Pondering a Pickup...

[seeker_two]

I think I've hit the point where I'll soon need to trade in my trusty Frontier for something a bit larger....something in the half-ton, extended cab range...probably 1-2yrs used. I've looked at the players, and my top three end up being the Tundra, the Silverado, and the F-150...however, I kinda like the Rams (despite hearing of some mechanical problems). It's mainly going to be my commuter vehicle (so good gas mileage is a must), but I do need the bed space for moving light "Home Depot" type loads, brush & limbs, and the occasional furniture (my wife has plans....evil plans  ). No heavy towing in mind, so a V-6 is good...don't mind a V-8 if the gas mileage is good....

What do you all think? Which do you prefer?

Also....does anyone here have any experience with the variable displacement engines that Chevy & Dodge use on their trucks? Are they worth having?....or should I just stick to the regular engines.

Thanks in advance..... 

[Balog]

You could buy an older truck for hauling and a great gas mileage car for the price of a 1-2 year old big *expletive deleted*ss truck. Jus' sayin' is all...

[Ryan in Maine]

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

Pretty good comparisons: http://special-reports.pickuptrucks.com/2008-light-duty-shoot-out.html

[roo_ster]

Newest Ram half ton has coil spring rear suspension.  Rides great, but towing blows.

Newest Ford engines have gotten better, MPG-wise, but I think GM still has them beat MPG-wise.

I have been looking at full-sized pickups for a while with an eye to buy and could make good arguments for either GM or Ford.  All else being equal, I'd go Ford just because I hear really good things about its 5.4L V8, longevity-wise.

But, if a screaming deal came up on a GM, I could accommodate it.

Let's face it, newer half-ton pickups are pretty nice and have improved fuel economy, too.

[Vodka7]

You could buy an older truck for hauling and a great gas mileage car for the price of a 1-2 year old big *expletive deleted*ss truck. Jus' sayin' is all...

Or skip the truck and rent an F150 from Uhaul or Home Depot when you need one.  $20/day, something to consider if you're going to only need a truck once or twice a month.

[jamz]

A friend of mine has an 07 Silverado with the variable displacement deal, he loves it for trips up to camp... says he gets 20-22 mpg on it, and it's a crew cab with a 6 foot bed.
My BIL has an 06 Silverado, and it's nice, but has some nagging little issues that never seem to go away, even after being fixed by the dealer. The speedo doesn't always work when it's cold, there is a funny "clunk" in the steering linkage, and it goes out of alignment very easily.

I'm real happy with my older (98) F150, not great mileage but a full 8 foot bed.

[Leatherneck]

My 2000 Ram 250 with the big engine (5.9L?) has done yeoman duty for 105,000 miles, but I probably wouldn't get another. It's a strong, tough truck, but QC on the bits and pieces sucks. Just a lot of little irritating things. It does get over 19 mpg in the summer, and slightly less on winter gas.

If I were looking, I'd take a hard look at the Toyota, based on my recent experience with a "new" 2008 Highlander--my God, what that thing does with 2.3 liters!

I personally vowed never to buy another Chrysler or GM after they gobbled up our money and didn't change their ways. Ford deserves respect for their great, if over-priced, F-series trucks. And as I said, the American-built Toyotas have great engineering and QC.

TC

[Hutch]

Faced with some similar decision points I got an older (7.3L) Ford F250 turbo-diesel.  Gets 18.5mpg on expensive fuel, but I do believe it'll outlive me.  Decide what you can spend, and go shop for a pre-2003 Powerstroke.  It won't provide the quality of ride, but it should last.

[Nick1911]

You could buy an older truck for hauling and a great gas mileage car for the price of a 1-2 year old big *expletive deleted*ss truck. Jus' sayin' is all...

This is actually what I've done.

I have a commute car that I actually enjoy driving and gets reasonable fuel economy, and a $1500, 1995 F-250 that can comfortably move around more serious weight then I've ever put in it.

Downside is, it's another thing to maintain, plate and insure.

Anyway, I really like the F-250.  It's simple and solid, even with 220k miles.

[Fly320s]

This doesn't help the OP, but...

Hey, Ford, Nissan, et al., build me a F150-sized truck with a TDI engine, dammit.

