Used Cars in America

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I’m not overly impressed with the new ram trucks, I bought a new ram classic in July with the pentastar v6. 15000km in and on the third touch screen and there are signs the rear end is going. Side play in the axles and filings in the rear end fluid. I definitely won’t be keeping this truck past the end of the warranty. I ram my last truck a 2011 chev 450km and 13 years before selling it to a friend and it’s still going strong.

@Tubby’s Canteen
In Australia a dealer rang the Ram manufacturers saying they are shit. He had a yard full of 1500s with bent chassis and blown gear boxes. They didn't believe him so sent out a representative and he couldn't get over it
Just not built for Australian conditions.
Bob

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

@Tubby’s Canteen
In Australia a dealer rang the Ram manufacturers saying they are shit. He had a yard full of 1500s with bent chassis and blown gear boxes. They didn't believe him so sent out a representative and he couldn't get over it
Just not built for Australian conditions.
Bob

Or Nova Scotian apparently

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Is that mainly a problem with usa build ?....

@spike.t
No they are shit in Australia now to.
Parts falling off and engine fires in the new Hi- lux.
Bob

 

[John Wasmuth]

Frontier and Xterra have out lived our rams and f250’s here.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The sad thing is that with today's electronics on all of the vehicles you need to pack a computer with you if you plan on fixing anything on the side of the road. I have a 1996 Ford diesel with the 7.3 and I am lucky in that there is a app for a smartphone that I can run diagnostics with. But still if something with the electronics goes out I'm just sitting there waiting for a tow.

Gone are the days when you could get most mechanical problems fixed on the side of the road, at least enough to get yourself home and all you needed was a screwdriver and a few wrenches.

@JimP
That's why I like my old 97 Nissan diesel. Only electric components are the electronic diest pump and No 1 injector. NO COMPUTERS.
Old school works for me.
Blew a starter motor but being a stick shift I could still start it and drive it to get repaired. 180,000 miles/ 360,000km and still going strong. The old 2.7 TDI is good for a million kilometres if serviced regularly.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

View attachment 635478View attachment 635479My love of English ware is not just limited to firearms!

@franzfmdavis
The commando is nice BUT doesn't have the cool factor of the old commando.
All you need to add is a nice Jenson interceptor to be complete.
Bob

 

[rwp315]

My Detroit Iron, the 98 Town Car had 233000 when I sold it to my next door neighbors kid he has since put another 40k on it and has turned it into Turd. The other is my 2009 Impala LTZ with 85K on itView attachment 635952View attachment 635953

Used a limo service in the Chicago area for 15+ years and the companies town cars all had 400,000 plus miles on them and were still running fine when sold.

Even the front drive Lincolns were getting 300,000 on them.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen Nissan are not particularly good in the USA. I was quite impressed with the Nissans in Africa. I think Oz gets the ones we cannot get that have better reliability. As you may know, the US has onerous crash safety requirements, fuel consumption requirements, and emissions requirements. It’s why many of the best cars in the world were never legally sold over here.

For example, this is the latest rankings for most reliable American cars. (Please take no insult if the list is vastly different than Australia that may have access to better versions from these makers)


View attachment 635972

@rookhawk
My 97 would fail
No airbags
No emission control
No dpf or EGR
No crumple zone for crashes
Just good old fashioned steel( no plastic body panels) and a reliable old no technology motor
Bob

Not flash but reliable and honest. Phot taken on our recent around Australia trip with our caravan
17,000 km in 3 months with out a problem

 

[Houston Bill]

Has anyone seen or heard of the Ineos Grenadier? They have caught my attention, low tech, high off road capabilities.

Yes, I test drove a Grenadier on Saturday, probably going to buy one soon. I have had 3 Land Cruisers and 4 Tundra's over the years (still have 2 Tundra's) but I did not like the new Land Cruiser and the Grenadier has coast my attention. A friend of mine worked for Jim Ratcliffe, says he is great guy, very smart and the Grenadier is his brain child. I think he will make sure it is successful.

 

[Houston Bill]

Currently not available in the US to my knowledge.

