jasonm

And myself included.... That's three. I've read there's strength in numbers..... If only I could remember where.

Watch the video that was posted on this site earlier (much earlier). http://www.silveradoss.com/videos/FT-PlantTour.wmv It's the plant tour of the Oshawa plant... I second the 'skill' remark. Doesn't appear to be terribly difficult. Scan a tag, make sure it's going on the right undercarriage.... $27/hour, big freakin' benefits, sick/holiday pay. Want to scare 'em? Make them start up their own business. Lose money, then lose more money, have everyone think you're loaded, get calls in the middle of the evenings/weekends. Vacation... what vacation? Sounds like I'm complaining, but it's the path I CHOSE. It's because I can't sit still. I worked side by side (when I had nothing else to do) with a union operation... Long story short, they needed some drywall guys (not my specialty, but I can handle it) to help them hurry up a project, as it was falling behind (AmericInn hotel). These union drywallers would hang the top sheets (easy ones -- no outlets, or boxes to cut around), and then let us hang the bottom sheets. Then, after 2.5 hours of work, they'd have a break... then, another 1.5 hours til lunch, then sometime in the afternoon, another break. They'd hang around 25 - 30 sheets in their 8-hour work day.... we'd average 40 in ours. Then, we got 'fined' at the end of the week $150 because we weren't union, and $50 for not throwing away our waste. We came back from lunch one day, and one of the kids that didn't have any qualified skills was put to the task of getting rid of our junk... Then, we were charged $50, for less than an hours worth of work. Betcha you know where we weren't the next week. We even hired a guy who decided to get out of the union as a carpenter. He said he made $25 an hour for the union, but he had union dues to pay, etc..., so he figured he'd be worth around $20 any way. Seemed high, but he had big recommendations. So, we put him to work: First job, was to install a door for someone. He couldn't do it alone, as he was 'kind of the door holder'.... His words. He didn't even make the first week. Sorry to the union guys, but I haven't seen anything good out of the unions for the last 30 years or better. Anyone remember the number to Truckmaster driving school?

I wouldn't buy one either. For me, it's the steps up into the bedroom, with lower ceiling height. Like going to bed in a refrigerator box. I'm told that once I have one, I'd never go back... I guess I'll never know. I've been very happy with the setup I have.

I gotta say, yours and Chevyman23's, are good-lookin' trucks. I love the regular cab clones. They look like they came off the assembly line that way.

Depends on what you call expensive. Ever price body work for the back of a cab, along with a rear window? The hitch doesn't seem so expensive.

A guy I worked for had a 1/2 ton Ford SuperCrew, with the 5'9" box. He pulled a fifth wheel with a pull-rite hitch... I'd never seen a fifth wheel hitch like this before. When the truck turned a corner, the hitch had a cam in it, that turned, and slid towards the back of the box. When it straightened out, it pulled back up on to the axle.

Our TT is 26', 7000 lbs with all of our crap in it. Truck doesn't have any problems. Brake controller, equalizer hitch a must. I also have a sway bar. Makes a little creaking noise, every time you turn, but there's absolutely no movement left to right going down the road. I think the biggest fallback of these trucks with the fifth wheel would be the aluminum wheels. I still wouldn't do it, unless I had an 2500HD.

Have you driven the paddle shifted vehicles? I drove a Pontiac Gran Prix GXP (5.3 auto w/paddle and HUD). At first when I heard about it, I had to have it. Once I drove it, I bought the Impala SS -- no paddle shift. It was relatively retarded. I'd much rather have a 6 speed manual, but since it wasn't available, I'd rather just have the plain automatic. Now don't get me wrong.... If the Impala or GXP is offered in a 6 spd, it'll be in my garage.

I got my Cooper HT pluses for $140 per tire. $560 for the set... Mounted, balance, blah, blah, blah. I love 'em. Un-FREAKIN'-believable in snow and ice.... perhaps too good. Maybe get a little over-confident, but they are really that good.

