Need Some Truck Advice

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

This is directly related to my earlier question about a truck's fuel economy.

Right now I drive a 2000 Chevy S-10 4x4 with 248,000 miles. New tires, transmission, rear u-joints, and 4x4 parts. I think I could get 4,000 or so on trade in. Crazy? Maybe.

I now live on 120 cow farm and we don't have anything to haul with. We use a tractor on an old trailer but that's very slow and uses a lot of fuel to haul cows and calves a mile down the road to pasture. We then have to hire all our hauling of yearlings and cull cows to sale barns and those prices are outrageous. Then there's hay hauling in the summer. We have to bring home enough round bales to feed all those cows in a N. Minnesota winter.

Miss MN has an F-150 with a straight six and five speed manual. Not really set up for towing too well. More worried about the rear axle than the drivetrain.

I found a 2004 Chevy 3/4T gas truck for sale nearby for $15,200.

Do you think it'd be a justifiable purchase if I traded in my S-10? I'd need a loan 'cause I don't have 10K laying around. Would it be dumb to get into debt these days?

Just kinda pondering it, but you can tell I kinda want a bigger truck...kinda need one.

Any thoughts are appreciated and thank you for reading.

RobMD · Jun 26, 2008

If you really need it, then go for it. But I really don't think you will get 4000 out of your S-10. You might get 2000 out of it these days. Kinda harder to sell a vehicle these days. Might want to find a slightly older pickup than a 2004 so you can pay less for it. I'd get a 3/4 ton. Half tons aren't much better than s-10's as far as trailer stability.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

Yeah, I dunno about 4k for my S-10 either. Guess I can ask.

The one I'm looking at is a 3/4T, and I don't want to go half-ton. If I'm gonna buy a truck it's gonna be what I need.

Thanks for replying.

JoshuaGA · Jun 26, 2008

More info wanted. What size trailer? Gooseneck or bumper? How much tonnage? Any other PRACTICAL reason for owning a big truck, such as a bale bed. A properly set up half ton can handle a good trailer, 3/4 is overkill except on large trailers.

JoshuaGA

Dug G. · Jun 26, 2008

I'd say go you'd get maybe $2,500 at best. I'd suggest trying to find a lower mileage older 3/4 or maybe a higher mileage newer vehicle. Best of luck!

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

How much can pay to haul from the sale barn for $10k?

For hauling around/near the farm, could you get buy with a much older 1 ton truck, with farm plates on it?

Just throwing it against the wall. I finally got out of car payments for the first time since '93 and darn happy for it

kyplowboy · Jun 26, 2008

Don't want to open the old 1 truck/2 truck debate, but here's what I did. Had a 00 Cavaler as a work car, 93 half ton chevy 4X4 but the half ton did not want to pull and haul a whole lot down the road. got a 93 F350 flat bed with 85,000 miles, 7.3 5 sp. It will pull anything I need pulled and then some. Paid 5,500 for it, insurance on it is less than $300 a year. I don't put but about 3,000 miles a year on it and keep my 1/2 ton out of the tobacco patch and hay field. Just an idea.

Good luck,
Dave

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

It is a buyer's market for trucks now. I am thinking that for 15K, you should be able to get a 3 or 4 year old Diesel P/U, and a nice one at that. Yes fuel is higher, but the mileage, power, and engine life will more than offset the fuel cost.

Bill(Wis) · Jun 26, 2008

I can buy a new Silverado 2500 4WD, standard cab, 6.0L eng with all the bells and whistles tow package included for $24259. That's $8500 off list. Now would be a good time to buy a new truck.

noncompos · Jun 26, 2008

These are unusual times--banks and loan outfits are worried, and they"ve tightened up...
If you"ll need a loan, make sure it"ll be there first; don"t assume that since you"ve gotten financing whenever you needed it before that it"s still there.
If you do any seasonal financing, make sure any loan you take out now won"t make it more difficult to get your usual financing, and listen carefully to what your lender says--if they know further tightening is coming, they probably can"t say so in so many words, but they may try to give you a heads-up in the language they use.
And as you said, it"s a time to be very careful about taking on anything that you might have trouble paying off...Good luck.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

