It is strange. My first car was a Honda 1300FE Hatch back with a 1.3 liter engine.
I upgraded from that to a Pontiac Lemans with a 1.6 liter engine. The next car
was a Ford Probe with a 2.2 liter engine followed by a Geo Tracker with a 1.6
liter engine. So, what would make sense as the next vehicle? Nope, not a
Geo Metro ... A
BIG HONKIN' CHEVY 3500 DUALLY
But, of course, not just any truck would do. I would have to customize it to "make
it my own". So, here's what I've done to it so far:
DORAN TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR
I monitor all 6 of my truck tires as well as the 4 trailer tires when I am towing.
The monitor will allow me to view tire pressures anytime I want as well as set off
an alarm when pressure drops 12.5% or more. This has saved me from one tire failure
so far and makes verifying tire pressure is correct SO MUCH EASIER.
ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
This is the pride and joy of the truck IMHO. I have a 7" screen for the back
seat passengers and a 5" screen for the front seat passenger. It is attached
to an in-dash DVD player with RCA jacks on the front. I can attach a play station
to that or the on-board TV tuner (which allows me to watch or listen to broadcast
TV stations while on the road).
WIRELESS CAMERA SYSTEM
It gets tough to see out the back because of the height of the truck. In addition,
you cannot see the load in the enclosed trailer or what is behind the trailer.
I purchased the wireless camera system from Micro Center and have the receiver where
most people have a compartment for sunglasses on the roof part of the center console.
I have two cameras - one inside, normal camera and one outside camera with infra-red
capability. This ties into a single 7" LCD screen on the drivers visor so I can
watch what I am doing when I am backing up or maneuvering the truck.
OTHER FEATURES
Onstar: If you don't know what this is, GET A LIFE. I love it. It is so nice
to be able to have extra cell minutes at your disposal when you need them. In
addition, the safety factor really comes in handy. I view it as a $200 yearly
insurance policy. Quite useful when I drive 35,000 miles a year. XM Radio: Once again, if you don't know what this is, GET A LIFE! I despise
Sirius radio simply because I do not care for Howard Stern. Since I don't agree
with his antics, I will not support a company that supports him. That simple. 5th wheel Hitch: I installed this incase my dad ever needed to borrow the truck
to tow his 5th wheel (He has a Chevy 3500 as well). It has come in handy on a
few occasions when his truck has been in the shop. Rhino Lined Bed: Just a nice thing to have. This protects the bed, gives me an
anti-slip surface when it's wet, and just makes the truck look better in my opinion. Pop Lock tailgate lock: The Pop Lock is a device that installs in minutes into
the tailgate handle and, when locked, prevents people from opening the tailgate.
The main use of this is to prevent people from stealing the tailgate. However, the
lock is poorly made and it is tough to lock now that it has been installed one year. Power Inverter: A Coleman 1000 watt (peak 2000 watt) inverter provides all the AC
power needs I have in my truck. I've used it to run power equipment at the end of my
driveway (since I do not have power at the end of the 1250' long drive!), run the
PlayStation in the truck, and provide laptop power on long trips. It's also useful
for charging batteries for items that do not have 12 volt plugs. Swiss Truck Cap: A pretty basic cap, but decent. I have had a few problems with it and
plan on getting them fixed when they become a major issue. First, the molding is
cracking that holds the fiberglass cap to the metal frame. Second, the rear window
does not seal, thus meaning it won't latch or lock.