Thread: Trucks.

So I was hesitant on asking about trucks on a shaving forum but then I saw Wullies post on his new toy.

Anyways this is a question about which truck I should get. My wife told me a few months ago that I should maybe get a truck for my next vehicle. I have thought about it and I am seriously considering it although I am not a truck person. I like my two door sports car but now that I have a house I have learned that it would be very useful having something that can haul. I was thinking about getting a new truck being that I would like it to be the last vehicle that I buy for me for the rest of my life. That is, of course, unless I become able to buy a ferrari. I figure if I get a new truck then I will know the trucks history from day one being it will have been mine the whole time. However new is always expensive and have thought that maybe a used truck a year or two old would still be just as good and significantly cheaper.

So now my question is what would be a great truck with great reliability and a good background. I don't want a huge truck because I really don't think I need that plus bigger truck mean bigger gas bill. I was thinking a midsize like a Nissan Frontier or Toyota Tacoma with a crew cab. Has to have a crew cab.

Anyways let me know your opinions and why. And whether I should get new or if a particular year of a model is better than newer. Thanks guys.

I drove a 1978 Chevrolet Beauville van from about '93 to '97. Had to put $500 into it for engine work after I first got it, then it ran like a top for the remaining time I had it. Sold it in '97 and bought a 1996 Ford Powerstroke F250 Lariat. Had about 10,000 miles on it. Drove it until October of '01 and sold it, bought a Ford E-250 cargo van with a V-8. Plain no frills model, brand spanky new @ $24,000.

Made me sick to sign on that dotted line. Drove that van until June of 2013, with no problems, and sold it and bought a Ferrari !!!

Customized to look like a 2005 Ford Focus ZX3. I didn't want my neighbors to get the wrong idea. Kidding aside ........

What ever you get make it a 4 cylinder. In past years I've had two Chevy S-10 mid size pick ups with V-6 engines and they loved gasoline. Both were 5 speed manual, an auto trans might like gas even more.

All of the aforementioned trucks and vans were real good, but they all ate gas big time. I came to prefer a van. I've always had toppers on my pickups but it is a lot more convenient to get around in a van. In my experience anyway. I'd look for a mini van with low miles, and do a carfax check on it. You'll get the history if there have been any reported accidents, damage, like that. See if the owner has records of maintenance.

Funny you should say Tacoma, because I have been looking at them for about two years. The different Tacoma models and trim levels leaves pretty good selection. Depending of course on what your intentions are and the type of terrain you drive in will dictate if you should get the 4 cyl or the 6 cyl as far as I have been told if you do a lot of hauling or drive in hilly areas frequently the 4 cyl will save you bucks at the pumps. If you lice in a developed urban area you are unlikely to need all the stuff I always look at, skid plates and ground clearance. They are a super dependable truck. I have been very impressed with Mitsubishi as a company and their products. They make a regular pick up but it is not available in Canada but is available in the US. It would be worth looking at.

Thanks guys. Keep them coming though.

Rez, I forgot to even look at mitsubishi. And yeah I was thinking no bigger than a V6 engine at most. Being I love in sunny downtown Orlando I need something that can handle some really heavy terrain and steep grades. Those smooth highways to disney and what not are really rough... Just kidding of course. I was looking at reviews for current year midsize pickups and both the GMC and Chevy offerings got great reviews with GMC leading of course even though its the same truck just with some added comforts. I will definitely give mitsu a look though. I really don't know how I forgot to look at them.

Right now I am looking for a new Truck. I am going to go Ram this time. My last Truck I bought was a 1995 Ford F-250 XLt. Had some bells and whistles but it's basically a work truck. I have driven noting but Ford for as long as I can remember. I will not buy Toyota, Nissan or anything else made in Japan. (Remember Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March).

I am split between 6.4 Hemi and or a 6.7L Cummins, I have seen too many horror stories about the Ford Power Stroke. (and most of the Ford Dealers in this area are Flim Flam salesman, How can you tell they are prevaricating Their lips are moving)
I called one dealer talked to three different salesman, got 5 different prices. (Yes I said five different prices)

Originally Posted by PatrickA51

Right now I am looking for a new Truck. I am going to go Ram this time. My last Truck I bought was a 1995 Ford F-250 XLt. Had some bells and whistles but it's basically a work truck. I have driven noting but Ford for as long as I can remember. I will not buy Toyota, Nissan or anything else made in Japan. (Remember Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March).

I am split between 6.4 Hemi and or a 6.7L Cummins, I have seen too many horror stories about the Ford Power Stroke. (and most of the Ford Dealers in this area are Flim Flam salesman, How can you tell they are prevaricating Their lips are moving)
I called one dealer talked to three different salesman, got 5 different prices. (Yes I said five different prices)

Most Japanese vehicles are actually built in the good ole US of A. Toyota or Nissans main manufacturing plant is actually in mississippi. And a lot of U.S companies are actually building outside of the u.s. Its all outsourcing.

Originally Posted by PatrickA51

Right now I am looking for a new Truck. I am going to go Ram this time. My last Truck I bought was a 1995 Ford F-250 XLt. Had some bells and whistles but it's basically a work truck. I have driven noting but Ford for as long as I can remember. I will not buy Toyota, Nissan or anything else made in Japan. (Remember Pearl Harbor and the Bataan Death March).

I am split between 6.4 Hemi and or a 6.7L Cummins, I have seen too many horror stories about the Ford Power Stroke. (and most of the Ford Dealers in this area are Flim Flam salesman, How can you tell they are prevaricating Their lips are moving)
I called one dealer talked to three different salesman, got 5 different prices. (Yes I said five different prices)

We've had LOTS of problems with our fleet of Ford diesels. Most of ours are that damn 6.0L. I don't think Ford makes that engine any more.

You might check into that new Dodge Eco-Diesel. Supposed to have plenty of spank and get 25-28MPG. As far as I know, all of the Dodge Ram diesels since 2013 require that DEF stuff to get rid of the smoke. I'd go with a 6.7 before I went with any V-8 diesels. The only V-8 diesel I ever liked was a 3408 Cat. Those won't fit in a pickup.



Owned 4 Tacoma pickups. 2 FWD and 2 2WD Pre-Runners. Both the FWD's ahd manual transmissions. All had the V-6 motor. The '99 FWD got the best gas mileage of any of them. It would get 18mpg IF you babied it.

Got a couple of buddies with newer Tacomas with auto's and V-6's. Crap gas mileage. They look good, they're well built, and they'll probably last forever if treated halfway right. They'll never get good mileage. The older Tacoma's with the 4cyl won't get out of the way of their own smoke. Very under powered. If you can find a small Toyota pick made in the late 80's with the 4cyl. It will most likely run forever. It just won't do it very fast.

That mini-monster of mine gets better fuel mileage than a 5.1L 2012 F-150 I drive at work. My work truck is dual fuel. It gets right at 10MPG on propane and 12-13 on gasoline. That bigger V-8 will get it going from the shoulder of the interstate to traffic speed very easily. It is nice not to worry about getting hit in the butt when trying to get back in traffic.

No idea what your budget is, but I'd forget about great gas mileage as a qualifier because it really doesn't exist in the truck world that I know of unless you want to buy new and live with low 20's MPG's and spend in the high 30's to buy.

No it's called greed.

How many miles do you drive a year? And how many times do you haul something that needs a truck? Can you do your own maintenance? Do you have 2 parking spots?

I am a truck type guy but want a sports car. When my last truck started to get to the level that I could not guarantee that I would get to work every morning. 358,000 miles. I wanted to buy a sports car for every day and keep my old truck. SWMBO said that I needed one or the other. I have only one off street parking spot, insurance for 2, etc. and she made sense. I chose a truck! It costs me over $1,000 a year in gas more than a car but I can throw a gas can, chain saw, or a dead deer in the back and don't have to smell it like a van. Small trucks don't get that much better gas mileage and when you load them they can get worse. In town a trailer makes a lot of sense to me. Don't get a fiberglass topper, they are a pain! In town a topper is alright but I would never get one when I lived on the farm. I have a tonneau cover right now and it has been OK.

Random thoughts of mine and you have to decide what is best for you.

I am in the same boat SWMbO says I need to get a new truck also.