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Do you enjoy your K5 more as a DD or not?

rjfguitar

3/4 ton status
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Today I drove my K5 out on the street for a little trip around the area to charge up the battery, oil circulation, etc because it's been sitting for a about one month. Man do I miss driving it daily!

As most know it hasn't been street legal for about 3 months due to the easy going cali smog laws.

My new dodge is really nice, smooth, compfy, quiet, and powerfull but it still isn't as fun as the K5.....having to get off the throttle at 50mph so the tires will hook is a ball! I miss the boggers hum up and back down from stop to stop. Even if my K5 was still street legal I don't think I would drive it over my D/CTD because it would probably loose it's fun again but I sure do miss it. One day I'll have it legal again.

So do you guys enjoy your K5 more as an offroad only toy or favor the DD'ing days?
 
For me daily driving it is part of what makes me love it. The howl of the TSL's, the sweet humm of the diesel, the massive body roll in the turns, its all part of the experience. Everybody else in my family has a vehicle newer than a 95, and i hate driving all of them. I dont know how to explain it, i just love driving it. Almost as much as i like wheeling it.
 
big83chevy4x4 said:
i enjoy driving my truck both as my DD and offroad.:wink1:
Same here and thought this was great not needing it to get me around and I have beaten on it harder than ever in the mud the last few months. Wheeling it is a lot better because I was always easy on it before. I miss cruising and enjoying it around town too. :o
 
i love driving it to and from work. big tires,loud,being waay up in the air.
best part is hitting the trails , then driving it to work the next day.
everyone in their blingbling suvs staring at me. :)
 
I love my K5, but compared to a car for a daily driver, it doesn't compare.

It will probably never compete with even a ricer in performance, gets horrid mileage, 1 tire costs about what you can get 4 car tires for, the heating and cooling suck compared to anything new, the ride is horrible (comparitively), the seats suck, interior layout in general is lousy, road noise is bad, panic stops are no fun, hmm, what else?

However, sometimes it's nice to sit above most everyone else, have a clear unobstructed view, and know that the rig is capable, even one as stock as mine.

I think one of my favorite moments was pulling up next to an H2 on the freeway during rush hour, and even with no lift, realizing I was at the same height his expensive truck was.

Of course, my feelings about the truck as a DD are tempered by the fact that I live in Suburban hell, and make one of the worst commutes in the country. I've got windy roads that I can take much faster (to enjoy, not to hurry) in a car, idiot drivers that put your life at risk everyday (back to the panic stops in the truck) and a 25 mile drive that takes me 40 minutes if I'm lucky.

I figure if I've gotta sit in traffic, I might as well be doing it comfortably, and burning about half as much $2/gallon gas. And for the few times there is little traffic, being able to take twisty roads at high speed is just more enjoyable.

And then of course there is the new econobox warranty/old truck fix it yourself issue that crops up. Even when the truck has broken or stopped working right, it's never stranded me, but the simple fact is, as the components age, they fail, and I'm the one that "gets" to fix them. At least with the car as a DD, if IT breaks, I don't have to fix it, and the truck is hauled out of mothballs to plod along.
 
I love driving my k5!!! I love watching others give me a double take as i drive by, I love the howl of the claws, and the deep sound from my exhaust. Sometimes no music just love to listen to my baby purr!!!!!
 
as much as i love the blazer, i like my old school honda as a daily driver. theres something about having the only car of its type in a town that makes it special
 
I actually do miss driving the K5 everyday. I had fun driving that thing and Just like the others say it's a blast sitting higher than everyone else. Pulling up next to a jeep or other brand truck and knowing you can outwheel them. Now it's to the point where when I do drive it on the streets from time to time it draws so much attention it's unbelievable. I don't think a day goes by that I don't have the thought in my mind to buy another one just to build it for DD. I have my 87 Burb, but it's a 2WD and don't want to modify it too much so it can be dependable towing. I think the wife would kill me if I brought home a 3rd Blazer.
 
