This week in future vehicle considerations

"DasWauto" (DasWauto)
06/09/2020 at 22:30 • Filed to: Necessary car shopping without E90M3

2018+ F150 with anything but the N/A 3.3 V6, 2/4 drop because all trucks are too tall for my liking, widened wheel/tire setup to complete the stance.

I definitely like the single cab look most but I’m not sure I should own two vehicles that limit me to one passenger.

This idea is a decent contender to replace the WRX but I’m waiting for a few debuts (Broncos, new ‘Rex/STI, Frontier, mini-Ram, Corolla GRMN, among others) before I commit to anything.

DISCUSSION (42)

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 22:42

I like the lowered F150 idea a lot. There was someone I remember seeing who bagged their previous-gen F150, and used Raptor fenders and bedsides for a super aggressive street truck look.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 22:46

Dropped single cabs are the shit.

CB > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 22:49

If you get a bench in the front you can have two passengers.

For Sweden > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 22:57

A pickup? Are you only going to drive it for work purposes?

TheRealBicycleBuck > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 23:05

My favorite rentals were the F-150s. I’d seriously consider one for my next vehicle.

Gerry197 > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 23:14

Full size street trucks are awesome, a simple platform for both utility and performance, at least in a classic muscle car type of way.

You can get it in 3 seat configuration in single cab, just get a the standard 40/20/40 bucket seat with flip up center. Looks like normal captain’s chairs with center console with the seat flipped down.

If you go supercab you get suicide doors with the capability of six passengers and still a full size bed.

Both configurations are cheaper than the ever popular crew cab variety, however they are both harder to find, especially the single cab models.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > DasWauto
06/09/2020 at 23:59

That dark red one on broze wheels looks sooooooooooo good

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 00:11

Lived with lowered high powered pickups pretending to be a sports car before. Can not recommend. All the impracticality of a two door sports car coupled with acres of wasted space and the handling prowess and vehicle dynamics of a pickup.

DipodomysDeserti > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 00:42

You can fit a lot more than one person in the bed of a pickup.

Forrest > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 03:34

I was lusting after a single cab short bed F150 for a while. I told myself “it will be such a hot rod” and “it is like the sports car of trucks.”

Then I drove one. It did great at shleppi ng stuff around, which is what it is designed to do. The one I drove was a 5.0 V8, and it made some decent V8 sounds, and it felt reasonably quick in a straight line. But, it cornered like crap. On roads that, in other cars, are smooth, all I could feel was the solid axle shimmying over each minor imperfection in the road. For a full size truck, this is all normal, of course. But, in my opinion, my bone stock vanilla base model 170hp VW Golf is profoundly more fun to drive in most situations than a current gen F150 V8.

Now, I kinda want a Ridgeline, though. I imagine once I actually drive one, I will decide otherwise. And this is all under "unnecessary car shopping," because I have only driven 200 miles since the shelter in place started 3 months ago, and I have no plans to go out any time soon.

Captain of the Enterprise > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 06:02

I like the look a lot more than I thought I would. Why replace the WRX? I’m curious as someone who likes looking at WRXs.

A Boy and His Longtail > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 08:03

Get the single cab F150 with the V8. Slap a Roush supercharger on it and boom, Ford Lightning 2: electric boogaloo

OPPOsaurus WRX > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 08:09

I couldn’ t imagine going from the great handling in a WRX to a fat pick-up. On the other hand, I saw a lowered F150 the other day and they d o look awesome with a mid lowering kit.

Nibby > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 08:34

i have a 2018 F150 XLT crew cab with the 2.7L, 4WD... AMA

DasWauto > Captain of the Enterprise
06/10/2020 at 08:54

As it’s not my only car, I don’t need it to do everything anymore. I’ve got the 128i to handle autocross and back road fun. T he WRX is a pain to put my mountain bike in and it limits me to riding alone. If I want to ride with someone else, we can’t take my car. The Subaru is also expensive to insure and keep fueled up (premium, bad mileage because it encourages you to use the power), not great ergonomically for my tallness and just generally unrefined. Not that a truck is much, if any better in most of these aspects but a new experience is something appealing to me, as is the durability.

