Wanted: F-250 Super Duty or Chev 2500

[slow]

FWIIW: I settled on a gas F250 because of reliability based on my research at the time. And it was also cheaper than an F150 at the end of the model year.
Continue your research and your opinion on your best option may evolve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by JimQ

Hi Scott: interesting thread. Good luck with your search and your trip in May. When I was looking to upgrade from my F150 to the 250, I utilized the internet. I noticed that used low mileage trucks were hard to come by. I bought mine at a Ford dealer, one owner, who had bought it there, then traded it in for another new one. The only thing I have done so far is change the oil. I absolutely love the F250. Good luck with your search. Keep us posted. Hope you can make it up to see some of the sights in New England!

Hi Jim:
I think the dealerships run will ahve to wait until I hit the ground in Dallas, but that is defintely in the plans. The only drawback to actually visiting the dealerships is dealing with pesky sales people who want to try to upsell you all the time. I know the work on commissions, but I really appreciate it when a sales rep recognizes a customer who knows what he wants and just works within the parameters rather than trying to wring those few extra bucks out of the wallet carrier.
Thanx also for your encouragement. I'm not sure at this stage when or if we'll make it up into the New England area. I know it's pretty up there and I haven't seen much of it, so you never know. Never say never!

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by slow

FWIIW: I settled on a gas F250 because of reliability based on my research at the time. And it was also cheaper than an F150 at the end of the model year.
Continue your research and your opinion on your best option may evolve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Slow:
Wow, that's interesting. I don't quite understand how you came to purchase a 250 cheaper than a 150. Don't the model years begin and end at the same time? Or was it that the superceded 250 was cheaper than the next model 150?
In any case it sounds like you got a great deal.
Yes, the research continues...

[JimQ]

Originally Posted by FlyingAroundRV

Hi Jim:
I think the dealerships run will ahve to wait until I hit the ground in Dallas, but that is defintely in the plans. The only drawback to actually visiting the dealerships is dealing with pesky sales people who want to try to upsell you all the time. I know the work on commissions, but I really appreciate it when a sales rep recognizes a customer who knows what he wants and just works within the parameters rather than trying to wring those few extra bucks out of the wallet carrier.
Thanx also for your encouragement. I'm not sure at this stage when or if we'll make it up into the New England area. I know it's pretty up there and I haven't seen much of it, so you never know. Never say never!

I hear you. I was fortunate that the dealership and salesman I dealt with were very fair and reasonable. Almost felt like it was meant to be. Everything fell into place. Then again, I had a F150 that was in great shape with low miles to use in the negotiation process. Best of Luck to you! Jim

[Dave W]

I've actually read the entire thread with interest. There is one thing that hasn't been brought up and that's the availability to buy parts in the unlikely event that any of the trucks mentioned need repairs. For sure you can go to your local auto parts store and find many of the needed items for the Big Three simply because there are so many more of them. Also, there are lots more dealerships in out of the way places for those Big Three makes. In a 30 mile radius, I can find at least 12 Ford stores, Chevy are the same and Ram, not quite as many. Toyota has 4 or 5 in our 1-1/4 million inhabitants metropolitan area.

Having owned and hauled a 1/2 ton towable, 7500 pound GVW trailer in the past, am not a fan of using that kind of capacity vehicle. First of all, even with a weight distribution hitch, passing semi trucks tends to cause the tail to wag the dog effect --- regardless of the suspension level of the truck. Then there are the brakes. I found that even with a good Prodigy brake controller, it was a case of anticipating stops --- or you wouldn't. You can't depend on electric magnet trailer brakes to stop you - they just aren't that good even with an integrated controller. I moved up to a 3/4 ton and the problems went away to the point I no longer needed the W-D hitch (tho used it)

Next to consider - in the US you will find that most available pickups are auto transmissions. The cooling system on a 1/2 ton may not support that added weight on a 110 degree day in Arizona or Nevada with that auto transmissions the first to 'feel' the heat.

Reliability - I have to say that of all the trucks I have owned, the two Toyotas were by far the worst. The first - blew an engine at ~80K, the second had so much rot that Toyota ended up replacing the frame as well as the bed. There was always something wrong with that truck. I kept it 3 years as a strictly a go to work vehicle. Reliability nowdays is very good on virtually any vehicle you buy, regardless of make.

Obviously, you have to choose what you think is your best choice for your needs. Reliability is one of the criteria - and you do need to do more research as the tow vehicles I usually see in a CG are the US Big Three with a few Expedition/Suburban types thrown in. Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans, etc - dang seldom.

