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Older truck recommendations...

mvbighead

mvbighead

Diamond Member
Well, I have reluctantly decided to scrap the idea of an old cruising car for now as the new house is going to leave me with projects that will render me in need of a truck.

I am quite new to wrenching, but have replaced a power window motor, a starter, brake pads and rotors, diagnosed and repaired issues with a code scanner, and also fixed a blend door problem in a Jeep GC. I have recently been looking into my next vehicle purchase... a full size pickup with an extended cab, but it is going to be fairly old. Most likely a 1995 or so Silverado 1500 or Ford F150.

Key needs:

1) 4WD is a must. I live on a rock road and the road leading to my house has a very steep grade. While my Impala has yet to have issue once the roads have been cleared, it is not preferred. This vehicle will also be used for hunting most likely, and will be driven in some rough terrain over snow, mud, etc.

2) Ext. cab. or Quad cab. - My guess is I'll wind up finding ext cab much easier, though I did see a Crew cab option for a relatively low price considering:
http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/2803527617.html
But, I am thinking my budget will most likely stay quite a bit lower than that. This is being insisted upon by the wife.

3) Reliability...

This truck will be considered a work truck. It won't often be driven, but it will be needed for various trips to Lowes, HomeDepot, gas stations, etc.. In time, once the problems get ironed out (as I assume there will be some problems), it will be used to tow boats, trailers, and the like.

My question is, of the older trucks out there, which seem to be the best in terms of long term reliability. Ford? Chevy? Was Toyota in the full size game at that time?

Price point is going to be relatively low. 2-3k most likely, but upon selling the old house, my budget may get a sizable increase. Given what the truck will be used for, I think the budget should find me something suitable. Again, this won't be a daily driver by any means.

Few trucks of consideration:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/ctd/2799153631.html

http://omaha.craigslist.org/ctd/2774197454.html

http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/2800272251.html

Also, you may've noticed that I left Dodge out. To be honest, while I do own a Jeep which uses Dodge parts, my brother and boss both own/haved owned Dodges and seem to have all sorts of issues from suspension, differential, etc. etc. etc. My wife is not too fond of Dodge either, so I am most likely going to avoid that route.

Just looking for opinions, facts about specific models/years to avoid, etc.
 
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I am usually a Ford guy, but by the description, that Chevy looks like most of the regular maintenance stuff has been done in the past year. A little drip form the rear main never hurt anyone....just keep an eye on the oil level.
 
My question is, of the older trucks out there, which seem to be the best in terms of long term reliability. Ford? Chevy? Was Toyota in the full size game at that time?
Click to expand...

Toyota didn't really have a full-size truck until the Tundra in 2000. Besides, the sheer numbers of Ford/Chevy pickups will help ensure you can find tons of spare parts in junkyards.
 
DaTT said:
I am usually a Ford guy, but by the description, that Chevy looks like most of the regular maintenance stuff has been done in the past year. A little drip form the rear main never hurt anyone....just keep an eye on the oil level.
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Oh, sorry, to be clear, those are not my only options. Just current options that exist that, when I am ready to make the purchase, would be about along the lines of what I am looking at.

As for Ford/Chevy, personally, i find myself being mostly a Chevy guy. But am swayed to consider Ford given my extremely low price point. If I can find one in the shape I am looking for, and it seems to be about right, I don't want to dismiss it because it is a Ford. Honestly, it seems there are enough of both on the road that I should at least give Ford some consideration.
 
I think your best bet is the F150 with the largest engine available. Check in with the guys over at f150forum.com they have delineated sections for each generation of truck. In those posts there will be items of interest, things to avoid, or mods that are cheap and incredibly useful.

Good luck, I would try to get one from a guys who is just upgrading to a new F150 as that person likely pampered the truck its whole life.

To get an idea of how the maintenance is on the truck, crack open the airbox to check the air filter. If it looks like a storm drain, take your money and run.
 
You will find this mainly boils down to personal preference. I prefer GM trucks, but I am not going to lie to you, and say the others are junk, all three made excellent older trucks with little nuances you have to learn about before you shop.

I am not picky about aesthetics, and want a "work truck" for just that, work, no bells and whistles. This listing caught my eye. Lots of work done and everything is retarded simple on older trucks.
Another one, more modern again with work done.

In my experience with buying trucks, you will come across about 8 poorly maintained trucks with neglectful owners to 1 decent truck. The plus side is that they can always take more abuse, and little things are not hard or expensive to fix.
 
If I was going to get a gasoline truck then I would most definitely get a Chevy. From the 70's until now their bodys are strong an their motors keep ticking.

If you ever plan on pulling very heavy trailers then you will need a 2500 or larger, and I would strongly advise a diesel. In the world of diesels I would get a Dodge Cummins first. I wouldn't get it because its a Dodge, but because its a Cummins. I've had over 400k miles on a Cummins 5.9L truck(1993, sold it for 3k and it still ran STRONG).