I just had a plug/patch on Friday... Cost me $10, they break the tire down, patch, rebalance, and installed.

So, did you have it repainted again, if the shop didn't match the paint well? How does everything fit? When my insurance company pays for an issue, the check comes in my name, and the bodyshop's name... If I'm not happy, the check doesn't get signed. The color being off (even a little bit) would drive me up a wall. The truck looks sharp.

If it's under warranty, why not just take it in to wherever you purchased it, and tell them it's broke... let THEM figure out what the problem is, and then fix it.

He's trying to help out his economic situation. Duramax (new) is listing for around $8k (give or take a little) extra on top of the regular 3/4 ton truck chassis... which is more expensive to begin with. Whatever you do, make sure you think it through. I wish I could get back some of the vehicles that I've sold over the years... just because it seemed to make sense at the time. Make sure you consider the cost of the depreciation on your existing truck, and the cost it'll be to get back into another truck... I'm thinking it would cost about the same as buying an additional 'beater' as the new truck payment. Not to mention, you will still be disappointed with the fuel mileage of your truck vs. the mileage of an econo-box. But, if it's one thing I've learned... once I get the bug, I can justify ANYTHING. I remember a friend of mine doing electrical work out of his 95 Chevy Astro... good mileage, plenty of storage, etc. But when he saw the new Duramax Dually, he HAD to have it. Suddenly, he couldn't figure out HOW he ever made it this far in life without it. Traded his $3500 Astro van in on a $50k Dually... Then, let it sit in the driveway after about 6 months of driving it -- bought another Astro Van. Made WAY more sense economically -- Insurance, Gas, etc.

Steelburst. Yet my Indian name is 'One whom makes sheep tremble.'

Had to make sure to clear that up, huh?

In the famous words of Chris Farley: "Welllllll, La - De - Freakin' - Daaaa!" Sorry. I'm not tryin' to be an a$$, it just comes so easy to me.

Professional Bullriders Association. They get there a$$es handed to them on a regular basis, so apparently, cops give them a break.

Take it outta 4-wheel drive. What's the gear ratio? Has it acted like this since you purchased it new?

Sorry... didn't mean to offend. It was just a remark that I could hear myself say, when I know I'm gonna lose. Not trying to hurt your feelings.

I used to use that line when I was a kid too. 'I could beat you if I wanted to, but I don't want to'

I disagree with this... I've gotten E-mails for the 'don't buy gas' day. So, what's everyone do? They buy gas a day ahead or a day later. That's not gonna do a thing. Don't buy gas for a month... ride a bike to work... all great ideas, for those that live in/around town. What about the rest of main-stream America that lives 12 miles outta town. They'll drive for 45 minutes, make 40-50 miles before they hit the jobsite -- not real practical either. What else you got for ideas? I love my SS. I'm not giving it up for anything. There are Millions of people that feel the same way I do. If you want to drive gas-guzzlers, then pay for it. I don't love the idea of paying high prices for fuel. But what else are we gonna do? I'm pretty sure talking to the legislators, senators, representatives, etc isn't going to do anything. It hasn't helped so far. Complaining to the oil companies doesn't seem to be working either. Solution? Devise a car/truck that satifies 100% of Americans that gets 100 miles to the gallon, has plenty of power, room, etc. 6 months down the road, we're gonna be complaining because it should get 120 miles to the gallon, should have more power, and it's not big enough.

FYI: If the Hot Chick has an Adam's Apple, don't play 'hide the salami' with her. You won't be happy with the results of the game.... ....even if they ARE 38EEs.

Not to forget the Mazda B2200, or the next best thing... Toyota Tundra.

I agree on the lighter fluid taste.... I bought an electric plugger-inner thingy that gets the charcoal lit. Doesn't take very long at all. Well worth it, with nothing tasting like lighter fluid.

They never did in the crew cab. Just the extended cab.