New vehicle confusion...
 

What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored
until OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with
moonroof way too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and rear
seat room cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both power
and ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle just
looks too big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no security
or downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to play some stupid
'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as a
2nd vehicle and boat hauler.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored until
OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with moonroof way
too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and rear seat room
cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both power and
ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle just looks too
big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no security or
downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to play some stupid
'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as a 2nd
vehicle and boat hauler.





Sounds like a Ford Ranger with air and automatic is in your future Don. ;-)

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/index.asp

Nice looking truck. What is the towing capacity with the 3 liter?

New vehicle confusion...
 

JimH wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
...

What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored until
OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with moonroof way
too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and rear seat room
cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both power and
ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle just looks too
big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no security or
downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to play some stupid
'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as a 2nd
vehicle and boat hauler.






Sounds like a Ford Ranger with air and automatic is in your future Don. ;-)

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/index.asp

Nice looking truck. What is the towing capacity with the 3 liter?



3500 lbs. Plenty of reserve for my 1800 lb load.
The 3.0 liter engine has the same hp as my Plymouth mini-van... 142.
One potential savings... I don't have to install a trailer hitch. The
big rear bumper an accomodate a tongue weight of 200 lbs.
The truck rode a bit rough & noisy in the test run & the engine seemed
to lag a bit when applying gas...but the salesman said it wasn't tumed
up yet and the tires were still overinflated from shipping.
Says that are left on the lot this way until prepd for sale to avoid
flat spots and save the dealers a few dollars on gas.
The truck is no prize when compared to a Tundra.... but how can you beat
the lease payments? I could upgrade to a slightly bigger V6 and 4WD for
35.00 more per month. Don't really need either for my tow load.
If it wasn't for the wife, I'd just get the manual truck.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
Don White wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
...

What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored
until OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with
moonroof way too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and rear
seat room cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both power
and ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle just
looks too big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no security
or downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to play some
stupid 'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as a
2nd vehicle and boat hauler.





Sounds like a Ford Ranger with air and automatic is in your future Don.
;-)

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/index.asp

Nice looking truck. What is the towing capacity with the 3 liter?



3500 lbs. Plenty of reserve for my 1800 lb load.
The 3.0 liter engine has the same hp as my Plymouth mini-van... 142.
One potential savings... I don't have to install a trailer hitch. The big
rear bumper an accomodate a tongue weight of 200 lbs.
The truck rode a bit rough & noisy in the test run & the engine seemed to
lag a bit when applying gas...but the salesman said it wasn't tumed up
yet and the tires were still overinflated from shipping.
Says that are left on the lot this way until prepd for sale to avoid flat
spots and save the dealers a few dollars on gas.
The truck is no prize when compared to a Tundra.... but how can you beat
the lease payments? I could upgrade to a slightly bigger V6 and 4WD for
35.00 more per month. Don't really need either for my tow load.
If it wasn't for the wife, I'd just get the manual truck.


I'd go for the Sienna if it will tow your boat.


But it is a minivan! :-O

New vehicle confusion...
 

Harry Krause wrote:
Don White wrote:

JimH wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...

What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored
until OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with
moonroof way too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and
rear seat room cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both
power and ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle
just looks too big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no
security or downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to
play some stupid 'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as
a 2nd vehicle and boat hauler.





Sounds like a Ford Ranger with air and automatic is in your future
Don. ;-)

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/index.asp

Nice looking truck. What is the towing capacity with the 3 liter?



3500 lbs. Plenty of reserve for my 1800 lb load.
The 3.0 liter engine has the same hp as my Plymouth mini-van... 142.
One potential savings... I don't have to install a trailer hitch. The
big rear bumper an accomodate a tongue weight of 200 lbs.
The truck rode a bit rough & noisy in the test run & the engine seemed
to lag a bit when applying gas...but the salesman said it wasn't tumed
up yet and the tires were still overinflated from shipping.
Says that are left on the lot this way until prepd for sale to avoid
flat spots and save the dealers a few dollars on gas.
The truck is no prize when compared to a Tundra.... but how can you
beat the lease payments? I could upgrade to a slightly bigger V6 and
4WD for 35.00 more per month. Don't really need either for my tow
load.
If it wasn't for the wife, I'd just get the manual truck.



I'd go for the Sienna if it will tow your boat.

The Sienna has the same 3500 capacity as the Ranger. Always thought I'd
get the Sienna next...but it just seems so big for two semi-retired
people and occasionally my mom. Speaking about mom, it would be a bit
crowded in the cab of the pickup. It has the little sideways jump seats
but I don't know anybody who would fit in them. We'll have to draw
straws to see who sits in the bed.