I like that 79, but its going to have a carb on it. I've got an 84 with a 350/carb. When its tuned correctly then it runs good, but it takes some learning to start when its cold. If your not afraid of dealing with a carb(they're not that bad if you learn how to keep it into tune) then that 79 would be great, body parts are pretty easy to find and you don't have to worry about scratching it.
 
Captain Howdy said:
You will find this mainly boils down to personal preference.
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Exactly.

I personally prefer GM trucks. I have had good luck with them and think they get better gas mileage, drive better and look better. But it is a personal preference.

As to your budget, I have seen several of the GMT800 4WD Ext cab on my local Craigslist drop to the $4-4500 range and I think these are the best value.
 
old-truck.jpg
 
Sluggo said:
Exactly.

I personally prefer GM trucks. I have had good luck with them and think they get better gas mileage, drive better and look better. But it is a personal preference.

As to your budget, I have seen several of the GMT800 4WD Ext cab on my local Craigslist drop to the $4-4500 range and I think these are the best value.
Click to expand...

Honestly, this is something I have strongly considered, hence the consideration of upping the budget to about 6k.

It is gonna be one of those, when the time is right, what is there kinda deals. Newer body styles, to me, can make a good difference in how much I like the truck. The longer I can keep it around without replacing it, the better.

The 79 truck mentioned earlier is not a ext. cab, and thus is out of my search. While it does seem the guy was doing some major work on the thing, I am hoping to find something a little more modern. Honestly, for a time I had settled on 96-98 1500 GM. But looking around at some F150s I realized that I shouldn't dismiss them because I am not a Ford guy. I have no real reason to dislike Ford, other than family always being more pro Dodge and Chevy.

In any case, seems I have validated what I figured. There are people in both camps (Ford and Chevy) that have nothing majorly bad to say about the other. I'll bump this thread later when I get closer to selecting an actual vehicle that I consider purchasing.
 
One thing that does vary considerably is the diesel offerings, which largely depends on the year, but I personally think it is hard to top the I6 Cummins 1st and second gen found in the 89-98 Dodges as far as general durability. I know GM was improving the Duramax at the same time, and Ford certainly had problems with the 7.3 powerstroke, I know very little about newer diesels. Another advantage of the Cummins is they seem to get along with alternative fuels really well. I know a guy that runs 70% used motor oil to 30% diesel in his unmodified engine just fine.

That said, in your price range it will probably be hard to impossible to find a diesel truck that is an extended cab and isn't beat up/project. Looking forward to the update, is it weird that I enjoy looking at Craigslist used cars in other cities?
 
Looking at his proposed uses, I doubt he would reap the benefits of the diesel. For one thing, they are not "nimble", so they would tend to tear up his bad road a lot quicker. My 2WD was light at 6200 pounds. The 4WD are closer to 6600 at a bare minimum.
Choosing a gasser 4WD extended cab gets you under 5K empty weight.
http://www.edmunds.com/dodge/ram-pickup-1500/1996/features-specs.html?style=12213
Just comparing apples to apples on truck models, not advocating the Dodge over any other. I would look at them much the same as Fords or GMs, and you'll find that condition and the service history of a particular truck will be more of the deciding factors.
 
Just another option to consider:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/2777735800.html

Howdy, I have to say I am the same way. Just love looking around at vehicles on CL. Whether my own area or others. Actually, in this search I had considered a trip to TX to find a vehicle that has not yet been rusted. Still something I am considering, though it does add a lot of work to the purchase process.
 
stay away from the ford 6.0 and 6.4L diesels.

GM is my preference also. many of the 400s and 800s in the family and all have been great.
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to derail with the discussions of diesels, it was more of an aside relating to personal preference with the big 3 (I wish GM had cross licensed that 12v Cummins from the Ram, as I still prefer GM trucks). With the OP's budget and needs, there is probably little reason to even consider a diesel powerplant. I could see bumping into a heck of a deal on one, but you have to factor in higher running costs of a diesel, it doesn't seem practical, IMO.

Edit: Yeah, I miss living in the desert with the plethora of cheap old iron running around, I had an '80 Corolla wagon in 08-09 with little surface rust when I lived in New Mexico. You can't even find '90s Corollas around here that aren't mobile rust factories.
 
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mvbighead said:
Just another option to consider:

http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/2777735800.html

Howdy, I have to say I am the same way. Just love looking around at vehicles on CL. Whether my own area or others. Actually, in this search I had considered a trip to TX to find a vehicle that has not yet been rusted. Still something I am considering, though it does add a lot of work to the purchase process.
Click to expand...


Go with a 99+ silverado or GMC sierra great trucks really comfortable. cheap parts and reliable. i bought a 03 Silverado with a 4.3 V6 and 153k on it last March and its been awesome in 10 months ive put 18k miles on it and not one issue. and the 4.3 is awesome can tow basicly everything you need it to and gets 18mpg city and about 23 HWY.
 