That is not true, there is a Ineos dealer in Houston. Ran into a guy at the dealer that owns a big ranch, he has already bought 3 of them, says they are great

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

View attachment 635613View attachment 635614
At CWO, we have four Fords and one Dodge. I won’t own a 2004-2010 Ford diesel. Ours are 1995, 1999, 2016 and 2017. I also had a nice 2012 that I traded for the 2017. After a guide totaled a 2000 Ford, I was forced into buying the Dodge on short notice. As @Wyatt Smith mentioned, Chevy’s don’t have enough fender clearance for big chains.

The pictures are of our newest acquisition. It’s a 2016 diesel that had a blown motor. I bought it for $5600 and put a different motor in it for another $18k. The box is a bit banged up but I will put a flatbed on it anyway so that we can load two ATVs sideways. Judging by the undercarriage, it’s never been off-road. Not bad these days for $23,600 I thought! My neighbor is the best mechanic I’ve ever known and he changed out the motors for me. I also had him cut more than half of the plastic air dam off of it that attaches to the bottom of the bumper. That way, it won’t get mangled when driving over sage brush and yucca.

@Scott CWO
Those big merican jobs look the goods but just can't cut the mustard in the Australian bush. A lot of off road tracks I go on the wouldn't even fit up the first ten yards without a chainsaw.
Bob

 

[Pondoro]

On my second RR..no problems with either.. This is a 2013 L405.. 4.4 V8 diesel 340hp/740NM..love it..

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

After 23 years as a "game warden" and another 7 as a biologist plus my recent 6 years as a security patrol for timber companies in Southern Oregon, I always marvel at what people "need." Through my career I've driven all makes of "US" 4x4s. They all had their pluses and minuses.

I think one of my favorites was a half ton Dodge pickup from the mid to late 80s. It wasn't comfortable at all but it went everywhere. Damned thing loved to be in the mountains with snow. I remember patrolling central Oregon mountains during elk seasons and just bee bopped everywhere. Ugly as hell but fully capable.

The latter part of my game warden years were in Chevrolet Silverado type trucks. Very comfortable but the back end was so light that they were squirrelly even in light snow. I just didn't like them at all for any serious off pavement, mountain and desert patrols. I just don't have a desire to drive another.

The Fords I drove in my mid-career were utilitarian but worked OK. Think early 2000 models. I didn't mind them at all and they served my purpose.

In my mountain security business, I tried a 2008 Nissan Frontier. I thought I'd run it a year or two before moving on. It currently has 240,000 on it and is for sale. Damned thing went everywhere I asked and then some. It handled snow and mud very well. It just seemed to keep going. I was so impressed that I recently bought a 2018 model to replace it. After looking at the new models, I decided to go back to the last few years Nissan made this model as they are nearly identical to the 2008 model. It was a good choice and I hope to run it 10 years or more and will have no qualms taking into any hunting situation.
My wife has had 2 RAMS in the last 10 years. We use it to tow our camp trailer from time to time. Occasionally, I've used it in the security business. It gets through the day, but never take the ongoing abuse those Nisans had.

Just my personal experience.

@HuntingGold
Just can't go past a Nissan. Just a pity you can't get them in a diesel in the USA.
Bob

 

[rookhawk]

@HuntingGold
Just can't go past a Nissan. Just a pity you can't get them in a diesel in the USA.
Bob

In Africa they sell a Nissan that is a dead-ringer copy of the Toyota Landcruiser pickup, but about 40% of the price. It was a great vehicle. We can't get those in America either.

 

[wesheltonj]

. . . I think I would like to buy a new Ineos Grenadier, but I would need to hear MANY positive reviews first. . .

And you will not get any, already stopped production.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Buy a 2001 Lexus LX470 One of the best off road vehicles ever built. 2017-2002

 

[Altitude sickness]

 

[Altitude sickness]

They can be decked out as well as a Toyota. But with a better ride

 

[rookhawk]

@Altitude sickness I keep hearing the hardcore off road guys raving about a GX too, whatever that is? I know it’s a Lexus, but they say they are hardcore off road Toyotas under the covers

 

[Altitude sickness]

Yes, they are highly regarded and utilized for Overland SUV’s