Looking for Truck advice.......

[Raupleminze454]

Alright guys hears the deal, and I know before I ask that this has the potential of turning into a brand vs. brand pissing match but here it goes. My daily driver (sad to say its a Honda Civic) of like 10 years is needing replacement. The car has a slipping cvt trans, 199,000 miles, and I just broke the ****ing door handle off of it the morning after Christmas as I got off of work on about 3 hours sleep. I am definitely interested in buying a truck but cant decide what to do so I figured I would ask all you guys for some feedback.

I am basically planning on keeping whatever I get for the next ten years just because I am not a big fan of car payments. I take good care of my vehicles, always doing the required maintenence with quality stuff like synthetics. There are a few things I am pretty concrete on. #1 I am sold on the idea of a crew cab, #2 I don't want a diesel, #3 I want 4 wheel drive. Besides that I am open to suggestions. I just am looking for something that can actually make it up my driveway in the winter, have more room than my clown car, be able to put parts in the bed, and I might even use it to tow my cars but that is the least bit important (I dont even own a trailer.....yet). I would like this to maybe even help out other guys that might be in the market right now.

I am not set on buying new or used. I have condsidered the big three (Ford F250, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram) but have been drawn to the Toyota Tacoma and Tundra due to my reliability and longevity experience with Japanese engineering. I am not a big fan of the price though, obviously domestics can be quite cheaper. I am a fan of GM's 6.0 and that would make a great engine to swap into something way down the road. Toyota's Iforce V8 also has some pretty impressive numbers.

As you can see with me owning the same car for like ten years I am kind of out of the loop as far as if domestics have become engineered as well as imports. I was pretty happy only having to due oil changes, brakes, tires, and a couple exhausts to the Honda. I never had anything major besides doing the recomended timing belt at 95,000. However I really want to buy American, if that even means anything anymore.

So lets hear it guys, what do you own? What have you been happy with? What have you heard? Who has the best bang for the buck? Who has the best drive train? Anyone offering rebates or financing deals? Shit like that is what I am looking for?

Thanks in advance,

Rau

 

[Tispho]

Buy a 1GRFE taco if its gonna be your DD. My mother owns a 4runner and maintenance is easy. If you end up buying a full sized truck for DD you'll end up like everyone else with a DD full sized truck trying to downgrade or purchase another smaller DD.


Most people with 3/4 ton trucks or larger will go with a diesel, since you want gas, perhaps you should consider a new f150 if you want full sized. It does not seem like you will be towing every single day, the f150 allows you to tow conventional once per week fine, its also decent on gas.

For you though, if you just want something to get out of the driveway and put parts in the back, get a Tacoma. If you wanna tow with it, I haven't had any experience with them towing, but I've seen them at the boat ramps with some pretty large 20+ ft boats before.

the Ford sport trac is a similar sized truck if you want to buy domestic, but I can't say much about it. Get the Tacoma.

 

[venmos1]

if i were to buy a truck i would go diesel, but you said you dont want one. that being said, depends how much you want to spend. i owned an 04 silverado 2500hd for a few years. loved the truck. was only an ext cab. but i would go with four door as well. 6.0 was a great motor. solid truck. def did what i needed it to in maine. great in winter with a good winter tire. i sold it this past fall with 68k miles for $14k . had true dual exhaust, tonneau cover, rhino liner, aftermarket wheels etc. if i werent into going the diesel route i would def consider another one. only normal maintenance the entire time i had it. good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[TERMIN8TR]

i recently bought a new 2009 f150 fx4,after owning my 2001 explorer sport since it was new.

i never realized how nice these trucks were. i had originally intended to keep the explorer and dd it but ever since getting the truck i never drove it again.

so i sold the explorer

my vote goes to an f series truck

 

[earl lee]

Go ahead and take the japanese trucks off your list first. Im sorry they can build cars, but they cant build trucks and its not really they fault they cant. Its hard to build something you dont use.

Stick to the big 3, as for me im a dodge guy. I have a friend with a crew cab hemi thats at 170k. He bought the thing with 15k in 04 and its been rock solid for him, towed his lawn care trailor his cars, its held up fine and he dosent even do any maintenance on it.

Whatever you get, you will be fine. All 3 over engineer their trucks. Its just up to you to figure out what you like, I like the styling of the Dodges the best which prolly why I prefer them plus I like the underdog truck, everybody and they momma has a f150, I could never be apart of the just like everybody else club. Prolly why I have a camaro, cause everybody else has stangs.

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

I guess that you've been taken into the "Japanese is better" hype.. sure that was true 20 years ago, but I'd say starting 10 years ago, the domestic vehicles don't take a back seat to ANYONE! Ford IMHO is at the top of the list, and if you can't get 200K from a domestic vehicle then your doing NO preventative maintenance on them at all. Case in point, I was looking for a replacement side window for my 01 Explorer Sport, so I went to the pick a part.. there were A LOT of domestic Explorers in there, that were "cash for clunkers" turn ins.. what was amazing, most of them were in the 250 to 300K mile range and early to mid 90's vehicles.. I think the lowest mileage one I saw was an early 2000 model year, with 130K miles on it..