As a note on Ford's 6.7 diesel problems you mentioned. Job 1 trucks had a problem with valve or glow plug breakage on the LH cylinder head. That was corrected within 6 months. I have one of those 'time bombs', but at 109,000 miles, so far, no problem since the truck is 100% stock. They also had an EGT problem which was corrected in 2015 by TSB 14E03 which reprogrammed the PCU. Also. those early trucks if emissions deleted and have a performance chip can cause engine failure.

[dcg9381]

Originally Posted by Dave W

Reliability - I have to say that of all the trucks I have owned, the two Toyotas were by far the worst. The first - blew an engine at ~80K, the second had so much rot that Toyota ended up replacing the frame as well as the bed. There was always something wrong with that truck. I kept it 3 years as a strictly a go to work vehicle. Reliability nowdays is very good on virtually any vehicle you buy, regardless of make..

Generations of automobiles bring different things. I found that the early generations of Toyota full size pickups were underpowered and generally blah.
But prior to that, running from 1985-1990, there isn't an American made product that could touch Toyota in reliability. And their small pickups were and still are - class leading in terms of resale and reliability. I still own a 1988 Toyota 4runner and it had the original 200k motor until I took it out in favor of something more "interesting".

All will rot if salt gets blasted (eventually) past the paint. I don't know that rust is really a design flaw.

Of the big 3 diesels, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them currently. Ford built some real problems (the 6.0L diesel), but they also built the 7.3L diesel which was and still is an amazing reliable motor.

Personally, I bought the dodge 6.7L simply due to the low-RPM nature of the I-6 and the fact that the design had been proven successful. I actually liked how the Ford's motor felt better, but it was significantly more mechanically complicated than the Dodge.

In all honesty, the 2015 Ram HAS spent a fair amount of time in the shop, mainly related to electronics and some engine controls, unfortunately. Apparently it needed to get "sorted out" just like the Keystone. Wasn't ideal, but it's a great towing / luxury truck.

I'm with other posters, I want to tow something that is no more than 75% of the rated capacity of my truck.. Ideally... Even as a weekend kind of guy.

[JRTJH]

Reading through this thread, I guess everyone will come to a conclusion. Some "flow in one direction" some "flow in another direction"... What I see is someone not thoroughly familiar with the US auto market using the internet to "research" problems within the system and using that information to reach decisions affecting the purchase of a vehicle based on that data. And yet we all have heard the saying, "It's got to be true, I read it on the internet".....

I don't want this to come across in a negative manner, but parts of it may well seem that way. So here goes:

Much of what I see being posted is a series of "Oh my, what have we done?" kind of knee-jerk response to the "horror stories" that emerge on the internet. Government agency "hysteria" and the "kicking and screaming" by auto manufacturers to solve "problems with Ford and Chevy" illustrate that. Yet the mention of Toyota's accelerator problem of 5 years ago isn't mentioned. If I remember correctly, that was a "reluctant Toyota who refused to acknowledge responsibility for the death and disfigurement of hundreds of people" that was caused by an inherent problem with their accelerator linkage design.... So, as far as I know, few manufacturers "willingly run to a recall" without knowing exactly what and how many vehicles are included. ALL vehicles are subject to failure, to recall and to "oops" kind of manufacturing processes. That has changed dramatically in the past decade and really isn't an issue on trucks built in the last 5-10 years. Yes they do have problems, but for each one that does, hundreds even thousands don't.

Now, the "trailer towing package" is a "hit and miss and not on all trucks" comment.... I'll speak to Ford Superduty gas models from 2011-2016 (the last generation of truck produced by Ford. ALL of them come equipped with a 6.2L gas engine and the heavy duty towing package. That includes HD cooling, HD 6 speed transmission, 3.73 rear axle ratio, factory equipped brake control, trailer sway control, factory equipped 2" (or 2.5") receiver and anti-skid braking. There is no "higher trailer towing package" available for purchase. Granted there is a "fifth wheel towing package" which is the bed pucks for a fifth wheel hitch and there is a "Camper/towing package" which is an upgraded suspension system, but does not increase any towing capacity, it is aimed at "carrying a cabover camper" and does not increase the ability to tow a conventional travel trailer. All F250's in that generation are equipped to tow a conventional travel trailer up to 12,500 pounds.