Black2na said:
Go with a 99+ silverado or GMC sierra great trucks really comfortable. cheap parts and reliable. i bought a 03 Silverado with a 4.3 V6 and 153k on it last March and its been awesome in 10 months ive put 18k miles on it and not one issue. and the 4.3 is awesome can tow basicly everything you need it to and gets 18mpg city and about 23 HWY.
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This.
I bought this one over 10 years ago.
http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e187/jupiter57/?action=view&current=CrewCab2.jpg
274K on the odometer, only things I have had to do to it was brakes all around & a thermostat (other than routine maintenance, tires, batteries, etc.)
8.1L gas @ 9 MPG, but it has probably the most power & torque than any other stock pickup on the road.

Bought this one used this summer for < $3000.
http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e187/jupiter57/?action=view&current=GMCFront.jpg
4.8L V-8, enough power for everyday use, and gets ~20 MPG. (Upgraded the tires to 285-70s).
I have no problem pulling a 16' cattle trailer loaded or 1.5 ton of feed, though with the Tow/Haul switched on, MPGs drop to around 15 when pulling the cattle trailer.
 
jupiter57 said:
This.
I bought this one over 10 years ago.
http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e187/jupiter57/?action=view&current=CrewCab2.jpg
274K on the odometer, only things I have had to do to it was brakes all around & a thermostat (other than routine maintenance, tires, batteries, etc.)
8.1L gas @ 9 MPG, but it has probably the most power & torque than any other stock pickup on the road.
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Those do have alot of power actually. Wikipedia states: Power output ranges from 325 hp (242 kW) to 550 horsepower (410 kW) and torque from 455 lbf·ft (617 N·m) to 690 lbf·ft (940 N·m).
 
That is also something that I had noticed when looking at the newer models. Most all seem to range up into the 300+ HP when looking at the V8s. As my dad has an 02 Dodge 1500 with the 4.7, which does some funny stuff when towing his duck boat, a more powerful truck would probably be a nice thing.

At any rate, after discussing with the wife, the conclusion we've made is to buy something of the 99+ variety because we like the styling better, and if we like the way it looks, we'll keep it longer.

Personally, I think my budget will get upped to about 6k to get this done, but I'll keep scouring CL and if a real deal pops up, may have to bite. At this point, I had seen a single cab in the area for 4500 with a V8 4x4, and fairly low miles for the age. Wife insists on ext. cab, and I can't say I disagree. The more versatile the truck is, the more useful it will be. IE - A trip to Home Depot for a dishwasher, plus a load of groceries in the back seat, whereas a single cab would have groceries in the back of the truck which would be sub optimal.
 
What kind of 'funny stuff'? When looking at trucks you need to pay more attention to the torque rather than the HP. Pay attention to the torque and what RPM its at the max, then note the RPM redline. HP is just a calculation off of RPM and torque.
 
SyndromeOCZ said:
What kind of 'funny stuff'? When looking at trucks you need to pay more attention to the torque rather than the HP. Pay attention to the torque and what RPM its at the max, then note the RPM redline. HP is just a calculation off of RPM and torque.
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Down shifts to get to 70, up shifts when it's there, doesn't have the power/torque to maintain 70 so it starts to slow down, then down shifts again. Obviously, we don't let this go on too long and we just go to a lower speed, but I'd like to think a more powerful truck wouldn't be as problematic.

Reality is though, I will probably very seldom tow his boat. But I will be towing my own in the no so distant future, so I figure the added power would help.
 
Yeah, if you look at the torque curve for that motor you will notice that all the power is in the top 1/3 of its RPM range, which means you need to have it revved higher to get any of the power that the motor is said to have.

The 4.7 is a smaller engine though, so if you get a larger V8 then the problem wont be as apparent, but the power will still be in the same area, thats just how gas motors are.

The reason I like diesels is because their torque curves are much more flat, you have good power from low RPM's clear up to red line.
 
mvbighead said:
Down shifts to get to 70, up shifts when it's there, doesn't have the power/torque to maintain 70 so it starts to slow down, then down shifts again. Obviously, we don't let this go on too long and we just go to a lower speed, but I'd like to think a more powerful truck wouldn't be as problematic.

Reality is though, I will probably very seldom tow his boat. But I will be towing my own in the no so distant future, so I figure the added power would help.
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i have an 01 ram with the 318, less power than the 4.7 in the 02. i have towed a car trailer with an 02 f150, a chevy silverado, a honda civic, ford focus and a trailblazer on it. 5th gear is not meant to be anywhere near a towing situation, you would have been better off putting it in 4th and running around 2500 rpm. in 4th i can easily hit 65 at 2500 rpm and have no issues with power. that sucker really hits the power at 3000 rpm tho, wish it was lower. but when you get it up there, it will walk up steep hills with no prob. oh ya, mine is a manual transmission.
 
Finally getting closer, and about to settle on something:
http://omaha.craigslist.org/ctd/3111053551.html

2000 F150 4 door ext cab 4x4
150k miles
5.4 Triton engine
3995 - listed, has a little rust but might try to wiggle that down.
More pics here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/100155555283372665124/2000FordF15010375?feat=flashalbum#

On the rust side of things, it ain't bad. From what I am seeing, it shouldn't be terribly expensive for a body shop to patch up I would think. I little sanding, a little bondo, and some paint and it'd be almost perfect on the exterior.

What says you guys?
 
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