If you would look up the reliability of the major Japanese imports, you'd notice their reliability isn't that hot anymore vs domestics..

one more thing.. Ford is getting an awesome truck engine, the 6.2 BOSS V8

 

[shanezt]

nissan frontier is great 05 and newer. i loved ours, towed the boat with ease, and averaged 20mpg city. anything you buy these days can be reliable if taken care of. i like the import trucks cause of power AND economy. our 2006 explorer got 12mpg city, plenty of power but damn the economy.

 

[virginiafiveo]

08 silverado with the 6.0 vortec max towing package. I love it. I have driven all of the big 3. I liked the chevy by far more....but all felt like solid trucks. my opinion on the chevy is based on my own style of driving and how it responded to me. drive all 3 in the 1/2 ton first. then make your decision. don't compare an 01 to an 08....it will not match up.

 

[Dusten]

nissan frontier is great 05 and newer. i loved ours, towed the boat with ease, and averaged 20mpg city. anything you buy these days can be reliable if taken care of. i like the import trucks cause of power AND economy. our 2006 explorer got 12mpg city, plenty of power but damn the economy.

do a fuel economy comparison between the fullsize ford/chevy/toyota/nissan...:bored:

the new tacomas are nice, i helped a friend pick one out and its been a very good truck. The half ton fords are a great trucks, with good reliability, decent power and good ride quality. The chevy is a good truck, but is much more like a car than the others. I had an 03 GMC 1500, and while it made good power, i felt it was to soft.
The titans HAD issues with electical and the rear end was a weak piece of shit.

The tundras had early issues but most of that seems worked out, however they are thirsty pigs.

 

[meaty mac]

My 04 F150 FX4 was the best truck I ever had. I'm sorry it's gone. :nonono:
Nobody builds 'em like Ford.

/Thread

 

[zerocool]

If you're open to a Taco, I'd say definitely look at the GMC Canyon/Chevrolet Colorado. I've never had a problem going anywhere even with my 2WD Z71 model. Now you can get them with the 5.3L, which is a proven engine, and still get 20+ on the highway. My 3.5 5 cylinder has gotten a best of 26 on the highway and I usually average 18-19 in the city.

 

[shanezt]

do a fuel economy comparison between the fullsize ford/chevy/toyota/nissan...:bored:

the new tacomas are nice, i helped a friend pick one out and its been a very good truck. The half ton fords are a great trucks, with good reliability, decent power and good ride quality. The chevy is a good truck, but is much more like a car than the others. I had an 03 GMC 1500, and while it made good power, i felt it was to soft.
The titans HAD issues with electical and the rear end was a weak piece of shit.

The tundras had early issues but most of that seems worked out, however they are thirsty pigs.

i dont need to compare full size economy, i dont care. curious why you left dodge out? i compare my experience with the vehicles and with the dodge products i work on everyday. thats why i mentioned my explorer and frontier, also pathfinder. our durango got 12mpg, explorer 12-13mpg, both nissans 20mpg. i dont mention dodge cause we dont build a vehicle that gets 20mpg:shrug: if dodge made a motorcycle it would get 12mpg.


as far as full size goes, i do like the new ram, with the shifter in the console where it belongs, but the 390 horse hemi is still gutless and a heavy drinker.

i like the titan, and the chevy, chevy to me has the most comfortable trucks, but i dont like the 6.0.


OP any truck you drive and like will be just fine, do the recomended services and ANY vehicle will last a lifetime.

 

[Blk04Snake]

I'd say if you want a gasser, and a good overall truck hold out a couple months and pick up an F250 with that 6.2 Boss engine.. Sounds like it'll be good. I like the idea that Ford made it's own segment for 3/4 and up trucks. Not just a hyped up half ton with stiffer springs.

For me I took the Diesel route.. It's a hefty premium to get that diesel engine though and their mileage isn't that great anymore unless you do a little "illegal" tuning... which adds another $1500 or so to the price tag.

 

[PhLoBuS]

I would get a GM or Ford. Dodge seem to have a bad rep with their transmissions.

 

[SID297]

You can't go wrong with an F-150. If you think you will be towing a fair amount and still want a gas motor the Ford V-10 is by far your best choice.

 

[golden_eye]

I've been happy with my '09 F-150 so far. Pretty comfortable and I like the new styling. Did pretty good towing a 6x12 u-haul trailer full of stuff too.

 

[NO-BlkLightning2K]

if it's not a diesel, dodges love gas. the one i have sucks it down faster than my lightning did. which, considering they weigh about the same, i find a bit odd.

 

[SVT95]

I would get a GM or Ford. Dodge seem to have a bad rep with their transmissions.

This is right on about the Ram's. I had one for 3 years and put two transmission in it. As for personal preference, I would go Ford. I just don't like the way the chevy's ride. It's just a little to soft for me. I sold Ford's at a big dealership in town for the past year and the F-150's are great trucks. But like stated above, I would wait until the new engine is released and drive it to see what you think. And from the sounds of it, you are going to need a 1/2 ton of bigger to do the towing you need. Overall, I would say get the F-150 but make sure it's the FX4. They have stiffer suspension and their towing capabilities are great.

 

[chinchilla]

only american trucks are "real" trucks in my book, the new rams are weak looking and performing from what I've heard, Either f-150 or silverado/sierra. I'm partial to the f-150 though, my dads 07 has 125k and 0 problems so far.

 

[Raupleminze454]

Looking at something like this...............

Chevrolet : Silverado 1500:eBay Motors (item 190361376773 end time Jan-05-10 07:56:58 PST)