pump.
When towing, we always use the truck’s Tow/Haul mode, although this does not significantly affect the results. Tow/Haul mode transmission shift logic does not really kick in at 70 MPH. We always use manufacturer recommended fuel and/or octane specification. We run all tests in 2WD mode. We do not perform tests during high winds, rain, or snow.
GOLD MINE HILL AND
CLIFFHANGER:
HIGH MOUNTAIN OFF-ROADING
Your truck is a symbol of freedom, and off-road capability is a big part of the equation. This is why we use two challenging trails in the Rocky Mountains near Boulder, Colorado to evaluate a truck’s off-road worthiness.
2016 Nissan Titan XD PRO-4X
The Gold Mine Hill is a moderately challenging trail. It is accessible year-round, but it may become impassable in the winter when the snow gets too deep. The trail is so called because it leads up to a defunct gold mine that was active in the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. This off-road challenge consists of three stages. First is a steep and rocky incline that is closely lined by trees. This is just a warm-up. The second is a 90-degree left turn that is part of the incline. We always come to a complete stop before the turn to kill the momentum and make it more difficult. This is a place where the truck’s 4x4 or AWD system is really put to the test as weight is shifted while navigating this tight turn. This is where tire choice becomes paramount. Finally, a steeper and washed-out section with large dips is there to test every aspect of the truck’s off-road performance, including: ground clearance, approach/departure/breakover angles, suspension articulation, and tire grip. The passenger front tire lits off the ground on most trucks that attempt the final stage. Trucks that don’t have off-road oriented or specialized tires or a locking differential are not likely to make it to the top of Gold Mine Hill.
We use five criteria to evaluate each truck’s off-road worthiness:
•Tires
•Ground clearance, approach/departure/breakover angles
•AWD / 4x4 system traction management
•Suspension articulation and comfort
•Power delivery
Some trucks make the Gold Mine Hill look easy. These are the trucks that are eligible for TFLtruck’s Gold Hitch: Off-Road Truck of the Year Award. These trucks also graduate to the Cliffhanger trail test.
The Cliffhanger 2.0 is a new trail that we certified in 2016 for testing the most capable 4x4 trucks. The likes of the Ram Power Wagon, Toyota TRD Pro, and the Ford Raptor are the trucks eligible to tackle this trail.
The Cliffhanger is longer than the Gold Mine Hill and it goes above the tree line. The payoff is a special 360 degree view that features the Continental Divide to the west and the Front Range to the east. The way to get there is a steep and rock layden trail that requires maximum traction. There is not much warm-up time. Rocks the size of basketballs, and often larger, can quickly stop your progress. There is a medium-sized ledge halfway through the trail that requires maximum ground clearance and adequate underbody skid plate protection. It is possible for trucks with a longer wheelbase to touch a large rock underneath. Driver skill and spotter’s help are required. This trail was certified with a 2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock.
TEN YEARS OF SELLING NEW AND USED TRUCKS
This is my favorite debate. I have been on both sides: bought dozens of used trucks and now I buy new, at least for this year.
Invoice, holdback, 3-4 percent back of invoice, rebates, 0 percent interest all mean a new truck could be $5,000 to $10,000 below MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price). Consider the opposite: a used truck that you have no clue whether the dealer took it in as trade or bought at auction thousands below blue book value. On a new truck you can calculate a good deal, but on used trucks you’re shooting in the dark if you’re buying from a dealer. If you can find a one-owner used truck that didn’t tow, has all the maintenance records, and is at least two years old, you have a case for a used truck. We’re all familiar with invoices on new trucks. Not all are real, but generally it gives you a starting place. Invoice minus holdback is what the dealer pays, which is 3 percent to 4 percent off the invoice. A new truck dealer may get other incentives if they sell their monthly quota. After subtracting whatever the current rebate is, all you have to try to negotiate is the D&H (dealer handling). Fleet departments don’t charge D&H, but it’s hard to get the retail side of a dealership to let it go. I’m not against used trucks; most of mine have started out used when I bought them. If your budget points you to an older truck, then you’ll want to read Chapter 6 on “Used Truck Judging 101.”
We have all heard how much you lose when you drive a new car off the lot. The people you hear saying this the most are the USED CAR SALESMEN. Trucks and cars drop like a rock after you buy them whether they were used or new; that is the wholesale spread. Car dealers make more money on used trucks than new. You don’t have an invoice on used vehicles, and you have no way of knowing exactly how much the dealer paid for it. Very few people pay full retail for new vehicles, and then there are those rebates. It would surprise you how close the actual sales price of a new vehicle and a one year old one are. And you know the new one wasn’t raced to the airport by one hundred different people. I actually know people who trade-in every year and never change their oil.
Since trucks have better resale value and generally last longer than cars, they can be priced even higher at one year old than new. I have seen that happen often. To see a significant difference, you need to go back three years in trucks. Crew cab 4x4s are the kings on resale value. In 4x4s, used can be a whole new experience. Since you won’t know how much off-road use it had, a 4x4 can create its own payment! It seems that every part on the bottom of a 4x4 truck costs over $2,000. If you are the first owner of a truck—especially a 4x4 or diesel—and you take care of it, it can last you decades for less cost per mile.
Did the used truck tow big loads often? What do you know about the truck history? Or should you buy new and know what the truck did in its past life?
Top Five Reasons to Buy
a New Truck
1. It’s all new: A new truck has new everything. All you have to worry about is making the payment. The interior is spotless, exterior has no dents and is all the same color. New tires, new brakes, an engine that doesn’t use oil, and it’s quiet inside the cab. A used truck, especially older than three years, could have a dozen owners. It’s kind of like marrying someone that was married six times before; makes you think about all the previous users. Not all owners handle maintenance the same, or use the same oil brand or chase coyotes through the same river. Then there are the states that use salt on their roads in the winter, or worse, use magnesium chloride, which eats metal and plastic on your truck. Eastern state owners may drive in the rain every day, Southwestern drivers might let the truck sit in the sun (120 degrees Fahrenheit) for months and crack the paint, curl the plastic grill, or dry rot the tires.
2.
