Hmmm, I'm thinking...

[steved]

I'm thinking of changing trucks... tell me what you think...



I have this 04. 5, bunch of non-performance mods, some of the more desirable ones (FASS, Flux Is, DynaTrac conversion, NV5600)... it has been a good truck, but not my favorite.



I'm considering locating/buying a clean 1st gen club cab w350 outright.



I'd then trade the 04. 5 on a Subaru Outback Sedan... sell the wife's Mustang outright... leaving us with three cars.



I really like the 1st gens... especially the non-intercooled tractors (pre-91. 5). I'm really considering swapping all these cars around... get back to simple mechanical (something I can wrench on)...

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

WELL Steve, to each his own, and I loved my early '91 - until my brother in law got his '94 and I drove it... :-laf:-laf



I felt all the same euphoric sensations as to riding and handling comfort the 3rd genners keep raving about with THEIR trucks as compared with the 2nd generation stuff - and the BRAKING improvement when RV towing was GLORIOUS!



But the largest and most serious revelation as to overall riding/handling characteristics came when I retired, and we took off for Florida from California with the RV in tow for a couple of winter months. That '91 nearly broke my back and arse! :-laf



Traded for the present '02 a while later, and have LOVED it ever since - took the exact same trip again to Florida - absolutely NO complaints, the new truck doesn't even START to overheat as the '91 did, and the brakes on the truck alone are vastly better than the '91 truck AND RV were combined!



As a play-toy, the 1st generation trucks are great - mine cost me a total of *$12* in repair cost (voltage regulator) in the 11 years and 120 K miles I owned it, exclusive of batteries and tires - and similar normal replacement items.



Of course, the '91 cost me $18K out the door, and the '02 was $32K...

 

[steved]

My one friend had a 89 W250... I really liked that truck. I have always liked the 1st gen styling over the freightliner look.



I don't tow that much, and what I tow would be so light, I could tow it with a 1/2-ton...



Decisions...

 

[Grizzly]

I believe you'd be taking a giant step backwards by doing what you are thinking. I loved my 95 and I love my 05 even better. You should consider the safety features of the newer trucks as well as the comfort level as Gary pointed out. One of the things that I didn't like about the 95 was that for some dumb reason I could not get an air bag on the passenger side when I ordered the truck. The 05 not only has the two standard air bags, it also has the side curtain air bags. My 2000 Camry was hit head on, not my fault, by another Camry. The air bags on my car and the air bags on the lady's car that hit me, while on her cell phone, saved us. I walked away with minor scratches. Both cars were totalled. I believe in air bags and all the modern safety features of the newer cars and trucks. I know what you are saying about being able to work on the older trucks. I used to be able to fix almost anything on my older cars and trucks, but not anymore. I feel it's a good trade off for your safety and your families.



Besides, I think those 1st gen Dodge trucks had concrete shock absorbers.

 

[JGoss]

I have both and equally like them. If you do much traveling I'd stick with out you've got. But maybe if you don't drive long distances often, the 1st gens would be good too. Like you said, they are super easy to work on, and get descent fuel mileage. My 89' is pretty much a full time farm truck now, but I would drive it anywhere. The 04. 5 has good power and handles nice, but harder and more expensive to work on. It's a hard decision so thats why I have both.