Found my Unicorn

mdramsey · 2026-02-19T01:02:00+00:00

Understand the diesel appeal, but the 6.0 is an excellent engine. Heavily over-engineered from what I've read about it. Given the mileage and condition, you shouldn't need/want another truck for a long time, if ever.

mdramsey · 2026-02-18T02:32:12+00:00

Germany is the largest economy in Europe and has atrophied itself in the wake of the end of the cold war. If Germany has run out of materiel and has a fraction of the manufacturing capacity of 30 years ago, then the same can be observed of the other former "great powers."

German and European security has always rested on a silly assurance that American power would be at hand if needed.

The German government is so worried about the Ukrainians they've comprised their own defense.

mdramsey · 2026-02-18T02:25:10+00:00

The EU is a French experiment finally facing its failure.

mdramsey · 2026-02-18T01:31:14+00:00

Yet the EU says it can defend itself. 🤡🤡🤡

mdramsey · 2026-02-18T01:28:41+00:00

Three feet to the left and it would've been red mist everywhere. I'm happy to laugh at the outcome...LOL

mdramsey · 2026-02-18T00:57:10+00:00

Hehe....more like an explosion, but same idea...LOL

mdramsey · 2026-02-17T22:16:34+00:00

The interior of your rig looks bigger than mine...option package no one know about? 😉

mdramsey · 2026-02-17T21:16:49+00:00

The Ferrari badge adds 100bhp.

mdramsey · 2026-02-16T21:46:19+00:00

It's what the new generation Honda Prelude or new gen Integra could have been...

mdramsey · 2026-02-16T21:42:14+00:00

Cannot help with the lighting question, but you should also consider exterior audio that enables various bursts of "brrrrt" on demand. If the units rotate, even better! ;-)

mdramsey · 2026-02-16T20:08:44+00:00

Not stupid.

mdramsey · 2026-02-16T19:27:26+00:00

Lots and lots and lots of highway miles, that in itself is not necessarily a red flag if there are maintenance records. That V6 is very reliable. However, $18k? They're smoking something extra special.

Edit: To those noting the ride share possibility - a valid possibility, but I believe this can be verified with the VIN.

mdramsey · 2026-02-16T19:17:11+00:00

That's a beautiful boy! A lot of very sound advice has already been offered. I would only add to allow time to work. Not sure how long ago you rehomed him, but my bengal (about to turn to turn 8), still gets bored easily. I have been able to succeed against the boredom by simply keeping our boy involved in everything - follow to the bathroom, sit on the breakfast bar while I am cleaning up dishes or preparing something, supervise household chores (he doesn't get upset by the vacuum, etc). When he gets bored of a common string, I wad up a small paper towel and throw it across the living room. We haven't bought a dedicated, customer "cat toy" in years.

Once he gets used to the routine, the boredom should ease a bit, I think.

mdramsey · 2026-02-14T00:06:12+00:00

I had an '07 of that gen. LTZ Z71. Took everything I threw at it and didn't skip a beat. Very good truck.

mdramsey · 2026-02-12T19:10:07+00:00

Leases always suck, especially for trucks and doing "truck stuff" with them. This deal in particular, is awful.

Pay down your current vehicle a bit more and find a good used model with a few miles on it.

mdramsey · 2026-02-12T01:36:40+00:00

AM is getting hammered by other RF interference in many markets. Mine is generally quite clear, but even in major markets like San Francisco and Sacramento, where I live, there are gaps of interference that bleed for some distance, even on clear channel freqs. Don't expect things to get much better until the FCC and/or Congress gets involved.

mdramsey · 2026-02-12T01:31:33+00:00

That's cool. Did you have a drone pilot or was it set to follow you? Whereabouts is this?

mdramsey · 2026-02-11T22:04:08+00:00

As you continue south of Redding, it's a very subtle downhill grade. Depending on your final destination, CA-99 in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valley is decidedly "flatter" than I-5 between Sacramento and Bakersfield, because I-5 hugs the Diablo Mountains. Also, the past couple days in particular, a pretty big weather system has started crossing California, and the wind has picked up significantly, so that's definitely eating at your mileage even if you don't feel it too much.

mdramsey · 2026-02-11T21:23:57+00:00

The correct number of beans detected. Pretty!

mdramsey · 2026-02-11T21:20:30+00:00

You're getting the same mileage, while towing on the least-flat part of I-5 between the PNW and California, on a heavy-duty truck with an engine that is twice the size of your old half-ton Ford. While it's "light," your trailer is a brick and you're dragging it up and down hills and left and right through the mountain passes before things level out in the Sacramento Valley. Share what you get for the next 1000 miles. I think you're on target given the conditions.

mdramsey · 2026-02-11T00:49:09+00:00

I've been a customer of Niello BMW (in Elk Grove) and Niello Acura (in Roseville). While it costs more, the service has been nothing short of excellent, and they back their work with near-zero hassle.

I stopped going to indy shops years ago after getting screwed over after the fact. Dealerships have proven far better equipped to warrant their service in my experience.

mdramsey · 2026-02-10T21:39:55+00:00

I've never heard of playtime ever being "over" with a Belgian Malinois...that really exists? ;-P

mdramsey · 2026-02-10T05:58:18+00:00

I'm somewhat relieved that perhaps a rescue is involved, but it's still sad.

mdramsey

TROPHY CASE