Best cheap used pickup truck?

[Redoverfarm]

Sorry, John - my buddy is on disability and has been setting me up with deals since 1976 so I help him out too.

He gives me engines - generators -gun holster- set me up with a  TD15 w/blade to trade for my old dump truck straight across-Mike's project- etc -   We take care of our own.....and we're not inbred either.

It's the little things....

You are right about the stick - probably a bit better mileage when driven right and no automatic problems or upgrades needed.  Exhaust brake is good with them too as the Diesels don't have the compression braking as good as the gas engines -

No insult taken.  I guess it is what you get , how it holds out and the service you get for your money. Pros & cons on each.  We're not either just our selction is narrower .  Unlike CA if they are closely related they are usually the opposite sex as near as we can tell.

[glenn kangiser]

Gotta admit there are problems with the choices out here. Some haven't figured out the gene pool bit yet....

[MountainDon]

....so pickup time is here.

You didn't say if this is to be a permanent addition or only needed/wanted for the construction stage. I ask because it seems that until now you have be truckless and not minded. 

Unless I was pulling heavy heavy loads on mountain roads very frequently, over medium to long distances, I personally would not buy a diesel anymore.

I am a complete fan of automatic transmissions. An automatic fitted with a good after market oil cooler is very dependable. They are also easier to start moving on uphill slopes with heavy loads.

I prefer 4WD if there are any mud/dirt/gravel roads involved. The hill up to our mountain cabin is sometimes quite iffy if you only have 2WD... like right now with snow cover on it. Or spring with mud on it.

I don't think there's much difference between makes; one can disappoint you as readily as the other. Luck of the draw on many things, IMO.

Tires... Mud treads if there is mud. If not a good all terrain like my BFG A/T's. I used to have M/T's but they can wear faster if used on the highway a lot and don't perform (grip) as well on rain slick roads.

IMO, a trailer is necessary. It's hard to haul 12 ft or 16 ft material in a pickup, long bed or not.

OR, make a place for the delivery trucks to turn around and save the trouble of a truck and a trailer.    The local lumber dealer rolloff truck has no trouble hauling up to our cabin site as long as the road is not muddy or snow covered.

The above opinions are mine and may not be everyone else's cup of tea.   

[CREATIVE1]

To answer a couple of your questions:

We may or may not keep the truck.  We don't need in in Florida, but on our property, up a gravel road with snow in the winter, it might really come in handy.  If our old Subaru is on the way out, it's more likely that we'd keep it.

4WD is probably a smart move too. 

[MountainDon]

gravel, snow = 4WD     

[NM_Shooter]

I have an '02 F250 crew cab, short bed diesel that I like a lot.  I initially shopped for Dodge's, but in '02 when I was buying, they didn't have a four door crew cab 3/4 ton available.  I also read that while the drivetrain was good, the frame and the body were not. 

We previously had a '97 suburban that we bought new that had absolutely huge problems from day one.  The folks at Chevy refused to assist, so we basically now have an issue with providing any $$$ to GM at all. 

My F250 now has 140k on it and is still running good.  The front suspension is needing some love though, as with all the rock roads I've been driving, I suspect that I have worn something out. 

The 15 quart oil change does get old fast. 

I suspect that If I were shopping now, I would stick to gas though, as it is so much cheaper. 

Good luck!

[CREATIVE1]

I was looking at diesel because the engines tend to last longer, and I'm looking at a truck that's older and has some miles on it.  Fuel costs 20 - 25% more, but may be offset by better mileage and longer engine life.  Plus, you may be able to use biofuels.

By the way, how does 4 wheel drive affect mileage on a pickup?

[apaknad]

4wd=-1or2. depends on how you drive. for a newbie buying his first P.U. i would stay w/gas and auto. trailer is a high priority and autos pull them easier in most circumstances. you are going to have to put on alot of miles to get savings from a diesel to compensate for costs. i agree with M.don on lack of quality in body and incidentals w/dodge. i can get an average of 18 mpg if i drive like a grandpa w/an egg between my foot and gas pedal(16 more likely)2006 F150, 4WD, auto, 5.4 V-8, towing package. BTW, you most likely will not ever be w/o a truck again once you get your first one. jus' sumpin' 'bout dem. they are very useful tools. glen and some of the other forumites are VERY experienced truck owners and dealing w/diesel eccentricities for them is like a walk in the park. you aren't there yet IMHO. roll the dice and make your choice.

dan

[achildofthesky]

I have to echo the sentiments for the Cummins powered Dodge's. If a beater work truck pre 96 or 97. For a nicer interior and fluffy options (I like fluffy options) 2003 and newer. I wouldn't buy a truck (outside of an oldie) without 4x4 w/manual trans. Just less problems overall and I like 4x4's.