Use the girlfriends F-150 and save yourself $15,200 dollars toward something more important than a late model pickup. That F-150 more than likely has an 8.8 rear end in it with 31 spline axles that are more than up to just about any farm related task. It is the same size as a 12 bolt chevy rear that came in some of the most powerful musclecars ever built. Also came in all the older chevy half ton trucks. No problem with the 8.8. If it bothers you go and buy a 3/4 ton rear end from the junkyard for $300 dollars and swap in there. My neighbor went by 3 times tonight with about 50 bales of hay on the back of his early 90's chevy half ton two wheel drive pickup. Wouldn't have been able to haul any more on the back of a $15,000 dollar 3/4 ton.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

Don't pass off that 6 cylinder F150 you have. Those can pull a trailer, and your worries about the rear axle are unfounded. That S-10 you got now is better on gas than a bigger truck. We had 6 cylider trucks here for many years up until this last year when my father bought a 1994 Ford F250 extended cab 4x4 automatic longbed with a 351W, its a whole lot of truck and trailers far easier than the F150 with the 300 straight 6 it replaced. The big complaint with it is the gas miliage is horrible!!!!!. 12 miles per gallon while empty means that truck does a lot of sitting. The 4x4 F150 that he had before it got 18mpg.

MN Scott · Jun 26, 2008

Like others have said its a buyers market for trucks. You could buy an 80's vintage 3/4 or 1 ton truck in good shape for under 2 grand easily as no one wants to feed them fuel. Then keep your s-10 as your daily driver and only use the bigger truck for the work that its needed for. Insurance, tabs, everything will be much cheaper on the older truck, also repairs are easy to do yourself with fewer computers and gizmos. Once you get into debt its very hard to get out from under it. My motto, if I can't pay cash I don't need it. It always workd for my grandfather and dad and it works for me.

Lee in Iowa · Jun 26, 2008

I have a 2000 like the one you are looking at and up until this year had a 100 cows. We also have a 7x20 gooseneck stock trailer. I think if we didn't have the high priced hobby of showing cattle I would have a half ton and a 6x16 bumper pull, but there is a guy around here you can hire pretty reasonably to haul the big loads. I still use the tractor to haul between places up to 5 miles I've timed it and the pickup isn't that much quicker and I figure its not near as hard on the tractor as the pickup. If you do get 3/4 I would get the 8.1 and the allison or manual. Neighbor has 8.1/allison and it pulls a lot better not that much more fuel. Also the 15000 sounds kind of high especially now with gas price, my 2000 (high miles) was half that a year ago. Lee

kyhayman · Jun 26, 2008

Rule number one, never borrow money to buy anything thats worth less tomorrow than it is today.

Rule number two, anything with over 150,000 miles is going to auction if its traded in. If they give you more than half auction price, its being added onto the purchased one.

Rule number three, the 11 grand difference between the trade in and the 3/4 ton will hire a lot of trucking.

If you want a different truck, thats great. Nothing wrong with getting what you want. I farmed 6 years with a half ton truck and the light axles. Engine died first. Over 100,000 hard miles pulling goosenecks. I wanted a Dodge diesel the year they put the Cummins in them. But, I waited until 2000 to get one, when I could pay for it. After 160,000 hard miles on it I had to replace the whole top end of the engine. Only difference I see, is I bought a head for it for what I could have bought a whole reman long block for my old half ton.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2008

Buy and older truck. They are cheap. 2 years ago I totaled my F150 which I used to deliver square hay bales. I always hauled 110 bales with a bumper hitch. I got 2000 from the insurance and bought an 88 F250 with a gooseneck hitch and a big gas engine and no rust for 1850.00. It is one more pulling old brute. Never had any trouble out of it with 140,000 miles. It ain't much of a gas saver but it was cheap and I really don't use it all that much.

sbin · Jun 27, 2008

Large trucks are selling for some very low prices.Spend more time looking around and you will find a much better deal.

Roy in georgia · Jun 27, 2008

try to find yourself a 96 or early 97 Dodge with a diesel they got around 20 mpg and all the power you need for ANY hauling task then try to keep that s-10 for short errands you will be glad you did.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 27, 2008

This is part of the reason why I like YT. You guys always talk sense into people. I did have my eye on a nice '98 Chev, for LOT less and wouldn't have to get rid of my handy little S-10 to buy it. I wonder what the mileage limit on Farm plates is. I really don't want to do much hauling with the F-150, as it is geared really high and the clutch is already in tough shape. Just more of a highway truck in my opinion.