As to the OP, I like Nissan's SUVs, so maybe their pickups are good, too.  There must be something in the air this year, I've been looking at pickups, too.

[41magsnub]

You could buy an older truck for hauling and a great gas mileage car for the price of a 1-2 year old big *expletive deleted*ss truck. Jus' sayin' is all...

That is my system, 95 Sierra 1500 that is rock solid and a 99 Toyota Avalon for my daily driver.  As a combined value they are probably a little over half of what a couple year old half ton truck is.  It doesn't cost much more, the truck's insurance is cheap and it is old enough that in MT I was able to get permanent tags for it.  I only get an oil change in it about once a year based on mileage.

[seeker_two]

You could buy an older truck for hauling and a great gas mileage car for the price of a 1-2 year old big *expletive deleted*ss truck. Jus' sayin' is all...

Didn't think about that....even though it would be a little hassle like Nick1911 points out, it would leave us with a spare vehicle if one breaks down...hmmm....

Hey, Ford, Nissan, et al., build me a F150-sized truck with a TDI engine, dammit.

Amen and AMEN!....I'd jump on something like that in a hot second.... 

Thanks....keep the ideas coming....

[Declaration Day]

Hey, Ford, Nissan, et al., build me a F150-sized truck with a TDI engine, dammit.

Ask, and you shall receive:

http://www.insideline.com/ford/f-150/2010/engine-spy-photo-2010-ford-f-150-diesel.html

DEATH VALLEY, California — Last week spy photographers caught the 2010 Ford F-150 diesel during hot-weather testing and provided a sneak peek inside the new full-size truck's cabin and fuel door. Today the same shooter managed to snap a shot of the F-150's new diesel engine.

Despite wearing the "Power Stroke" badge, the diesel engine pictured here is apparently not related to those produced in a joint venture with International Truck, a division of Navistar, for the larger F-Series Super Duty Trucks.

The 4.4 liter turbodiesel fitted in this F-150 sports an oil-filler cap with the Land Rover logo on it, confirming that the new mill is in reality the first U.S. application of the new 4.4-liter turbodiesel developed by Land Rover and Ford Engineers at Ford's Dagenham Diesel Centre in England.

Land Rovers sold in the U.K. are currently fitted with a 3.6-liter V8 turbodiesel that makes 272 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque in U.K. emissions trim.

The 2010 F-150 diesel is expected to deliver more power than the current 5.4-liter V8 gas engine, while improving fuel economy by 20 percent.

What this means to you: Getting a diesel-powered Ford no longer means driving a heavy-duty truck. — Dan Edmunds, Manager of Vehicle Testing

[Nick1911]

Didn't think about that....even though it would be a little hassle like Nick1911 points out, it would leave us with a spare vehicle if one breaks down...hmmm....

Funny you mention that.

At one point in the winter of 2008, the ignition died on my car, and a few days later my wife's car jumped valve timing (due to a failed tensioner...) and hosed up the engine.  We were down to just the truck for a few weeks!  Glad I had it.

[charby]

Ask, and you shall receive:

http://www.insideline.com/ford/f-150/2010/engine-spy-photo-2010-ford-f-150-diesel.html

DEATH VALLEY, California — Last week spy photographers caught the 2010 Ford F-150 diesel during hot-weather testing and provided a sneak peek inside the new full-size truck's cabin and fuel door. Today the same shooter managed to snap a shot of the F-150's new diesel engine.

Despite wearing the "Power Stroke" badge, the diesel engine pictured here is apparently not related to those produced in a joint venture with International Truck, a division of Navistar, for the larger F-Series Super Duty Trucks.

The 4.4 liter turbodiesel fitted in this F-150 sports an oil-filler cap with the Land Rover logo on it, confirming that the new mill is in reality the first U.S. application of the new 4.4-liter turbodiesel developed by Land Rover and Ford Engineers at Ford's Dagenham Diesel Centre in England.

Land Rovers sold in the U.K. are currently fitted with a 3.6-liter V8 turbodiesel that makes 272 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque in U.K. emissions trim.

The 2010 F-150 diesel is expected to deliver more power than the current 5.4-liter V8 gas engine, while improving fuel economy by 20 percent.

