I'm having second thoughts Oppo

"shpuker" (shpuker) 08/02/2017 at 21:03 • Filed to: None

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So I’m at the point where I’m having a hard time deciding whether I should trade in my truck and pick up a new Focus ST, or if I should just say fuck it and start modifying the truck. Help me make up my mind Oppo

Quick facts:

Current truck is a 2015 GMC Sierra single cab with the 5.3L V8 2WD Long Bed

Mods I would do:

Dished wheels (probably 19"s, IDK if they make TE37's for trucks but along those lines)

Slight drop, maybe 1-2"

Intake+Exhaust+Tune, obviously

Either a hard shell bed cover or a full bed cap. Not sure yet.

Similar look to this, but not 22"s and a single cab longbed. So pretty douchey

Option two would be to take roughly a $1,000 loss on the truck (Bought it with 9,000 miles on it last summer, now its at 37,000... Oops) and drop on a new Focus ST (for roughly $18,500 after employee discount and all that shit) and leave that stock until it’s close to coming out of warranty.

Now logic says I should probably do neither and instead I should trade it in for something used that actually gets decent fuel economy so I can save some money and pay off my student loans faster, but fuck that. What’re your thoughts Oppo?

PanchoVilleneuve ST > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:08

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I’ve had a Focus ST for just shy of 3 years, outside of disappointing gas mileage (seriously, I’m amazed if I see the MPG reading on the dash go above 26), it’s been a pleasure to own. It does everything you’ll need a car to do and is hoonable as all hell. Seriously, it’s amazing how the back end rotates on these things when you drive it hard.

One thing to know is that aftermarket wheels are practically non-existent, since Ford uses a weird-ass bolt pattern (5x108) and very few companies make wheels that fit.

Also, all the mods you want to do are available from Mountune, and can be purchased through your dealership (they may need to be a Ford Racing dealer as well, but I’m not sure) and installed there without impacting your warranty, which is nice.

Milky > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:16

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You live in Michigan and bought a 2wd truck?!

I’d ditch it and get a 2 door car. Assuming you don’t need the extra seating.

OPPOsaurus WRX > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:17

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why did you buy the truck? do you use it a lot for truck stuff?

just moving into a new house there are things I need to do that make me wish for a truck again.

Bytemite > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:21

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If you don’t haul things around in your bed then I’d say sell the truck. Use a fraction of the money to get the car of your choice and save/invest/loan payoff the rest.

shpuker > Milky 08/02/2017 at 21:23

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To be fair I lived in Iowa at the time.

Can’t afford the insurance on a Stang in the Detroit area. Under 25, bad driving record, high risk area.

shpuker > OPPOsaurus WRX 08/02/2017 at 21:24

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I was moving around a bunch and driving a shit load so it made sense. Per-mile it held value pretty decently as well.

daender > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:25

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Volk Racing does sell large PCD wheels for truck/suv applications.

https://www.rayswheels.co.jp/products/wheel.php?lang=en&wheel=TE37LPCD-PRO

shpuker > Bytemite 08/02/2017 at 21:25

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That’s part of the problem though. I put so many miles on the damn thing so quickly that even selling it myself I’ll probably take a small loss.

shpuker > daender 08/02/2017 at 21:27

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Oooo interesting. Not too crazy about them being 18s but not bad at all.

Milky > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:30

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Pro tip: Lie. Everyone does it.

Keep that Iowa plate forever.

DipodomysDeserti > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:31

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I have a modded, single cab, long bed GMC...

I say mod the truck.

shpuker > DipodomysDeserti 08/02/2017 at 21:34

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Let’s make a pact now. I’ll add Gram Lights to mine if you add them to yours at a similar time

daender > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:38

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Maybe you could run a tire with a thicker sidewall for that Nascar Truck look?

shpuker > Milky 08/02/2017 at 21:38

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Lol I would if my Iowa license and plate weren’t tagged as “previously suspended”

shpuker > daender 08/02/2017 at 21:40

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That’s basically what I had in mind. In bed roll-cage might be the way to go instead of a cap! Then I could just hide a couple tool boxes above the wheel wells and against the cab.

plak424 > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:43

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Keep your truck and buy a project speed3

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 21:44

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Yes. They do make 6 lug TE37s. I know this because I quite badly want a set

shpuker > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 08/02/2017 at 21:47

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What do you drive?

shpuker > plak424 08/02/2017 at 21:48

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How about a mid-early 90's Miata instead?

Milky > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:00

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Ha, well shit. Good luck!

shpuker > Milky 08/02/2017 at 22:03

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The best part about it is that I didn’t even know it was suspended in Iowa until it wasn’t anymore (Was only there for a summer, was still in school, then came back to work full time). Michigan is clean though so that’s totally not a broken system.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > daender 08/02/2017 at 22:20

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Yellow lettering is a must.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > daender 08/02/2017 at 22:22

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Those look gooood

daender > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 08/02/2017 at 22:23

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A yellow oil-based sharpie might be able to do it alone but I recommend laying down a layer of white first and following it up with yellow.

It worked well for pop’s Goodyears.

plak424 > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:23

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Lol, that would have been my first recommendation, but it sounded like you wanted a hatch. Is that yours?

Coming from someone with an 07 speed3, a 90 miata, and a 00 F150, if you already have a miata you need to get a speed just to balance things out. Plus you can debadge it and throw an exhaust on it and confuse everyone you come across.

shpuker > plak424 08/02/2017 at 22:26

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No I wish. Just the 1500 right now. Gotta make some progress on loans before I start dumping cash into a second car, I figure a sub $2,000 Miata is doable in the next 6 moths-1 year though

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:29

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You could list your truck anywhere in the south (preferably somewhere like Nashville, TN) and make profit over what you owe.....

