One of the things we rednecks tend to fight over is who makes the best pickup truck. In my area people tend to divide into two camps: pro-Ford and anti-Ford, with Dodge lovers and Chevy lovers being the major constituents of the anti-Ford side. It's always a completely emotional, subjective argument and I've never heard any actual reason on why people divide like this. I guess it's a lot like sports fans. I'm guilty too, I tend to fall into the anti-Ford camp for no real reason whatsoever.

Well I had an amusing incident this past weekend that provides some real, objective evidence on which side is actually better.

I was eating lunch with friends at one of our local Chinese restaurants. Our table was right next to a window overlooking the parking lot. I heard a nasty crunch from outside and looked out the window to see a big red Ford pickup (later found it was an '06, if anyone cares) mashed into the back end of my '04 Chevy. There was an open spot to the left of my truck, it looked like he tried and failed to pull in there. This is somewhat understandable, I literally cannot park in a third of the parking lots in our town because my big crew-cab diesel pickup has a turning radius slightly smaller than an aircraft carrier's, and being a college town many of the lots were designed with rusted-out compact cars with 18" subwoofers in mind.

I left our table to go talk to the guy, take a look at the damage, and get insurance and contact details and all that good stuff sorted out. He'd backed out of my truck by then. There were pieces everywhere on the lot and his truck didn't look good at all. The grille and right headlight were reduced to a mess of shattered plastic and glass scattered in a ten-foot diameter circle, his bumper was nearly detached on the right side, his right fender was crumpled in, and even the hood was crumpled in pretty badly. I didn't ask, but I'm pretty sure he was going faster than the 5 mph I'd expect when pulling into a parking spot. I took a quick look and saw everything on the Ford was probably okay mechanically, though if he'd been going much faster he would have messed up his radiator and he'd need to call a tow truck. Thankfully he'd missed my bumper hitch. It would have taken some work to separate our trucks if he'd hit that.

So finally I walked behind my truck to find out how bad the damage was on my end. There was none! No dents, no scratches, not even a scuff! I'm impressed that my taillight was strong enough to severely deform his hood without shattering. (I have a 3-inch lift kit, so the middle of my taillight was about even with the top of his hood.)

I finally have a valid reason to hate Ford pickups. They break too easily. I'm also slightly less worried about hitting deer now.

(I'm going to dickweed myself and point out that our trucks weren't quite in the same category, the other guy drove a Ford F-150 while I have a Silverado 2500HD which is comparable to a Ford F-250 Super Duty. Still, I expected at least shattered taillight and a crumpled corner.)

mott555:

So finally I walked behind my truck to find out how bad the damage was on my end. There was none! No dents, no scratches, not even a scuff! I'm impressed that my taillight was strong enough to severely deform his hood without shattering. (I have a 3-inch lift kit, so the middle of my taillight was about even with the top of his hood.)

Still you should have ask a repair company to have a look at it. Sometimes there is structural damage that isn't visible at first sight. I once had someone hitting my car while waiting at a red light. It looked like the tow bar just ruined his car while there was no visible damage to my car, I had it checked any way and they discovered that there was some structural damage after all. Having it checked saved me from paying a very expensive repair at the annual check-up.

1) You should like an asshole

2) In what part of the country do these three things exist simultaneously: a) people who have debates over trucks, b) colleges, c) Chinese restaurants

blakeyrat:

2) In what part of the country do these three things exist simultaneously: a) people who have debates over trucks, b) colleges, c) Chinese restaurants

These things do also exist on the left coast (generally in smaller towns though, so maybe less with respectable colleges), but my guess would be the midwest or south.

blakeyrat:

1) You should like an asshole

Trolling for friends again?

blakeyrat:

1) You should like an asshole

2) In what part of the country do these three things exist simultaneously: a) people who have debates over trucks, b) colleges, c) Chinese restaurants

I think you accidentally a word there, chief. And remember: most colleges are out in the country, or at least in a smaller city. This no doubt stands in sharp contrast to your own experience at ITT Technical Institute, with its august strip mall campus and its turn-of-the-century aluminum awnings; but it is true nevertheless.

This is more because the vehicle was made after 2000 than an ishue of make and model. As a "safety feature", modern vehicles are deliberately designed such that in the event of the collision their front end will crumple like an empty soda can. Supposidly this causes the front end of thevehicle to absorb all of the energy of the collision, rather than you. its called a crumple zone.

 I for one, would prefer to ride around in a diesel powered brick of a truck that would use the car in front of me as a crumple zone instead. Sadly I have to make due with a little Ford Ranger, still it was made in the 1990's and I got it for cheap

Yes. It is simple physics as we studied in mechanical enginering class. That folding of metal is good for everyone.

doomsought:

This is more because the vehicle was made after 2000 than an ishue of make and model. As a "safety feature", modern vehicles are deliberately designed such that in the event of the collision their front end will crumple like an empty soda can. Supposidly this causes the front end of thevehicle to absorb all of the energy of the collision, rather than you. its called a crumple zone.

 I for one, would prefer to ride around in a diesel powered brick of a truck that would use the car in front of me as a crumple zone instead. Sadly I have to make due with a little Ford Ranger, still it was made in the 1990's and I got it for cheap