I like driving my truck around on occasion, but it gets old fast. When I am going somewhere I just want to get from A to B, and I can do that faster and more comfortably in something besides my K5. And as mentioned before the heating and layout of newer vehicles is much better, and definately need good defrost in the PNW ;)

It sounds like a lot of people commenting are pretty young based on that they like the attention and "what other people think" aspect of driving their K5's. I don't give a F*** about if I look cool or people notice my rig driving down the road. Too many people worried about image and other peoples opinions these days.
 
dyeager535 said:
I love my K5, but compared to a car for a daily driver, it doesn't compare.

It will probably never compete with even a ricer in performance, gets horrid mileage, 1 tire costs about what you can get 4 car tires for, the heating and cooling suck compared to anything new, the ride is horrible (comparitively), the seats suck, interior layout in general is lousy, road noise is bad, panic stops are no fun, hmm, what else?
Thats half the fun. :D

I agree though. A newer vehicle makes life much easier and more cost effective....thats why I went the route I did. ;) :thumb:
 
I guess driving a K5 is like tent camping. Makes you feel tough because you are "roughing it". :)
 
I use my '90 K5 as a full time DD in the winter and part time in the summer. The worst thing is the mileage. 1/2 of what my turbo LeBaron convert gets with 1/2 of the acceleration. I do like being up higher than most anything on the road, and the ability to go most anywhere off road is a great feeling too. I really enjoy being able to switch from one to the other. Both vehicles are extremes on opposite ends of the scale; the LeBaron is lowered 2", K5 is lifted 4", LeBaron is 4 cyl. turbo w/ a 5 speed, K5 is V8 w/ an auto. Both have soft tops, I do like the open air in the summer.
 
I was looking at mine today thinking how it needs inspection so I can drive it more. Ive actually ben driving the wifes 04 caravan for the last 2 weeks and left the sub parked. I guess i need to drive both more.
 
As uncivilized as it is I still enjoy my K5's multi-purpose personality. I drive it to work and back about half the week. The other half I take my wife's XJ.

I drive it less now that I work closer to home. I don't like the fact it doesn't get a chance to warm up at all between home and work...I don't think that is too good for it.

I do love driving it though. It stops dead straight and the seats are comfy, and there is still something cool about being surrounded by rollcage. As long as I've had it I still get a kick out of it...

Rene
 
I kind f miss driving mine everyday. But now it not being my daily driver I can take on bigger projects with it as I don't need it to get from A to B everyday. I get enough stares from people driving by my house let alone if I drive it out anywhere, I spend 30 minutes everytime I stop explaing to people what I have done with it. Plus with it not being a DD anymore, I can wheel the PEE out of it and well all I will need to find is a tow home and not a ride to work everyday.
 
If I had it to do all over again, my rig would be locked, have a better winch, and still be 3/4 ton and on 35s. Plenty capable and I'd drive it everwhere.

I miss driving my truck. It's great off road now, but it was great off road then, too.
 
TrcksR4ME said:
It sounds like a lot of people commenting are pretty young based on that they like the attention and "what other people think" aspect of driving their K5's. I don't give a F*** about if I look cool or people notice my rig driving down the road. Too many people worried about image and other peoples opinions these days.
That may be it for some, and I will admit I don't mind the looks especially after a good day in the muck:cool1: , but for me it's the presence of it on the road I enjoy. In the wifes Honda you get no respect on the road yugo's can cut you off if they want, but in the K5 people go to pull out in front of me then stop to think whoa:eek1: maybe that's not a good idea. That's what i enjoy. My 89 still has all the creature comforts of a new vehicle just less refined. Heat kicksA$$ just takes 10 more minutes to get hot in the morning than the Honda. I drive mine almost 5 days a week still, but enjoy the chance to use the car and work on the truck for a few days when needed.
 
I like driving mine around. I still prefer my 97 DD, and at least it's got a lift & 33's to keep me content while on the road. But it sure is nice to get into the K5 from time to time and roll down all the windows etc and get some air moving... I have not taken the top off this one yet, but looking forward to it this spring/summer.
 

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