Having owned a couple of new cars now, the worst part of the experience is feeling like I have to be precious or careful with it. I think with a truck I wouldn’t feel like I have to care as much and see it as more of a tool, leading to a more carefree ownership experience, especially if I buy one (lightly) used.

As one car to do it all in a place where winter is a factor, the WRX has no competitors for the price and I can’t recommend it strongly enough. Whatever I end up replacing it with, I know I’ll miss driving it in the winter.

DasWauto > OPPOsaurus WRX
06/10/2020 at 09:06

The winter handling is the biggest reason I haven’t already gotten rid of it and I know that whatever I replace the WRX with, I’ll miss driving it on loose surfaces. As an only car where snow is a factor ~4 months of the year it is amazing and without peer in its price range.

As the Subie is not my only car anymore, I’m looking to address some shortcomings - insurance and fuel costs, ergonomics (for 6’5” me), a general lack of refinement and mountain bike transport limitations (sedans kinda suck). A truck doesn’t really address many of those concerns all that well but a new experience is appealing, as is what I would think could be a more carefree ownership experience; I feel like a truck’s ability to shrug off abuse would quell my feeling that I have to be careful with or precious about how I use my new vehicle .

That said, i f the next gen WRX/STI are available as hatchbacks, every other option will likely go out the window.

DasWauto > Nibby
06/10/2020 at 09:14

Other than how it rides/handles after lowering I’m actually pretty familiar with these trucks. My dad has a ‘14 crew with the 5.0 and my brother a ‘19 super cab with the 2.7. Either of those motors with the 10-speed make a great drivetrain. That said, how has your experience with the 2.7/10 speed been? Any unexpected maintenance as it’s a couple of years old now and you’ve racked up a good amount of mileage?

DasWauto > CB
06/10/2020 at 09:16

True, but I think I’ll likely want the power adjustable buckets for the sake of ergonomics for my lankiness.

Nibby > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 09:36

maintenance, just regular stuff so far... oilchanges, tire rotations, wipers, etc. 2.7L/10 speed has been quite the combo... i am averaging around 19-20 mpg mostly local driving... on roadtrips I get 23-25mpg which is insane for the size of it

just passed 16,000 miles over the wee k end... the 2.7L *moves* daresay even a tad quicker than the 2015 ram 1500 with the 5.7L i had before... the XLT seats are actually really comfortable

DasWauto > Forrest
06/10/2020 at 09:46

The F150 is probably the worst in the category for the solid axle shimmy over imperfect roads. That ride quality has been especially apparent in the Fords for the last 10+ years as they use fairly firm spring pack to boast in the ever escalating dick-measuring contest of payload/towing numbers, irrelevant as they are for many of their buyers, myself included.

I have a 128i for when I want to care about handling, which, with the majority of roads being rectilinear here is mostly limited to recreational driving. Despite that, I know I’ll miss driving the Subaru in winter.

I had one of those base model 170hp Golfs before the WRX and I’ll affirm your belief that it is an excellent car.

DasWauto > DipodomysDeserti
06/10/2020 at 09:46

True, but they may not like me much from ~November through April.

DasWauto > For Sweden
06/10/2020 at 09:47

Of course, why would anyone buy a truck otherwise?

DasWauto > A Boy and His Longtail
06/10/2020 at 09:48

Having watched a few videos of these trucks with whipple superchargers, it’s mighty tempting.

DasWauto > Gerry197
06/10/2020 at 09:50

My dad has a crew cab, my brother a supercab, I’d be completing the set. :)

I’d probably want the power adjustable buckets for ergonomics , which I think might be limited to models with a centre console and would be even harder to find in a single cab. I’ll keep my eyes open for one and give it a go when I get a chance.

shop-teacher > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 09:56

That top one looks very tasty!

DasWauto > Nibby
06/10/2020 at 09:56

You’ve put less miles on than I expected but good to hear it’s treated you well and y our fuel mileage is only slightly lower than what I average in the Subaru (~ 22 winter/24 summer), so that would probably net me a saving with the truck taking regular to my premium.

Can confirm that the 2.7 can scoot. My WRX is faster, but it would a good launch to beat my brother’s 2.7 supercab.

