I am looking to replace my Chevy S10 pickup in the next couple of months and don't really know what to get. While I used to be a brand loyalist of Chevy those days have gone, I now just want whats going to last and work. The truck will be used for everything from basic commuting to hauling to hunting. I don't haul things every day but do have a bad tendency of loading it down, broke the leafs in my S10 two years ago after two dump trips ranging between 800 and 1000 lbs over GVW (lucky they broke in my driveway). I am looking at half tuns (F150, 1500) but am open to the new Tacoma/Fronter (thats as small as I go). Because the other brand poll on here didn't included all options I started one with every one available in America I can buy new/low miles used (I didn't include Honda's minivan with a open section). Thanks for the help, I keep my trucks until the wheels fall off and don't want to be stuck with a truck I am working on all the time.
Truck reliability
- Thread starter Pilsnaman
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103scooter
ArboristSite Guru
Have heard many good things about the Toyota's, but nothing first hand, don't and have not owned one. Only experiences of late have been GM trucks[Tahoe's, Suburbans,] and they have been trouble free. Daily drivers, but do pull loads from time to time, up to 6300 lbs.
l2edneck
Small Job Specialist
Just rolled my F150 over 200,000 and still runs decent.Knock on wood havent had to replace anything but tires
What year is your truck?
FiftytoOne
ArboristSite Guru
I've had a Tundra since 2001. Pulled 7500# loaded trailer to maine without batting an eye. Handled it no prob. Its a solid truck. And for those that are American loyalist--it's made in the USA. I'm like you, don't want to buy another one for a long time. I did have a ford for 12 years--I like the tundra better. The newer tundra's are even better. A buddy of mine just bought an 07 and loves it.
My cousin was a chevy man. He's on his second truck since I bought mine.:hmm3grin2orange: . I give him grief all the time. Last I heard he was considering what----a Tundra. Just my .02.
My cousin was a chevy man. He's on his second truck since I bought mine.:hmm3grin2orange: . I give him grief all the time. Last I heard he was considering what----a Tundra. Just my .02.
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The new Tundra is no question out of my price range, should a mentioned that before. I can swing the half tuns only if used, which isn't a problem in my book, and a new Tacoma is right on the edge of what I can shell out. My dad has an 01 Tundra and while he likes it there has been one problem that the dealers never could fix. If the truck sits for more then a week the battery will be dead, something is leaking juice. Wife works for VA state parks and her F150 work truck's (1 year old and 10K miles) seat already has a bit of stitching coming apart and she only weighs 108 lbs. I just don't want to buy a truck and feel like more time is spent working on it then driving it, not to mention have something reliable for the next decade. I know if anyone works their trucks its arborists, we used to load ours down real good and sit in traffic on the way home but all we had were big Internationals and Fords.
All those trucks are classified as half-tons. What are you looking to spend? For a work truck, I would get an older time tested unit that has been well maintained.
FiftytoOne
ArboristSite Guru
It probably doesn't matter but I mistated the year of my truck. It's an 02 not an 01. I don't know if that problem was related to the year. Probably not. Sounds like he needs to figure that problem out. I don't think you can go wrong with the Tacoma's though.
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See, now you're back to making errors. You try betta den dat next time, okaiy dokkay? Whoops, almost misspelled errors!
I am looking for a personal truck and trying to not spend more then 22K on it, the tacoma new is like 24K. On the other hand it would be nice to pay less then this, as most would. As an example, I can get a new F150 4x4, 5.4 V8, power windows and locks, and a CD player for around 24K. The same truck used I can get for under 20K and thats more beer money. Again, I can't stress enough that reliability is my #1. I do all my own maintenance unless time doesn't permit, has only happened twice in ten years, and I would rather be driving the truck then working on it.
As has been said before you can probably get good service out of any truck if properly maintained. And by buying used (and using Carfax) you should be able to get one is far cheaper, plus might have some upgrades. I ran a search on F-150s in Herndon to a 200 mile radius, and came up with 231 trucks. Of course some of those are 2WD though. Maybe you can find one for sawinredneck too.
Here's 2 trucks under $10K! One with 48K miles and the other with 57K. You could pay twice as much, but think of all the beer you could buy with $10k!
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...rs=&transmission=&max_price=10000&cardist=109
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...rs=&transmission=&max_price=10000&cardist=105
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...rs=&transmission=&max_price=10000&cardist=109
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...rs=&transmission=&max_price=10000&cardist=105
FiftytoOne
ArboristSite Guru
See, now you're back to making errors. You try betta den dat next time, okaiy dokkay? Whoops, almost misspelled errors!
Ok Ok--it's fixed already. You know I pm'd ddh and found myself proofing my message 3 times
.Ok Ok--it's fixed already. You know I pm'd ddh and found myself proofing my message 3 times
I still laugh when I think of your response to ddh.
I work on dat.
FiftytoOne
ArboristSite Guru
Yeah, he got a kick out of it as well. Got me some REP for that one. lol
As my current truck is a '95 I was hoping to get something a little newer. While low miles is nice there are a lot of things that can go bad just from time, like RUST!!! Ever since my first car, a '85 Toyota Celica GT, I have despised car cancer. So I noticed four votes for the chevy/GMC and am wondering what people have to say about them.
I think rust can be prevented with proper care. My 95 doesn't have a spot of rust on it. It was actually in comparable shape as my 2000 Frontier (my previous pickup). But it's up to you. I don't personally want to pay $20k+ for a 4X4 work/play truck.
hornett22
Addicted to ArboristSite
try a 95-04 tacoma.
the 3.4 liter V6 is an awesome motor.will do more than a 3.4 should.lasts forever.
the 3.4 liter V6 is an awesome motor.will do more than a 3.4 should.lasts forever.
An observation
I cant help but notice all the F150s on the road, especially for companies. Are these companies only buying them because of some discount they got or because it is a good truck that lasts long. I would think if a company bought a reliable truck for a couple thousand more initially it would save money in the long run. Any thoughts?
I cant help but notice all the F150s on the road, especially for companies. Are these companies only buying them because of some discount they got or because it is a good truck that lasts long. I would think if a company bought a reliable truck for a couple thousand more initially it would save money in the long run. Any thoughts?