New vehicle confusion...
 

I had the 4x4 Ranger SC with the 4.0 V6 4spd, I used it to tow my 13'
Whaler with no problems but all in all it was a total POS. I ended up in
lemon (arbitration) law court with only 9000 miles on it. The judgement
went in my favor, so I took the money and bought a Chebby Silverado.

FWIW. I'd be leery of any salesman that said a brand new vehicle needed
a tuneup. UD

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored until
OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with moonroof way
too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and rear seat room
cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both power and
ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle just looks too
big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no security or
downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to play some stupid
'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as a 2nd
vehicle and boat hauler.



Never had a Toyota anything, so I can't comment, but I have had a couple of
Rangers and I think they are one of the greatest values around. Actually a
re-badged Mazda, just about everyone I know that's had one, including me,
loved the little truck. I also had a Chevy S-10 for a while. The Ranger
was much better, IMO. It acts like a little truck.

RCE

New vehicle confusion...
 

""UglyDan®©T"" wrote in message
...
I had the 4x4 Ranger SC with the 4.0 V6 4spd, I used it to tow my 13'
Whaler with no problems but all in all it was a total POS. I ended up in
lemon (arbitration) law court with only 9000 miles on it. The judgement
went in my favor, so I took the money and bought a Chebby Silverado.

FWIW. I'd be leery of any salesman that said a brand new vehicle needed
a tuneup. UD



My last post.

Everyone I know except Ugly Dan who had/has a Ranger loves it. :-)

RCE

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 19:51:54 -0500, "RCE" wrote:

Never had a Toyota anything, so I can't comment, but I have had a couple of
Rangers and I think they are one of the greatest values around. Actually a
re-badged Mazda, just about everyone I know that's had one, including me,
loved the little truck. I also had a Chevy S-10 for a while. The Ranger
was much better, IMO. It acts like a little truck.

I have a Toyota Tundra which acts like a big truck.

All kidding aside I think it's a great vehicle. Whether it is a great
"value" or not is an interesting debate. There is no question that
there are cheaper trucks out there with comparable capabilities, but
my past experiences with Ford and Chevy quality/reliability leaves a
lot to be desired. Honestly, your recent experiences with a Ford
truck have done nothing to change my mind.

My Tundra will be 5 years old in the fall and has never required any
unscheduled maintenance. That is consistent with what we have have
become accustomed to with Toyotas and Hondas, and is worth a lot to
me. My youngest son is still driving our old '92 Camry every day in
NYC traffic. Almost 200,000 miles and it has never required any
unscheduled maintenance either, although it did need a radiator
replacement at one point.

If only they made boats... :-)

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 19:51:54 -0500, "RCE" wrote:

Never had a Toyota anything, so I can't comment, but I have had a couple
of
Rangers and I think they are one of the greatest values around. Actually
a
re-badged Mazda, just about everyone I know that's had one, including me,
loved the little truck. I also had a Chevy S-10 for a while. The Ranger
was much better, IMO. It acts like a little truck.

I have a Toyota Tundra which acts like a big truck.

All kidding aside I think it's a great vehicle. Whether it is a great
"value" or not is an interesting debate. There is no question that
there are cheaper trucks out there with comparable capabilities, but
my past experiences with Ford and Chevy quality/reliability leaves a
lot to be desired. Honestly, your recent experiences with a Ford
truck have done nothing to change my mind.


Since I moaned and groaned before about my Ford Powerstroke, I guess I
should also report some of the more recent up side.

About 2 months ago, which was about 1 month after my second stranding by the
truck, I got a notice from Ford requesting that I bring the truck in to the
dealership for a software update on the engine. At the time the truck was
running, I was busy and I forgot about the letter.

Before I started this trip to Denver, I brought the truck to the dealership
for regular service and remembered the letter. The short of it is, they
reprogrammed the engine control computer or whatever it is called with
revised software. The effect was immediate. The engine is quieter,
particularly when cold, is smoother running and has gobs more power. This
trip to Denver really underscored the difference. Going out with an empty
trailer, I noticed more power and smoother throttle response, but expected
to notice some difference coming back hauling the old truck on the trailer.
Nothing. This thing hauls up and down hills at 70-75 miles an hour, never
downshifts out of overdrive (it used to all the time, even pulling a 20'
boat) and gets about 2-3 miles per gallon better fuel mileage to boot.

