Looking For a New Rig

[4x4dreamin]

Hi guys, I'm a newbie here, but have been lurking around for a while. I have a 2wd 1500 Silverado extended cab pickup that I'm looking to sell. Now I would need a new rig and it would need to be 4wd, that was my first mistake with the one I have now. But I really enjoy my Silverado, I like having a truck and the back seat room, so decided that I would like a 2000-2005 1/2 ton Silverado or Sierra.
The main question I have though is whether or not to go with a 4-door or extended cab model. I have always thought it would be nice to have the 4-doors and all that space in the back, but is the 4 door considerably longer than the extended cab? Will it limit the off-road capabilities as far as maneuvering it goes compared to the extended cab? Is the turning radius on the 4-door a lot wider than the extended cab?
Most of my driving is city driving, but occasionally I enjoy a good offroad trip. The trails I would be going on are nothing to extreme, but do get a little narrow in some instances. Any input would be great. Thanks

 

[HenryJ]

That sounds just about like the change that I just made. I went with an Avalanche: avalanche build anyone?
That is one option to consider. It shares much that the Silverados have.

 

[4x4dreamin]

Ya, I've been looking around at the avalanches, they are great looking trucks! I had seen your build a couple of times, it's lookin good! I'm not sure an avalanche is what I want, they don't look like they have very much be space

 

[HenryJ]

More than my last truck, but that was an S-10 crew cab.
You have to compromise somewhere. If the wheelbase gets two long the breakover can be a problem. With the Avalanche I can have an eight foot bed by laying the back seats down and opening the back of the cab.
The bed is big enough to haul my wife's TW200 and that was enough for me.
The extra interior space has been very nice. I could not ask for more and we use that more than the bed space. Don't get me wrong. I need plenty of bed space too, otherwise I'd be driving a fully enclosed SUV.

It is kind of cool that you can lay down the seats and have the bed open to the cabin, yet sealed from the elements under the cover and upper half of the cab. Toss a mattress down and I have a nice long bed that I could crash in. I think my son will just love that on a trip!

For me the fender side tool boxes were a great selling point. All that stuff I used to carry on the bed is stored there now. recovery gear, extinguisher, coveralls, gloves , tools, etc. I really like it stored and out of my way.

I could probably continue to ramble on, but in the end you have to choose what make sense for you , your terrain, budget, and desires.

 

[Rot Box]

From my history of pickups I'd say its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I spent a lot of money finding that out the hard way...

I guess it depends on what you plan to do with it, but I don't my last extended cab truck was all that more capable than my crew cab for what I use them for. Yes when push comes to shove a crew is longer, but in my situation I'd much rather have the two extra doors than a little more capability... Just my .02

 

[Rovertrader]

for me, plain and simple- I do not like having to open the front doors to open the rears. And then they are opposite, and I feel limit access- no so much people, but loads needed to be carried inside. Of course we have kids, and the door opening got old real fast. For light wheeling, the extra few inches of length will doubt make a difference...

 

[KMV77]

How long of a bed are you looking for? That will make at least a 2' difference.

 

[chasespeed]

How long of a bed are you looking for? That will make at least a 2' difference.

Dont know that you can get a crew cab long bed Chevy/GMC in 1/2 ton...

Gonna toss my 2 cents....

Decide what you need and what you want. Is an 8ft bed important? Or is the standard short box sufficient?
Is the rear door an issue, or, just convenience? Do you have kids, etc...

Me, I NEED an 8 foot bed. I also have a large utility cap. I also needed the torque of a diesel. I wanted an extended cab of some sort... I didnt get that, as it would have dictated, a short bed, or a seriously long wheel base...

I say go crew cab, and short box if you dont need an 8ft bed. Also, check out the Avalanche as Henry said... I have been.... and I like what I am coming across.... Wonder if I can find one in 3/4 ton.....

 

[TheGuyJones]

To the OP, I had a 2002 extended cab silverado and my dad has a 2005 crew cab gmc, both half tons, both short beds. I noticed parked side by side that they were the same length. I believe mine was a 6.5' short bed and the short bed on the crew is 5.8' or something like that. Personally, I loved my 2002 (one of the best body styles of the chevy trucks, I dislike the 2003-2007.5 front grill), but with 3 kids in car seats the extended cab never got used because of the pain of opening both front and rear doors to get access. For myself, I will be going with a crew cab on my next truck, but if I were a single guy, I would be all over either an extended cab or regular cab long bed (I think the long beds look cool and you don't see them as much as the short bed trucks).

 

[lstzephyr]

When I used to drive work trucks offroad I noticed that the only major difference in where the different styles would go was tires, and the driver.

I had no trouble getting the rclb dodge up the switchbacks and it would go the gnarliest places, but it also had the best tires and a locker. The extended cab 2002 chevy would go anywhere it needed but it would get hung up if you weren't careful, since it was the lowest, however I rarely drove that one and usually just rode along. It still made it, just did 5 point turns instead.

The crew cab would make it, but needed hefty throttle, however it also had the worst tires. I never had an issue with the length, even in the switchbacks, however, only the small bed that wouldn't haul what I needed. When I had a choice I usually picked the rclb dodge, or chevies. The chevies were the nicest to ride in however so I'd say that is a good choice.

I liked the crewcab on the street however, and never had an issue with it in the snow and if I needed to carry people inside it worked just fine even on the stuff I didn't want to take it up. This was steep western mountain trails, woods, and mud/snow. Places like this

 

[Azlugz]

We had an '03 Ford 4dr short bed diesel that we wheeled and used as a recovery truck. Did great and with the diesel there was never a power problem. Length was something to get used to and we only ran 35's on it so it was not lifted way up. This pic has the smaller tires still

Here it is with 35's doing a wreck recovery

Recovering a bronco

We now have an '09 Sd 4dr long bed Diesel and still love it tho it is harder to deal with on the trails and yes, I still use it for recoveries.

Primary duty for the truck tho is pulling the 5th Wheel and we have a ZJ that we wheel. Main point is that a 4 dr truck is still wheelable, just takes a different approach and does cost more for lift and big tires. I like my Fords, one big thing is the solid axle.

 

[4x4dreamin]

Wow thanks guys, that was a lot of input. I was planning on going with the standard size bed, not sure how long that is on the four door model. I think I will probably need to drive a four door truck to fully understand the feeling of driving it goes. It would mainly be a city vehicle for me as I am still in college, but occasionally I would be making camping trips to the mountains and desert with it. The trails are nothing too extreme but definitely require four wheel drive.

 

[Azlugz]

If it is mainly a city vehicle and you do not have a specific need for a Long bed, than stick with the short bed. Most 4drs out there are short beds so they are easies to find and much easier in the parkin lots. We wanted long bed for the 5th wheel

 

[mustangwarrior]

i would atleast go with an extended cab, i love my truck and i have put lots of $$ in it to make it solid and reliable, but the reg, cab is becoming cramped, i'm tired of not really having anywere to put my stuff and when we go camping it takes 3 vehicles to take 6 people, yea, we all have reg, cabs, haha,

also consider gas mileage, a mid size truck wont get great mileage but the 3-4 mpg more than a v8 fullsize will help, i drive 40+ miles a day between school and work and 13 mpg was killing, had to break down and buy a second vehicle

 

[4x4dreamin]

Ya I'm not going with a regular cab I use the back seat of my truck a lot, and could not imagine not having it. It was just a question about the difference in maneuverability and gas mileage between the extended cab, and what I would be giving up if I went with a four door.