[17Again]

Looking to buy a 1/2 ton pick-up. Its got to have an extended cab and be 4 wheel drive. With the amount of money I have for purchase ($10k) I am limited to choosing a truck with close to or over 100k miles. The years I am looking at are 95 and newer. Which trucks have a history of mechanical failures around 100k miles.

I would prefer a dodge, and don't want a diesel. Chevy would be option two, and I have heard the 5.7 liter motors have had intake problems. Will buy ford but not my top choice. Any input on the big 3?

There are trucks locally in my price range, just have to shop well, and check them out thoroughly. This will not be a daily driver, just for routine running around and trips into the mountains, (fishing /camping etc)
Rob

 

[pist0lpete]

My dad has a 99 Dodge that had to have a bottom end put in the motor under warranty at like 60,000 miles. He doesn't abuse his truck either keeps the oil changed etc. Pulls out 18 foot boat occasionally and a flatbed for work. Now the truck has about 150,000 on it and the tranny is slipping. His brother bought a 99 at the same time same problems with the tranny but it only has around 100,000 miles. The older dodges before the new bodystyle I would say no go I dunno about the newer bodystyle im sure somebody can chime in here on those. Chevy's/GMC's with the 700r4 tranny seem to go out around 100,000 miles but put a new one in it and you are good to go not a cheap venture however. The ford good luck changing plugs on it haha. Don't know anybody really with a newer Ford with alot of miles on it so I can't recommend alot there. Once again this is a great message board and somebody will chime in and let you know I am sure. However, my dad's old 1990 F-150 with the 302 in it has 250,000+ miles on it and still going strong original motor and everything. We use it as a work truck now so it gets abused but takes it in stride. Obviously older than you are looking for but just a bit of a Ford story of course the 302 is long gone. My vote is for the Chevy/GMC.

 

[bradford]

95 chevy will be throttle body but will have the new style interior and dash. 96 you will see the vortec engine and if your lucky a 3rd door. 97 you will find the vortec and the 3rd door will be very common. the vortec has more power than the throttle body. the intake gaskets do leak on the vortec, however they aren't that tough to change. you should even be able to get up into the 99 00' model years if you look hard enough for $10,000. when looking at the 5.3 and 6.0 chevy has some had a piston slap issue but have not seen any motors go down because of it.
on the dodges you will still find old tech. straight axle front end and front axles with u-joints that turn all the time. = not as good fuel mileage or ride quality the independent front end has. not a big dodge fan i look at as an old chassis and a new body.

1997+ ford f150 if you are looking at the triton 5.4 spark plugs are like 3 hrs. flat rate and the back ones arn't fun to get too. the interior room is less than the chevy or dodge. seats are hard. not a ford fan either.

my suggestion is go drive each one. you may find what i am talking about or you may find one you like. which ever you choose we are all gonna give you heck if you don't by a chevy.

 

[YenkoChevelle69]

I drive a short bed standard cab 98 Z71. Through all the problems I've had with it, I still like it.

 

[JWA]

With the price of used trucks 10k should find you quite a list of trucks from all brands and you should be able to find a decent ride with less than 100k miles. I looked and found more than 20 and a few were in the $8k range. The intake deal on the Vortecs is something that can be fixed. IMO go with what you like because no matter which brand you buy you can run the risk of getting a POS I think they all have issues here and there. Good Luck.

 

[blown70]

I drive an '00 RAM 4X4 w/360v8.:thumbsup:
I am a chevy man but...Dodge will be my first choice for my next truck too.
Are they hard on gas?YEAH!Do they have some problems?YEAH all vehicles do.The biggest thing with a Dodge magnum engine is if the intake plenum gasket (they are a 2 piece intake) has not been changed,then it will need to be.After 80-100K they leak causing a huge vacuum leak and unexplained oil consumption (2-4 liters/oil change) with no leaks.
Chevy will get better mileage.I get about 12city 16hwy.
Dodge makes a tough,good-lookin' truck.

 

[69ratchvlle]

I have a 1996 5.7, xcab 4X4 chevy and it's a great truck. Besides normal wear items, the only thing I have had to replace is the intake gasket like you mentioned. I guess chevy used a plastic gasket.

I don't have the 3rd. door and I highly recommend a 3rd door. It's a pain in the [email protected]@ without one.

 

[69boo307]

'96 or '97 chevy, nuff said I myself drove an '89 to 230k miles, before selling it for $2500 to get a new daily driver.

