truck?

[krazymonkey]

I need a truck. new used gas diesel help

[MadTripper]

For what? Diesel gives some options as far as alternative fuels but maybe that isn't a concern. Let us know what you are going to use it for and you'll get some better ideas.

Tripper

[krazymonkey]

everyday driving and taking care of the homestead

[MadTripper]

Every day driving, I'd get a small Toyota. You can haul stuff and they are somewhat efficient for a truck.

Tripper

[msta999]

The Toyota pickup is nolonger much more efficient than an American made. If you go with the older ones, say, 5-10 years older, then yes they get better mpg. The newer ones have more power and the frames are heavier, so there is not much difference if any.

For general purpose, if you don't need 4X4, then I think I would go with a 3/4 ton diesel. You will get around 18-20 mpg on the hwy and you will have the tow power if you need it. Just don't get the dually, they have lower gears.

I'm a Ford guy, but the dodge Cummins diesel is a good engine too. I would stay away from the late 90's to early 2000 chevy diesels, they are problematic.

Good luck.

[MadTripper]

I'm just a little partial to Toyota's. They are a good truck that seem to outlast their competition. Economy-wise, Ford/Mazda gets better fuel economy but Toyota is pretty close. I compared 2008 models that were 4 cylinder gasoline with 5 speed transmissions. Toyota does offer a 6 cylinder that has a 6 speed transmission. I bet you could get some good highway miles on it.

Tripper

[msta999]

I have no problem with Toyota pickups myself (just don't buy new ;D ), you are just a little limited with the smaller trucks.

[cubcadet]

Lots of folks got diesels and love them. Others don`t. If you don`t like the smell of diesel, and the noise, and the price, no matter what the advantages, you will not like them. The newer ones are quieter, the older ones are noisy, and are prone to leaks. Gas leaks evaporate, diesel doesn`t. Park in a garage, and you need a drip pan. Landlords will give you hell, and I don`t blame em. Diesel gives you more low end torque, and last much longer. Weigh the pro and con. I hate the smel and sound of diesels. On the pickup subject in general, I would be absolutely lost without my pickup. I live on a rural homestead, and need mine like I need food and water. Mine`s a gas job. Full size Chevy 8 foot box regular cab, 4.3 liter V8. Gets 20 on the highway even lightly loaded, 17 fully loaded on the backroads. I make mine pay for itself. I make money with it. It`s my only ride.

[rAcErRicK]

Mornin' Guys. Tripper, I'm with you on the Toyo's. Had an 04 Tundra, best built truck I ever had, and I've had a few. Have a Nissan Titan now, almost as good, traded because I pull a 7000# trailer quite a bit, and it has awesome power. Biggest drawback is mileage, you gotta' feed the horses. My son has an 05 Tacoma, they ain't small anymore, with the newer big 6, and it goes !

Cub, If I'm not sadly mistaken, the chevy 4.3 engine is a V6, but it runs like a V8, so you got the best of both worlds.

Deisels. The older American made ones were bad noisy. The Ford and GM's were based on the gas blocks and leaked oil like a sieve and did not hold up well at all. The Dodge(Cummins)being the exception to that.
Ford now uses engines from International Harvester, a much better engine, however there are a couple of them, cubic inch wise, that give a lot of trouble. GM, now buys engines from Izuzu (Duramax), which is a really good engine. All 3 have now utilized a lot of technology to make them a lot quieter, and they also have a catalytic converter, and after a warm up period, don't smoke and smell nearly as bad as the older ones. Drawbacks to them all now is mileage, due to high horsepower output. If one MUST pull heavy loads, for long hauls, on a regular basis, they cannot be beat. The improvement in oils (synthetic) have brought the gas engines closer to the deisel, but the gap still exists. Deisel costs conciderably more than gas also. ?? Why ? I guess polution control. Depending what one is going to do with the truck in my opinion dictates deisel or gas. any of the top 3 deisels now are good for several hundred thousand miles, but they do cost more when you buy them, and fuel is more. Gas is less on initial purchase, costs less to operate, and synthetics bring service life up sometimes very close to the smokers. I think the major difference being the load to be pulled.

[Florida_boy]

Since I've been married my first truck was a 1980 Nissan. I put well over 200K on it but I don't know how much over because I drove it for two years with a broken speedometer head. I bought a 1990 Nissan which gave me 220K miles of good service. Both Nissans gave around 24 MPG or so and were pretty much trouble free. They were used mostly as passenger vehicles with some light hauling when needed.
I now have a 2001 Dakota Quad cab with 170K on it I have the V6 w/ a 5 speed and it gets around 20 MPG. The Dodge has cost me more in repairs than both the other two combines. Both brake calipers have been replaced as needed never did that on a Nissan. None of these vehicles have been "bad" but I would have to say that the Nissans did give better service thus far.
That said my son is now looking for a truck and he is leaning heavily towards the Toyota. Mainly because of the service they give and the MPG.

[Funkhouser]

I put 7 years and 216K miles on my '96 Nissan XE pick-up, before trading it in on my current 'family car'. Nissan makes a fantastic truck...always has. I would personally take another XE or Frontier over a Tacoma because the stats are comparable, while the Nissan carries a lower price (at least in my personal experience).