I weighed everything (loaded truck and trailer with '55 truck) at a CAT
scale on the way back. 14,400 lbs.

I think the original engine software had a glitch in it.

If it keeps running like this, I'll never get rid of it.

RCE

New vehicle confusion...
 

If only they made boats... :-)

They did for a while and ultimately failed at it. Hard to imagine, but
true. And managed to fail in a market segment that was showing huge sales
growth (inboard ski boats) vs. other types/styles of boats.

http://www.epicmarine.com/history.html

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 20:47:17 -0500, "RCE" wrote:

I think the original engine software had a glitch in it.

If it keeps running like this, I'll never get rid of it.

Glad to hear that they have made progress with it, and that your trip
went OK. Towing across country with that kind of weight is a good
test.

Does Ford recommend towing in overdrive? I always make a point of not
doing that although I'm sure it costs some fuel mileage. You have
more torque with a diesel of course than I do with a relatively small
displacement V8.

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 20:19:14 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:



My Tundra will be 5 years old in the fall and has never required any
unscheduled maintenance. That is consistent with what we have have
become accustomed to with Toyotas and Hondas, and is worth a lot to
me. My youngest son is still driving our old '92 Camry every day in
NYC traffic. Almost 200,000 miles and it has never required any
unscheduled maintenance either, although it did need a radiator
replacement at one point.


One thing to consider... if Toyota does things like Honda used to, you
can have quite a bit of "unscheduled" maintenance on your Ranger
before it adds up to the "Scheduled" maintenance required for the
Honda. Is it the same for the Toyota? How much have you spent on
"scheduled maintenance"?

With the required maintenance on the only Honda I've ever owned, in
60,000 miles I had spent a LOT of money. The Ranger will require oil
and filter to kepp up the warranty.

Jack

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 18:48:12 -0700, "RG" wrote:

They did for a while and ultimately failed at it. Hard to imagine, but
true. And managed to fail in a market segment that was showing huge sales
growth (inboard ski boats) vs. other types/styles of boats.

http://www.epicmarine.com/history.html

Interesting. It sounds like they could have made a success of it if
their commitment had been a little stronger. They may have over
estimated the market however and eventually decided that the long term
ROI was not there.

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 02:13:31 GMT, Jack Goff wrote:

Is it the same for the Toyota? How much have you spent on
"scheduled maintenance"?

Good question but I'm not sure. Probably less than $600 during the
warranty period but that's a guess. The dealer always tried to "up
sell" required items but the actual wording in the owners guide was
not that onerous.

After the warranty on the Camry was up it was basically just oil
changes, tires, etc. The only exception to that was struts at about
70K thanks to really bad NYC/NJ roads, the aforementioned radiator at
about 120K miles, and preventive replacement of the water pump, timing
chain and spark plugs at 100K miles.

My wife's Honda Accord is now well over 100K miles and has never even
needed new struts. We did do PM of the water pump and timing chain
at 100K.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 20:47:17 -0500, "RCE" wrote:

I think the original engine software had a glitch in it.

If it keeps running like this, I'll never get rid of it.

Glad to hear that they have made progress with it, and that your trip
went OK. Towing across country with that kind of weight is a good
test.

Does Ford recommend towing in overdrive? I always make a point of not
doing that although I'm sure it costs some fuel mileage. You have
more torque with a diesel of course than I do with a relatively small
displacement V8.


Ford's new transmission for these trucks came out in either 2004 or 2005.
It has a tow/haul mode, which I use, but it does not lock out overdrive like
the older ones. I like it a lot - it behaves similarly to an Allison auto
transmission, downshifting based on speed and brake pressure, plus holding
in gear longer while accelerating.

RCE

New vehicle confusion...
 

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Thu, 30 Mar 2006 19:51:54 -0500, "RCE" wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...
What to do...
choices...

2006 Toyota RAV4: Took it for a test drive this afternoon.
Lots of pep...but seemed to lag a bit between when pedal was floored until
OD kicked in. Also OD jumped out very quickly. Model with moonroof way
too confining...base model not bad.. a bit small and rear seat room
cramped.

2006 Toyota Sienna: For $800.00 less and a better interest rate on
financing/leasing, was quite reasonable. Much smoother in both power and
ride..... very roomy in front and back seats. But vehicle just looks too
big from the outside...and after all it's a mini-van.
After driving one for 11 years, do I want to jump into another?