 

[Derek69SS]

My dad's '94 chevy just turned 200,000 miles - only routine maintenance, never rebuilt. Transmissions go out if you tow in O/D.

 

[ZZ69chevelle]

I've been seeing 99 and 00 Silverado 4x4's going for around 10K here. Just listen to it run when it's cold if you go that way. It may have bad piston slap and use a lot of oil. My 01 used 2.5 quarts of oil every 4K miles since new. my 99 never used a drop. As far as which to go with, it's all personal preference. I prefer Chevy, but that doesn't mean anything. They are all about the same. I always said I could live without a car, but not without a truck! I've always had one, and always will.

 

[WestyJ69chevelle]

Go with a Toyota...I have owned 3.. beaten the crap out of all of them and they still run... my current 99 has 157,000 miles on it and I have replaced tires, done the occasional tune-up, thats it!!literally zero problems. Oh and I used it the last 4 seasons to haul 9 cords of 4ft length cordwood. I have owned all the major brands and the Yota's are by far the best quality. there are no interior rattles or looseygoosey wandering front ends like the dodges, the burning oil like the furds, and the exhorbitant prices or 60 K rebuilt motors of the chebbies. and don't let people give you the "buy built in america" crap. Yota's are built stateside as are mitsubishi, isuzu, honda. etc etc... I am probably going to get scorned for this but its the facts.

 

[WestyJ69chevelle]

oh yeah and I get 22 mpg....

 

[pist0lpete]

Everybody I know that has a Tundra with the V8 gets awful gas mileage.

 

[WestyJ69chevelle]

thats why I drive a Tacoma..

 

[novaderrik]

i'd either get a 95 Chevy with the TBI 350, or a 99-ish with either the 5.3 or 6.0.
the 96-98 Vortecs are powerful and all, but if stuff breaks, it gets spendy in a hurry. especially if the fuel pressure regulator goes out and you are silly enough to get the whole spider assembly from the dealer for $500 instead of the $50 regulator from NAPA..
but the TBI motor will get better mileage and just probably be all around more reliable and cheaper and easier to fix when it breaks.

 

[MedicTed]

Why not a diesel. We beat the heck out of those engines in ambulances. You almost can't kill them.

 

[Derek69SS]

Why not a diesel. We beat the heck out of those engines in ambulances. You almost can't kill them.

Current Prices in Dexter, MN:
Gas (87 octane) = $2.29/gal
Diesel = $3.29

I'm not sure if diesel prices are going to level back out with gas, or if it will stay high. If they are speculating it will come back in line with gas, now is definitely the time to buy a diesel... most diesel owners are PO'd right now, and prospective buyers are thinking they'd rather pay less and use more with gas.

 

[17Again]

Thanks for the input guys, keep it coming.
Westy, there aren't a lot of newer Toyota's on the market for what I am willing to pay, people are holding on to them for the same reason you have yours. The trend seems to be people are upgrading to the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks with the manuf. incentives out there, which is flooding the market with 1/2 ton trucks.

As far as diesels go, fuel price is one reason, the other is the neighbors already hate me for my loud "old car", if I brought home a diesel then that would really irritate them. Really though I don't want the noise myself, and I believe you have to get the 3/4 ton to get the diesel engine.
Rob

 

[DG]

Black 96 Chevy Z71, 350 Vortec 4x4, 3:43 rear open. Common probs, but nothin unfixable (only 1 trip to dealer for a wiring mod when the 4x4 acutator went out. I use GMpartsdirect for all dealer-only parts).

Haven't replaced the intake gasket yet at 176,000 miles, but it probably could use it.

I like the truck but city driving gets 16 mpg.

Now on long trips the mileage gets better because of overdrive.

 

[Randy Mosier]

I've been real happy with my 02 F-150 Supercrew Ford. The 5.4 Triton engine, though a bit underpowered, is still decent enough to pull a boat or camper trailer, and gets great gas mileage on the highway. Of course, Fords have their issues too. If you ever have to change a heater core on 97 or newer pickup, the entire dash has to come out. That was really some stupid engineering. The short wheel base trucks with the 4.2 liter v-6 engines have had some problems with head gaskets. I wouldn't pass a Ford up for the right price, though I would prefer a Dodge if I was buying another new truck. Next truck purchase is going to be a Dakota, but that's a small truck and is in a different catagory.