Another Truck Thread

[farmer]

So my 95 nissan pickup got "totaled" the other day (aka ~2 sq.ft dent in the door), and the insurance company is going to give me far more than it's worth. This coupled with the fact that I'm a few months to graduation, with a good paying job locked up (and a couple of better paying backup plans) mean that I want to buy something newer and bigger than I've owned in the past (80's / 90's nissan / toyota pickups)

The problem is I know plenty about small pickups, but almost nothing about full size trucks.

Here's what I'm looking for:

-Decent fuel mileage. I'll be driving 95% hwy miles, and depending on where I move this summer I'll probably have a 60 mile commute every day. I can take the bike in the summer, but winter I'll be in the truck. Decent is relative here, but I don't want something that's better measured in gallons per mile than mpg.
-Able to haul firewood, a sled, put a camper in the back, etc.
-8 ft bed
-Crew cab
- <10 years old

Not sure if I'll need a half ton or 3/4 ton.

[TeCeBe]

Sounds like a 3/4 Dodge w. a 24V cummins or Ford with a 7.3 Powerstroke

Diesel is your best bet for mileage. Either will run for a million miles if you treat them right.

[that dude who did that thing]

60 mile commute and you want a full-size truck? Which way do you think gas prices are headed in the nextg 5-10 years (the period you'll likely own this truck)?

Get yourself a big-azz truck for toy hauling and weekends, it can be old since you'll only be using it weekends, and this means cheap (2000 F150, Ram, or Silverado). Then get yourself a nice, small car for the commute (6 year old sedans or two-doors are cheap), spend the extra on a sound system. You'll probably save in gas what you spend on insurance (do the math and figure it out).

[farmer]

A car isn't an option. We won the war for the right not to drive german vehicles, and I'm not a lesbian, which leaves 2wd as the only alternative, which won't work.

[Bosco]

Are you sure you want a Crew Cab and not something like a Quad Cab (Dodge)?

A true crew cab with an 8 foot bed is one big freaking truck. Actually, anything with two rows of seats and an 8 foot bed is big.

[Bobcat Sig]

Another clarification; why an 8ft bed and why full size?

[MakersTeleMark]

Take a look at the new F150 with the V6.

[BCMtnHound]

For gas economy and comfort - 1/2ton crewcab with a V6. Your bed size will be limited to 6ft. Might get by for hauling wood and/or camper with upgrading the rear suspension, but you will be underpowered. I'd go with the F150 crewcab.
For hauling anything significant, you will lose your fuel economy with your best bet being a diesel 3/4ton. I'd go with chev diesel (you can get the crewcab with the 8ft box, but that is one behemoth vehicle).

Going to have to sacrifice something - what are your priorities?

[that dude who did that thing]

A car isn't an option. We won the war for the right not to drive german vehicles, and I'm not a lesbian, which leaves 2wd as the only alternative, which won't work.

It's your checkbook. As someone above noted, diesels will generally get better mileage but diesel prices ahve been even less stable than gas.

[Arty50]

It's your checkbook. As someone above noted, diesels will generally get better mileage but diesel prices ahve been even less stable than gas.

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/...volatility.ars

[Snow Dog]

Are you sure you want a Crew Cab and not something like a Quad Cab (Dodge)?

A true crew cab with an 8 foot bed is one big freaking truck. Actually, anything with two rows of seats and an 8 foot bed is big.

ditto. A crew cab long box is a big truck. Unless you have a family to haul around you want an extended cab with doors (like a Dodge QuadCab). And a 1/2T doesn't have the payload you want/need. You need a 3/4T or 1T. You get a bigger frame, bigger brakes, and bigger drive train. If you're putting on the miles or hauling then a Diesel is nice. If you're not hauling then an automatic is convenient. (And by hauling I mean a 10K trailer.)

[farmer]

Maybe not crew cab, but something with some amount of cab on it. 4 door, but the back 2 can be those smaller doors that have the handle on the side and fold back.

8ft bed is staying though. Guess it looks like I'm going with a 3/4 ton.

What year did ford make the 7.3 until? (or do they still make it?)

[Snow Dog]

The 7.3 was made until 2003. There were issues with the 6.0 and 6.4 Diesels. You can read all about those engines at PowerstrokeHelp

[Vt-Freeheel]

My Quadcab 2500 Ram is not much shorter than a Ford Crew, coupled with the less than ideal turning radius it requires careful planning to park to avoid getting penned in. Also the Kerosene in the winter diesel cuts my mpg around 2.5 mpg.

