Need some help on deciding which vehicle route to take.

[hypnotaco]

Bdiddy11- With how busy it is where I live, and how crazy people drive here, a bike is the last thing I would be getting. Good luck with the Montero build. A neighbor of mine down the road has an extremely built up montero.

Allof75 - Yeah, it is definitely hard to find. Seems like I won't be able to test a regular cab with the v6/8speed. But have found a crewcab with that combo and 4x4. So, I figure if it does well with the heavier crew when I check it out, it should be fine with the lighter regular cab. Yeah, it does seem like it would be a great fit for my needs. Hopefully I will be impressed with the test drive as well. Is your 3rd gen modified? Would love to see some pics.



Thanks again for the replies guys!

 

[Allof75]

Allof75 - Yeah, it is definitely hard to find. Seems like I won't be able to test a regular cab with the v6/8speed. But have found a crewcab with that combo and 4x4. So, I figure if it does well with the heavier crew when I check it out, it should be fine with the lighter regular cab. Yeah, it does seem like it would be a great fit for my needs. Hopefully I will be impressed with the test drive as well. Is your 3rd gen modified? Would love to see some pics.



Thanks again for the replies guys!

That should be a pretty interesting combo, should you buy it. I'm curious as to what your driving impressions of the pentastar are in a fullsize truck, the old v6 rams were dogs.

And my 2003.5 Ram 1500 4x4 QCSB is mostly stock, but in terms of upgrades it has: Leveling kit, Firestone 5000lb ride-rite airbags, PCM upgrade, AEM cold air intake, Flowmaster 50 series HD, trailer brake controller, stainless nerf bars, spray-on bedliner, KYB gas-a-justs front with MonoMax rear, and 285/75r17 Wrangler Duratracs on 09 Ram rims.

From the factory it has the SLT Sport group, 3.92s with rear LSD, Hemi, Towing Group, Power Group; pretty much everything minus leather seats.

It's been everywhere, and has been the perfect camping/exploration vehicle with the Boy Scouts especially, because it can hold 5 people and gear comfortably through just about anything. The only downfalls are terrible mileage (12 highway) and it's definitely got some wide hips for the Jeep trails.
Got it in 2008 with 25k miles for $12,500.

A couple pictures:

 

[78Bronco]

It's been everywhere, and has been the perfect camping/exploration vehicle with the Boy Scouts especially, because it can hold 5 people and gear comfortably through just about anything. The only downfalls are terrible mileage (12 highway) and it's definitely got some wide hips for the Jeep trails.
Got it in 2008 with 25k miles for $12,500.

A couple pictures:

Can you really seat five adults of average six feet tall in that truck? While I like the Ram drivetrain and styling they have the absolute worst back seat unless you get the megacab option. My wife and I refuse to sit in the back seat of her dad's Ram 1500 because leg room is crap and so is entry in/out of the back doors. MPG's improve with the MDS option on the motor.

Contrast to the F150 where the interior is way better and the mileage is comparable to the MDS optioned Dodge. I have had five different generation F150/Bronco with minimal options...best selling 1/2ton for a reason.

 

[Allof75]

Can you really seat five adults of average six feet tall in that truck? While I like the Ram drivetrain and styling they have the absolute worst back seat unless you get the megacab option. My wife and I refuse to sit in the back seat of her dad's Ram 1500 because leg room is crap and so is entry in/out of the back doors. MPG's improve with the MDS option on the motor.

Contrast to the F150 where the interior is way better and the mileage is comparable to the MDS optioned Dodge. I have had five different generation F150/Bronco with minimal options...best selling 1/2ton for a reason.

Well certainly two 6'+ in the front seats and in the rear, the tallest we've fit is 6'6" I'm not certain about comfort but he lived. I would say that if you are 6' 0" then you would be perfectly content in the back seat, just if you have three across in the bench, and one of them likes to spread his legs to the side, there may be some tension. Extremely comfortable for 4 people. The newer ones (4th gen, like the OP is looking at) have a larger cab option that isn't quite Mega Cab big, but isn't Quad Cab small- Crew Cab.

MDS seems to work ok, but not great, and if you plan on putting in an aftermarket exhaust, plan on a tuner to disable it, because the drone isn't very pleasant on the early systems.

And I have several friends who have all manner of F-Series. Plus two broncos. They're not my cup of tea, but they're a solid option. I think the Supercrew of the previous gen F150 cut down on bed length a little too much, unless you get the 6.5 foot box, which then makes it a bit of a land yacht.