Best used Pickup value??

[megotatractor]

I'm looking for a good, trouble free, non-gas-guzzler pickup truck in the 8000 dollar or less range. Ideally it would be front wheel drive for the snow but since they don't make one it does need to be 4x4. Want to have the capability to tow a light trailer occasionally even if I never do. And it must be able to haul the occasional plywood sheet. I bought a 98 Dakota the other day and got halfway home with it when the tranny sprung a leak so I took it back. and it only got 16 mpg highway with the v6 so I'm wondering if I might be better off with some other brand of full size truck that might be easier on gas or should I look at compacts? I do not think I want a diesel, very expensive to buy and service. Any suggestions??

 

[Tdog]

Wish I knew the answer to your question Mego. I've got 307k on my Toyota T-100 & I'm sorta thinking about replacing it. I was in for a major shock when I started looking at prices of new & used trucks in the 2004-05 range. Maybe I'll just keep the old one going a while longer.

Good luck.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I'm looking for a good, trouble free, non-gas-guzzler pickup truck

No such animal exists.
Bob

 

[HGM]

Tough bill to fill..... I'm sold on the Ford Ranger... I've had 3 over the past 20yrs... My latest is the best, though I really liked the '85 4x4 ... I bought my '00 super cab XLT(loaded) 4x2 3.0L(V-6) manual trans, 3yrs ago with 75k(185k now) mi for $7,500.. It's been a great truck with the pilot bearing($2 and some labor) being the only failure at about 140k.. I regularly get 22-23mpg, but its a 4x2... Since I drive primarily on the highway, its on its original clutch and brakes and I did change the plugs at 150kmi (I know better, but the miles come fast and it ran good)..

What I would recomend is to decide how important 4x4 is.. If you must have it, then you need to decide if you want a regular cab or super cab.. The super cab wil be better for towing but the regular would be better on fuel.. Then about the power.. The 3.0L with an automatic(especially 4x4) is pathetic... The 2.3L with 4x4, I dont believe is available and would be weaker than the 3.0L.. The 4.0L is thirsty, plenty of power, but you'll be closer to the 16mpg figure your Dodge got,I'd estimate 16-18mpg with a 4.0L in any configuration.. Fuel economy and 4x4/towing capability arent an easy combination.. I have another truck for the 4x4 needs, though we dont get much snow in Atanla .. Good luck.. BTW, you might try fueleconomy.gov to search for the magic numbers, just keep in mind they might not be 100% correct in all situations.

 

[milkman]

I'm looking for a good, trouble free, non-gas-guzzler pickup truck in the 8000 dollar or less range. Any suggestions??

I would say Honda Ridgeline till you stuck in that. 8000 or less range, oh sure the dually guys will jump in and say "that" is not a truck, but you did mention a Dakota so maybe I'll be safe.

 

[jwstewar]

I've got a '99 Silverado. It is an ext cab/short bed with the 5.3 V-8. 4WD with a rear locking differential. I'm pushing 100k miles on it. We regularly average 18+ MPG on it. If I'm driving it back and forth to work (mostly highway) I can do 20+. I've only done a few of minor things to it - U-joints, battery, 4wd switch, and power mirror switch (combined less then $200). It has been a good truck and it hasn't been babied. I've towed some pretty heavy loads and hauled a plenty of heavy loads (a couple of weeks ago had 50 sheets of OSB + some other stuff for around 2500 lbs. in the bed - well also hanging out of the bed ). Was also pulling trees out of the ground with it last week. Locked in low range/4wd in first gear it would yank the trees out of the ground most of the time w/o spinning a tire.

Also had a '97 configured the same way except it had the 5.7. Never worked it as hard, but it was also a pretty decent truck. I averaged about 18 MPG on it going back and forth to work so the '99 does just a little better on gas.

Anyway, after saying all of this, I've now been seeing some '99/00s for less than 10k.

 

[Bird]

Tough bill to fill..... I'm sold on the Ford Ranger... I've had 3 over the past 20yrs... My latest is the best, though I really liked the '85 4x4 ... I bought my '00 super cab XLT(loaded) 4x2 3.0L(V-6) manual trans, 3yrs ago with 75k(185k now) mi for $7,500.. It's been a great truck with the pilot bearing($2 and some labor) being the only failure at about 140k.. I regularly get 22-23mpg, but its a 4x2... Since I drive primarily on the highway, its on its original clutch and brakes and I did change the plugs at 150kmi (I know better, but the miles come fast and it ran good)..

What I would recomend is to decide how important 4x4 is.. If you must have it, then you need to decide if you want a regular cab or super cab.. The super cab wil be better for towing but the regular would be better on fuel.. Then about the power.. The 3.0L with an automatic(especially 4x4) is pathetic... The 2.3L with 4x4, I dont believe is available and would be weaker than the 3.0L.. The 4.0L is thirsty, plenty of power, but you'll be closer to the 16mpg figure your Dodge got,I'd estimate 16-18mpg with a 4.0L in any configuration.. Fuel economy and 4x4/towing capability arent an easy combination.. I have another truck for the 4x4 needs, though we dont get much snow in Atanla .. Good luck.. BTW, you might try fueleconomy.gov to search for the magic numbers, just keep in mind they might not be 100% correct in all situations.

I have the '01 Ranger XLT supercab 2 x 4, loaded, with the 4.0L automatic. It had 36k miles on it when I bought it, has 50k on it now. So, in the 14k miles I've put on it, it's averaged just over 18.5 mpg. I bought a Fisher 1710 Bass Boat a little over a month ago and have made several 65 mile round trips to the lake and only getting 16 mpg pulling the little boat, but you have to look in the rear view mirror to see if the boat's still there, because you have enough power you don't even notice you're pulling anything.

 

[lcisled]

I have a '94 Dodge 2500 cummins diesel. Gets about 18 MPG unloaded, 12 pulling. Manual transmission, pull whatever you want, haul as much as you can load. It has 213,000 miles on it, and I think it has that much more to go. I would not be afraid to take it to CA today, and I live in the midwest. If you are interested, PM me.

 

[Youare]

A couple of years ago I downsized from a full size pickup to a Toyota Tacoma 4X4. Gas milage is around 26 mpg average non-highway driving to and from work. It is supposed to be okay for light towing.

I really like the truck. A sheet of plywood kind of fits in the back but doesn't lay flat on the bed.

Randy

 

[OKnewguy]

I have a Dakota, and it does me well. Although, I have always been slightly disappointed in the gas mileage. It seems like it gets the full size gas mileage, so why not have a full size. I admit that I have recently been admiring my little brothers 98 Ford f150. He has 85k on it and it consistently gets over 20mpg. This is a full size standard cab with standard tranny/v6. Spec wise it has more torque then my 2003 4.7 litter dodge. It is light on the fuel when you want it to, but can work like a truck when you need it.
BTW, it is only 2wd.
Good luck, Dave