What this means to you: Getting a diesel-powered Ford no longer means driving a heavy-duty truck. — Dan Edmunds, Manager of Vehicle Testing

yeah but what will be the diesel engine option cost be? $7k more?

[grampster]

Dodge 4 X 4's have had transmission problems that they never fixed as well as other nagging troubles.  40,000 miles and need to be rebuilt.

[Bigjake]

Faced with some similar decision points I got an older (7.3L) Ford F250 turbo-diesel.  Gets 18.5mpg on expensive fuel, but I do believe it'll outlive me.  Decide what you can spend, and go shop for a pre-2003 Powerstroke.  It won't provide the quality of ride, but it should last.

Hutch speaks  truth.

Mines just passing 250K millage, and still runs great.

[Balog]

Hutch speaks  truth.

Mines just passing 250K millage, and still runs great.

What year did this powerstroke first come online? When I get around to buying a truck it needs to be significantly older.

[roo_ster]

Hey, Ford, Nissan, et al., build me a F150-sized truck with a TDI engine, dammit.

Amen, brother.  Keep praying, 'cause right now it'd take a miracle.

As to the OP, I like Nissan's SUVs, so maybe their pickups are good, too.  There must be something in the air this year, I've been looking at pickups, too.

Nissan's full-sized pickup has been a bit of a nightmare, QC-wise, sad to say.

Ask, and you shall receive:

http://www.insideline.com/ford/f-150/2010/engine-spy-photo-2010-ford-f-150-diesel.html

Not so fast. Check the date:
23JULY2008

I thought I heard BOTH GM & Ford 86'd diesels in their half-tons due to gas getting cheaper and the auto industry melt-down.  I'd say I was 100% confident GM's is history and 75% confident Ford's is history.

<Does googling...>

<Insert ironic laughter as well as facepalm>

No, it looks like Ford's F150 diesel is to be put off indefinitely.  Instead (hold on to your hats, now), Ford is going to introduce...(drumroll, please)







The New Eco-Boost V-6 Gas Engine!!!   

It looks like Ford read my mind while I was sleeping and built my worst freaking nightmare: a F150 V6. 

Disappointment?  Oh, yeah.  And 

Read it and weep:
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f57/motor-trend-2011-ford-f-150-ecoboost-v-6-a-86020/
http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2008/112_0812_2011_ford_f_150_ecoboost_engine/index.html

[Bigjake]

What year did this powerstroke first come online? When I get around to buying a truck it needs to be significantly older.

The one you want was built between 97 and 03. 

With it's huge popularity comes affordable and plentiful aftermarket stuff too.. 

[grampster]

I wish Ford would bring back their old 300 cid in line 6.  Greatest motor ever.

[charby]

I wish Ford would bring back their old 300 cid in line 6.  Greatest motor ever.

It didn't win any speed contests but it would pull like no other.

[Declaration Day]

yeah but what will be the diesel engine option cost be? $7k more?

Yes, it probably would be that much.  That's why I don't buy diesel heavy duty work trucks for my business.  I don't keep them long enough to recoup the difference.  Even if I tried to, the engine might last 300,000 miles but nothing else on the truck would.

Oh and, uh, my bad on the F-150 diesel news.  I didn't check the date. Sorry.

[Hawkmoon]

An as yet unmentioned fringe benefit of buying older is that the computers in newer vehicles (starting exactly which year depends on make and model) are also "black boxes" that can (and will ) rat you out in the event you elect to drive extra-legally and get involved in an accident.

Personally, I choose not to drive extra-legally, but for purely philosophical reasons I prefer nonetheless to not spend MY money to help big brother keep any eye on me.

[Gewehr98]

Whoa, wait, I thought the Ford turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine was supposed to be the be-all, end-all of V-6 engines, providing V-8 power with the fuel economy of a V-6? Ford's intention was to throttle back on V-8 production thanks to the V-6 wonder engine...

340HP/340ft/lbs is nothing to sneeze at, while getting 23mpg highway at the same time.

And is that a urea tank I spot in the pictures of that F-150 prototype diesel?  In a pinch, one could pee in it, I suppose!