If It Weren't for Slate, I Would Get...

[bloo]

I always thought Element looks very rugged and tough. It was only until the last couple of years that I found out about its unique features inside. Nowadays I rarely see them on the road. Thought all the camping enthusiasts snatched them up and moved them into the wilderness.

To save time (and look tough) at Home Depot, I bring a cordless circular saw to cut 2x4s right by the trunk. 😂

I cut 12-foot synthetic deck boards with my ALDI cordless circ saw over a shopping cart in the store. The manager was going off shift, so he didn't care.

I once carried over 1400 pounds of yard waste 17 miles to the local landfill. The scale operator could hardly believe it. I had to replace the rear swaybar bushings at 100,000 miles, so there was that.

 

[danielt1263]

I missed the poll... I plan on replacing 2 electric vehicles this year with two new electric vehicles. The Polaris EV (piss of crap) and the Rivian R1T (2022) both get replaced. The Slate I have on order and I also have a Rivian R2 on order for this year. So the Slate is a replacement for the Polaris and the R1T and the R2 will be the driver.

So if Slate wasn't an option, what would you get instead?

 

[cadblu]

I picked the new Maverick.

Nice pick. Did you read this?

Motor Trend 2026 Truck of the Year

 

[beatle]

I had not read that one, but it is encouraging. I drove a Lariat last summer while my partner was shopping for a car (she ended up with a Mach-E) and I liked the Maverick. The interior wasn't high class but neither was it shoddy. It had a decent amount of pep and it handled pretty well for a truck as I threw it around a roundabout. The small dimensions and short wheelbase made it easy to fit into parking spots and still have room to open your doors. Ford has pretty solid ADAS for commuting, and it was so easy to climb into the bed. It's about 4 inches lower than the R1T, even in kneel mode. The bed itself is actually about the same size as the Rivian, though I'll have to load sheet goods on top of the wheel wells. The adjustable tailgate will help with that. I hear they are releasing a 300T performance pack with a bigger turbo to bring it up to 300hp. If they can also include the paddle shifters from the Lobo, I think that would make for a killer "backup" track vehicle for rainy days when I don't want to take the Miata.

That is... if I don't get a Slate.

 

[gouacats]

The plan is to get a campervan for future road trips and the Slate would be my around town commuter. If I don't get a Slate, I'll likely just get another 2-door Wrangler for bopping around town and the occasional trip to Moab/Sedona.