My Sky Color

A forty something Dad, Husband, Engineer guy living in Western Oregon. Reflections on all things in life. A few technical things and whatever else comes along.

Sunday, January 02, 2011

Dad's Got a New Truck!

I guess I am a patient person or a realist when it comes to making big purchases. I have to weigh the value to the family against the expenditure, etc. For the past few years I have wanted a real truck. A truck that can pull a car trailer or equipment trailer with the 12,000 pound excavator from the rental place. Or we can load up all the camping equipment, the dogs and maybe the 4-wheeler and head out for adventures.

I have researched gas versus diesel, manual versus automatic, older versus newer and Ford versus Dodge. The 1994 Ford farm truck we have right now has an electronically controlled automatic transmission. As near as I can tell, after driving it some component reaches a certain temperature then the transmission shifts into neutral a couple times to make things interesting. I read up on what could be the trouble and the information convinced me a manual transmission is a better way to go.

So I got a blend of old and new with simple and complex mixed together. My Uncle has a business that requires him to out of his his truck for long hours on construction sites. He has figured out a combination of options that make for a more reliable truck than the average city dweller has. About every three years he gets a new truck. On this cycle we bought his old one.


It is a 2008 Dodge 3500 6.7L Cummins diesel with a six speed manual transmission. It has just a few options that make it a great work truck and a reduction of things that can go wrong. Four doors are nice with the whole family getting their own door.

We have hauled building supplies and animal feed, driven up Larch Mountain and driven the truck home. Running errands in town is interesting. One definitely has to plan ahead in parking lots. It will take some getting used to. We are all loving it so far.

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