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Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions)

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Russ(NC)

02-10-2005 04:45:37




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I need an all around pickup truck for the farm. I will use it occasionally (maybe 1K miles/year, 20 mile segments) to pull a 12K lbs (max loaded) tandem dump trailer (3K empty). I want a 2WD (not dually) truck. The pocket book is not very deep, so I want a basic vehicle – but something that will last and can be abused some on the farm.

I farm part time, I have a full time job to pay the bills – so I will need to drive this truck to/from work (30 miles, city driving) five days/week.

My past trucks have been Ford Ranger and F-150. The F-150 is okay, until you have to work on the engine – changing plugs is a nightmare.

Anyone have any suggestions about which trucks to look at? For 1K miles per year, is it worth getting a towing package?

Russ

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Dave Null

02-11-2005 01:54:09




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
My Brother does quite a bit of hauling (building materials, etc.). He bought a new '79 F150 4wd when he finished high school. After about 350k miles he put a V-8 in it and is still going strong. In '89 he bought a '67 or '68 chevy C30 with Dual wheels and a flat bed out of a brush pile , and uses it for heavier loads. Both still look great and are on the road daily. They do use a bunch of gas though. No moral to the story, just sharing a good experience.

Good Luck.


Dave

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Galen

02-10-2005 20:14:04




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
My 1997 Ford 5.4 (gas) has 330,000 on it and is still going strong - Stay with the Ford!



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Eldon (WA)

02-10-2005 19:51:24




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
I've got a nice 01 Dodge Cummins HO for sale....here's a link.



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David B

02-10-2005 15:44:59




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
Russ, you can"t go wrong in a Ford.
I can"t agree more about changing the plugs in one though, what a pain! I hope these plugs last as long as the originals.
I know you said 2wd, but on the farm, I"d hate not to have 4-wheel.
David



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big fred

02-10-2005 11:41:22




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
Are you sure you need a pickup? Around here a used full-size van will sell for quite a bit less than a used full-size pickup with essentially the same capabilities. If you are the type that keeps a topper/cap/cap cover/canopy on your pickup, you might consider a used 3/4 ton van. One advantage is that they are a bit more maneuverable and you sit a bit higher. Gas mileage will be about the same.

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Marcusss

02-10-2005 09:19:46




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
I am in a similar situation - towing short trips - 1000 miles per year - up to 12,000 lbs...I found a 1992 F250 HD Diesel 4WD for $3000....240,000 miles, but works for me...just hoping it lasts a few years....

I "think" I got a good deal.



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Nebraska Cowman

02-10-2005 08:29:18




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
1000 mile hauling and drive to work every day? I"d buy a car and hire the hauling done. No question.



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dhermesc

02-10-2005 09:16:24




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 02-10-2005 08:29:18  
I agree, the money you save driving a Taurus (gas, insurance, tires, PROPERTY TAXES) could easily pay the rent on a new (or almost new) unit every time you needed to tow something and still leave a nice chunk of cash in your wallet.



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mud

02-10-2005 08:39:01




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 02-10-2005 08:29:18  
Whew, my thoughts. Get one of them super good gas milage cars, and what you would save in fuel, license, insurance, and repairs buys a lot of hauling miles.



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farmalljim10

02-10-2005 08:05:56




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
You need a 1 ton at least to pull 12000 lbs but a 3/4 will do it for a short distance make sure you have trailer brakes...3/4 ton Ford big v8 auto , really good rear tires and dont get it too heavy on the hitch..



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Coloken

02-10-2005 06:55:06




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
Your talking two different things here. Yes, a new HD diesel for 30,000 will work. But how about two...like a several year old Dakota for work and an old Ford 1 ton beast for the hauling? Substitute make of your choise.



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thejdman01

02-10-2005 06:49:42




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
i recommend for your needs a chevy or gm 6.2 diesel. not real power houses but reliable as all heck if you get them started. they werent easy starters but once they were running im not going to say there powerful definily torque but very very reliable. if you anywhere above 40 deg. itll start just when temps get below 32 w/o a block heater you wont get them started. an ambilical cord(block heater) is a must below 40. chevy parts are so so so so so numerous tranny rear end etc so numerous. also youll love the dana 60 in back pulling that much weight. my best recommendation i have seen is a gm body powertrain w/a cummins repower. dodge always has had a weak powertrain. the cummins motor is a very strong motor though. repowering is acutally quite simple to go from a 6.2 or 6.5 to a cummins. that i think would be your best bet gm powertrain cummins motor but if not available i would go for a 6.2

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Mike M

02-10-2005 07:24:21




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to thejdman01, 02-10-2005 06:49:42  
You say those 6.2 are reliable ????? Ya there reliable---the chevy dealers relied on them for years to keep their mechanics busy !!!



