I need a "new" truck

I think I'll at least get an estimate. Gotta find a new guy, the guy I like is way over the other side of town (40 minute drive), the guy I used last doesn't know how to estimate how long work will take (big difference between 8 days and 5 weeks), and we had to go back for something improperly installed.

what I did was hunt around for a truck that needed a new engine so when I found my 94 gmc sierra f250 it only cost me $200 then I put in a new engine, rad, and battery. The rest was in great shape so in total I spent $6200 for an almost new truck. I will never buy brand new since doing it this way saves a ton of money though I probably won't need a new one for the next 20 years since I don't drive that much (engine put in in 97 and only 25k km have been put on it. Also I should mention you might not need a new rad but I'm cursed with rads since every vehicle I have bought every radiator has a melt down so now I just get a new one with every vehicle.

Also I should mention a new engine without high mileage increases resale value - my last vehicle (94 jeep grand Cherokee) was bought for $900, with the new engine ($3000) with 30k km on it sold for $4000 so driving it for 4 years I broke even when I sold it.

Was GMC Sierra F250 a typing error ?

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Check it Out O added another Plank With O care
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We have 2 F-150's; one is a 2002 with over 225,000 miles. It looks rough and needs new manifold gaskets, it affects how it sounds not how it runs. It is our 'farm' truck. We also have a 2014 F-150 bought used for 1/2 of the sticker price and with 2,400 miles on it. Both are great trucks but I must admit I prefer the 2002. I also had a 1993 Toyota, I drove it for 14 years and had over 300,000 miles on it. It was a tank!! That truck went through any and every thing and kept on running. I would buy a Toyota again if the price was right.

I'm not sure I'm handy enough to replace the engine myself. I got a friend that wants to teach me, starting with my lawn mower, but we don't normally do much more than brakes and oil changes here. Hubby changed an alternator once, that's as fancy as we get.

I live inthe salt belt, and you can find plenty of trucks in good shape yet. Yes, there's usually rust under the floorpan.. and at the cab corner... but those are a couple hundred bucks to replace w/ brand new aftermarket parts from LMC.

I'm running an 86 F250 right now... needed 1/2 the floor pan replaced, and a shock mount rewelded when I bought it 3 years ago, I replaced the motor for under 1k and good to go. Otherwise its in fine shape, no rust holes, no body holes, bed is solid... all in all I have about 2200 in the whole thing.... it CAN be found

also, i'm not familiar w/ NY DMV regs, but can't you register as a farm truck to get around the commercial weight regs?

I would not even consider a 250 or 2500 truck without 4x4 if you do anything off the road pulling something. They pull like a champ out on the road but if you get off the road and the ground is a little wet you are gonna be disappointed. I have a 2500 and I can't tell you how many times I would of been stuck without 4x4.

It sounds like you are going to be towing as much as hauling, and that almost always is done best by a bigger truck, which usually costs more to buy and operate. However, you can get by with a smaller truck if you dress it up a little. I went with a GMC half ton 4x4 with a factory tow package that included heavier springs, an auxiliary cooling line for the transmission, the hitch, and all the wiring preinstalled. It is rated to tow just under 9,000 pounds, but it gets dicey above 6,000-7,000 pounds. I get about 17-18 MPG (measured often), which is a lot better than friends and family are getting in their gas powered 3/4 ton trucks. I sometimes wish I had a diesel for the torque and increased mileage, but with the price of diesel fuel and the additional cost for the engine, I'm not sure you ever get your money back.

Good luck finding the truck that works best for you.

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"Luck is the residue of design" - Branch Rickey

I asked this question on a form that knows about oxen as well. They think I'll need a 16' stock trailer, and the F-150 can get her going as long as I don't need to stop in diecy situations, but because of the stopping problem, they recommend I go up to a 3/4 ton truck.

A small piece of me says get the bigger truck and don't sell the F-150 while she's still a viable ride. She might be more efficient at light duty jobs than the bigger truck. She's not going to be worth a lot at sale, and if I have a spare vehicle I might be less hesitant about learning how to tinker with the one not in use. But... trucks never driven get rusty brakes, so then I'd have two vehicles with poor gas milage I have to go out of my way to drive once a week.

