Commercials on TV

[caryain]

Has anyone else noticed that every other truck mfg. seems to compare their trucks to the Ram? I am sitting here at work tonight and so far I have seen a Ford commercial depicting they can out tow a Ram with a HEMI. Then, I see one for the new Nissan Titan towing a large boat. At the very end of the Nissan commercial, it show the Nissan passing a Ram truck.



I don't recall ever seeing a recent Dodge commercial showing how the Ram can "out tow" any other trucks. Sure DC pushes the HEMI on TV. I know the Cummins Rams are advertised in other locations but mostly, I think they just sell themselves.



Seems to me that the Ram is the "benchmark" every other truck is trying to beat.



It just cracks me up that some "pencil-necked-geek" in the marketing department for Ford, Nissan, Etc... Etc. thinks that the only way to sell their product is to show it outperform a Dodge Ram.



Sorry if I offended anyone.

 

[PHX ATC]

I don't think Nissan will ever be able to compete in the large class category of pick up trucks. It doesn't seem right to me to have a weenie car/truck producer involved with the big boy trucks. Don't get me wrong, they produce awesome quality stuff, just I feel they don't "belong" in the big truck market.



Although, they do have quite a following... ... ...

 

[curatchko]

I wouldn't underestimate Nissan... . They are rumored to have a Heavy Duty coming shortly and if their typical quality is in that heavy duty, they will affect the market share of the Big 3... This is how they keep losing market share, is by underestimating their competition.



Right now Nissan is number one in the world in Profit. They do know how to build a car... . If I were GM, Ford and Chrysler I'd take Nissans threat pretty seriously, and hope to god Honda don't come out with a Heavy Duty full size.



Chris

 

[caryain]

I agree the "Americanized Japanese Mftg" can and do make some quality products. I was only questioning the marketing of almost every other (than Ram) Truck. They always seem to reference their vehicle as being able to out run, out tow, ride smoother, roll down the highway quieter and who knows what else better than... none other than a Dodge Ram.



If the product is quality, it should sell itself.



From what I've read on the Titan, it should be a nice truck.

 

[robobx]

Not that I put much in the tests that i read in the mags, but the testers in the one article I read seemed VERY impressed with the Nissan full size. Alot of innovative thinking and never done before stuff in the truck.

 

[lawdog1]

To be fair... When the new F-150's came out Dodge was running an ad here about how much more powerful the Hemi was and how the 1500 had more standard features than the new F-150. I say who cares, it is just advertising, of course the manufacturer is going to spin for their product. You just gots to go do some indemapendant research befor' you lay your money down... I never actually bought a car or truck, "because it looked neat on an ad" or "because the ad said it is great. "

 

[dthorkelson]

From what I have read about the Nissan it handily out pulls the HEMI. Honda and Toyota are both coming out with full sized pickups. If the quality of these pickups is on par with their automobiles the big three better look out. I cannot believe the junk the US manufacturers put out in comparison for reliability. performance, resale etc.

 

[ImagesThatSing]

If Honda & Toyota came up with a full size heavy duty pickup with a cummins engine, it would make my ears perk.

 

[jgallentine]

If Honda & Toyota came up with a full size heavy duty pickup with a cummins engine, it would make my ears perk.

Not mine... ... unless Dodge dropped the Cummins. Since I have never been in an import full-size truck I can only assume (and yes I know how that word breaks down) that the ride in their full-size trucks is as bad as the ride in their cars. I have ridden in import cars from Honda's to BMWs to SAABS and they all ride, sound and feel like you're in an import. The BMW M3 and Porsche Carerra have to be two of the worst. In all fairness, a Toyota Avalon rides pretty good though. Don't have any Idea what they cost.



One of the things I like about my truck is that, for a 1-ton truck, it rides good and feels solid. It doesn't sound like I'm in a tin can with no suspension.



Just my $. 02

 

[DPelletier]

I can't see any of the Japanese companies making a REAL HD pickup in the near future. I haven't really taken a hard look at the Titan, but the T100, I mean there is more steel in my NV5600 than in that entire truck.

And even if they do make a HD 4x4 dually diesel truck, do you have any idea how much it would cost?

Dave

 

[RobertBolinger]

Don't underestimate Nissan's diesel abilities either-when the company that makes the PS for Ford (Navistar) needed a Diesel for their SUV (Scout) in the 80's, they turned to Nissan for a small 6 cylinder diesel that from what I've heard was a pretty good engine.



I really like the Titan myself... but no manual and more importantly, no diesel...



On another note, I was riding in a Chevy 1500 parade float puller last weekend, and an old woman hollered at us and asked if it had a Hemi. LOL

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by ImagesThatSing

If Honda & Toyota came up with a full size heavy duty pickup with a cummins engine, it would make my ears perk.

