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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / August 2006decent cheap truck?
I'm in the market for a new used vehicle, and I've never really thought about getting a truck before. But now my circumstances are a little different and it might be practical. My question is, what would be a decent reliable pickup truck to get for around $2000 or so? I'm thinking maybe an F150. They seem to have made lots of those and I might be able to get an early to mid 90s with high miles on it for around that price. Are any certain trucks especially prone to rust or known for having bad drivetrains, etc? I'm fairly familiar with the 5.0L from driving a crown vic for a few years, and I liked that. I think the F150 had an I-6 available too? Well, for $2,000 you will probably be looking at a truck with lots of miles and somewhere around 12 to 15 years old. At that age you should focus on: What it was used for (construction business vs homeowner) How well it was maintained How it checks out in after an independent inspection How does it drive What condition the bed, frame and wheel wells are in Where it was driven (snow country is a guarantee of rusting) Trucks can really be useful. I owned an F250 for about 18 years and it was about bullet proof. Still have twinges of regret about selling it.... > I'm in the market for a new used vehicle, and I've never really thought > about getting a truck before. But now my circumstances are a little [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > 5.0L from driving a crown vic for a few years, and I liked that. I > think the F150 had an I-6 available too? > I'm in the market for a new used vehicle, and I've never really thought > about getting a truck before. But now my circumstances are a little [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > 5.0L from driving a crown vic for a few years, and I liked that. I > think the F150 had an I-6 available too? I have an old farm truck (90 Chev 1/2 ton 4x4) that would probably be about in your price range - not for sale though. :) Trucks in that vintage are about as complicated as dirt. The only real downside to a truck is the mileage... I don't normally worry about it, but my truck was rated at 13/17 when new and probably gets about 11/15 now... it drinks a lot of gas. But, you can't put a fridge in a car. Do you need 4 wheel drive? You pay up front for it, and you pay at the pump, but if you drive in mud or snow, you'll probably want it. Trucks come in a bazillion different combos, so it might take some digging to find the right one. Ray I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 miles on a 5.0L F150 the same as 150,000 miles on a 5.0L crown vic? Or do trucks handle mileage better? > > I'm in the market for a new used vehicle, and I've never really thought > > about getting a truck before. But now my circumstances are a little [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > Ray > I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've > driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 > miles on a 5.0L F150 the same as 150,000 miles on a 5.0L crown vic? Or > do trucks handle mileage better? I think trucks handle mileage better because the mfr has to assume that it will be driven fully loaded down 90% of the time, so if it's a "city" truck that's had an easy life, 200,000 miles is nothing. That said, miles are miles... stuff like tires and shocks and brake pads wear out no matter how you drive... I am amazed at the mileage of some cars - I was truck shopping a couple of years ago (before this chev "fell into our laps") and found three year old trucks with 200,000 miles on them. All I can say is these people stop for coffee, a pee and gas? Yikes. So, on one of those trucks, the body is probably in good shape, but the engine is probably already getting tired. Your best bet is to just start looking. Ray >> I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've >> driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > it will be driven fully loaded down 90% of the time, so if it's a "city" > truck that's had an easy life, 200,000 miles is nothing. Not so much that as the fact that they're built the way rear-drive cars *used* to be built. Simple and rugged. No CV joints except in 4x4s, no lightweight A-arm suspensions, no compromizing of internal transmission and engine parts to save weight and fit in a tiny space (ala front-drive transaxles), big heavy brakes with no concern for unsprung weight, etc. Are even modern day trucks built like RWD cars used to be built? I have an old 72 cadillac and I love the fact that everything there is so simple. I know there're a lot more things on the actual engine (electronic management, fuel injection, etc) but as far as the frame and suspension and such, is that what we're talking about? If that's not still the case, how long did it last? Through the 80s, early 90s? Are there certain trucks that replicate this old style of building a little better? Thanks. > >> I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've > >> driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > and engine parts to save weight and fit in a tiny space (ala front-drive > transaxles), big heavy brakes with no concern for unsprung weight, etc. > Are even modern day trucks built like RWD cars used to be built? I have > an old 72 cadillac and I love the fact that everything there is so [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Are there certain trucks that replicate this old style of building a > little better? Thanks. Go look under a Dodge Ram, Ford F-series, or Chevy/GMC full-size pickup and you'll see simple, big parts that look a lot like your '72 Cad. They're still rear-drive with simple solid axle rear suspensions. Even the Toy Tundra and Nissan Titan are built that way, although the rear axles in those are WAY undersized and are really just widened versions of the ones from those companies' smaller compact trucks. Some SUVs have gone soft- Expeditions and Explorers have independent rear suspension now. But the Durango, Tahoe, and all the Jeeps still have solid axles. Forget the Honduh Ridgeline- it bears no resemblance to a truck whatsoever. In all case above the engines are computer-controlled and fuel injected, the automatic transmissions computer controlled, etc., but they tend to be bigger and more robustly built than car counterparts. I think this is a huge part of the popularity of SUVs. They're just better made than many cars of comparable price. > In all case above the engines are computer-controlled and fuel injected, > the automatic transmissions computer controlled, etc., but they tend to > be bigger and more robustly built than car counterparts. I think this is > a huge part of the popularity of SUVs. They're just better made than > many cars of comparable price. I'm not sure if I'd agree with "better made" - how about "heavier duty" instead. Depending on what you need a vehicle for a truck is either the perfect suggestion, or perfectly ludicrous. Need to move a fridge? That's a truck job. Want to drive across the country without spending $10,000 on gas? not such a good idea in a pickup. I have a truck, and a car, and I use them for different things. just found this for sale: 1987 gmc sierra grande 25th anniversary 70k miles, (170k? 270k?) interior looks really clean, no rust visible after a quick inspection on my lunch break. not sure how much they want for it though? any estimate of a fair price (range)? > > In all case above the engines are computer-controlled and fuel injected, > > the automatic transmissions computer controlled, etc., but they tend to [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > I have a truck, and a car, and I use them for different things. Try Edmunds.com for a ballpark price. But 70k miles seems unbelievably low on a 1987 - that's about 3,500 miles per year. > just found this for sale: > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > > > I have a truck, and a car, and I use them for different things. >>> I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've >>> driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > and engine parts to save weight and fit in a tiny space (ala front-drive > transaxles), big heavy brakes with no concern for unsprung weight, etc. right. Which is why it's hard to "downsize" a truck. A cord of wood still weighs what it used to weigh. Plywood and drywall still weighs the same. Bricks aren't any lighter than they used to be. Ray Well, no and no or maybe and maybe. It 'really' depends on what the truck was used for. If it was used as a truck, parts wear fast so get replaced often. Larger tires, larger load, bad roads or construction sites, etc... It would depend on what part of the cycle it's at. 'Usually' they get sold at the bottom of the cycle, everything is going to need changing. If it was driven to work and the occasional load use, then it might only be just as worn as the crown vic. Mike 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2115147590 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page) > I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've > driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > > > Ray > I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've > driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 > miles on a 5.0L F150 the same as 150,000 miles on a 5.0L crown vic? Or > do trucks handle mileage better? I don't know what you are looking for exactly. You might want to post more than the price you want to pay. For example: Fullsize, 4-6 or V8. What you are going to use it for and etc.. Since you are in Ohio, so am I. My neighbor has a 97 S10 chevy that looks and runs great with less than 100K on a 4 cyl. He is thinking about selling it. I think he wants about $2500 but I am not sure, maybe more. Its not on the market yet. Anyway, I am about 20 miles east of Columbus. Contact me at ninebal310@aol.com if you are interested and I'll see if he is serious. Hank <~~~not a car salesman I'm not really looking for anything to do work in. Just changing up the type of vehicle I'll be driving, and maybe to move all my possessions across town in a year or so. I don't really NEED a truck, but I'd probably fit in better around here with one :) I always thought the old Jeep/Toyota trucks were cool, but those all seem rusty and worn. I don't want anything huge. A smaller pickup (f150 or smaller) would be fine. ninebal...@aol.com wrote: > > I don't necessarily need 4wd. I live in Ohio so it does snow, but I've > > driven a couple rear wheel drive vehicles and it wasnt bad. Is 150,000 [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Hank <~~~not a car salesman Jeep trucks? Have they even made a real pickup truck (not counting the Comanche) since AMC bought them out all those decades ago? nate (suddenly nostalgic for my great-grandfather's old J10; if I'd known then what I know now it would still be around...) > I'm not really looking for anything to do work in. Just changing up the > type of vehicle I'll be driving, and maybe to move all my possessions [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >> >>Hank <~~~not a car salesman  Signaturereplace "fly" with "com" to reply. http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel > I'm in the market for a new used vehicle, and I've never really thought > about getting a truck before. But now my circumstances are a little [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > 5.0L from driving a crown vic for a few years, and I liked that. I > think the F150 had an I-6 available too? an F150 with the 300ci six would not be a bad choice at all. I believe the 5-speed was made by Mazda though, but whether that's bad depends on your perspective. I havea friend that has one of those beasts and while it's only got maybe 100K on it it is still going strong with really minimal maintenance. nate Signaturereplace "fly" with "com" to reply. http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel
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