2006 Ford Ranger: They are giving these things away on a 3 year lease.
$209.00 per month CDN for 6 cyl manual transmission model..no security or
downpayment, $1K in free accessories and a chance to play some stupid
'Open Suitcase' game to win money.
To add automatic and air conditioning you add another $50.00 per month.
The 6 cyl 3.0 liter engine isn't very powerful, but could fill in as a 2nd
vehicle and boat hauler.


Never had a Toyota anything, so I can't comment, but I have had a couple of
Rangers and I think they are one of the greatest values around. Actually a
re-badged Mazda, just about everyone I know that's had one, including me,
loved the little truck. I also had a Chevy S-10 for a while. The Ranger
was much better, IMO. It acts like a little truck.

I second that. My youngest boy has a Ranger and he beat the hell out
of it commuting to RI and back when in school, taking it all over hell
and gone and now it's in SC. 175,000 on it at this point - 3.0 liter
V6 and the only thing that has gone south is a rear brake drum that
warped for some reason. He's literally beat on it by using it, but
regular oil changes and maintenance keeps it still running strong.
Tom,
How often did he change the oil and did her follow the preventative
maintenance schedule?

--
Reggie

"That's my story and I am sticking to it."

New vehicle confusion...
 

200,000 miles on CamryXLE: No unscheduled maintenance or repairs. Routine
oil changes, timing belts at 75K intervals, 2 sets of tires, 1 set brake
pads, 1 air filter, windshield washer fluid as needed, 2 sets of wiper
blades, 1 transmission fluid exchange. Spark plugs never changed.
If you plan to keep the vehicle for many miles, Toyota wouldn't be a bad
choice.
Jim

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 02:13:31 GMT, Jack Goff wrote:

Is it the same for the Toyota? How much have you spent on
"scheduled maintenance"?

Good question but I'm not sure. Probably less than $600 during the
warranty period but that's a guess. The dealer always tried to "up
sell" required items but the actual wording in the owners guide was
not that onerous.

After the warranty on the Camry was up it was basically just oil
changes, tires, etc. The only exception to that was struts at about
70K thanks to really bad NYC/NJ roads, the aforementioned radiator at
about 120K miles, and preventive replacement of the water pump, timing
chain and spark plugs at 100K miles.

My wife's Honda Accord is now well over 100K miles and has never even
needed new struts. We did do PM of the water pump and timing chain
at 100K.

New vehicle confusion...
 

Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.
Got a bit lucky playing.. 'Make a deal'. I won $500.00 by picking the
right briefcase and not taking a chance on trying to increase by chosing
another.
Can't wait till I hitch the sailboat to the truck and head for the water.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.
Got a bit lucky playing.. 'Make a deal'. I won $500.00 by picking the
right briefcase and not taking a chance on trying to increase by chosing
another.
Can't wait till I hitch the sailboat to the truck and head for the water.



Congratulations Don. Post a picture when you get a chance.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...
200,000 miles on CamryXLE: No unscheduled maintenance or repairs. Routine
oil changes, timing belts at 75K intervals, 2 sets of tires, 1 set brake
pads, 1 air filter, windshield washer fluid as needed, 2 sets of wiper
blades, 1 transmission fluid exchange. Spark plugs never changed.
If you plan to keep the vehicle for many miles, Toyota wouldn't be a bad
choice.
Jim



One air filter change over those 200,000 miles?

New vehicle confusion...
 

" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
...

"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...
200,000 miles on CamryXLE: No unscheduled maintenance or repairs. Routine
oil changes, timing belts at 75K intervals, 2 sets of tires, 1 set brake
pads, 1 air filter, windshield washer fluid as needed, 2 sets of wiper
blades, 1 transmission fluid exchange. Spark plugs never changed.
If you plan to keep the vehicle for many miles, Toyota wouldn't be a bad
choice.
Jim



One air filter change over those 200,000 miles?

That is correct. And it Wasn't even that dirty.
Jim

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:03:32 GMT, Don White
wrote:

JimH wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
...

Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.
Got a bit lucky playing.. 'Make a deal'. I won $500.00 by picking the
right briefcase and not taking a chance on trying to increase by chosing
another.
Can't wait till I hitch the sailboat to the truck and head for the
water.




Congratulations Don. Post a picture when you get a chance.


Let's see if this works..
see attached:

EEEWWWWWWWWW - it's red!!!

If it is red it is fast.........that is why fire engines are red. ;-)

New vehicle confusion...
 

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:03:32 GMT, Don White
wrote:


JimH wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...


Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.
Got a bit lucky playing.. 'Make a deal'. I won $500.00 by picking the
right briefcase and not taking a chance on trying to increase by chosing
another.
Can't wait till I hitch the sailboat to the truck and head for the water.




Congratulations Don. Post a picture when you get a chance.



Let's see if this works..
see attached:


EEEWWWWWWWWW - it's red!!!


What did you expect after all that 'red truck' talk pumped at us by RCE?
Not much choice left. Today was last day of promotion...I had the silver
selected but the wife nixed that.
Choices were... black, white, silver, ugly orange red or the red the
wife chose.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.

Should have gone with a spray-in liner. The only way to go. I've had
Line-X sprayed in my last two trucks and really like it. The stuff is
indestructible, and unlike a hard plastic drop-in liner won't promote rust
by removing paint in the box and trapping moisture under the liner. Also
will add traction to things placed in the bed, whereas the hard plastic
drop-in actually makes things worse than no liner in that department. And,
it act as a noise reducer rather than a noise producer. Not sure how a
spray-in liner would be looked at from the leasing company's perspective,
but I wouldn't think it would be a problem as the spray-in liners increase
trade-in values when appraising used vehicles at Kelley Blue Book or
Edmunds. Any chance you can reverse that choice at this early date?
Seriously, there's no comparison to the utility and functionality of a
spray-in liner versus a drop-in. I'd easily walk away from a free drop-in
liner and pay for a Line-X or equivalent spray-in. On a compact truck, the
cost of the spray-in shouldn't be that bad, especially when you amortize it
over the lease term.

New vehicle confusion...
 

RG wrote:
"Don White" wrote in message
...

Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.


Should have gone with a spray-in liner. The only way to go. I've had
Line-X sprayed in my last two trucks and really like it. The stuff is
indestructible, and unlike a hard plastic drop-in liner won't promote rust
by removing paint in the box and trapping moisture under the liner. Also
will add traction to things placed in the bed, whereas the hard plastic
drop-in actually makes things worse than no liner in that department. And,
it act as a noise reducer rather than a noise producer. Not sure how a
spray-in liner would be looked at from the leasing company's perspective,
but I wouldn't think it would be a problem as the spray-in liners increase
trade-in values when appraising used vehicles at Kelley Blue Book or
Edmunds. Any chance you can reverse that choice at this early date?
Seriously, there's no comparison to the utility and functionality of a
spray-in liner versus a drop-in. I'd easily walk away from a free drop-in
liner and pay for a Line-X or equivalent spray-in. On a compact truck, the
cost of the spray-in shouldn't be that bad, especially when you amortize it
over the lease term.


How much did it cost you to spray your bed?

New vehicle confusion...
 

How much did it cost you to spray your bed?

$389 USD plus tax. Ford F250 short bed. Done December 2004 on current
truck

$289 USD plus tax. Same model truck. Done October 1999 on previous truck.

Both done by the same Line-X dealer. I was a bit taken aback by the
percentage increase for the second job, but I was so pleased with the five
years spent with the first job that I never considered not doing it. Both
were done in the first week of ownership of each truck. Maybe others will
chime in here with their experiences, but I am way serious about how good a
product this stuff is. There are other brands beside Line-X, but that's the
one I have experience with, and I'm sold on it. At least check into it,
Don. You owe it to yourself and your new truck.

New vehicle confusion...
 

Here's a link to Line-X Canada:

http://www.line-x.ca/linex/loc1.htm?now=76850

Something to think about: You may end up liking your new Ranger so much
that you end up buying it at the end of the lease. Under this scenario,
getting the spray-in liner and getting it done early makes even more sense.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"RG" wrote in message
news:lcmXf.14806$6a1.5728@fed1read04...


How much did it cost you to spray your bed?

$389 USD plus tax. Ford F250 short bed. Done December 2004 on current
truck

$289 USD plus tax. Same model truck. Done October 1999 on previous
truck.

Both done by the same Line-X dealer. I was a bit taken aback by the
percentage increase for the second job, but I was so pleased with the five
years spent with the first job that I never considered not doing it. Both
were done in the first week of ownership of each truck. Maybe others will
chime in here with their experiences, but I am way serious about how good
a product this stuff is. There are other brands beside Line-X, but that's
the one I have experience with, and I'm sold on it. At least check into
it, Don. You owe it to yourself and your new truck.

I understand the application process includes sanding of the paint in the
bed so the spray will stick.
Was that your experience? If so, I figure I'll use my truck and when the
bed gets really scratched and dinged up in a few years, then I'll have the
Line-X or similar put on.

