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Future HD owner

bhal212

bhal212

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Greetings!

Current owner of an '07 1500. Last spring my wife and I purchased a used travel trailer and we learned two things after the season was over. #1, our 5 year old boy absolutely loved it, and #2, we were way too crowded. So we sold the trailer and bought a small (<10k) fifth wheel. Now I'm on the hunt for a truck and it is definitely an exercise in patience. Inventory here is almost non-existent and it's hard finding a truck with my two measly requirements, 12" screen and fifth wheel prep, that isn't 85K and up. I have been considering ordering a 23 but I don't know if I can roll the dice on it not being here before summer is over and we missed out on going anywhere. If I can't find any good deals on a used 22 before January I may go ahead and place an order.

I'm really glad I found this place before I purchased, though, as I've learned a lot of what to look for and avoid, so thank you all for that!
 
If those are your only two requirements, I think you're in better shape than you think.

#1 - The 12" screen isn't all it is cracked up to be. I ordered mine with it, but if I had it all to do over again today I'd save the $$ and go with the 8". Most of the features I use mine for would show the exact same size on the 8" as they do in split screen on the 12".

#2 - The 5th wheel prep can be added pretty easily if you can get over the nerve of drilling into your bed, or if not, a shop can do it for you.
 
That's a good point on the 12" screen vs the 8", and I think if I found a really nice truck I could get past that. I might have to look at some more threads on adding the pucks. I don't have a problem doing the actual drilling, more so with not screwing up the measurements.
 
As @LateToTheParty stated, you're actually in fine shape. I also have the 8" screen, and while I do sometimes wish I had the 12" for looks alone, everything I've read on this forum and facebook groups makes me glad I decided to stick with the 8", plus you get physical heated seat/steering wheel buttons. If you get an 8" screen and decide that you really, really, wish you had the 12", it's super easy to add, just a little spendy (around 4-5k last I looked).

As far as 5th wheel prep, that is even easier. You have prob half a dozen options for this, just depends on what you want. I'm partial to the B&W flip over goose option because you can run the 4" extension pretty easily and convert the 5er to a gooseneck to save space in the bed. It's a little spendy, but that would be the way I went I think.

The market is starting to come down, so I'd expect the used market to soften in the coming 6 months. New is still pretty insane and the wait times are crazy right now. My 2019 runs 11k more for a 2022 model (sticker to sticker), so that's something to consider when buying new, just how much they have shot up in price.
 
Not to start the debate but are you going gas or diesel?

I'm looking at adding 5er prep to my '21 as we speak, that is if I don't find a different truck between now and April. It doesn't look like a bad job. Measure many Xs and drill once.

My 8" screen is fine. There are other things I wish my Big Horn had but the way the packages are you have to pick and choose what you want to pay for and what you actually need. The safety group and the extra cameras would be nice. Air ride would be nice. Exhaust brake would be nice but isn't exactly necessary for my flat land towing needs.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
 
whitexc said:
Not to start the debate but are you going gas or diesel?

I'm looking at adding 5er prep to my '21 as we speak, that is if I don't find a different truck between now and April. It doesn't look like a bad job. Measure many Xs and drill once.

My 8" screen is fine. There are other things I wish my Big Horn had but the way the packages are you have to pick and choose what you want to pay for and what you actually need. The safety group and the extra cameras would be nice. Air ride would be nice. Exhaust brake would be nice but isn't exactly necessary for my flat land towing needs.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
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I would prefer gas, especially on a 2500, just because of the relatively small size of my trailer and the price of diesel, but these dealers around here order diesel engines on anything above a Tradesman almost exclusively, it's crazy.

One reason I considered a 23 was that new digital rearview mirror that can show the trailer cameras would be very nice as well
 
You can get some of the nifty trailer camera things even on 2021 models I believe, and honestly if the trailer is so small than it's really unnecessary and just an extra expense to repair when it fails from my pov.

I'd much rather have one of the systems that connects to the trailer left and right sides so you get left and right trailer along with rear of trailer. I don't believe that system currently connects to the mirror from the images I've seen.
 
It's most likely just tech envy to have all the new toys, and I should keep it simple like you said. There's a nice 22 3500 SRW that's not insanely overpriced (anymore) on my dealer's lot, and if I wait them out until January they may be willing to come down some more.
 
