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..

 

[RamDiver]

I use my truck to haul firewood, kayaks, miscellaneous crap and scuba gear.

The truck is pretty filled up with gear if it's a day trip to the local river or more so for a 10 day trip to North Florida Caves.

We always bring tools, extra gear, and underwater scooters on most dives.

Diving out of anything but a pickup truck is a big PITA.

Same for kayaking or hauling firewood. I will always own a truck until I'm too old to dive and/or kayak.

And by then, if I'm still crazy enough to keep driving, I might prefer to not drive a rolling crumple zone of a car.

That's my 2 cents worth.

.

 

[gofishn]

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 I disagree.

Only reason to buy anything is because you want it and are willing to Pay the price.

Same for getting Married, being a world class Athlete or even a Mass Murderer.
basically, everything in literally Everyone's Life.

How bad do you want it and are you willing to pay for it.

Regarding the Justification for one;s choices, well, that is another matter and
some need more Justification for their choices than others and even a few will never have their Justifications understood by anyone else in Society.

Each their own.

 

[dhay13]

I have always had a truck as I have almost always had a trailer of some sort. The reason for my current 2500 was that we bought a bigger boat and it was a little over capacity for my 2013 1500. Boat and trailer is about 8900lbs. My 1500 had an 8600lb limit. Wasn't extremely concerned with being a few hundred over but I was ready for a new truck anyway so went with one that had enough capacity.

 

[392DevilDog]

I don't use my truckS! I could definitely just get a car!

I use mIne so little, we bought another so they can sit together!


Just some random phone pics, I could do this with a mustang!

 

[GTyankee]

I have a need to see as far as possible, ahead & behind me
I also have a need to be seen.
In heavy traffic cars are lost, i see above cars.

If you back up to a building, your exterior mirrors become useless, if something moves around the outside of that building, you can likely catch the movement.

When i am working, i become that movement & i can position my truck in such a way, that you can see me & i can see things that you can't. I become your eyes to the rear.
Federal & State Law, states that no one can legally drive on the Public Roads without mirrors. When i am in position, i am your mirrors, I have a CB Radio, so does the driver in front of me, or in some cases behind me.
When i meet up with a driver that can't see behind his semi truck, he & I both have Permits that say that he has an Escórt & is allowed to travel on certain roads, sometimes we also have a Police Escórt.

Not only is my truck tall, the truck driver needs more



In this particular pix, i am waiting for a semi truck, that is hauling huge steel I beams ,
He will alert me, when he is near by, i turn on my Orange Rotating Lights & when i spot him coming, i jump out in front of him & guide him to the his destination.
Because his Load is so long, its my job to make vehicles get out of his way, when he needs to make a 90° degree turn.

I also use my Ram to carry things when i need to & i have a trailer hitch, if i need it

 

[BossHogg]

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.

It is a use case. You, for example, post a message claiming you bought a truck to haul and pull heavy stuff yet you have a gas engine and a 2500 with a limited payload rating. You aren't pulling heavy, not with a gasser, and you are not hauling heavy with a 2500's payload. I guess it is how you define heavy, from my facet, you are running light duty.

My 3500 pulls heavy and carries the 20% or so weight of a gooseneck/fifth-wheel trailer or the 12% weight of my utility trailer with tractor and backhoe. My 1500 is used for feed runs hauling 40 and 50-pound bags of feed and towing my fishing boat.

Both of my trucks are Longhorn trims, I like the upscale features of the trim. I also clean the interiors monthly and constantly hand wash and wax the exterior. I do my own maintenance and typically keep my trucks for 10-plus years.

I use to drive Tahos and Surburbans but I was constantly inconvenienced by the cargo area's fixed roof, so in 2013 I switched to a pickup.

It is shallow thinking to define a truck's use case only in the context you use them.

 

[nlambert182]

To me owning a truck that can do everything makes sense. I could go to work at my office building and then take the suits to lunch in a clean truck and then on the way home stop by Home Depot and pick up some plywood or a pallet of mulch, swing by the grocery store and pick up some things that my wife forgot, stop by the ball field and coach my son's team, stop off at the local pizza joint after practice and park in a spot with no trailer, and then go home. All in one trip.

For a short period I had an Audi A4 and an Expedition. Everything posted above was a minimum of 3 trips. Audi to work. then home to get the Expedition and trailer. Then back to Home Depot. Then home to drop the trailer. Over to the grocery. Back to the field. Over to pizza, and then home. I don't live that close to either my office or Home Depot so it made picking up things a lot more difficult. Not to mention twice the maintenance, twice the insurance, etc.. Or buy one truck that does everything and call it a day.

 

[jejb]

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.

This. Mine is just our hauler, but I know not everyone can afford to have both a hauler and a commuter. It's all good.

 

[stevenP]

Pretty much have my truck, to mainly haul our fifth wheel RV. I do wash and wax it regularly, it is very fancy. I dont drive much other than that, so its financially stupid to own. I am trapped in wild conspicuous consumption rage brought on by society and Rams marketing. I am a victim.

 

[gfh77665]

I use my truck like a car 98% of the time. The other 2% is enough to justify (not that I need to) owning a truck. Its really about personal preference. For the moment, we still have the freedom to buy and drive what we want.