys and Fords, then buying all these pretty bells and whistles - light bars, trim kits, etc. - and raising and lowering and tricking out their trucks, and yet they never take them off the asphalt. Then they take them through the car wash every week and wax them every month. If people want a show vehicle, they could spend a lot less and buy a Mustang or Charger.

I picked up my truck at the end of March. Since then I have swept out the inside about 3 times because I like to keep the interior relatively clean, and I took an actual wet rag to the outside once in May because the pollen was building up to the point I couldn't see out the windshield. Other than that, I haven't touched it cosmetically. I did add some real nice camo seat covers to it because the gray vinyl was boring, and I bought some Husky floor mats because it's easier than mopping off the rubber flooring. And I've dented the bed when I dropped a battery in there, and chipped some paint off the tailgate when I hit it with a 2x4. It's a truck, that's why I bought it.

I love it when someone thinks they know how a truck should and shouldn't be used.

My question to you is why do you care? I'm not sure what you would consider old school, but I turned 60 this year. I had no problem with the wife buying a $75k truck to drive to work and back because that's what she chooses to drive. But hey, I'm driving an Audi to work now so there's that LOL. My point is use your truck however you want and let others do their own thing. You might live longer not worrying about things you can't change.

 

[Randy Grant]

There are a lot of us out here who work our trucks. Some, like me even push it to the limit, and some over the limit. But, like others have said, it is also a daily driver, and I like comfort in my old age. I can afford it, so why not?

 

[kirk35]

I definitely use mine for a truck. It hauls building materials, tows my Travel Trailer, hauls trash, and goes off-road occasionally. It also gets washed, waxed and detailed regularly. This dang truck cost more than I paid for my house in 1991, I'm gonna' take care of it..