I owned a 93 Ford F250 4x4 5 speed manual diesel w/250+ miles on it a while back named Bob, and Bob was a good old boy. Not a speck of rust which was amazing and it ran great (20+ @ about 60-64 on cruise with the front wheels locked out) everything worked. I greatly regret selling Bob in a moment of "why do I have this if I am not using it?". God, I am an a$$head sometimes.
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Folks are right about the lack of underhood room to mess with stuff. I had 2 problems with it: the return lines off the injectors started leaking (simple 2 beer fix) and the serpentine belt tensioner broke, exploded really... The tensioned explosion dented but did not hole the radiator and when the serp belt broke it grabbed the positive cable from the batt to the starter broke it off and waved it around under the hood arcing it on all kinds of stuff that don't want electrons hitting them. Of course the water pump went out with out the belt as did the power steering. When I got it home a few minutes later I asessed the damage and called about a new battery cable. I choked on my coffee at the price and galvanized in to action (always wanted to say that) and as I didn't have a torch or soldering iron I whipped out (always wanted to say that too, you get a 2fer!) my MSR pocket rocket ultralight camping stove, wrenches, solder and a bottle of Jack Daniels as this was an advanced repair and this IS AArghkansas. I removed the spiders nest that is the battery cable on a 1993 ford diesel 2 battery battery cable and stripped the ends as well as squaring the ends with a handy dandy set of side cutters.

After a bracing bout of wrestling with uncle jack, I attached the fuel bottle to the little marvel of a stove and fired it up. It hissed a very satisfying hiss of pretty blue flame... Then I studied my problem... And wrestled with jack a time or 2 more.

The little lightbulb in a cloud over my fat head went off and I said Ureka (the truck did) and I hunted with fervor through my scrap heap/truck tool box that was conveniently not mounted in the truck and found a piece of copper tube that was but a bit bigger than the diameter of the now stripped cable.

I slid 1 end of the severed cable into the copper tube and beat the spit out of it with my ever present Ironworking beater pinching the tube tightly around the cable and held the mangled cable over the stove/pseudo torch and fed in an obscene amount of fluxcore solder to affix the cable and tube as one. While it cooled, I entered another long, technical negotiation with Uncle Jack and then struggled with the other end of the cable and trying to get it into the copper tubes other end. Success finally achieved, I stoked the little pocket rocket once again and used another bail of solder to fill the rest of the tube and when I thought it was good I added a bit more and beat the ever loving crap out of it with surgical precision with the aforementioned (there is another one I always wanted to use) beater, marveling at the still molten solder as it splattered in a graceful arc through the air gently touching down, soft as a feather on my unprotected legs...

Darn I said (actually I said something else, many times and many different ways) as I launched from my sitting position kicking over the stove and starting only a small lawn fire.

Fire out, blisters raised I admired the repaired cable and grinned the selfsatisfied grin that only a retard like myself can grin. After a few minutes of picking up the mess and dressing wounds I replaced the cable assemby after binding the colorcasehardned looking copper tube with electrical tape... Wow what a great fix, I guess you had to be there. A master mechanic move I tell you.

Now I just had to replace the tensioner assembly, but that is a different ordeal...
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The engine in the ford was an international and I swear it was a school bus engine. It sounded exactly like a bus when accelerating... Pretty cool actually.

Though I prefer the Cummins engine the early F250 diesels were simple and strong, no turbo's, no electronics no nothing at all. I liked that. Easy (relative term) to work on cheap enough parts and you can fix stuff with a camp stove, electrical tape and a big honking hammer.

Be safe
Patty

[MountainDon]

By the way, how does 4 wheel drive affect mileage on a pickup?

4WD = fewer MPG, unless the front end has locking hubs and you run with them unlocked all the time. That's because of the extra friction with the front end parts turning all the time, even if you are not transmitting power to the front axle. Even with locking hubs there will be a theoretical MPG loss because of the extra weight of the front end being hauled around.

[glenn kangiser]

That was a beauty, Patty.  I might add that it is possible to put the copper tube over the cable to make a new end.  Simply smash it onto the end of the cut back and stripped cable with your spud Crescent, damaging the mechanism as you hammer, then after flat get a drill. 

Starting to drill the hole will work pretty good if the drill is not too dull. If the drill is too dull the drilling will generate plenty of friction and you will likely set something on fire or burn yourself. 

When you finally get the drill to go through the copper and wire,  the flutes on the drill should grab the sides of the copper hole, violently jerking it off of the inner fender all the way to the starter solenoid, nearly breaking your finger and giving you a blood blister, cut pinky and twisting your wrist in the process. 