I agree with this one.
I have been a Ford guy for so long but right now all I have is Chevy crap.
I have a K1500 Cheyenne that I drive when I need to haul something.
I also have a 1980 C2500 Scottsdale for a plow truck.
It is a rusty bugger but very strong.
Next Summer I am going to remove the overhead rack and see if it will fit my K1500. The rack is a really nice one because this C2500 spent it's first life on the Alaskan Pipeline. It also came to me with a large extended front bumper with a $3500 super strong winch on it. I removed that whole assembly and the winch will go on the 18 foot flat bed trailer I got last Fall.
I had the whole plow assembly with the front bumper from a 1973 Dodge Ramcharger so that is now on the front of the C2500 bumper and all.
After I get the rack off the box will be removed next. I will put a stake rack flatbed on it. I will replace any body panels that need to be replaced on the cab. When I get that 1980 C2500 ready for the road I will put the K1500 Cheyenne up on blocks and put the plate on the C2500. Then I will get something to drive with better mileage and only switch insurance when I need the pickup. The 3/4 ton will do a better job pulling our travel trailer and my large trailer full of my cast iron engines to engine shows. A little truck or van will do fine with a smaller 5X9 trailer for the small loads.

Y'all need to expand your search for vehicles to South Texas...

Our vehicles never see road salt, and unless they are near the coast - they don't rust through. Just surface rust where the paint gets sunburnt off.

For the $99 SouthWest Air one-way Ticket, you could drive home a peach of a vehicle!

Or drive down and tow one back.

Just a suggestion.

Definitely on my mind. I occasionally visit relatives in the south, and I occasionally consider the fly down and drive back option.

We belong to a vehicle forum, and have been tasked with pre-screening vehicles for other forum members who live elsewhere.

The guy who bought my 1996 Mustang, flew in and drove it home. I picked him up in it at the hotel and drove him to the bank...

My father in law is pretty vehicle savvy and might do that for us.

How do you work registration in a transaction like that?

Texas is easy. Sign the title, sign the other form, and as long as you had insurance before - you have 30 days to get the car registered. Insurance automatically covers a new car for 30 days. We can pull or leave the plates. I have decided I am going to begin pulling plates when my last sale racked up $2,000 in unpaid toll fees!

On my vehicles, I always call and warn my insurance company that I'm buying something new and then call them when I have the VIN number, which I usually run before I buy the vehicle...

If you find something close to San Antonio, we would be willing to take a peek for you to pre-screen it for your FIL...
We are both car people and mechanically inclined. (As in, full restorations of vehicles & engine swaps or rebuilds.)

LMK if you're interested.

Thanks. I need to save up some cash first.

I would recommend a 2500 or F250 in either gas or diesel. I prefer gas over diesel as I can find gas a LOT cheaper than diesel and for the increase in the price of diesel maintenance and initial cost..I come out better with the gas engine.

That said, I have a Chevy HD2500 with factory tow package. It gets around 14 mpg hauling a horse trailer. It is a 2003 and has about 140,000 miles on it. I have never gotten stuck, but I know I would if I went into boggy areas or clay that is wet..lol..so I avoid those areas as much as possible. Have used it to haul hay out of the field with no problems.

You might want that extra bit of truck there when hauling a LIVE load of oxen. Hauling 4,000 lbs. of shifting live weight is rather different than hauling a dead weight of hay. You may need the extra truck to stop the load and I suggest electric trailer brakes.

While YOU might be a safe and considerate driver, I can assure you that there are at least 50 drivers out there that are not and don't care that you are hauling livestock. I have had folks pass me then slam on their brakes, tail gate and blow their horn (which upsets some livestock), suddenly decide that they MUST turn without using a blinker..etc.

I tend to try to haul my horse early in the am..before the loons get on the road. Just a thought and also, do consider your tongue weight which is different than "what will the truck haul". Hauling and towing are a bit different.

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