RCE

New vehicle confusion...
 

I understand the application process includes sanding of the paint in the
bed so the spray will stick.
Was that your experience? If so, I figure I'll use my truck and when the
bed gets really scratched and dinged up in a few years, then I'll have the
Line-X or similar put on.


Here's a link that describes the process:

http://www.line-x.ca/linex/process.html

Yes, it does look like the paint is scuffed to aid in adhesion. Your
approach is certainly a valid one. On the other hand, there are advantages
to doing it right away. Aesthetically, you don't have to live with the bed
of your truck looking ever more worse for wear as time goes by until you get
the job done. My first truck's bed looked like it did the day it was
sprayed on when I traded it five years later. The spray-in liner is a
natural sealant against rust. Spray it early and you can seal the bed
before any rust forms. I would think that would be a fairly big deal in
your part of the country. Also, the liner gives some traction to things in
the bed, so they are less likely to slide around. This stuff is pretty
tough and thick, and while I don't think it is an absolute shield against
dents in the bed, I do believe it adds a very significant resistance to
dents forming. Food for thought.

These guys do a very thorough and meticulous job. Notice in the picture
below how they remove fastening hardware before spraying and then replace it
afterward, as opposed to just spraying over it. Just the way you would want
it done

http://www2.line-x.com/ns/PhotoGallery.html?now=8499

Russ

New vehicle confusion...
 

These guys do a very thorough and meticulous job. Notice in the picture
below how they remove fastening hardware before spraying and then replace
it afterward, as opposed to just spraying over it. Just the way you would
want it done

http://www2.line-x.com/ns/PhotoGallery.html?now=8499


Aw crap, that didn't work the way it was supposed to. Click the link above,
and then select 04 Toyota Tundra D-Cab Rear View from the drop-down box,
then click View Image. That will get you to the photo I intended.

Russ

New vehicle confusion...
 

JIMinFL wrote:
" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
...
"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...
200,000 miles on CamryXLE: No unscheduled maintenance or repairs. Routine
oil changes, timing belts at 75K intervals, 2 sets of tires, 1 set brake
pads, 1 air filter, windshield washer fluid as needed, 2 sets of wiper
blades, 1 transmission fluid exchange. Spark plugs never changed.
If you plan to keep the vehicle for many miles, Toyota wouldn't be a bad
choice.
Jim


One air filter change over those 200,000 miles?

That is correct. And it Wasn't even that dirty.
Jim



Jim,
I can not think of one reason why you would lie about the life of your
tires or how many miles before you change your air filter, but it is
amazing and you can understand why some of us were skeptical. You need
to submit them to the Ripley's Believe it or Not, and the tire manu. and
filter manu.



--
Reggie

"That's my story and I am sticking to it."

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 17:10:43 -0700, "RG" wrote:


"Don White" wrote in message
...
Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.

Should have gone with a spray-in liner. The only way to go. I've had
Line-X sprayed in my last two trucks and really like it. The stuff is
indestructible, and unlike a hard plastic drop-in liner won't promote rust
by removing paint in the box and trapping moisture under the liner. Also
will add traction to things placed in the bed, whereas the hard plastic
drop-in actually makes things worse than no liner in that department. And,
it act as a noise reducer rather than a noise producer. Not sure how a
spray-in liner would be looked at from the leasing company's perspective,
but I wouldn't think it would be a problem as the spray-in liners increase
trade-in values when appraising used vehicles at Kelley Blue Book or
Edmunds. Any chance you can reverse that choice at this early date?
Seriously, there's no comparison to the utility and functionality of a
spray-in liner versus a drop-in. I'd easily walk away from a free drop-in
liner and pay for a Line-X or equivalent spray-in. On a compact truck, the
cost of the spray-in shouldn't be that bad, especially when you amortize it
over the lease term.


Rhinoliner Rules!

Almost ten years on mine, and I love it! Cost about $400. Worth much more
than that. When I took the plastic dura-liner thing out, there was very
little paint left on the bed. In several spots the wear was clear thru the
primer with bare metal showing.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

New vehicle confusion...
 

On Sat, 1 Apr 2006 02:40:40 -0500, "RCE" wrote:


"RG" wrote in message
news:lcmXf.14806$6a1.5728@fed1read04...


How much did it cost you to spray your bed?

$389 USD plus tax. Ford F250 short bed. Done December 2004 on current
truck

$289 USD plus tax. Same model truck. Done October 1999 on previous
truck.

