New Guy From Nh

MikeNH · December 4, 2010

Hey everyone-

I've been lurking for a few weeks now but finally decided to sign up. Up until last March I've always had 4x4s and thought I would like something different and ended up in a 2010 Subaru Legacy GT. It is a fun car with the turbo and all, but I miss having a truck, so I am beginning the research for one again and will likely buy sometime this upcoming summer. Currently looking at the GM 1500s and the F-150. I'll be looking for a 4x4 extended cab with the 5.3 most likely, unless I can find a good enough deal on a 6.2 to offset the fuel costs. Anyhow, there seems to be tons of good info here so I can start planning what I may want to do with the truck once I actually have it. I do have a good bit of experience with GM as I've owned 2 in the past and worked for a (non-GM) auto dealer as a technician in the past. Just for the sake of whoring out some pictures, here's what I've had in the past:

My first truck I got at 16, a 1988 F-150. Pretty basic stuff- reg. cab long bed, 302 V8, 5-speed and 4WD. Came with a blue dash, blue vinyl flooring and blue vinyl seats. Also had an AM-only radio that was promptly swapped for an OE tape deck so I could use the tape adaptor with my Discman velcro'd to the dash.

Right before highschool graduation I got my first GM, a 1998 GMC Jimmy, SLT trim. Pretty loaded with leather, power seats and whatnot. Big leap forward from my Ford.

I kept that while I was in CT for automotive school and for my first few months at the dealer before I grew tired of fixing it (I put about 30k miles on it the year I was in CT and in the end, a year and a half later it had gone from 65k miles to like 110k miles). I bought a 2003 Silverado. Again, pretty basic and with the 4.8, but after intake, exhaust and a Diablosport programmer, it was a good bit of fun to drive:

Ran a 16.6@86 in the 1/4 before the programmer:

Next was a 2008 Tacoma, my first new vehicle:

And now the Subaru (with winter wheels and snow tires):

Hopefully I can put a nice 2011 Silverado or Sierra in this spot!

-Mike

pwall · December 5, 2010

Welcome!

HerZ71 · December 5, 2010

Hey nice array of vehicles. Welcome to the forums

txab · December 5, 2010

Welcome

highspeedvehicle · December 5, 2010

Welcome to the forum. That Subaru looks wicked. PS unless you are really worried about gas mileage I'd try and find a 6.2l you wont regret it

MikeNH · December 5, 2010

Welcome to the forum. That Subaru looks wicked. PS unless you are really worried about gas mileage I'd try and find a 6.2l you wont regret it

I'd love the 6.2 and in all reality the fuel cost isn't a huge issue I guess as I frequently travel for work, which means it would sit in the airport lot more often than not. I've yet to see a single 6.2 truck on dealer lots from online searches (other than Denali models) and I'd imagine that I probably wouldn't be able to haggle on price much for a factory order. But I don't know for sure as I've never done a factory order as I lucked out with both the Taco and Subaru and the dealer had what I wanted. Of course neither brand has the broad array of options that GMs do that makes looking for a new truck so fun and head-spinning all at once!

leg7228 · December 12, 2010

Hello & welcome. Nice group of vehicles.

MikeNH · March 19, 2011

Well folks, the decision has been made.

Many thanks to MS3Dale and Ryan for putting up with a fairly constant stream of questions from me over the past few months but Monday I pick this up:

Sorry for the crappy pic, my cell phone was all I had today and with my work schedule I probably won't be able to do a real photo shoot till next weekend.

They'll be doing Line-X over the weekend for me.

But specs:

2011 extended cab short bed LT

Taupe Gray Metallic

All Star pkg

Convenience pkg

Z71 Appearance pkg

trailer brake controller

rear view camera

3.42 gears

It also has the G80, the tow pkg with the HD cooling and whatnot. Pretty happy I found this as it is literally the exact truck I was looking for.

beave84 · March 19, 2011

Awsome truck. Thats cool you found what you were looking for.

KMGZ400 · March 19, 2011

congrats... i see you chose GM. hope it serves you well.

CTZ71LTZ · March 20, 2011

Well folks, the decision has been made.

Many thanks to MS3Dale and Ryan for putting up with a fairly constant stream of questions from me over the past few months but Monday I pick this up:

Sorry for the crappy pic, my cell phone was all I had today and with my work schedule I probably won't be able to do a real photo shoot till next weekend.

They'll be doing Line-X over the weekend for me.

But specs:

2011 extended cab short bed LT

Taupe Gray Metallic

All Star pkg

Convenience pkg

Z71 Appearance pkg

trailer brake controller

rear view camera

3.42 gears

It also has the G80, the tow pkg with the HD cooling and whatnot. Pretty happy I found this as it is literally the exact truck I was looking for.

I just came from an 09' Maxima to a 2011 1500 LTZ Silverado 5.3l; almost bought a 2011 STI Sedan and in fact I'm having a love hate relationship with the truck because I like it but I miss the usually driving style of mine with a car and sportiness. What made you miss the truck so much that your getting rid of the Subaru if you don't mind me asking? BTW congrats on the purchase...

MikeNH · March 20, 2011

I just came from an 09' Maxima to a 2011 1500 LTZ Silverado 5.3l; almost bought a 2011 STI Sedan and in fact I'm having a love hate relationship with the truck because I like it but I miss the usually driving style of mine with a car and sportiness. What made you miss the truck so much that your getting rid of the Subaru if you don't mind me asking? BTW congrats on the purchase...

I can't totally put my finger on it to be honest. I had the Taco previously and while I liked the truck, Toyota and their dealers seriously pissed me off with how they dealt with what should've been minor, simple issues to resolve. My old roommate from school had recently gotten a WRX at that point and the idea of an all-season fun car started to appeal to me. I've had 4x4s since I was 16 and thought a change would be fun. And it was- for maybe 6 or 8 months. After a vacation in the summer to Silver Lake in Michigan I started wishing I still had a 4x4 so I could actually drive on the dunes instead of just riding shotgun. And then a few times at work were I had to transport large equipment to a customer site and not being able to fit it in my car caused some minor but aggravating headaches. Plus, as much fun as the car is, I just can't "use" it. 2nd gear wound out was 60 and if you wind out 3rd you're just south of 100 and that's only half of the gears. It was a miracle I haven't gotten a ticket or 30 in the past year. The truck will be something I'll be able to actually use on a fairly frequent basis. Plus New England has tons of crappy roads and I'm sick of dodging potholes to protect the rubber band tires and wheels.