As for price, the first post in this thread indicated "a crew or extended cab truck, short/medium WB, Flex fuel, Tow package, XLT or higher model (Ford, or equivalent Chev), Any color except black, 100,000 miles or less, up to $20K (neg)". I can locate at least 50 such F250 superduty extended cab trucks in the Northern Michigan area. Most are at dealerships, start with 2011 models around 19000 and go up from there. Many are less than 50,000 miles and ALL of them come equipped, ready to tow any travel trailer weighing less than 12,500 pounds. There is no "search for a properly equipped truck". With the exception of special order, commercial/fleet vehicles, they all are "properly equipped".

That's not the situation with half ton trucks, with that series, yes, you'll have to search for equipment that meets your needs, many (maybe even most) will fall short and won't be suitable for towing.

So, with a 3/4 ton (from Ford or Chevy) you won't find a truck not "properly equipped" and in the half ton market, you probably will find that up to 75% won't meet your requirements.

I used the NADA price guide http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2013/...XLT-2WD/Values for the Dallas area (ZIP Code 75215) to get these values for a F250 extended cab 4x2 6.2L gas engine truck with less than 50,000 miles:

2011: clean tradein $16,075 average retail $19,275
2012: clean tradein $16,500 average retail $19,775
2013: clean tradein $18,000 average retail $21,400

I then did a search for vehicles in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and there are hundreds available. Obviously many of them are from individual owners and may be questionably reliable, but many of them are being sold on dealership used car lots. With so many available, I'd have to question why "settle" on a marginally sized vehicle from any of the truck manufacturers? All of the 3/4 ton vehicles are already properly equipped and available within the price range with half the mileage stipulated in the original post.....

No need to reply, it's not my money and I'm not buying the truck, but I honestly think there's a "buyer's remorse" or "shopper's remorse" starting to take hold. The "fear of the unknown" is always there, especially with such a large change of lifestyle and the significant investment that comes with it. But, the "fear of an inferior vehicle" shouldn't be one of those factors. If you buy a truck that's "up to the task" from any of the manufacturers, you'll be fine. On the other hand, if you "go small, based on past experience with a manufacturer's products from another continent" you may find that it's a mistake, not because of the manufacturer, but because it's "too small or not properly equipped"....

[slow]

Originally Posted by FlyingAroundRV

Slow:

Wow, that's interesting. I don't quite understand how you came to purchase a 250 cheaper than a 150. Don't the model years begin and end at the same time? Or was it that the superceded 250 was cheaper than the next model 150?

In any case it sounds like you got a great deal.

Yes, the research continues...

A properly optioned F150 would have to be ordered and would still have had a lower payload than the F250 sitting on the western Canada distribution lot for 7 months. Dealer wanted the sale at the end of March and I read the manufactured date on the print out and therefore understood my bargaining position. Gave a low ball offer and it was accepted.

So yes the model years differed between the two models.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Reading through this thread, I guess everyone will come to a conclusion. Some "flow in one direction" some "flow in another direction"... What I see is someone not thoroughly familiar with the US auto market using the internet to "research" problems within the system and using that information to reach decisions affecting the purchase of a vehicle based on that data. And yet we all have heard the saying, "It's got to be true, I read it on the internet".....

I don't want this to come across in a negative manner, but parts of it may well seem that way. So here goes:

Much of what I see being posted is a series of "Oh my, what have we done?" kind of knee-jerk response to the "horror stories" that emerge on the internet. Government agency "hysteria" and the "kicking and screaming" by auto manufacturers to solve "problems with Ford and Chevy" illustrate that. Yet the mention of Toyota's accelerator problem of 5 years ago isn't mentioned. If I remember correctly, that was a "reluctant Toyota who refused to acknowledge responsibility for the death and disfigurement of hundreds of people" that was caused by an inherent problem with their accelerator linkage design.... So, as far as I know, few manufacturers "willingly run to a recall" without knowing exactly what and how many vehicles are included. ALL vehicles are subject to failure, to recall and to "oops" kind of manufacturing processes. That has changed dramatically in the past decade and really isn't an issue on trucks built in the last 5-10 years. Yes they do have problems, but for each one that does, hundreds even thousands don't.