Both done by the same Line-X dealer. I was a bit taken aback by the
percentage increase for the second job, but I was so pleased with the five
years spent with the first job that I never considered not doing it. Both
were done in the first week of ownership of each truck. Maybe others will
chime in here with their experiences, but I am way serious about how good
a product this stuff is. There are other brands beside Line-X, but that's
the one I have experience with, and I'm sold on it. At least check into
it, Don. You owe it to yourself and your new truck.

I understand the application process includes sanding of the paint in the
bed so the spray will stick.
Was that your experience? If so, I figure I'll use my truck and when the
bed gets really scratched and dinged up in a few years, then I'll have the
Line-X or similar put on.

RCE


It is my belief that you should spray it *before* any rust has a chance to
get started.

Rhinoliner Rules!
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

New vehicle confusion...
 

"Reggie Smithers" wrote in message
. ..
JIMinFL wrote:
" JimH" jimh_osudad@yahooDOT comREMOVETHIS wrote in message
...
"JIMinFL" wrote in message
ink.net...
200,000 miles on CamryXLE: No unscheduled maintenance or repairs.
Routine oil changes, timing belts at 75K intervals, 2 sets of tires, 1
set brake pads, 1 air filter, windshield washer fluid as needed, 2 sets
of wiper blades, 1 transmission fluid exchange. Spark plugs never
changed.
If you plan to keep the vehicle for many miles, Toyota wouldn't be a
bad choice.
Jim


One air filter change over those 200,000 miles?

That is correct. And it Wasn't even that dirty.
Jim



Jim,
I can not think of one reason why you would lie about the life of your
tires or how many miles before you change your air filter, but it is
amazing and you can understand why some of us were skeptical. You need to
submit them to the Ripley's Believe it or Not, and the tire manu. and
filter manu.



--
Reggie

"That's my story and I am sticking to it."
1st and 2nd set of tires was Dunlop and 3rd set was Michelin which still had
a lot of tread left when we got rid of the car. I don't skimp on tire
quality. I don't see anything odd about getting that tire mileage.

I admit that air filter replacement interval doesn't fit the norm. Crankcase
breathers and belt chafe are probably the prime contributors to filter
clogging unless you live in a dust bowl like Kansas. PCVs got rid of the
breather problem and serpentine belts got rid of a lot of the belt chafe.
Lawn and garden equipment excluded, don't most air filters last longer than
they used to?

New vehicle confusion...
 

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"RG" wrote in message
news:lcmXf.14806$6a1.5728@fed1read04...


How much did it cost you to spray your bed?

$389 USD plus tax. Ford F250 short bed. Done December 2004 on current
truck

$289 USD plus tax. Same model truck. Done October 1999 on previous
truck.

Both done by the same Line-X dealer. I was a bit taken aback by the
percentage increase for the second job, but I was so pleased with the
five years spent with the first job that I never considered not doing it.
Both were done in the first week of ownership of each truck. Maybe
others will chime in here with their experiences, but I am way serious
about how good a product this stuff is. There are other brands beside
Line-X, but that's the one I have experience with, and I'm sold on it.
At least check into it, Don. You owe it to yourself and your new truck.

I understand the application process includes sanding of the paint in the
bed so the spray will stick.
Was that your experience? If so, I figure I'll use my truck and when the
bed gets really scratched and dinged up in a few years, then I'll have the
Line-X or similar put on.

If you are going to cover your bed with a soft or hard tonneau or other
shell of some kind I strongly reccomend the BedRug. I've had one in my truck
for about 4 years now and it is great at protecting the bed and protecting
the contents in the bed.

New vehicle confusion...
 

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 17:10:43 -0700, "RG" wrote:


"Don White" wrote in message
...
Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.

Should have gone with a spray-in liner. The only way to go. I've had
Line-X sprayed in my last two trucks and really like it. The stuff is
indestructible, and unlike a hard plastic drop-in liner won't promote rust
by removing paint in the box and trapping moisture under the liner. Also
will add traction to things placed in the bed, whereas the hard plastic
drop-in actually makes things worse than no liner in that department.
And,
it act as a noise reducer rather than a noise producer. Not sure how a
spray-in liner would be looked at from the leasing company's perspective,
but I wouldn't think it would be a problem as the spray-in liners increase
trade-in values when appraising used vehicles at Kelley Blue Book or
Edmunds. Any chance you can reverse that choice at this early date?
Seriously, there's no comparison to the utility and functionality of a
spray-in liner versus a drop-in. I'd easily walk away from a free drop-in
liner and pay for a Line-X or equivalent spray-in. On a compact truck,
the
cost of the spray-in shouldn't be that bad, especially when you amortize
it
over the lease term.


