new 2024

[naturist]

Well, the 2012 X5 35d BMW SUV is at 175,000 miles, and while still going strong, the wife-mate has been jonesing for a pick up for years, and is deeply concerned that just maybe it's time to retire it from the hard job of dragging the TT around the country. Year and a half ago, we went to see Crazy Horse and Rushmore with it, no issues save for needed a quart of oil.

Anyway, we just sprang for that pick up truck. Hard to believe, but a 2024 Silverado 1500 work truck (bottom of the trim line!) with the smallest "standard" engine cost $45,000, but there it is.

It's a gasser. As much as I'd have preferred the 3.0 liter diesel, couldn't find one for less than 60 thou, but surprisingly the 2.7 liter turbo 4 banger puts out 310 hp and 430 pound-feet, which compares favorably with the X5 diesel's 265 hp, 425 pound-feet. As a consequence of standard cab and zero options other than tow package, it has 2,069 lb payload, 1,000 lb tongue weight, and 8,900 lb trailer capacity, compared to the X5's 1,250 lb, 600 lb, and 6,000 lb ratings. 

Still have the same TT, 5,000 lb gross weight, so should be no biggie. Got 14 mpg towing with the X5, be interesting to see what sort of mileage we get with the truck. The X5 is more comfortable, much better seats, heated seats and steering wheel, as well as quieter over all.

But it is one pretty looking truck. The color, btw, is named "Red Hot."

[naturist]

Well, actually, when I posted that last one, I had only put 4,000 miles on it, but I digress.

At 4,260 miles, I got rear ended. The video from my rear facing dash cam shows the little white car Waaaaaaaaay back there as I slowed to a stop on the highway to make a left turn. Speed limit in that area is 55, and driver had at least 10 seconds warning before impact, and did slow down some. The story was saw a stop was needed, put arm out to keep dog in passenger seat from hitting the dash. But then evidently forgot about the stopping part.

Anyway, damage to truck is about $14,000. No one was injured, although dog did still hit the dashboard, no doubt with less force than it might have. For a number of reasons, including fighting with insurance, parts availability, and getting scheduled into body shop for repairs, we may not have use of the truck until mid-August.

I guess this proves we just can't have nice things, eh?

[naturist]

Well, final verdict is in: The almost-brand-spankin-new truck is a total. The frame is bent badly, and my insurance has picked up where the under insured other driver's insurance called it quits. I took the advice of my insurer to let them total it, accepted the check yesterday, and now begins the search for a new truck.

The other driver had the minimum allowable (in Virginia) coverage of $20,000 with Elephant, which took them a whole month to decide they were out on. I'm with Farm Bureau, and they took less than a week to come back saying due to the bent frame, they had to call it a total.

I gotta tell y'all, really cheap insurance with a company like Elephant is only cheap, it is not good, nor speedy. It's proof of that old adage, you can only have two of the three: good, fast, cheap. I'm heartened that Virginia evidently raised the minimum coverage to $30K as of July 1 this year. But, still, what sort of cheapskate carries only the minimum when it is that low?

le Sigh

[Grit_dog]

Bummer dude. But that look like the truck is still totally driveable. 
go get a trailer place to slap a new hitch on it and hit the road. 
hopefully you had a hitch in the receiver. 
An exterrr long pintle hitch wards off rear Enders pretty well. 
good luck. Terrible your new truck got smushed a little. 

[naturist]

Yes, the truck is drivable. But the bumper now aims at the ground, both rear fenders are wrinkled, and the rear subframe is bent. Slapping a new hitch on it will neither work nor satisfy. Body shop says $14,000 damage. Being brand new I am now going to settle for a half-assed fix. 

[naturist]

Well, I now know what to expect mileage wise. Dragged the TT to Ohio to see the eclipse, had a lovely time, thank you. Saw friends and family and the eclipse with friends and family.

So the worst fuel mileage I ever got with the diesels was 9 mpg dragging the TT through Oklahoma into a 50 mph headwind (brutal, I recommend hunkering down somewhere for days like that, but I digress). That was with the 2.8 liter Jeep 4 cyl. Best was 17+ with the 3.0 liter 6 cyl BMW, both of which averaged around 14 most of the time.

The trip over the West Virginia mountains in the teeth of an ugly, windy, rainy, snow-flurried storm with this 2.7 liter gasser got me 6.5. On the trip back in nicer weather, it looks like an average of about 11 was achieved. This is in line with what I predicted when I bought the truck.

It's performance in the teeth of that storm was great. In tow-haul mode, the engine seemed to want to run around torque peak at 3,000 rpm, as the storm and mountains made it work pretty hard. On the way back, good weather and all, it tried to stay between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm, compared to the normal 1500 rpm unloaded cruising at 70 mph.

Switching between gas and diesel, going either way, there are a lot of things to consider. Folks buying a truck would be wise to dive deeply into the matter before choosing. The simple truth is that once size does not fit all. There are circumstances and uses for which one will be a better choice than the other, YMMV.

Am I happy with this truck, yes, I am, so far. I've only put about 5,000 miles on it, and it has done what I wanted it to do with no fuss. Ask me again in about 100,000 more miles for a more complete picture. In 60 years of driving, I've had many gassers and now 3 diesels, one of which proved to be the least reliable ride ever, another the most reliable ride (Jeep the former, BMW the latter). Whatever you choose, may it prove to be your most satisfying ride.

[Grit_dog]

Nice truck! And rcsb pickups are pretty rare now. 

[mkirsch]

You can't even order one with a V8 anymore as I understand it. 

[naturist]

Thank you for your interest. Just so that you know, I particularly wanted the standard cab rather than any sort of extended cab. You should also know that I do not care what the truck will be worth on the market in a few years because I always keep 'em until the wheels fall off and they are completely worn out. I also particularly wanted a 23  or 24 model year because of engine changes/upgrades made in 23. Finally, the engine in this truck is turbocharged, just like the Diesel engine in the X5. I have driven turbo diesels since 2001, and expect this engine to deal with altitude just like those other turbo engines. That diesel X5 and the diesel Jeep that preceded it dragged that trailer over the Rockies several times.

Finally, this engine has a torque curve very nearly identical to that of the 3 liter Duramax, save a little lower at peak and extended out to higher rpm. It was designed that way, it is no accident. My 23 year experience driving diesels informed my decision, and yes, I know I won't get as good mileage on a gallon, but I am looking forward to finding out what I do get.

So, yeah, I coulda . . . but I didn't. If you go to any dealer lot today, you will find the prices on new trucks to be 35% to 50% higher than just a few years ago. While deals can be made, you are still going to pay more for new than for used. It has ever been thus.

[td1837]

Could have bought a newer used diesel crew cab for the price you paid for the 1500 single cab. The diesel hold their value so much better than the single cab gassers. Your new truck will be worth a LOT less in a couple of years. Plus the diesel pull like no tomorrow...lot safer in higher altitudes and going up and down mountains.

[mkirsch]

On what planet? What do you consider "newer?" You're not going to get anything diesel around here for $45,000 that isn't 10+ years old, and by then the body is falling off.

For a 5000lb trailer I'd rather have a brand new truck with the warranty and the favorable discounts and financing, rather than overpaying for an old rust bucket that was someone else's problem.