Shopping for a truck... Any suggestions?

[Firethorn]

Here's the deal:
I'm single, no kids, currently living in ND out in the boonies.  It's 30 miles to work, and my house is fairly old.  I want to do most of the work myself.

I currently own a manual transmission 30mpg Saturn SC2.  I have only ever regularly driven cars of this size range.  Yes, I have driven a big truck a few times,  I haven't been particularly fond of it.  Mostly worried about jacking up somebody else's ride.  One problem with the car is that it gets stuck relatively easily in deeper snow.

I am NOT planing on disposing of the Saturn, it's fully paid off, still reliable, and I enjoy driving it.

So I figure:

Extended cab pickup, with the full length bed - some 'secure' storage in the cab for cased guns, full length bed allows me to stuff more items in there if I'm doing something big.
4WD - to help with getting around in winter.
Diesel - Improved milage, and I see biodiesel winning over ethanol.  Biodiesel is available here, at the pump, ethanol isn't.

In addition, older used, so I can pay cash.  With two vehicles I can do a lot more of my own car work.  I'm somewhat scared of doing much more than an oil change/tire rotation and ending up with an undrivable vehicle.

So, any suggestions?  Vehicles to look for?  Brands/models/years to avoid?  I have no brand loyalties or fears.  Ford, Chevy, GM, peterbuilt, doesn't matter.

[grampster]

Stay away from Dodges.  Lots of problems, especially transmission.

[K Frame]

Sounds like you want a Ford F250.

[Firethorn]

Stay away from Dodges.  Lots of problems, especially transmission.

Would sticking with manual transmissions help with this?  I know they're a somewhat rare feature, but I really prefer the additional control, and the extra milage is nice.

[mfree]

Ditto Irwin. the 6.9 and 7.3 liter Diesels in the 80's Fords weren't powerhouses but will get the job done, every day all day. Going with the 250 gets you a solid front axle as well, much harder to break (if your back can take it).

[charby]

Ditto on the F-250

[Ben]

Ditto those other guys. F-250 with the 7.3. If you get "newer" used and are looking at Ford (i.e., 6.0L) look for one of the later years with the 6.0 -- I believe there were quite a few issues the first couple of years for that engine.

[Brad Johnson]

Stay away from Dodges.  Lots of problems, especially transmission.

They are okay if you stick with the manual.  The early mechanically controlled Cummins engines are about as bulletproof as it gets, and the rest of the powertrain is Spicer and Dana.  The cab and interior controls on the older "PowerWagon" style bodies are crap, though.  The redesigned semi-style bulldog bodies appear to hold up okay, though not as well as the Fords seem to.

Another vote for a mid-90s 3/4 ton or heavier Ford with the 7.3 Powerstroke. As long as nobody's been messing with the turbo or fuel systems they are rock solid.

Brad

[Boomhauer]

Diesel - Improved milage, and I see biodiesel winning over ethanol.  Biodiesel is available here, at the pump, ethanol isn't.

Actually, you won't get that much better mileage out of a diesel than you would a gasoline engine. I've got a friend with a newer F250 Diesel and it only got 19.5 or so miles to the gallon- according to the fuel computer.

Plus, a diesel takes a whole lot more oil when you change it.

I am absolutely in love with my 1999 Chevy Silverado 1500. It's got the 4.8L engine, and has plenty of power for everything except heavier towing- manual rates it at 6000 lbs towing capacity. It's also got the Z-71 4x4 Package. My father just got a '99 Suburban with the 5.7 engine, and he gets 18.5 MPG on the highway, and it rides really, really, nice.

It gets about 20 MPG around town.

I don't think Toyota or Nissan make either of their trucks with diesels, but good luck finding a Toyota used. No one wants to get rid of them.

I have really nothing against Ford, but every Ford I test drove while looking for my truck had poor ride quality. Worse than my POS beatup S-10 Blazer. I was looking at a 2001 F-150, and I could have had it for $9000 cash, but the transmission had been removed and swapped for a new unit. I looked up that year model, and seems to me that they had some transmission problems. Some of the mid 90's Ford diesels apparently had transmission problems, too.

Good luck finding something that isn't way overpriced, beat to hell, or too new. I had a very difficult time finding a truck around the $10,000 and 2000 year model mark. The dealers don't like to keep anything over 7-8 years old, and used car lots love to pass off a POS. It may look nice, but be a turd underneath.

Oh, and Carfax is your friend. They don't catch everything, but they have a nice deal- a month of unlimited reports for $5 more than running a single report. And they saved me from a couple of polished turds.

[Brad Johnson]

Actually, you won't get that much better mileage out of a diesel than you would a gasoline engine. I've got a friend with a newer F250 Diesel and it only got 19.5 or so miles to the gallon- according to the fuel computer.