Now, the "trailer towing package" is a "hit and miss and not on all trucks" comment.... I'll speak to Ford Superduty gas models from 2011-2016 (the last generation of truck produced by Ford. ALL of them come equipped with a 6.2L gas engine and the heavy duty towing package. That includes HD cooling, HD 6 speed transmission, 3.73 rear axle ratio, factory equipped brake control, trailer sway control, factory equipped 2" (or 2.5") receiver and anti-skid braking. There is no "higher trailer towing package" available for purchase. Granted there is a "fifth wheel towing package" which is the bed pucks for a fifth wheel hitch and there is a "Camper/towing package" which is an upgraded suspension system, but does not increase any towing capacity, it is aimed at "carrying a cabover camper" and does not increase the ability to tow a conventional travel trailer. All F250's in that generation are equipped to tow a conventional travel trailer up to 12,500 pounds.

As for price, the first post in this thread indicated "a crew or extended cab truck, short/medium WB, Flex fuel, Tow package, XLT or higher model (Ford, or equivalent Chev), Any color except black, 100,000 miles or less, up to $20K (neg)". I can locate at least 50 such F250 superduty extended cab trucks in the Northern Michigan area. Most are at dealerships, start with 2011 models around 19000 and go up from there. Many are less than 50,000 miles and ALL of them come equipped, ready to tow any travel trailer weighing less than 12,500 pounds. There is no "search for a properly equipped truck". With the exception of special order, commercial/fleet vehicles, they all are "properly equipped".

That's not the situation with half ton trucks, with that series, yes, you'll have to search for equipment that meets your needs, many (maybe even most) will fall short and won't be suitable for towing.

So, with a 3/4 ton (from Ford or Chevy) you won't find a truck not "properly equipped" and in the half ton market, you probably will find that up to 75% won't meet your requirements.

I used the NADA price guide http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2013/...XLT-2WD/Values for the Dallas area (ZIP Code 75215) to get these values for a F250 extended cab 4x2 6.2L gas engine truck with less than 50,000 miles:

2011: clean tradein $16,075 average retail $19,275
2012: clean tradein $16,500 average retail $19,775
2013: clean tradein $18,000 average retail $21,400

I then did a search for vehicles in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and there are hundreds available. Obviously many of them are from individual owners and may be questionably reliable, but many of them are being sold on dealership used car lots. With so many available, I'd have to question why "settle" on a marginally sized vehicle from any of the truck manufacturers? All of the 3/4 ton vehicles are already properly equipped and available within the price range with half the mileage stipulated in the original post.....

No need to reply, it's not my money and I'm not buying the truck, but I honestly think there's a "buyer's remorse" or "shopper's remorse" starting to take hold. The "fear of the unknown" is always there, especially with such a large change of lifestyle and the significant investment that comes with it. But, the "fear of an inferior vehicle" shouldn't be one of those factors. If you buy a truck that's "up to the task" from any of the manufacturers, you'll be fine. On the other hand, if you "go small, based on past experience with a manufacturer's products from another continent" you may find that it's a mistake, not because of the manufacturer, but because it's "too small or not properly equipped"....

John:
OK, Brilliant! This is the kind of feedback that is really useful. You're right, I am doing this over the internet as a matter of necessity. I have to admit being thoroughly spooked by the problems in the Ford trucks (particularly), which headed me off in the direction of the Toyota which I have experience with.
I also have to admit that some of the advice I was given and my own personal margins were at odds with going with the 1/2 ton truck.
So long story short, thank you for that input. As a result, I will take a closer look at the 250s again. I still have a lot of time to figure this out as I won't be in the US until May.

[JRTJH]

It is frightening (at least) and terrifying (for most) to make any major purchase decisions "in the blind"... I am glad I'm not in your shoes, but have been there in the past. We bought a Mercedes in Germany while we were still in the US. It was not a part of the "fly, drive then ship it home" program, rather we bought it from a German dealer (through a US dealer) built to German specs, not eligible to be imported into the US. Strictly a German automobile, bought in Germany, sight unseen and with much hope we hadn't made a bad choice. As it turned out, it was probably one of the best decisions we made about that tour overseas. So, I understand your concern and your "fear of the unknown"....

That said, the spark plug problems you read about, were found on the Triton engine line. That was the previous engine family, not the current (2011 - present) engine lineup. The 6.2l found in the SuperDuty family has 16 spark plugs, flex fuel capability and is "claimed to have" the most torque of any factory installed engine in the class trucks. We had a 2013 and pulled a 8,000 pound fifth wheel with a 2000 pound boat behind that and we never had any issues with feeling "underpowered" or "outclassed".... There are none of the spark plug issues on the 6.2L engine. Incidentally, the 2011-2016 gas trucks use the same transmission as the diesel engines, a testament to their solid construction and durability.

