Would not having the advance safety group stop you ordering?

[m11rphy]

Hi Guys from the UK.

I had an order placed for a brand new Laramie night edition which was supposed to included the advance safety group, I have now been told that the truck has been built without this due to the chip shortage and they have advised they don't know when or if this option will return. The dealer has discounted the truck £1250 ($1700) and Im not sure if to accpet or cancel the order and wanted some other views from y'all?

 

[Eighty]

Well, it's certainly not a matter of "if", rather "when" it will return. And I don't think it's being deleted from domestic orders - I've only heard this problem from Canadian (and now UK) orders. That said, if you want a truck anytime in the next 6-12 months, you'll probably have to take it like it is. But maybe you can talk your dealer into reserving you a "sweet deal" (both sale price and trade-in) when they can finally deliver a truck that matches your specs.

 

[Andymax]

This is one of those posts where you're gonna get the following range of answers:
1. ASG stupid and unnecessary anyway...take the truck
2. ASG is meh, I could live with/without it...or parts of it are ok.
3. ASG is the best thing ever...cancel the truck.

My advice to you is this. Assess the reason why you ordered it in the first place and think hard about how YOU use YOUR vehicle, and then reassess if it's worth the 1700 bucks to not have those features over the length of time you'll have that truck.

For me, the answer would absolutely be to cancel the truck, and here's why...I drive a lot of highway miles, and the Adaptive Cruise is something I will never again be without. It is also incredibly handy in high traffic. I've come to appreciate and use the Lane Keep Assist, though it is far from perfect...this one is not a decision maker for me. Forward Collision works well...too well sometimes, but it did save my *** once so it's hard to fault it's shortcomings.

Your dealer ( I assume you mean your salesperson) saying ASG may possibly never come back is either willful ignorance, greed or stupidity. Maybe it won't come back specifically as ASG, but those options most certainly will come back in some fashion as soon as chips are available. Seems to me they're saying it that way to create doubt in your head so you will take the truck.

Lastly, it's worth mentioning that there've been folks that added those features after they got the truck, though it ain't cheap, won't be under warranty and I'm guessing requires a fair amount of skill and deconstruction of your truck...but maybe this is an option? Not sure you could get the parts though.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[OldMarine]

I fall into a 4th catagory....been driving 47 years now, ( 48 if you count the times I stole my grandma's car), never needed any of that stuff...but don't think it's " stupid" to have it. Tell them for $2000 you'll take the truck.

 

[m11rphy]

Thanks for all the advice y'all I appreciate it, it was interesting about this being a Canadian issue and I think the trucks in the UK come via Canada. I didn't specifically order any options this was a truck they on order and it had these options and I just went for it as it was "loaded" spec wise. I have adaptive cruise in my current car so would have preferred it and I like the idea of blind spot monitoring as for me in the UK the steering wheel will be on the wrong side as we drive on the right, so thought it would make life easier. Problem is I want the truck bad and we only have 3 dealers who import here and none have any stock with ASG

 

[mikeru82]

Sounds like you need a truck now more than you need the ASG. What are your alternatives as far as a truck goes, if you decide to cancel this? It's not looking like these "shortages" are going to end anytime soon. So if you really need a vehicle with a bed I'd probably go ahead and get this truck while you can. There will be opportunities later if you want to upgrade to one that has the features you want.

 

[scottmoyer]

I'm going to fall in with OldMarine. I've been driving since the 80s and while some of the new tech is good, I personally prefer not having these "driving" aids. The reason for that is simple. The number of people that don't know how to properly drive is growing year after year. So with that, I will always be a more alert driver. These driving aids take control away from me and into some electronic AI. I believe some of the tech is good, like ABS, certain electronic traction control, etc, but paying attention, while driving, is a requirement. How often have you drifted out of your lane when you're paying attention to your driving? How often have you rear ended someone while driving with cruise control on and you were paying attention to the traffic slowing in front of you?

I say the big question is, can you drive this vehicle without those features? Or, is it a requirement that you have them due to attention deficit skills? If it's a requirement, then start taking an Uber or Lyft. I'm pretty sure that you can drive this truck without those features and will enjoy "driving" it rather than it driving you.

 

[vincentw56]

You can add it yourself later along with ACC, lane keep assist, etc. if you want it.

 

[Condor757]

One mans opinion. My 2019 Bighorn does not have it but my wife’s 2019 VW Atlas does. While it’s nice to have the adaptive cruise control, I’m more of an old school guy who likes to still be more in control using cruise control. The adaptive definitely takes a lot of pressure off the driver during slow downs and speed ups but honestly if I had to choose I’d choose a truck that didn’t have it. It’s just more electronic stuff that can break in the future. I’m perfectly happy with my “basic” BigHorn! Good luck with your decision, if I were you I’d be talking the dealer down in price to compensate and taking the truck as is.