And we will have as a nation reached a new low. As mentioned, they do build good diesel engines and quality vehicles but those vehicles are engineered to make the most with the least and do overall have a finite livespan not to mention, no leg room and if you look at their design themes, a grill that look's like the emporer's sneer. I for one, won't make any excuses for the big three as well as their profit over satisfaction attitude they seem to exude. When you compare "their" costs, quality, etc and ours, don't forget politics, domestic incentives and most of all, your children's future.

 

[KBennett]

I noticed that Nissan commercial last night too! I wondered if someone was going to post on the subject. I personally don't like the look of the Titan but the reviewers really like it.



My last 3 trucks were Japanese and I still feel they have the best small trucks on the market. I owned a Nissan and a Pontiac at the same time and I NEVER worked on the Nissan. I dumped more time and money into that POS Pontiac. My Saturn was a good vehicle but GM says that division doesn't make any money



As far as the future of the country goes it will not be because I purchased a foreign car or truck that things will go bad, it will be because of greed or laziness of my fellow US citizens. My Dodge truck was made in Mexico. Does that make it a foreign truck? Why doesn't Dodge make them in the US? Should I stop buying Dodge and go to brand X if they are made in the US? I have been to the US auto plants including a Ford plant where the Quality Control tech was sleeping behind his machine! This is why the foreign companies are kicking our butt



Welcome to the world economy!



The unions that were created to protect the rights of the worker are now letting the worker control their own destiny. If you work or have worked in a manufacturing job you better look out. Your job may be replaced by a robot or shipped out to another country.



Sorry to go off on a tirade but I am tired of people telling me how I should spend my money and that I should be protecting US jobs even if it means buying an inferior product.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

There was a Hemi Ram commercial on TV last night. A Ram was pulling a 68-69 Charger on a trailer next to a Ford pulling a Mustang GT or Cobra on a trailer!

 

[dthorkelson]

Amen to your post KBennett. Since 1998 I have owned two Dodges, two Fords, and the 03 Dodge heavy duty trucks. During that same period of time I've had a Toyota Avalon and a Honda Oddessy which have never been back to the dealer for anything. All of these pickups made numerous visits back to the dealership for various problems; i. e, 98 Dodge (automatic transmission & speed control). Fords - transfer case, radiator leak, automatic transmission problem leak plus others I can't no longer remember. The 03 Dodge HD has had the ring gear and pinion replaced for a whining rearend. Shortly after the replacement it started whining again so the dealer replaced the entire rearend assembly. It is now whining again with 9,000 miles on it. WHY? There is no excuse for this stuff. To put out products like this, it is obvious there is no quality control and the manufacturers certainly do not care for their fellow Americans.

 

[Rob Thomas]

For all you guys complaining about inferior American products, I suggest you go out and buy all imports, and when America's money is gone, then what are you going to do?Think about that.



I am not a union man, and am not sticking up for union workers, but rather my money that was made here, and spent here, to keep this country rolling. As Americans we are running out of options, clothes, which 96% of are imported, and electronics are just two of Major items we hardly produce. When the time comes where everything is imported, where is it that we will work? Look at the entire picture guys. Just because some import companies vehicle's are made here, don't think for a minute the majority of the monies are kept here.



This is probably better off in a new thread, but I had to say it.





Off the soap box, Rob

 

[caryain]

Wow! And just think, this whole thread was just a "comment" about a commercial I saw on TV last night.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Yep, the "other" forum tends to get off track sometimes, sorry for the hi-jacking.





Rob

 

[KBennett]

Sorry for the hijacked thread but....

"For all you guys complaining about inferior American products, I suggest you go out and buy all imports, and when America's money is gone, then what are you going to do?Think about that. "



Rob, I appreciate your input and understand where you are coming from.

I have thought about it hard even when I found out my Dodge was made in MEXICO and Dodge is owned by Daimler, a GERMAN company. Where do you think that money went?



What happened to great companies like Zenith and RCA? Sony came out with a better product at a better value and killed the US electronics market.

We as Americans don't really have much of a choice anymore when it comes to electronics. I just bought a digital camera. What US company makes digital cameras? Most of the computer chips in your truck come from a foreign source. Maybe even the steel? Where is the Cummins engine made? It is called competition and right now the US is losing the game.



I made a knife purchase a few years back. I was looking at the Benchmade Stryker. Beautiful knife and made in the US. There are several Chinese copies that were not nearly as well made and the blade material was junk. Cost of the Benchmade was $90. 00, Chinese $5. 00. I know I made the right choice by purchasing the Benchmade but what if the quality of the Chinese knife was better than the Benchmade? Should I have bought the Benchmade because it is MADE IN USA? It is on our shoulders to make better products to beat the competition.



Nuff said.