Perfect Mate for a FWC?

[Rockcrawler]

My wife and I have been discussing getting a FWC for our Dodge. Yesterday we went up and spoke w/ Tom at the Phoenix Sportsmen's Expo and it really got us talking about it. (Thanks again Tom for all your time and showing us the cool FWCs!)

So in the conversation with Alice on the way home, she brought up the point of if we are going to be getting this camper and using it for long trips etc. It would be nice for her to be able to drive the truck as well. So.... the 6spd manual may have to go. Which believe it or not, I'm okay with... why not... I get a new truck AND a new camper then!

My immediate considerations are a 3/4 ton Dodge Diesel w/ the automatic instead of the manual that I currently have or a Tundra with an Auto. Next question is shortbed or longbed if we're getting a new truck anyway. New or used is up for debate, but it needs to be reliable with low miles since it will be both the expedition vehicle as well as Alice's daily driver. It also needs to be able to handle hauling the FWC AND tow a trailer w/ the Jeep on it for those Moab trips etc.

So, with that background, my question to all of you. Knowing that we are looking for a fullsize truck to use w/ a FWC, what vehicle would you go with?

Thanks in advance for all your insight.

Kyle

[kcowyo]

Is teaching Alice to drive the 6 speed and keeping what you have, not an option?

If not, and you'll tow the Jeep too every now and again, get a new Cummins. A longbox will fit a bigger camper and perhaps be more stable when flat towing your CJ8.

The new Tundra could probably do it too but why not get a Cummins if that's an option? I'm pretty sure the right answer to any question like, "Should I get a Cummins or option B?", is to get the Cummins.

Glad to hear you're getting deeper in the hunt.

[Rockcrawler]

Is teaching Alice to drive the 6 speed and keeping what you have, not an option?

If not, and you'll tow the Jeep too every now and again, get a new Cummins. A longbox will fit a bigger camper and perhaps be more stable when flat towing your CJ8.

The new Tundra could probably do it too but why not get a Cummins if that's an option? I'm pretty sure the right answer to any question like, "Should I get a Cummins or option B?", is to get the Cummins.

Glad to hear you're getting deeper in the hunt.

No KC, Alice learning to drive a manual does not seem to be an option. The biggest vehicle she has ever driven is a minivan and currently drives a Camry so it is quite a leap for her to drive a much larger vehicle AND learn to drive a manual at the same time. We're going to go out this weekend to test drive some other fullsize trucks w/ automatics to see if she will be comfortable driving those. If not, it may be back to the drawing board. She drives significantly less miles than I do so she would be the primary driver of the truck and we would probably trade in/sell her Camry and the Dodge to get the new vehicle and I would continue to drive the Jetta TDI as my daily driver as I typically put on 2000 miles/month or more.

I'm definitely leaning towards the Cummins... I'm debating the capability of a long bed truck in the rough stuff too though. The shortbed quad cab is already quite big to take into some areas. If we decide to stay w/ a shortbed, then we could get the camper now, wait a bit on the truck and have a diesel Tundra as a viable option as well.

Anyone here using a quad cab longbed fullsize truck offroad? Am I being overly concerned about the breakover/departure angles?

[theMec]

longbed vs. short - how bad do you need to do offroad w/ a camper? Sometimes I wished I'd have a longer bed for more storage. Other times, I'm SO happy I have a short bed when I'm offroad - or maneuvering in a tight parking lot !!
I think overall a short bed is best for me but your needs are different because you're not me. :-)

I'm glad my wife likes driving standard trans. I got lucky on that one. Good luck.

[SSBAJ]

My dad has a long bed 3500 cummins. He puts the pop up in the back and pulls the mules when we go hunting. Its an automatic and I think its does everything we need , plenty of storage and power and not have to shift that big thing. We have even unloaded the pop up at camp so we could hunt out of the truck and the long bed dosnt seem to be THAT much of a henderance.

[psychohawk]

I'd just suggest considering fuel economy and comfort if your wife is driving the truck daily. For instance, my F250 is not very comfortable (unloaded) as a daily driver ... it bounces all over the place. And fuel mileage is only 16 at best.

I drive about 100 miles a day so I've been driving my wife's car (29 MPG) while my wife has been driving my truck (her commute is about 1 mile and that's going the long way). But right now, with diesel being $4/gallon and the ride miserable for her daily errands, she's a trooper for putting up with it.

Just something to consider ... oh, mine: 3/4 ton automatic, 6.0 diesel, short-bed w/extended cab.

Good luck,
Carl

[slooowr6]

3/4 ton at least Crew cab or extra cab. One of the issue I've is no having enough place to put stuff so I end up using the back seat of my truck as storage space. If you can find a used 3/4 ton with utility bed and setup like this it'll be really nice and functional http://expeditionportal.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=12766.

If your wife will agree to use a utility truck as a DD.

[lowenbrau]

All I really have to add to the conversation is that Dodge is now putting the sweet Aisan six speed auto behind the big Cummins. I'd argue that it is the best pickup transmission you can get. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure you have to buy the 6.7 motor to get it and that opens its own can-o-worms.

[theMec]

3/4 ton vs 1 ton:
If I knew then what I know now, I'd have bought the 3500 dodge. With the dodge, the only difference between the 3500 and the slightly cheaper 2500 is a different overload spring setup and cab clearance lights. It rides exactly the same until you use the overload springs. Others will have to chime in for the Ford/ GM trucks.

About the utility bed, most of them are very heavy. I've seen a fiberglass one somewhere but it's expensive.

[Rockcrawler]

I love the idea of the utility bed, but I think that would make what is more than likely going to already be a tough sale, nearly impossible. Now if there was the stock looking style utility bed for the Dodge like I've seen for the SuperDuty trucks, that might work...

Fuel economy is decent with our Dodge now. I average about 19 mpg, but I'm sure I would lose some of that w/ an auto and I know I would lose it going to the new 6.7 liter engine. I'm hearing people saying 13-15 mpg avg on the new trucks! Disgusting! Thank you EPA!!! Oh wait, that's a rant for another day. I'm all for protecting the environment, but I really wonder what good we are doing when we decrease fuel economy at the same time by 25%.