It sounds like I'm producing a Ford commercial, but that's not what I'm trying to convey. Rather any of the Ford, GM or RAM trucks in the 250/2500 class would fit your needs and all of the XLT and higher trim Fords come equipped to tow. I can't say that "with certainty" on the GM or RAM. I am not familiar with whether they are equipped "standard" with brake controller or not, but otherwise, they also should meet your needs.

There's only a certain amount of "work" you can do before you have "feet on US soil".... so prepare, but don't make any firm decisions until you actually put "eyes on the truck and butt in the seat".... I would hope it never happens, but there are some businesses that might seek to take advantage of the situation, so remain vigilant.

As a footnote, remember that Toyota Australia is not the same company as Toyota US. They may share the same "parent company" but each is as different as is Ford Australia and Ford US.....

[dcg9381]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

If I remember correctly, that was a "reluctant Toyota who refused to acknowledge responsibility for the death and disfigurement of hundreds of people" that was caused by an inherent problem with their accelerator linkage design....

I don't disagree with that (necessarily), but I'll point to Ford and the Pinto, which was a case study in engineering ethics (for me) years later. A bunch of managers sat around and made the business decision that it was cheaper to pay off a few fatalities than recall however-many Pintos Ford had sold. Wrong answer ethically... And turned out to be the wrong answer for the business. Nasa had similar screw ups with the Challenger.

There was - and probably still is, some decent money to be made in transporting rust used cars/trucks from Texas to Michigan. I spend some time in both states and I often ask myself in the summer (in Michigan) - "where did all the trucks go?".


I think there are LOTS of options out there for the OP - across brands and across price ranges...

[FlyingAroundRV]

John:
I'l have to have a look again at the search criteria you used. When I plugged in what I wanted (post 2011 model) and the other criteria into CarsGuru, I came up with a total of 4 trucks within 150 miles of Dallas!
In my mind, that's not a large enough candidate list to ensure that we can find a truck that won't turn into a hand grenade.
Sum Ting Wong I thinks.

[JRTJH]

GM is facing much the same with their ignition switch recall. They downplayed the problem, apparently "fudged a few numbers" and tried to keep it low key, but the problem (or potential for a problem) exploded before they could finalize their process. There for about 6 months, it seemed like GM was announcing a new major recall nearly every week. I was concerned last summer whether they would survive the cost and remain viable...

Ford/Firestone/Bridgestone and the Explorer tire recall is another of the "try despirately to hide the problem recalls that failed to stay "covered up"....

On a "global scale", I'm not sure if VW, Chrysler/Fiat, Mercedes and others (Ford included) are going to be able to explain away the diesel emissions allegations or not. So yes, there's still a lot of "corporate ethics vs corporate profits" that gets weighed behind the closed boardroom doors that we'll never know about.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by FlyingAroundRV

John:
I'l have to have a look again at the search criteria you used. When I plugged in what I wanted (post 2011 model) and the other criteria into CarsGuru, I came up with a total of 4 trucks within 150 miles of Dallas!
In my mind, that's not a large enough candidate list to ensure that we can find a truck that won't turn into a hand grenade.
Sum Ting Wong I thinks.

You might want to expand your search beyond CarsGuru.

Here's Craigslist: https://dallas.craigslist.org/search...to_fuel_type=1

Cars.com: https://www.cars.com/for-sale/search...34923&zc=75202

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

You might want to expand your search beyond CarsGuru.

Here's Craigslist: https://dallas.craigslist.org/search...to_fuel_type=1

Cars.com: https://www.cars.com/for-sale/search...34923&zc=75202

Of course, but... I've found that CarsGuru is fairly representative of the market and a lot of the vehicles are listed on multiple sites. Maybe that's how you got so many results?

[B-O-B'03]

Originally Posted by FlyingAroundRV

rzrbckr: We will definitely be heading to Texas. Dallas is our first point of entry and where we intend to start our search for a truck. We will be there at the end of May. Let's sit down over a couple of coldies and chew the fat about trucks and trailers. ... And maybe airplanes if you're interested...

I am a couple of suburbs north of Dallas, let me know you you are around... I could definitely be talked into tilting back a little of the Scottish nectar and chewing some fat

-Brian

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by B-O-B'03

I am a couple of suburbs north of Dallas, let me know you you are around... I could definitely be talked into tilting back a little of the Scottish nectar and chewing some fat

-Brian

Brian:
OK, thanks heaps for that. The truck search is widening now with the (re)addition of the 250s. I will contact you time permitting and we'll tilt a few "adult beverages" down the neck, and speak of thing trucks, trailers and airplanes ... and boats too! (He who dies with the most toys, wins!)