Just thought you might be able to use that helpful idea sometime.

I suggest that the Cummins is still the easiest to work on of any of the diesel engines in any truck.  Priming after running out of diesel is different than a gas engine but anyone can learn it.  Just keep it above 1/4 tank if possible and there will never be a problem.  My neighbors Ford PS has been broke down more than running and he is a mechanic and a good one.  He bought a beauty used 02 Dodge while he tries to get the Ford fixed and sell it.  He was not previously a Dodge man.

In my observation, the frames and bodies of the Dodges stay together as well as any of the brands, but many seem to blame the deterioration problems of the truck on their bad driving, drinking and driving, four wheeling, etc.

[Whitlock]

I'm going to put my two cents worth in hear

If you like working on stuff buy a Dodge,Chevy or Ford I myself have enough things to do.
So I use toyota. Have friends that own the full sizes but I like my little 04 tacoma V-6, 4X4, 3/4 ton, 25 miles gal.
90,000 miles and have never done anything to it but change the fluids and tires.
I use a trailer a lot for the bigger stuff.

No matter what you buy make sure it is four wheel drive you will need it sooner or later.


O.K. let the bashings begin,W

[glenn kangiser]

I guess I could put a dependable Toyota in the back of my Dodge for a spare.

[CREATIVE1]

Last shipping quote I got was $1,070.  Much better.

[glenn kangiser]

Good deal.

[Whitlock]

I guess I could put a dependable Toyota in the back of my Dodge for a spare.

You would have to give me more tools to make room

[glenn kangiser]

I'll have to think about that one--- maybe a tow bar? hmm

[apaknad]

WHAT!!! TOYOTA... HOW DARE YOU WHITLOCK. did you ever see that you tube video where they run a ford, chevy and toyota full size P.U. down a series of good size rumble strips? the toyota almost tears itself apart. chevy faired better and ford acted like it was smooth pavement. there is a reason why it is the worlds best selling vehicle for what, 21 years in a row. now there's no denying toyota sets the standard in cars but not trucks and W., if you ever mention a toyota P.U. again i am going to send the ford truck fairy to your house while you are sleeping and flatten your tires(i think he lives in san francisco).

[apaknad]

oh and btw mr. glen. i'll have you know i never go off roading while i drink and drive(unless i am trying to get out of the ditch i just ran into).

[Whitlock]

WHAT!!! TOYOTA... HOW DARE YOU WHITLOCK. did you ever see that you tube video where they run a ford, chevy and toyota full size P.U. down a series of good size rumble strips? the toyota almost tears itself apart. chevy faired better and ford acted like it was smooth pavement. there is a reason why it is the worlds best selling vehicle for what, 21 years in a row. now there's no denying toyota sets the standard in cars but not trucks and W., if you ever mention a toyota P.U. again i am going to send the ford truck fairy to your house while you are sleeping and flatten your tires(i think he lives in san francisco).

I geuss you haven't seen the Toyota truck commercials

Ford truck has fairies  :-\You said it not me

Nuff said

[Squirl]

Go with an automatic with a cooler.  If it is to be used for towing/hauling you don't have to worry about the clutch.

I don't know how much hauling you are going to do, but if it is down only a 1/4 mile road and f150 should do you fine.  I know many contractors that get by with a 6 cylinder F150 .  You can pick them up for a song too. I have found good ones under 150,000 miles for under $1200.  They are easy to fix, and easy to get parts and not to bad on gas. A 4wd model will probably cost more, but you are definitely going to get the most bang for your buck.  If it is going to be a third vehicle and only used for the construction and snow, don't worry about the mileage. 

If you were a construction worker or major contractor or hauled big loads long distances a beefier truck would be better, but a whole lot more expensive

Just my 2 pennies

[glenn kangiser]

oh and btw mr. glen. i'll have you know i never go off roading while i drink and drive(unless i am trying to get out of the ditch i just ran into).

You are up there in the flat land, Dan.  You don't need a drink before you go off roading there.  Here you do.

...and for you GM fans, I just pulled Whitlocks GMC up the hill backwards with the brakes on.  He soon released them but I really couldn't tell the difference.

[Whitlock]

It's on now . I'm going to get her running and then we will have to have a pull off.

And the e-brake was only on when you were pulling me down hill

My little 1942-6 bangger 270 against your big bad turbo diesel

[glenn kangiser]

Can you drive well while backing up? 

Better get those mirrors fixed.

I told ya, If I lost you over the hill, no problem as long as the chain held...... I'd just drag you back up....

[MountainDon]

What I find fascinating is the angle of the chimney on the building behind it.