[rAcErRicK]

Agreed Funkhouser, and Fl boy. I was particularly impressed with the cargo load capacity and towing capacity of the Titan. They are concidered 1/2 tons, yet factory recomends
1500+ #'s cargo capacity,and 9600# towing. I've seen less than a 1/2 ton in the back of a lot of trucks and the rear bumper was almost dragging the ground, and the headlights were up in the trees.

Also had a '92 Dokota V6 4WD 5 speed that was a good truck. It had 164K when I traded it. U joints finally went, and there was no way to replace them(aluminum driveshaft). Factory only showed replacing the whole driveshaft, as did all parts stores. Thanks to a spicer salesman, we took 2 different U joints, traded the X's and yolks, and made 1 U joint, and beat them at their own game, saved me about $600. Factory didn't want us to replace the U joints in an aluminum driveshaft, but with extreme care it can be done safely. Replaced 1 set of front pads, and only 1 set of tires, a batt. hoses, and a belt. That's it, in 164K. Not bad at all. Engine warning light came on at 60K for no reason, and again at 120K.

[cubcadet]

rAcErRicK,
I do have the v8, a 4.8. It is a good runner. almost the only good thing about this truck. There are many things I don`t like about it. But it hauls anything, anywhere. Pulls a dual wheel trailer with a Jacobsen Turfcat 6` mower on it, and a 36" Bunton walkbehind, plus all my other tools in the load bed, up any hill I point it to.

[NowKnowYe]

I have a 2005 Tacoma with 4 cyl. It came with a towing hitch. How can I tell wha tmy towing limitations are? Thx

[cinok]

You are looking for a truck at the right time while i agree you could get away with a small truck will it fir your needs Most dealers are cant give away trucks on their lots if you look long term you might find a full fize truck that might cost less them some of the minis

[flatwater]

I own a 99 Dodge 2500 diesel. I love it and have had not one bit of trouble with it untill I was coming back from the cabin last weekend and it stopped running. What I found out later was , both fuel pumps failed. One cost 2,200.00 $ and the other one was 500.00 + $ Total price to get it fixed was 3,800.00$ I still love it because I can haul heavy loads and still get 20 mpg and for crying out loud when the original pumps went T.U. I had a tad over 500,000 miles on it. Keeping the fuel filter , jets , and the oil changed on a regular basis is the trick to longevity for a diesel.
Flatwater

[Cutter]

I have an 03 Chevy Duramax in a HD 3/4 ton truck. I commute 25 miles to work. Down hill going to work up hill coming home. 19mpg on the commute. 22-25mpg on the highway. If you want power you will have more that you'll ever need. It's the best of both worlds, great mileage if you drive right, tons of power when needed.

[WRTN]

I own a 99 Dodge 2500 diesel. I love it and have had not one bit of trouble with it untill I was coming back from the cabin last weekend and it stopped running. What I found out later was , both fuel pumps failed. One cost 2,200.00 $ and the other one was 500.00 + $ Total price to get it fixed was 3,800.00$ I still love it because I can haul heavy loads and still get 20 mpg and *for crying out loud when the original pumps went T.U. I had a tad over 500,000 miles on it. Keeping the fuel filter , jets , and the oil changed on a regular basis is the trick to longevity for a diesel.
Flatwater

Flatwater,

I own a 2002 Dodge 2500 4 x 4 HO 6 speed. My injector pump failed at about 48,000 but it was covered under warranty. I caught mine before the engine totally died. Mine just missed every now and then so I checked for malfunction codes and the dreaded P0216 came up. I checked the lift pump and it was almost dead too. I replaced the lift pump myself because I did NOT want the dealer to install the intake submersible pump. They suck BAD. They don't produce enough fuel pressure or volume.

If you haven't already made some modifications to the fuel system, I can shoot you some info. to help ensure this never happens again. The problem is that the lift pump on the side of the engine is not designed to draw fuel, it is designed to push fuel. It fails and starves the injector pump for fuel which eventually causes it to fail. The change to ULSD did not help things either.

I love mine as well. I have about 54,000 on it and have made a few mods with the help of a friend. Gets great fuel economy. 20 to 21 local and have gotten as much as 26 mpg highway but normally around 23 to 24. I have Formula One Mach 1.6 90 hp fuel injectors and an Edge EZ installed on mine along with a Vulcan big line kit and ISSPRO gauages. The injectors and Edge EZ actually helped increase the fuel economy about 2 mpg. At least when I keep my foot off of the go pedal. I have a BHAF air filter and Outerware filter cover and heat shield coming next week which will help with air induction and hopefully boost pressure. Right now it develops about 32 lbs. of boost pressure with the stock OEM air filter, hopefully the BHAF will add a few more lbs. to maybe 5. Should help a lot with smoke control too.

I also added a Cummins eBrake which is basically a rebadged Jacobs Exhaust brake. It REALLY saves to brakes and wear and tear.

I have a Frantz bypass oil filter I am going to install soon so I can extend oil changes.

Glad to see another Dodge Cummins driver on the board.

I think they are great trucks for alround farm use, hauling and pulling.