John:
After doing some more searching and re-looking at your post, I think I figured out why you came up with so many more trucks than I did. In your post you said
"Most are at dealerships, start with 2011 models around 19000 and go up from there. ..."
But if you restrict the price to, say $25,000 you'll find that the population of 250s in that age and mileage range goes down, way down to about 3-4 trucks.
My problem with that size population is that by the time you get through all the dealer tricks such as Bait Pricing, non-existent trucks ("We sold that truck just 5 minutes ago") and the trucks with rusted out chassis that have been driven on salted roads for 7 years, and the ones that "look good in pictures", your population of candidates just about disappears.
Still, you have got me to re-think my choices and come at this from a new perspective, and again I thank you for that.

[sourdough]

My son has sold cars in the DFW area for decades. I've got a call into him so I can check out what you are looking for and get his feedback. He deals in all kinds of vehicles, from Ferrari's to pickups, new and used.

Personally I think you need to be looking at the 250s but that is your call. You've also got to realize that what is there now has absolutely nothing to do with what will be there in May - that is part of your dilemma. In your situation I don't see how you rule out the dealerships unless you are going to find a truck now, pay for it and pay to store it. You also have to be very careful to not "over analyze" this or let "mountains of minutia" bog you down until you can't get, or find, anything. I promise there is a truck out there for you.....it's TX.

[JRTJH]

Danny hit on a topic I've been thinking about since my first post in this thread. You're looking for a vehicle "now" and wanting to check it out and decide if you want it in May. That's simply not going to happen in today's volatile used car market. It might work with a $200K luxury car, that the owner will hold it for 2 or 3 months so you can check it out, but that won't happen with a $20K truck. First butt with the deposit is going to drive it home, so unless you want to "buy a pig in a poke" sight unseen, what you're looking at now is only a "fair representation of what you'll likely find in May".... I can't speak for Dallas/Ft Worth, but in Alexandria, LA (300 miles away) after a used truck is taken in trade, once it sits on the lot for a couple of weeks, if there's no interest, it goes to the auction where it's wholesaled off to the highest bidder.

So, looking at trucks currently for sale is probably going to be 75% to 90% different in 2 or 3 weeks, and essentially "unrecognizable" in May.

You can search the web, get an "idea" of what you may encounter, but those trucks will be long gone by the time you get your passport stamped at DFW.

[FlyingAroundRV]

Originally Posted by sourdough

My son has sold cars in the DFW area for decades. I've got a call into him so I can check out what you are looking for and get his feedback. He deals in all kinds of vehicles, from Ferrari's to pickups, new and used.

Personally I think you need to be looking at the 250s but that is your call. You've also got to realize that what is there now has absolutely nothing to do with what will be there in May - that is part of your dilemma. In your situation I don't see how you rule out the dealerships unless you are going to find a truck now, pay for it and pay to store it. You also have to be very careful to not "over analyze" this or let "mountains of minutia" bog you down until you can't get, or find, anything. I promise there is a truck out there for you.....it's TX.

Danny:
Wow, thanks for the offer of help via your son!
What you say is true about what is there now won't be the same in May, and I'm really trying to just get a handle on what to buy and more importantly, what NOT to buy. While it might seem that I'm over analyzing this (If a thing's worth doing, it's worth overdoing) I'm actually not. Doing the research has exposed a lot of pitfalls I could have stumbled into had I not done this. I've made a few mistakes and a few wrong assumptions already, but by keeping at it, I'me getting a clearer picture every day. I'm also becoming more confident that I will (sort of) know what I'm doing when I go truck shopping. At least I'm beyond the stage of "That's a pretty truck. Let's buy that." so far. As I mentioned before, I have time on my side and lots of internet bandwidth to research and discuss this.

I'm blown away by the help I've been given on this site, particularly through this thread. In retrospect, getting input here is way more valuable than getting it from a forum dedicated to the specific trucks under consideration. In a dedicated truck forum, I'd be communicating with adherents of the brand and wouldn't get a broader perspective.

Thank you all who've had an input to this discussion. It has been (is being) most helpful. I am willing to accept advice, not necessarily ALL advice, but that which seems to make sense to me and coincides with our needs. So again, many thanks.