Maybe I'll take another look at that '98 instead of the '04. I bet I can get the price down a heck of a lot as I do know the big truck market is weak. Thank you guys for all your opinions.

bigjt · Jun 27, 2008

Sounds like the 98 may be a better idea for you right now. Like I have said before you are young and have a lot of time ahead of you. You can get the new pickup when you are older and have more time under your belt. At the rate you seem to be going with MS MN you will be married and have kids on the way before you know it!

I didn't own a pickup that was made in the same decade that I bought it in until last fall.

In Iowa I don't think you can get farm plates for anything in the lite duty class. Might want to check into that in MN.

Quite simply for what you want to do I think the 98 would be a better choice if it seems to be mechanically sound.

Good Luck

jt

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jun 27, 2008

I can say in central Iowa that s-10 will only bring about $1000 maybe $1500 trade in. If you need more than that, you're going to have to sell it out right. Funny thing is if it has a 4.3 its going to get about the same mileage as a Silverado with a 350 in it. I get 18 mpg in a 98 Silverado 350 from 55 mph all the way to 80 mph. Don't dismiss the old F-150. They'll haul more with the 300 six than with a 302. You could always swap in a 9inch rear and have whatever gear ratio you want. Stay away from the 8100. I've put lots of head gaskets on them. Yeah, they're powerfull, but theres a reason GM stopped producing them. Its not just fuel usage. The only time fuel economy and Dodge truck is spoken together also includes diesel. My father-in-law has a 98 1/2 ton Ram with a 360/ automatic. 12mpg is the best its ever done. It has a topper on it, I have a tonneau. I have a little more go, plus I don't have to heard my Chevy.

02XLT4X4 · Jun 27, 2008

(quoted from post at 11:00:59 06/27/08)Don't dismiss the old F-150. They'll haul more with the 300 six than with a 302. You could always swap in a 9inch rear and have whatever gear ratio you want.

8.8's (what is in the truck now) are stupid common just about everywhere, watch for someone parting out a wreck (preferably hit in the front) and nabb the rear axle. It has been hotly debated whether or not the 9 is stronger than the 8.8, for a truck the aftermarket doesn't really matter.

Common ratios are available everywhere for them for about $200, but the trick is getting someone to put them in, then you run into major $$ no matter what axle. Which is why I would shop for axle with the gearing already in it. If it is 4x4 you will need the front chunk as well to have functional 4x4.

I just got a '96 Explorer 8.8 3.73 gearing LS with springs for $100 for my Ranger, it is the same basic thing as an F-150 aside from being narrower with a different wheel boltpattern and disc brakes. Car had a blown engine, I found it on creigslist. New seals (which it didn't really need but since I had it on the floor, will never be easier to do), clutch packs and I am ready to go with under $200 invested counting the axle.

I really wouldn't be dropping a ton of money on a newer truck right now unless you really need it... and your S-10 would make a fine beater for when you don't need the half ton heft. Find used parts when it breaks (or a parts truck if you have room) at this point the resale value is about nil anyway.

Don L C · Jun 27, 2008

The 9" Ford is the strongest 1/2 -5/8 rear end....
You will need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck....

jose bagge · Jun 27, 2008

it's a great time to buy a brand new truck, assuming you don't mind debt- you can negotiate price WAAAAY down and there is a lot of 60 month zero% stuff out there. it's STILL $400 or so a month, though.
That being said- if the s-10 is running good for you, you can save a lot of payments by buying a $2500-3000 mid 80s duallie as an around-the-farm hauler. i sold mine when I bought my 04 2500hd and i wish I still had it- it's hard to treat a "luxury truck" like a "real truck", but you'll need to if it's all you have

Anonymous-0 · Jun 27, 2008

Yep, I really don't want to get into whole lotta payments. Just spent 3 years paying off my S-10. I've got my eye on a nice '98 3/4T that I think I can nab for $3500.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jun 27, 2008

The 9 inch is stronger. If it weren't, drag racers wouldn't be still using them and the aftermarket would not be producing everything from carriers to housings new. 9's are easier to set up too.

Need Some Truck Advice

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads