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Any recommendations for a used pickup?

E

eflat

Platinum Member
I'm going to be moving across the country soon and realized that for what it is going to cost to rent a moving van, it would be a better investment to buy a pickup truck and trailer. I'm know my cars, but have never ever thought of getting a pickup so would love some advice!

All I'm looking for is something that is reliable and able to tow a trailer. Thanks for any input!
 
how much are you looking to spend? and what is it going to be used for? is it just you? do you need a wuad cab for more people? how big of a trailer will it be pulling?
 
early 80s Chevy 3/4ton PU with 3 speed manual and a 350.

Should be able to find one for less than 2k.
 
I'd like to spend as little as possible, but figure a budget of around $4000. I'm thinking a trailer that is about 7-8 feet wide if I remember correctly. I'll check on that. And I don't need a quad cab or 4wd.
 
Compact or full size? Any preferences to years? Diesel or gas? Light duty or heavy duty? 4x4 or 4x2? Any brand preference? Price? Manual or auto?
 
Eli, why do I have a feeling that I would be very very luckly to make it accross the coutry without that breaking down. Older pickups are pretty unreliable, right?

I'm open to a full size, but if a compact pickup can manage a trailer that is fine too. No brand preference as long as it is reliable and well built.
 
Early '90's F150 (5.8) or a C/K1500 (5.7) would probably be your best bet for $4K. Since you're towing a trailer compact trucks are probably out of the question.
 
Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
Eli, why do I have a feeling that I would be very very luckly to make it accross the coutry without that breaking down. Older pickups are pretty unreliable, right?
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Not at all.. I mean, of course you're going to want to find one that's in semi-decent condition to take across country, but the Chevy 350's are pretty bulletproof.

I just shot that out of my ass anyway, I'm sure there are much better choices. I was under the impression that you wanted a cheap POS to use and abuse.

4k is a pretty decent budget, you could find a pretty nice PU for that.
 
How much weight do you need it to carry, how often do you plan on using it to do truck stuff, and where do you live?

There's a good chance that you can make due with a '93 Dakota w/ a V8. It can do a fair amount of towing and won't break the bank. But if you need more towing you'll have to go to a late '70s GM 3/4 ton w/ a 350 for that price range.
 
This is probably the only time I'll be towing something long distance, so it's okay if it's a little bit of a struggle. The trailer isn't going to be too long, so I can't imagine I need too much power.

So an older Chevy or something isn't going to be more trouble than it's worth? Because I'd much rather spend 2k than 4k if it's possible.
 
Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
A 20 year old truck is bound to have quite a few problems, forseen or not. I'd tend to stay away from them.
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On the other hand, they're pretty simple. With a manual tranny and a 350, what is there really to go wrong besides a catastrophic mechanical failure, which, when you think about it, you run that risk with just about anything?

There's a reason you see those old pickups still driving.

 
Any chevy truck with a 350 would be fine. The little newer style started in 88, heck a 305 would be fine for what you are doing but a 350 would be better and last longer. We have a 1/2 ton (1500) 89' chevy truck with a 350 (not all stock) that pulled a 24' PACE enclosed trailer for drag racing. We have upgraded but the point is you don't need a truck heavier than 1/2 ton.
 
Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
Would this do the trick? http://portland.craigslist.org/car/12032432.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/car/12032432.html
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Assuming it made the trip, indeed, it would. 😛

'70, 600$ and Ford don't exactly say "cross country". I am sure you can do better than that.. But I think you have the general idea.

Whatever you decide on, make sure to give it a little test drive to make sure it doesen't have any obvious problems.

I would also try and stay away from an automatic. While I honestly don't know much about the automatic trannies in the older PU trucks, by nature they're going to be a bit less reliable than a manual. Coupled with the added stress of towing something, an already hoaky automatic isn't going to be very happy.
 
Whatever you do, don't get a late 80's early 90's dodge. (unless it's the D50, because they didn't make that) Toyotas are very solid, that 2.4 litre will go for hundreds of thousands of miles, but that's a little small if you're towing something. I'd get a GMC.
 
Ok I've narrowed this down to either something with a 350 Chevy engine or to a Ford 150 or 250.

Any thoughts on the age old Chevy vs Ford comparison? Which Ford engines are best?
 
Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
Ok I've narrowed this down to either something with a 350 Chevy engine or to a Ford 150 or 250.

Any thoughts on the age old Chevy vs Ford comparison? Which Ford engines are best?
Click to expand...

Any V8 that is in a ford truck is a solid motor. 302, 351W, 390, 460, they're all solid motors.
 
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
Ok I've narrowed this down to either something with a 350 Chevy engine or to a Ford 150 or 250.

Any thoughts on the age old Chevy vs Ford comparison? Which Ford engines are best?
Click to expand...

Any V8 that is in a ford truck is a solid motor. 302, 351W, 390, 460, they're all solid motors.
Click to expand...

I will choose to disagree with that, the 302 in the F150's has a design flaw that will develop engine problems. Everyone I know with that motor has had engine problems after it goes out of warranty. I don't know what they did different with it on the pickups but for something is screwed up and has been for 10 years. It normally happens out of warranty so they've never bothered to fix the design.
 
Originally posted by: BatmanNate
Whatever you do, don't get a late 80's early 90's dodge. (unless it's the D50, because they didn't make that) Toyotas are very solid, that 2.4 litre will go for hundreds of thousands of miles, but that's a little small if you're towing something. I'd get a GMC.
Click to expand...

I have a '91 Dakota 318ci with 110K on it and haven't put a dime into it outside of brakes and tires.

 
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