[Guest]

Husband has decided to purchase a good used truck, newer than the one we have. Wants to use it for hauling materials, so needs to be a long bed...only firm criterion is that it needs to be able to stop well (no lockup).

Any recommendations/suggestions/caveats?

 

[Guest]

Will need a bit more information for a recommendation. Are you looking for gas/diesel, 2/4 wheel drive, standard/automatic, half, three quarter or 1 ton, foreign or domestic, commuter or farm use and price range?

 

[len]

I like my 1990 F250 Ford, 5.8 litre gas engine, E4OD automatic transmission.

Diesels are a PITA, hard to start in winter, expensive to maintain...the fuel economy of a diesel only makes sense if you drive 100,000 miles a year.

I prefer a standard transmission but hard to find. I lock out overdrive on the E4OD if I am hauling a heavy load. A rebuild on an E4OD auto transmission runs about $2000. The voice of experience...

good luck,

 

[Hoop]

If your not hauling monster loads and a 1/2 ton is sufficient, the Toyota Tundra could be for you. Toyota reliabilitity in a full size pickup. Of course, since the truck only came out in 2000, and you're looking for a long bed, they will likely be hard to find.

If you need a 3/4 ton, you won't find that in a Toyota until 2006, so you'll be looking at Chevy Ford Dodge GM.

Personally, I think the used Dodge trucks "CAN" be good buys. They depreciate faster than other trucks, so a 3 - 5 year old Dodge is the least expensive in the field.

 

[Terri]

Hoop, can you say WHY the Dodges depreciate more quickly? Do they break down earlier, or is it a matter of style?

Alas, my old Chevy gave up the ghost last week, and I must replace it soon....... :waa:

 

[diane]

Having driven used pickups of just about every denomination, the only real consistent lemon I know of is the Ford Ranger. Not only ours, but every one I know of personally has been a real loser.

What is great is if you can buy one from someone older who has consistently maintained it. Even high mileage ones from them are pretty decent.

 

[gefozarks]

You might also consider checking with local salvage yards so that if needed you will be able to buy used parts locally.

 

[Ken Scharabok]

Diane:

Hate to break your string but I drive a 1984 Ford Ranger F100. Have about 170K on it. Did crack the block a couple of years ago so had to have replaced it. Had the head overhauled at the same time. Other than that it has been just minor things in the 70K or so miles I have used it. Except to get many more years of use out of it.

On the pickup, do you really need one? A small low-boy, double axle trailer will haul more than a pick up bed and it would be far, far cheaper to buy and maintain. If you park it under a shed, really only maintenance would be tires.

Ken S. in WC TN

 

[diane]

that's great Ken!! I am always happy to hear that "used" has worked out for anyone, no matter what the model. We have an old Chevi crew cab that we bought 16 years ago with 75,000 miles on it. The odometer broke with 225,000 miles on it and we still use it to haul stuff to vile to put in the new truck

Our ranger is a 4WD.....Michigan is pretty hard on trucks anyway and the ones around here are mostly not wonderful. Hubby still drives ours to work by the way, but it is only 6 miles away. Since we have totally rebuilt it, I think it will most likely last for a few years.

 

[Ed in S. AL]

I like my old 91 chevy 1500. I should be rolling 300,000 miles on the odometer any day now. Has been a dang good truck, and still runs as good as the day I got it.

 

[ajoys]

Having driven used pickups of just about every denomination, the only real consistent lemon I know of is the Ford Ranger. Not only ours, but every one I know of personally has been a real loser.

What is great is if you can buy one from someone older who has consistently maintained it. Even high mileage ones from them are pretty decent.

My uncle has a ford ranger with over 500k miles on it. He is on his 3rd engine (2nd rebuilt motor) but has not had to rebuild anything else besides normal maintenance. It is an older basic model with a 4sp manual transmission, no frills etc.... He drives lots and lots of highway miles for work.

I have a newer F150 and I am actually surprised with how well it is holding up.

 

[comfortablynumb]

Find a nice old ford... 65-early 70's, put in an engine/transmission to suit your need. nothing electric and complex just solid mechanical, durable reliable stuff. My 65 F250 has a 390 in it, and extra springs, much more truck than I will ever need but it was a great deal, and the engine is a new rebuild, it will last another 20 yrs.
my bro has a 74, with an inline 6, a 150 and he hauls wood rock pulls trailers ect, no trouble, that old I-6 is tough to kill, not to mention he gets better milage than I do.
I have said many times, if you cant bolt an engine to a stand and run it severed from the truck totally on a stand, junk it. all these newer truck need the electronic rats nest of cuircuts to run at all. Its a pain.

not to mention, old ford engines are as easy to find as chevys. Ive had chevys I like those too, if they are OLD. The fords are made a little more to last, and the engines are just tougher all around.

Dodge... hehehehe.
I had one...a load of firewood ripped up the rearend, and the transmission leaked like it has been stabbed. ran nice to go for a ride...about all it was good for.

little nissans... cant beat those to death very easy, toyotas either.

mitsubisi's.... hehehehehehe.

Long long ago on the dark mists of time I had a VW pickup truck, old one...67. looked like a half a bus. That was a suprisingly tough old bird too.

 

[MelissaW]

We've had two Ford F150 4WD in the past 20 years. The original one is a 1980. It did require a new transmission when it was 10 years old. We sold it a few years back to a guy in town. I still see him driving it around. The "new" one is 11 years old, and it is still going strong. I read in Farm Show magazine about a 1995 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel that has a million miles on it. The guy said he wore out a couple of clutches and fuel pumps, and had to replace the water pump once. I'd say that was a good buy! Good luck!