paS2K

I'm working on-site at a $100MM renovation project in CC Philly and park my little architect's S not far from the contractor's parking area.....all the superintendents for 8-10 subcontractors. There seems to be a status contest to have the biggest/ shiniest pickup truck.....BUT all of them are F-150s, Chevy Silverados or whatever, Dodge Magnum. Not a single Nissan Titan or any other foreign truck. Not often do I see a Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10 or Dodge Dakota. These are well-paid union construction workers who, I'm guessing, have a high degree of solidarity with their union brethern in Detroit.

These guys have a reason to have a big truck and I respect that. I do not respect the drivers of the plethora of $60-80K guzzlin' SUV's in my affluent suburban neighborhood....largely driven by ladies talking on their cell phones who have no idea how to park their hubbie's monster in the 9x18 parking lines.

Chazmo

Jerry, I completely agree with your sentiment. Yes, builders and such have a need for these trucks. The rest of us are just wasting gasoline. Bigger is not better. Whatever, right?

As the others have said here, I hope it's a trend away from the guzzler mentality.

Triple-H

I know nothing about what the average American thinks, I just know the price of gas will not sway me from my decision.

'05 Nissan Titan SE 4x4 KC Coming in 2 to 3 weeks
305 hp, 379 ft-lb, average 15 mpg

And before anybody says something about my guzzler mentality, what would you do, have me pull the S2000 on a trailer with an Element?

Triple-H

The change is slow but in time I have faith you will see it Jerry. The buyer of a full-size pickup is in my mind the most loyal of loyal buyers. They are not interested in shopping and comparing. They have always driven a ______, and they damn well intend to do so in the future, regardless of what other manufacturers are offering.

Bottom line, the Titan is so far superior to a Chevy Silverado or a Dodge Ram it is not even funny... The new F-150 is a good truck. And while we are on the subject - has anyone seen the ad for the new Lincoln pickup? Yup, you got it, an F-150 Crew Cab has been sent to Lincoln finishing school so Lincoln can compete with Cadillac...

Triple-H

Don't leave out towers...
- boats
- camping trailers
- lawn equipment
- race cars

Chazmo

OK, towers (is that a word? ) too. But really, Doug, how much towing capacity do you really need to pull a race car... And how much of the time are you actually towing anything with it rather than just driving it around town?

anarky

Gee,

I really only use my Ranger when the weather is bad, the winter and when I need to haul something. It is much more enjoyable to take the S out for anything else.

Triple-H

I'll tow my S2000 3 to 6 times a year. And as someone who grew up on a farm I can tell ya, there are two kinds of towers out there. Some who actually believe the towing capacity of a vehicle and then those of us who factor it by 75%. There is NO WAY I would tow an S2000 and a steel trailer, aprox. 4,500 pounds with supplies, with a vehicle rated at anything less than 6,000 pounds. This is Upstate, we don't have flat land...

So when I'm not towing yes, you are right, I will be driving it around town, but remember, it is not my daily driver until winter, and guess what, Buffalo (1.25 hours west of me), Rochester (where I'm at), and Syracuse (1.5 hours east of me) are all within the top 15 snowiest cities in the USA. To get around and to go where I need to go it is more about ground clerence than anything else, and the Titan 4x4 will get me where I need to go; it goes against my nature to sit in the house and wait out a storm.

I'm one of the people who will use my truck for how it was designed and I will utilize its capabilities; and yes, I suspect I'm in the minority...

Elistan

Yeah, heard about that. I was really surprised - Ford already tried that. It was the Lincoln Blackwood, right? A miserable flop, if I recall correctly.

Triple-H

Yes, and you recall correctly... The only thing I can think of is Ford must now believe the time is right based upon the number of the Caddy Avalanches (no clue what real name is) Chevy is selling.

And I live in fear of an Infiniti pickup based upon the Titan...