DipodomysDeserti > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 10:01

Kinja'd!!!

DasWauto > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/10/2020 at 10:10

All true but I don’t really need it to handle well, I have the 128i for that. The appeal is the ability to blast down gravel and snow bank covered roads without care and to be able to toss mountain bikes and other stuff in the back, which isn’t easy with the WRX. I will miss driving the Subaru in winter but I can probably amuse myself with a truck if I leave it in RWD most of the time.

For Sweden > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 10:13

They better not buy a truck because they like trucks

DasWauto > For Sweden
06/10/2020 at 12:21

Hatchbacks and vans are the ultimate vehicles and should be the only types of cars anyone who isn’t in construction or a farmer is allowed to buy.

OPPOsaurus WRX > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 12:26

I put a t railer hitch on my WRX for the mountain bike. It was an easy way to carry them a round. Sedans do suck. I had a hatch.

DasWauto > OPPOsaurus WRX
06/10/2020 at 14:16

I’m probably going to do the same in the meantime as I wait for some new vehicles to come to market.

Saracen > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 14:35

Sounds like a lowered Tremor is the right truck for you.

Forrest > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 14:47

Makes sense.

I saw in one of the other comments below that you are looking for a winter vehicle that you can throw bikes in without caring about messing up the interior.

Here is a wacky (probably stupid) idea. You like the WRX. You want a bed. How about a Subaru Baja Turbo?

DasWauto > Forrest
06/10/2020 at 16:04

A Baja would be great, if they still made them. I’d like to keep my daily driver fairly new, reliable and ideally still in warranty and unfortunately the newest Baja is approaching 15 years old. I’d be down for a return, though I’m likely in a very small minority there.

DasWauto > Saracen
06/10/2020 at 16:11

I’m assuming you’re referring to the last gen F150 Tremor, not the current F250. They do look cool but I don’t really like the old 6 speed automatics those came with. Also, I’m not sure they were sold in Canada.

The trans is the reason I specified the ‘18+ F150 as everything but the base NA V6 got the 10-speed. While not as good as the ZF8 that Ram uses the 10 speed is a good enough automatic to get me away from my 3-pedals-only stance. The old 6 speed is too much of a reluctant to downshift rubber band for my liking, at least that’s my experience from my dad’s ‘14 F150 with the 5.0.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 18:15

Noted.

It does make me wonder...if we got those down here for the sort of prices you can get them for over there, I’m curious if they would outsell the Hilux or Ranger (Oz’s two most popular new car vehicles...by some margin ).

The F Series (and their competitors) of the last twenty years have always struck me as unnecessarily and impracticaly large.

Saracen > DasWauto
06/10/2020 at 18:32

Yep, I meant the F150 Tremor with the 3.5 Ecoboosta.

DasWauto > Saracen
06/10/2020 at 18:55

The 3.5EB would be fun but for long term reliability I’d want the second gen of the 2.7 (2018+) or 3.5 Ecoboosts (2016 or 17, I think) as those are dual injected , rather than just direct injected , to prevent carbon buildup on the intake valves.

DasWauto > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
06/10/2020 at 19:08

Full size trucks are all unnecessarily large, but the relatively small price difference between them and the Hilux/Ranger equivalents make it easy to choose the bigger vehicle. ‘murica, fuck yeah (also true here in Canada).

I think if they were similarly priced and available in Oz, the sales would likely trend similarly. They just make the smaller trucks look like poor value.

I guess they’re not being made anymore but what I’d really like is a Holden Ute. Maybe I’ll import one one day.

Saracen > DasWauto
06/11/2020 at 01:06

Or, just add water/meth injection and get the same effect and the ability to run more boost ;)

Forrest > DasWauto
06/11/2020 at 01:33

I am also in that minority. I am fortunate to be in a financial position where I can afford new cars. And, I also don’t have a lot of free time and energy to wrench on stuff. Also, I can’t stand squeaks and rattles or disintegrating plastic or other nearly-unavoidable aspects of owning older cars.

Yeah, we are definitely in the minority. But, I stick around on Oppo because I enjoy hearing about other people’s car shopping, car projects, etc.

tl;dr David Tracy does David Tracy stuff so I don't have to