Just saying, trucks in good shape make a killing down here, just like property.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:32

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Yes, yes they do make te37s for trucks:

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > PanchoVilleneuve ST 08/02/2017 at 22:32

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Cough cough:

My Ray’s wouldn’t lie a word with you down in the fabrication shop about all that weird bolt pattern stuff...

shpuker > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet 08/02/2017 at 22:39

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You’d think so, 2WD trucks without rust in Michigan actually sit on the high end of value though. AKA if I look at the value in Austin its ~600 lower than Detroit and Nashville is maybe $100 more.

DipodomysDeserti > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:44

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Nah, I love my retro steelies with chrome rings.

shpuker > DipodomysDeserti 08/02/2017 at 22:46

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Matte white pearl wraps?

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:49

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Get the FoST

DipodomysDeserti > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:49

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I don’t what will happen if I put a wrap over the rust.

You know you can pick up used Lexus RX350s off lease for a pretty decent price.

shpuker > PanchoVilleneuve ST 08/02/2017 at 22:57

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Ahhhhhh that’s good and bad to hear all at once. I do love hte way the FoST drives and ya know 26mpg is better than 19, plus I’d have a manual again finally.

plak424 > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 22:57

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Do it. I love having the miata. I picked up an example that just so happened to be rusty in all non-essential areas and pristine everywhere else, but got it for a steal because of it. It’s basically my daily in the summer since it gets 30mpg.

I’m actually debating selling my beater truck and the speed and buying a newer truck, but they’re all so insanely expensive if you get anything besides a single cab with rwd.

Also obligatory miata and speed photos. I would add the truck, but no one wants to see a rusty F150.

shpuker > DipodomysDeserti 08/02/2017 at 22:59

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I imagine only great things?

I have a deep searing hatred for Lexus SUVs for whatever reason. Don’t think I could make myself do it. BMW X1's though?

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/2013-bmw-x1-sdrive28i-sport/6243038716.html

DipodomysDeserti > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 23:08

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I have a BMW X1 in Valencia Orange. It’s been a very good car. I share your hatred of Lexus SUVs.

shpuker > plak424 08/02/2017 at 23:13

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Just need a bright red EcoBoost F-150 to round out the trio

shpuker > DipodomysDeserti 08/02/2017 at 23:16

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Wait really? That’s too funny.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 23:18

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A third gen 4Runner. I mean look how well these wheels work

shpuker > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 08/02/2017 at 23:20

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Right idea, wrong model IMO

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 23:37

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Look. Most of the 6 lug wheels are hideous.

shpuker > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 08/02/2017 at 23:44

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Hahah I’m just giving you a hard time. The 4Runner on TE’s is a good look. Could always go with the resto-update approach to a set of rims and pull some off a wrecked newer model too. Works on some vehicles, IDK about the 4Runner

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 23:45

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Pay off the truck if it isn’t already, then mod the shit out of it and drive it forever. Trucks are great to have as a second car. I still have my 99 Dakota RT from back in 2002 when I bought it. I plan to keep it for when my boys are old enough to drive, so at least another 12 years. I lowered mine and enjoy it quite a bit. It comes in handy to haul stuff and I can pull a car trailer with it if need be. So hang onto yours and buy yourself a second car when funds are freed up. Just be patient.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > shpuker 08/02/2017 at 23:47

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One thing that is great about the FoST you can’t really experience in a test drive is how well it settles down and eats highway miles. I do a 2 hour highway drive at least once a week, and the FoST just breezes through it.

And the engine has enough torque that you can be puttering along in 6th at 70 and it’ll still pull hard without needing to downshift.

Really, though, as good as the chassis is (the chassis is brilliant), the reason to buy the car is the engine. It is precisely too much power for the car. It’s so perfectly too powerful that it’s faster to 60 if you short shift (like no higher than 3 grand) into second and let the transmission fight the engine enough to actually put the power down.

When you’re off boost and just driving it around in traffic, it’s just a Focus. It’s rental car dull. But the instant you put your right foot down it comes alive.

It’s the automotive equivalent of a kitten. It’ll curl up in a ball and sleep and sleep and sleep and then the instant you tickle its belly it wakes up and goes fucking apeshit.

One modification I’d suggest you make, especially if you live in an area that gets show or a decent amount of rain (any climate where you’ll be driving with wet shoes) is get some skateboard grip tape to put on the accelerator. The brake and clutch have rubber studs and are fine, but the gas is just this smooth (and admittedly pretty) piece of aluminum which is easy to slip off of. Not dangerously or frighteningly so, but it’s kinda annoying to go to overtake and have your foot go off to the side instead of down.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > shpuker 08/03/2017 at 00:00

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The 5th gens are awesome with them too. If I were to steal wheels from any other generation I would have to get the 5th gen TRD pro 6 spoke wheels

shpuker > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc 08/03/2017 at 00:05

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I’m leaning towards this option. Makes for a good excuse not to give anyone a ride ever too

pip bip - choose Corrour > shpuker 08/03/2017 at 06:50

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FoST

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > shpuker 08/03/2017 at 09:38

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The only issue with the truck that I can see is the single cab limiting practicality. If life throws curveballs at you, only one row of seats is a bit....difficult. But if you can pay it off fast enough then you’re in a position to tell life to fuck off, cause your truck is yours and you can deal with whatever else when it happens.

THat said, I traded up into a FoST and I’m completely smitten with it (look at how yellow my posts are!!!) so that’s not a bad answer, especially while the incentives are so high. A lot of people I know are getting out of bad loans thanks to the incentives on offer erasing a couple grand of trade deficit.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > shpuker 08/03/2017 at 10:08

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I’m glad I kept my truck. It’s not huge, but it does the trick for most hauling. It’s handy to have available.