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thejdman01

02-10-2005 10:47:34




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Mike M, 02-10-2005 07:24:21  
hey 6.2"s are extremely reliable. i had one with 400,000 miles on it 4 transmissions and my father before he passed had one with 370,000 2 transmissions and both of us never touched the motors. reason so many trannies was mine had a 4 speed manual and the wife was not very forgiving towing wagons dual 400 bushel(yes i know way way too much wagon for the truck). and my father had a 3spd automatic. he had a 3.73 rear i had a 4.10. they were very good trucks. very cold blooded and not terribly powerful but both of us got great longevity. the reason my father had so many automatics was again farm truck towing wagons cattle trailers and 2 times broke a tranny cooler line and didnt get it shut off before it fried it.

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Mike M

02-10-2005 13:08:24




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to thejdman01, 02-10-2005 10:47:34  
You should consider yourself very very lucky.You better go buy some lotto tickets. I never heard of any going that far. They had terrible head gasket problems. I don't have enough space to type all that went wrong with mine but it only went about 13,000 mi before it all started.Don't even get me started on how mad I am that a truck bought brand new allready had undersized bearings on the crank. If I ever buy another Chevy or GM product again someone boot me in the behind.

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JT

02-10-2005 06:35:37




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
One advantage of the diesel. My PS gets 17mpg driving it, somethimes as low as 15. 10-14mph pulling trailer. I used to have a F150 4wd with a 302. Mileage was 10 at best, 7-8 with front wheels lock in(was part time 4wd) So to me diesel fuel would have to go up to over $3.00 a gallon for it to cost me more to run my PS over the gas ones I had before. You do need to look at a minimum of 3/4-1 ton truck to handle the load you are talking about. My F250 is a little light for my taste pulling over 10K, not for pulling, but for stopping.

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Carl NY

02-10-2005 06:17:45




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  

Russ. Pulling the weight you have stated, you definitely need the 3/4 or 1 ton truck. If you are in the fields with the truck & trailer I would suggest 4 wheel drive mainly for the low range to save the strain on the tranny. The big problem is not being able to pull a load, it is being able to stop the loaded outfit. You may have to set your budget a little higher to buy a heavier truck, but it will be well worth it. Over the past 12 years I have logged many miles from NY to Ohio,Indiana,Illinois, Michigan & Kansas, but even on short hauls you need the heavier truck. Brand preference is the individuals choice, but go big.

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Brian in NY

02-10-2005 05:56:46




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
Yep, I would look for either an older one-ton or 3/4 ton ford/dodge/chevy. Older to keep the cost down. I saw a real nice older dodge (91 or 92 I think) 1 ton 2wd with the cummins turbo diesel that went for around $4500 and this truck was like new....I shoulda bought it but hesitated and it cost me. There are lots of these types of trucks around...but if it were me I would think a nice older heavy duty diesel would be just the ticket.

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VADAVE

02-10-2005 04:51:44




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Russ(NC), 02-10-2005 04:45:37  
F150 or any 1/2 ton truck will not handle a 12K bumper pull trailer for long. You need to look at least at a 3/4 truck. Make is personal preference as I believe they all perform about the same.
Suggest looking at Kelly Blue Book under used trucks that will give you an idea of cost. KBB.com



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txblu

02-10-2005 05:55:27




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to VADAVE, 02-10-2005 04:51:44  
Indydirtfarmer or kyhayman may be able to help as they are pulling things all the time (according to their posting). I agree. If you are going to pull a big trailer a lot, get away from a half ton.

Lotta people brag about their diesels. I don't have one. If I were to pull a big trailer and was going to buy a truck, I would be interested in starting torque to get the load rolling (brakes stop it). So, the "torqey" guys at LOW rpms (where you do most of your running) are the diesels and V10's. Diesel fuel has been above gas for quite awhile and the filter complex is expensive to change (friends have them). Gas on the V10 is not that bad and some diesels just can't get 20 mpg at 70mph pulling 12k lbs....but some SAY they do it (little fast for me with that much behind me). So be it. So I would personally be looking at the diesel; brand is up in the air. Don't like the sound of the 6 cyl Cummins in the Dodge, but I could get over that as that is a good combo. Have a Dodge now and friends with Cummins in them. Fords are all over "strokin" and I am seeing more and more Chevy Isuzu Diesels. Neighbor has one. No trouble and pulls good. Lots of choices.

My 2c

Mark

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Dooley

02-10-2005 06:55:44




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to txblu, 02-10-2005 05:55:27  
In regards to the GM engine, It is a GM engine built in America by American union workers. GM hired Isuzu engineers to help design and engineer this powerplant. Isuzu has huilt over 94 million diesel engines for themselves with great success and GM had not done well in designing small diesels. If anyone thinks the other manufacturers haven't any Asian engineers, they're lost.



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txblu

02-10-2005 07:11:30




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 Re: Need a Pickup Truck (Suggestions) in reply to Dooley, 02-10-2005 06:55:44  
I think GM is doing themselves a disservice by not indicating it's Made in the USA (least I haven't seen it). I know about the worldwide marketing and success of Isuzu diesels (having had one in a 26,000 bobtail) but some "rednecks" want it made at home. Might help sales.

Mark



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