Only 19.5 miles per gallon?  You need to be around trucks more.  I remember a time not long ago when NINE point five miles per gallon was considered incredibly good.

HP for HP, diesels will get 30-50% better economy than a comparable gasoline engine.  My father has proven that over and over.  Pulling a laden cattle trailer (upwards of 15000 lbs) he gets around 13 mpg with his Dodge diesel.  My brother has a Dodge truck identical in every respect except engine, which is the V10.  The RAR is even the same.  Pulling the same load the same speed he gets around 9.

Brad

[Finch]

I'm fond of the Tundras myself.

[Brad Johnson]

I'm fond of the Tundras myself.

You might be a little less so after seeing this.  I'm surprised the Toyota's bed didn't fly completely off as bad as it was flexing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zShwG9l1F0Q

Brad

[Ben]

The brand new F-250s are getting 14-19mpg hwy depending on who you ask (mine is right at the 18-19 mark). The older F-250s like the 7.3 can get in the low 20s, which is great for 7000lbs of steel. The current lower mileage is pretty much all due to the new smog equipment -- DPFs, etc. The 6.4 is actually a more efficient engine than the 6.0 and would be getting in the low to mid 20s without the extra smog stuff.

[Brad Johnson]

The 6.4 is actually a more efficient engine than the 6.0 and would be getting in the low to mid 20s without the extra smog stuff.

Not to mentiont the Super Duty line has the aerodynamics of a brick wall.

Brad

[Ben]

I don't call mine the flyin' brick for nothing... 

Seriously, I wish they would have kept the old front grill. Looked much better in my opinion. But then they couldn't have fit that big ass Mac truck radiator in there. 

[Brad Johnson]

I don't call mine the flyin' brick for nothing... 

Seriously, I wish they would have kept the old front grill. Looked much better in my opinion. But then they couldn't have fit that big ass Mac truck radiator in there. 

Get the black-grille version (the "entry level" grille and light package).  I like it better than the big chrome job.

Brad

[Ben]

Yeah, see -- I like that grill, but I don't like the itty bitty lights. It reminds me of the Bugs Bunny cartoon giant with the little pea-sized head. The FX4 grills look pretty good.

[Brad Johnson]

Could always take the chrome grille off, scuff it, and paint it.  I've seen that done and it's nice.

Brad

[Tallpine]

1973-1987 Chevy or GMC.  You don't find anything more simple and rugged than that.

Except stay away from those old Turbo 350 automatics which were a POS and sucked away half of the horsepower.

[Boomhauer]

1973-1987 Chevy or GMC.  You don't find anything more simple and rugged than that

I reiterate that finding something good is hard. Especially finding one of those year models that isn't beat to *expletive deleted*it. It took me 5 months to find something that wasn't a piece of junk. I've seen a grand total of two '80s Chevy pickups that hadn't been modified drastically and were in good shape. Both were $5,500-$6000

[Ben]

Could always take the chrome grille off, scuff it, and paint it.

Or Line-X   

[charby]

Could always take the chrome grille off, scuff it, and paint it.

Or Line-X   

Or Duracoat

[never_retreat]

The 7.3L in the fords is a great engine. the older non powerstrokes are animals also for durability. If you find an older ford stay away from the automatics, the e4od trans has to be one of the biggest POS on the planet. It might even be worse than the dodge trans. I had a 1997 f250 with a 351, trans went at 50k rebuilt it, started to crap out again around 98k. Lets just say I unloaded it quick. I wasn't putting in another 2 thousand dollar trans. Although I think my next truck may be a chevy diesel with the allison trans. Nice truck.
FWI my 2002 f250 7.3L has 197k on it. All original. Only thing I've done is breaks, tires, and front ball joints.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

got a 90 dodge 250le 477 k on the 360  only things done are one alternator on radiatore belts vhoses brakes and tires. i've got a normal weight just under 6 k and have dump tickets gross weight over 10k

[roo_ster]

I'll repeat what all these folks are saying: older Ford F250 diesels w/ manual tranny are the likeliest bet to fill your requirements.  Non-dually F350 may also do the trick.  Dodge's Cummings is the best engine in pickups, period, but the rest of the trucks can, at times, leave something to be desired.

I will, however, toss in a curve ball.  I own a 1997 Nissan Ext cab PU.  4 cyl, 5spd, 1/2 ton in the bed & 3500lbs towing.  22MPG in town, 20MPG with the 10% ethanol *expletive deleted*it.  27 on the highway with real gas.  150K miles and no major repairs. 

In almost 6 years of owning a house made in 1959, I have wished for a bigger, stronger truck maybe 3 or 4 times.  We have been in a constant state of home repair, so we make a lot of trips to Home Depot, the nursery, etc.  My Nissan has had all regular maintenance and is still going strong.  When I get rid of it, it will be because I am tired of driving the same vehicle for 10+ years or because I need more seating.