[schuss]

You're still not telling us WHY you need a truck. That might help.

[Tunco]

Apparently he won some sort of war.

[systemoverblow'd]

Nothing like getting out of college and just starting to spend a ton of money you've got "locked up". Here's an idea, get something modest, start paying off your student loans and start putting money away. It will be far more beneficial than a shiny late model full size truck for a 60 mile commute. Are you actually comprehending how much money you are going to be spending in gas every single day, higher insurance premiums, car payment? I wouldn't think about getting something I couldn't pay cash for until you REALLY were secure in your "locked up" job for a year.

The fact you NEED backup plans means you don't think this is locked up or have concerns.

[Karl May]

Nothing like getting out of college and just starting to spend a ton of money you've got "locked up". Here's an idea, get something modest, start paying off your student loans and start putting money away. It will be far more beneficial than a shiny late model full size truck for a 60 mile commute. Are you actually comprehending how much money you are going to be spending in gas every single day, higher insurance premiums, car payment? I wouldn't think about getting something I couldn't pay cash for until you REALLY were secure in your "locked up" job for a year.

The fact you NEED backup plans means you don't think this is locked up or have concerns.

I have to agree on this. Although a truck is nice, for commuting, a car will be worth a lot more, both in efficiency and maintainability.

[El Chupacabra]

http://jalopnik.com/5879322/do-i-need-a-pickup-truck

[SB]

Get a V6 AWD/4WD SUV and a small trailer to pull behind.

[PlayHarder]

You're still not telling us WHY you need a truck. That might help.

"-Able to haul firewood, a sled, put a camper in the back, etc."

Seems pretty straightforward to me, he wants a truck to do truck things.

A 1/2 ton will do what you want, a 3/4 ton will give you a little more flexibility when it comes to picking a camper for it. You tend to pay a premium for anything light enough for a 1/2 ton to handle, but you'll also burn more gas in the bigger truck so it's a tough call if you don't really need the payload. My Tacoma never had a problem hauling wood, my sled or my little camper, but it also burned just about the same amount of gas as the 3/4 ton diesel that replaced it when I got a sled deck and second machine does.

Trailers suck unless everything you do is on pavement or around town. Nothing worse than getting stuck behind some dumbass trying to turn his trailer around at a tight, icy staging area or back in the bush on a logging road somewhere.

[NmbrdDays]

Go with a Dodge Ram. At least 08 or newer. HEMI all the way. My buddy had this truck. It's a really nice truck. Quad cab has plenty of space in the back. It's only has a 6 ft bed but with the fate down you can fit a sled no prob. The HEMI that year and newer have the cylinder shut down so you get over 20 mpg on the highway. Its either that or a Ford. F150 or F250s are great trucks too. Most newer trucks have some sort of gas saving ability on the bigger engines.

[Cruiser]

Been itching to get a late 90's F250 with the 7.3. Mine wouldn't be a daily driver though. Just for beating around from time to time. That 7.3 powerplant really should run forever even if the rest of the truck crumbles around it.

[stuckathuntermtn]

A car isn't an option. We won the war for the right not to drive german vehicles, and I'm not a lesbian, which leaves 2wd as the only alternative, which won't work.

Are you even Jewish? Lol. You know where a lot of VWs are made? Mexico. Auidis? Hungary. Not making this up. Not to mention all the German branded cars that are made/assembled here. (C Class, 3 series, etc).
Get a damn Subaru. If you're a straight male (and you seem to have a lot of questions about that) you have a lot in common with lesbians. Subarus are also assembled in the states.
Can you still get a Mazda 6 with awd?
here: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/lista...umentid=910418

[LeeC]

I have been driving Ford Super Duty CC Lariats250, and 350 series since 99. Mine are crewcab, 4wd, 8 ft beds, and I won't even look at a 6ft bed. I drive a 120 miles round trip everyday to work. I like it, and don't give a shit what others think.If you can't put a piece of plywood in the bed laying down, its worthless to me. I have not had any major problems with my 3 different trucks.I will buy another when the time is right. I agree on all points of buying what you want, and not what other people think you should have. I will tell you the only difference between a 250, and 350 is one spring in the rear..Thats it.
I do think the price of these fuckers is getting out of hand. The mileage was the best with the 7.3, but it is supposed to be better with the 2012's. Don't know, but its about time for another.. I will begrudgingly say that the Cummings is a hell of a package, but I don't like Dodge's.