Rhinoliner Rules!

Almost ten years on mine, and I love it! Cost about $400. Worth much more
than that. When I took the plastic dura-liner thing out, there was very
little paint left on the bed. In several spots the wear was clear thru the
primer with bare metal showing.

I had a hard liner in my '92 Ranger and the bed was really scuffed up from
the hard liner rubbing up against every surface it could rub. My next truck
an '01 F-150 SuperCrew has a hard tonneau and a Bed Rug. If you are going to
cover the bed then get a Bed Rug. Bed Rugs are about the same cost as a
spray in liner but, they are cleanable and removable.

New vehicle confusion...
 

Don White wrote:
Well...I picked up the Ranger extended cab 'Sport' this morning, c/w 3.0
liter V6 and 5 speed OD automatic.
I took the snap on tonneau cover and the step up rails as my free
accessory choice. I had them install a box liner....
Salesman indicated I might be responsible for refinishing box at turn in
time if it got too banged/scratched up.
Got a bit lucky playing.. 'Make a deal'. I won $500.00 by picking the
right briefcase and not taking a chance on trying to increase by chosing
another.
Can't wait till I hitch the sailboat to the truck and head for the water.

Well congrats!

Yesterday was new car day for SWMBO around here. (Next time hybrids
come up for discussion I'll have some first hand experiences to
report),

I concur with the remarks, down thread, that this is the proper time to
apply any bedliners, undercoats, etc. If you apply these coatings over
a surface where rust has started up, there's a chance the rust might
just continue its dirty work under the plastic or tar.

Interesting that you opted for a lease. We were prepared to write a
check for the wife's new ride, but opted for a "single payment" lease
instead. We wrote a check for 20% of the price of the car, turned in
the Subaru, and our lease payment each month for the next three years
is $0.00. The cost of money on this deal was less than 2%, even when
factoring in that when leasing one does not get the tax credit normally
offered to buyers of hybrids. Seemed like a no-brainer, as if we simply
leave the money in savings it will earn more in interest than it is
costing to (in effect) "finance" the balloon payment (residual). The
other reason I thought a lease made sense was the "new technology"
aspect of the vehicle. Those of us who remember the "new technology" of
the GM diesels from the early 80's know what can happen to resale if
public sentiment turns against a new system or something else
unforeseen (like a revolutionary improvement) occurs. I can remember
driving around trying to wholesale 2 and 3 year old Oldsmobile and
Cadillac diesel trade-ins and getting offers like "$500. I've got a
back row full of them already!" It was tough to make a deal when the
buyers, even in those days, still owed $10,000 on a $500 car.

Consumer Reports just stated that the vehicle we purhcased was among
the 2 or 3 "most reliable" vehicles introduced in 2005 as 2006 models,
but if that doesn't turn out to be the case and resale value drops to
some ridiculously low figure, we can always turn it in and our
depreciation will be limited to the difference between what we paid and
the (in effect) "guaranteed resale value" provided by the residual.

New vehicle confusion...
 

RG wrote:

How much did it cost you to spray your bed?


$389 USD plus tax. Ford F250 short bed. Done December 2004 on current
truck

$289 USD plus tax. Same model truck. Done October 1999 on previous truck.

Both done by the same Line-X dealer. I was a bit taken aback by the
percentage increase for the second job, but I was so pleased with the five
years spent with the first job that I never considered not doing it. Both
were done in the first week of ownership of each truck. Maybe others will
chime in here with their experiences, but I am way serious about how good a
product this stuff is. There are other brands beside Line-X, but that's the
one I have experience with, and I'm sold on it. At least check into it,
Don. You owe it to yourself and your new truck.


Checked their website for dealers. Looks like they have none in the
Maritimes. Website says they are looking for franchises.
Could be a good little venture for a bored young retiree.

New vehicle confusion...
 

RG wrote:
Here's a link to Line-X Canada:

http://www.line-x.ca/linex/loc1.htm?now=76850

Something to think about: You may end up liking your new Ranger so much
that you end up buying it at the end of the lease. Under this scenario,
getting the spray-in liner and getting it done early makes even more sense.



There would be no question if I had leased a beautiful Tundra.
(would have, except payments were more than I wanted to pay for truck
and even regular cab truck too long for my narrow street)