GM Cancels 29mpg 4.5L Diesel Engine

[Frostz28]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Why spend a lot of money on any car or truck unless it's fun to drive? You spend a lot of time behind the wheel, and it's a waste unless you're getting something in return.

I think this statement is the major problem with your argument. To you having a little car that "handles well" is fun to drive. which is fine by me, but when you see someone driving a big truck you think that they don't enjoy driving their truck. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my trucks and wouldn't trade them for all the little cars in the world!!! I love being up above the little cars you speak of. And as far as the phrase "fun to drive" you should come out here and go mudding with me sometime now that is fun!! (as long as you are in a truck and not a little car) or when there is 3 inches of snow on the ground the only thing stopping me from getting where I want to go is the little cars that can't get going because they don't have four wheel drive. I would dare to bet if someone gave you a truck to drive for a year you would come away with a diffrent opinion. Its amazingly convenient to be able to toss whatever you want in the bed and go. I haul stuff all the time, just the other day my mower broke and I had to take it into the shop. with out a truck that would have been a pain in the ass, I just loaded her up and away I went. Ever tried to move with out a truck? its no fun! And two days ago i hauled 100 bales of hay with the truck and a trailer. And after that I went up to the truck dealer and looked at a 30 thousand dollar f350. do I need it as my everyday driver.... probably not but i promise you there will be times when Im glad I had it. Like when I have to go get 30 squares of shingles to roof the house, or get 200 landscaping blocks. Not to mention that while the truck doesn't get the miles per gallon a civic would its very common to see diesel trucks turn over 300 thousand miles. which would be pretty impressive for a small car. especially if you are towing around a trailer which the car wasn't meant to do. so I would be replacing the small car more often. The bottom line is that while I agree that soccer moms probably don't need full sized SUVs to run their two children to soccer practice, not everyone who drives a big truck is just looking to waste money. If you have a truck you will find ways to use it. I have my bike and camaro for fun on dry pavment but my truck gets me through all the other crap.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by Frostz28

I have my bike and camaro for fun on dry pavment but my truck gets me through all the other crap.

And that's the thing, you have other vehicles to enjoy...........But the people who ONLY have a truck or SUV, to me it makes no sense unless they make use of its capabilites at least once a week or so. Otherwise it's not worth the hassle of owning something so big, so ponderous, and so bad on gas.

I did own a truck once, an '89 or '90 Ford F150, and the only thing "fun" about it was its stick shift, which was smooth and nice to shift (probably because it was actually a Mazda transmission, not Ford lol). Everything else about it sucked, the 5.0 engine ran out of breath and started shaking at not even 4K rpm, and while the ride quality was OK going in a straight line, if I was in the middle of a turn the solid axle would make the rear end step out over bumps. I got rid of it 6 months later.

[Frostz28]

yes I have other vehicles but those vehicles are the ones that don't make any sense to have. The bike is purely for recreation. It can hardly carry any cargo. Its not comfortable for any passengers. Ya it goes along way on little gas but what good is that if it rains? The camaro is fun but I haven't driven her in about 2 years. To me having either of those for my everyday driver wouldn't make any sense. The truck is the only one that DOES make sense. It is completely capable of doing everything I need in a daily driver and more. I can drive it in rain, snow, warm weather cold weather what ever comes around my truck is ready to go. The other vehicles are the worthless ones unless conditions are right. They are fun to drive now and then but if I had to pick just one vehicle to drive it would be a truck everytime. And again yes it costs a little more in gas but that is EASILY equaled out by its versatility. I couldn't live with out a truck its just to practical. some people buy trucks that they don't need I agree but who says they aren't fun to drive? To me a tiny little underpowered car is much less fun to drive. It may handle well but unless Im on a race track its not that big of a deal. And if Im going to buy a car that handles well and stuff id rather have a camaro that handles well and hauls ass rather than a little 4 cyl car that handles good only because it weights 1000 pounds and still can't get out of its own way. Everyone has their own idea about whats fun to drive to me its a big ol truck that can have a bed loaded with stuff, can tow just about anything, gets great traction in snow and mud, I don't do it everyday but when I need to I got the vehicle I need. You can't understand why I want to pay a few dollars more per year in gas, and I can't see how anyone would want to drive a car that can do nothing but get me and MAYBE 3 other people from point A to point B. (and if Im feelin really crazy maybe a trailer with one bike on it) I guess it just comes down to the word practical. To me a truck is practical because I have one vehicle that can do everything, if I didn't need a truck then yes gas mileage would come into play. So those people out there with big trucks may feel the same way. Just because a trucks bed is empty or its not pulling a trailer when you see it don't assume that they don't need the truck. They may be on their way to pick up a 20 foot livestock trailer, or headed to home depot to pick up supplies to build a deck etc etc.

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

And that's the thing, you have other vehicles to enjoy...........But the people who ONLY have a truck or SUV, to me it makes no sense unless they make use of its capabilites at least once a week or so. Otherwise it's not worth the hassle of owning something so big, so ponderous, and so bad on gas. .....

A truck does everything whereas a car cannot carry a motorcycle or shit in the back. When gas is still under 2.50 a gallon the difference per month may only be 50 bucks vs. renting a truck if you go to the track, plus the inconvience.

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

And that's the thing, you have other vehicles to enjoy...........But the people who ONLY have a truck or SUV, to me it makes no sense unless they make use of its capabilites at least once a week or so. Otherwise it's not worth the hassle of owning something so big, so ponderous, and so bad on gas.

I did own a truck once, an '89 or '90 Ford F150, and the only thing "fun" about it was its stick shift, which was smooth and nice to shift (probably because it was actually a Mazda transmission, not Ford lol). Everything else about it sucked, the 5.0 engine ran out of breath and started shaking at not even 4K rpm, and while the ride quality was OK going in a straight line, if I was in the middle of a turn the solid axle would make the rear end step out over bumps. I got rid of it 6 months later.

The gearshift is directly over the transmission. The shifting is always going to feel the most direct. And it wasn't Mazda. Prolly Borg Warner.

[zed]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

A truck does everything whereas a car cannot carry a motorcycle or shit in the back.

says you!

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

The gearshift is directly over the transmission. The shifting is always going to feel the most direct. And it wasn't Mazda. Prolly Borg Warner.

It said in the owners manual Mazda T5 or MT5 or something like that. Ford and Mazda shared a lot of parts back then.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

It said in the owners manual Mazda T5 or MT5 or something like that. Ford and Mazda shared a lot of parts back then.

I thought it was only for the cars and smaller trucks.

I looked it up, sho' 'nuff used in the F-150's and full size Bronco's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_M5OD_transmission

[Frostz28]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

It said in the owners manual Mazda T5 or MT5 or something like that. Ford and Mazda shared a lot of parts back then.

Ya the T5 is a borg warner, trans and a damn good one at that. I had them in both my 3rd gen camaros and theres probably one in my f150 right now. Then they stepped up to the T56 which is in my 4th gen and its even better!