Where are you located? If I were you id order from Koons, Granger, or Mark Dodge (all are frequently discussed on this forum) and get exactly what you want. If you place an order now I think its reasonable to expect you have the truck you want by summer. I ordered this time a year a go an got my truck in 4 months. My brother just ordered a power wagon in July and picked it up in November.

Youll end up paying close to the same for an ordered truck from one of the dealers I mentioned as you would for a used truck on a lot and you end up with a new truck thats exactly what you want. If you can afford to wait for delivery in June ish thats the route I would go. Just my $.02.
 
I'm in VA, so I'm relatively close to Koons. I might have to go that route and not pay more locally.
 
bhal212 said:
I'm in VA, so I'm relatively close to Koons. I might have to go that route and not pay more locally.
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IMO its well worth it - youll save between 7-10k vs buying off a lot and youll get exactly what you want.
 
Our new diesel is great for towing our 5th wheel and large boat. I like the 12 inch screen as it it easier to see. I paid for the factory trailer wiring and puck system. It's well done, so I don't regret it. Recently a friend and I towed our 5th wheels on a trip (his truck is gas). I was using about 19 litres per 100 kilometers and he was getting a dreadful 37 litres per 100 kilometers. Something to consider if you are going to tow a few miles.
 
Have you driven a truck with the 12" screen?

If you haven't I suggest you test drive one. I really disliked the screen for several reasons. The biggest reason I dislike it is because I feel like it brings your eyes inside and lower than needed for some functions, especially as compared to the 8.4". Another annoying thing is the lack of seat comfort buttons. I didn't find any benefits to the 12" screen over the 8.4" screen.
 
Clarence007 said:
Our new diesel is great for towing our 5th wheel and large boat. I like the 12 inch screen as it it easier to see. I paid for the factory trailer wiring and puck system. It's well done, so I don't regret it. Recently a friend and I towed our 5th wheels on a trip (his truck is gas). I was using about 19 litres per 100 kilometers and he was getting a dreadful 37 litres per 100 kilometers. Something to consider if you are going to tow a few miles.
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This will be our only vehicle for the near future, and we won't be going more than a few hundred miles in any direction while the babies are still babies, so the gas engine will suffice for us.
AH64ID said:
Have you driven a truck with the 12" screen?

If you haven't I suggest you test drive one. I really disliked the screen for several reasons. The biggest reason I dislike it is because I feel like it brings your eyes inside and lower than needed for some functions, especially as compared to the 8.4". Another annoying thing is the lack of seat comfort buttons. I didn't find any benefits to the 12" screen over the 8.4" screen.
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I have test driven both, and they both have their advantages and disadvantages. It seems moot, the truck I am looking at having built only comes with the 12" and the options I chose.
 
bhal212 said:
This will be our only vehicle for the near future, and we won't be going more than a few hundred miles in any direction while the babies are still babies, so the gas engine will suffice for us.
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I do most my camping within a couple hundred miles of the house and I wouldn’t personally own gas.

Nothing wrong with gas, but I wouldn’t base your decision on proximity to the house.
 
123zk said:
Plan for the future you may want to travel farther. If you think things are expensive now. Just wait. The Diesel will hold its value a lot better also.
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AH64ID said:
I do most my camping within a couple hundred miles of the house and I wouldn’t personally own gas.

Nothing wrong with gas, but I wouldn’t base your decision on proximity to the house.
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Yep, the more I play with configs and think about it, the more I lean back towards diesel.

I do think I'll possibly move down to a big horn though, trying to keep a reasonable budget and I don't need a lot of fancy stuff, my 1500 st has been fine for a long time
 
One of the biggest benefits to diesel, that I personally hadn't read about before I got my diesel, is that when you're towing long distances with a trailer you're going to be filling up semi frequently, unless you've got a crazy big fuel tank. Obviously a diesel is going to give you more pulling power and better MPG to get you further while towing, and empty, but the biggest thing is filling up your truck while you've got a trailer attached. I made the mistake of trying to fill up my trailer at a busy fuel station in the regular bays, and it was a nightmare to get my truck and trailer out after filling. My trailer is only a 32', so it's not even that large by the grand scheme of things. That said, almost all fuel stops along the highway are going to have spots for tractor trailers to fill up, and it's far easier, and quicker, to fill at those pumps and pull away than it is trying to navigate the "consumer" side of the station.

If you're only towing short distances pretty infrequently, then it is probably not a huge deal, but if you're taking longer trips or more frequent trips, then I would consider a diesel almost a requirement for that alone.
 
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