 

[Andymax]

I fall into a 4th catagory....been driving 47 years now, ( 48 if you count the times I stole my grandma's car), never needed any of that stuff...but don't think it's " stupid" to have it. Tell them for $2000 you'll take the truck.

See? This is exactly my point. You tell him to do something that YOU would do...while it may or may not be what best suits him, or even applicable to him. And you're not in a fourth category....you're between 1 and 2...which is why I used the phrase "range of answers". I was only suggesting that other peoples use case, and experiences like yours and mine aren't really applicable. This is why, on posts like this, I suggest that maybe letting the OP know how you use your truck and why something is or is not useful/valuable would be more helpful information to a guy having to make a decision.

OP...yeah man...I was in a similar spot...wanting a truck badly, so I too had to live without some options I really wanted. Maybe someday when I grow up I'll be able to order exactly what I want and have the patience and budget to get it. But I doubt it, cuz I'm 55 already, and I'm still impatient...ESPECIALLY when it comes to getting a new truck!

 

[KWKSLVR]

It would be a deal breaker for me, but I'm a yuppie suburbanite (not really) and I love tech. Having experience with ACC, Lane Assist, Auto Breaking, etc, I look at them as potentially useful tools, especially with distracting kids in my car. On the flip side, my wife hates that stuff. She gets in our van and turns it all off. I get in it and turn it all on. If I could get all the tech stuff on a Big Horn or a Laramie I would have gone that route, but even if I could get all that on a Laramie still, the Limited isn't all that much more.

You just need to decide what you value the most. No one can decide that for ya, all we can do is tell you why we do, or don't value it.

 

[Camelot]

I would buy the truck without it. Its nice to have and I like the adaptive cruise, but would not be a deal breaker for me. But if you think it would bother you not having it, pass on it.

 

[BowDown]

I don't need ASG but its very handy to have and I'm glad I got it. Its standard on Limited Level 1 trims and Level 1 had some other features that I wanted. The Pedestrian Emergency Braking and Surround-View Camera System are two biggies.
Having had ASG for almost a year, I like it and now would not buy the truck without it.

Tried the ACC for the first time last week and it works great and will be useful to me on my Dallas to Houston commutes

 

[BowDown]

I fall into a 4th catagory....been driving 47 years now, ( 48 if you count the times I stole my grandma's car), never needed any of that stuff...but don't think it's " stupid" to have it. Tell them for $2000 you'll take the truck.

I'm going to fall in with OldMarine. I've been driving since the 80s and while some of the new tech is good, I personally prefer not having these "driving" aids. The reason for that is simple. The number of people that don't know how to properly drive is growing year after year. So with that, I will always be a more alert driver. These driving aids take control away from me and into some electronic AI. I believe some of the tech is good, like ABS, certain electronic traction control, etc, but paying attention, while driving, is a requirement. How often have you drifted out of your lane when you're paying attention to your driving? How often have you rear ended someone while driving with cruise control on and you were paying attention to the traffic slowing in front of you?

I say the big question is, can you drive this vehicle without those features? Or, is it a requirement that you have them due to attention deficit skills? If it's a requirement, then start taking an Uber or Lyft. I'm pretty sure that you can drive this truck without those features and will enjoy "driving" it rather than it driving you.

I agree with both of you only to the extent that these features are bad for new drivers as they allow them to drive with less awareness. I've been driving since the late, late 80's and am a competent driver, the ASG features are useful tools and I could drive without them just fine but it's nice to have them for that extra layer of protection.

 

[vincentw56]

I always love how a lot of these comments basically boil down to "I'm an old man and been doing this thing forever and don't need your new fangled do dads". It always seems to come up when anyone asks opinions on anything to do with tech in the truck.

I'm 49 and grew up on a farm driving every type of vehicle since I was 8. And yet, I don't feel like an "old man".

 

[KWKSLVR]

I always love how a lot of these comments basically boil down to "I'm an old man and been doing this thing forever and don't need your new fangled do dads". It always seems to come up when anyone asks opinions on anything to do with tech in the truck.

I'm 49 and grew up on a farm driving every type of vehicle since I was 8. And yet, I don't feel like an "old man".

I"m 41 and definitely an old man.

 

[GKIII]

ASG is nice, but not mandatory if you really need the truck now. I'd see if they can knock another 500 off and call it a day if they did.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Since I already know how to drive I opted not to pay for this and get my truck much sooner.

 

[ekaz]

All your call, can you drive without them? Sure. Do you want them just in case? Your call. As to everyone that says it takes control away, every one of those features can be turned off, its in the manual, and since you classify yourselves as "old", I know you know how to read and don't need emojis.

 

[Jason605]

ASG is the only group I would Never pay for and definitely pass on a truck if it had it.