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Ok, I want to ditch the Aurora and it's Northstar electrical f'n nightmare
What I desire for a commuting vehicle is a pickup. looks like full size, ext cab. 4x4 would be best
So of the F150/Chevy1500/Dodge1500
Which is more reliable (I'm looking at a few high mileage , $2k-$3k)?
and when broken, whats cheapest to fix
and lastly, easiest to fix.
you'll get arguments for and against all three... and none of the opinions will be wrong... although on a pure cost to maintain debate, it's hard to argue for the Dodge vs Ford or GM simply due to the huge difference in number of trucks sold.
Let's make this the baseline model
Ext Cab, 4x4, smaller v8
in the price range you're looking at, I don't think it matters... find the cleanest, lowest mileage truck you can find and cross your fingers... 
Having owned muli of all 3 brands i'd say your order is right. Fords are the best and cheapest to fix due to they sell the most theres more around in bone yards etc and there not all used up like the dodges.
Don't get me wrong I'm a BIG mopar fan but not there trucks after early 80's pure junk with nighmare trany's...
I've heard the GM's get better mileage, but have no proof to back that up. My 88 2wd 1/2-ton 305 only gets 17mpg, but I've heard reports of 350(or the newer LS motor-equipped trucks)4x4s getting in the lower-20's on the highway.
I bought a toy hauler/Home Depot runner this summer.
I really wanted a F250. But everyone I looked at was trashed! Bottoms of doors were rusting, boxs had been through wars, 5th wheel plates and so on. Basically they are work trucks.
Then one day I stumbled onto a 2004 Dodge 1500 with 150K on it, it was spotless, had a nice topper, running boards and added air shocks and it was cheaper then the F250's I was looking at. So far I have used the thing a ton to pull the boat and pull the car dolly. I have put an alternator in it as the bearings were making noise and I'm planning new brakes, tires and an alingment before the snow really starts to fly. The turning radius sort of sucks, but I have no idea how it compares to the other two. So far I have been very happy with it. Luckly for me it sits most of the time, so gas milage wasn't as important compared to if I was driving it everyday.
Not sure that helps much, but its some advice
Sorry, but anything you buy in the 2-3k range will be a long term nightmare IMO. 2wd, not so much, but 4wd DEFINATELY. Why do you need a 4wd? I live here in the midwest and DD 2wd trucks for years with no issues.
4wd due to the lake effect snow west michigan gets. I've gotten a foot in less than an hour before.
It's not necessary, but nice on back roads.
IMO 4wd issues seem to be failed vacuum actuators here more than anything. a $20 redneck fix (posi-Lok)
Does anything else really change on the truck except the front axles and transfer case?
Grtechguy wrote: Does anything else really change on the truck except the front axles and transfer case?
Yeah. The likelihood it's had the crap beat out of it and it's rusted to crud...
I'd take the Ford, so long as you avoid push-button transfercases, and if it has auto-locking hubs, you ditch those for a set of good manuals as soon as you get it home. (~$120 if you buy the parts new). I do NOT trust autolocking hubs, double-especially the vacuum-based system used by Chrysler.
I would say spring for a 351 over a 302 truck, though. The bigger motor has noticably more torque despite very similar thirst for fuel.
ReverendDexter wrote: I do NOT trust autolocking hubs, double-especially the vacuum-based system used by Chrysler.
Me neither... and one reason why I plan to get a conversion kit for my Dodge 2500 as soon as I can afford it (not cheap...). I like to say, "I bought an engine... unfortunately, it's installed in a Dodge..."
I used to run Dodge Diesels. Not sure if its the same in smaller models, but the axles were from Dana and were the same as used in GM and Ford products. I wonder what else is the same?
I put a almost a million miles across three trucks without any real issues. (replaced a tranny due to a repair shop's mistake, and one rear axle after it was never lubricated) The body, interior, and accessories all help up well.
I'm pretty much looking at the exact same trucks for the exact same money. I just need it to tow a car in addition to DD duty
I don't know about any more, but early 00 years Dodge 4x4s have had a nasty tendency to munch expensive transmissions.
for that money it's hard to beat the reliability and cheapness to fix of the TBI 88-95 GM trucks.
ReverendDexter wrote:I'd take the Ford, so long as you avoid push-button transfercases, and if it has auto-locking hubs, you ditch those for a set of good manuals as soon as you get it home. (~$120 if you buy the parts new). I do NOT trust autolocking hubs, double-especially the vacuum-based system used by Chrysler.
I would say spring for a 351 over a 302 truck, though. The bigger motor has noticably more torque despite very similar thirst for fuel.
My 99 F250 had auto locking hubs, but if it didn't engage by the button I could get out and manually lock them in. Not sure about other models.
pinchvalve wrote:I used to run Dodge Diesels. Not sure if its the same in smaller models, but the axles were from Dana and were the same as used in GM and Ford products. I wonder what else is the same?
Not quite... the center sections are the same, and the half-shafts might even be, but the outer joints and such are different between the Dodges and what was used on GMs and Fords. Unfortunately that's the extent of my knowledge, I couldn't tell you HOW they're different, just that they are, and the Dodges supposedly used weaker materials than the other two.
At that price range, with those requirements; GM, Ford, Dodge. In that order.
Gm edging out Ford on the basis of fuel economy. imo
Bobzilla wrote:for that money it's hard to beat the reliability and cheapness to fix of the TBI 88-95 GM trucks.
can't say it any better myself.
i ONLY drive 88-92 chevy or gmc trucks for work and have since 1997. i had a company 95 once, saw it earlier this year and it had over 450k on untouched engine/trans. last time i drove it it had over 350k. i rely on my trucks to make my living and would never drive anything else but a TBI chevy to pay the bills with.
Are the 96-98 models that much worse? (GM trucks) I know the Vortecs showed up about then
no the vortec engine is awesome power wise, but for super cheap easy repairs and excellent reliability i stick to TBI trucks and keep to 92 at the newest if going automatic to keep the non electronic 700r4.
plus they have $50 fuel pumps instead of $300 modules.
i retired my 89 with 218k(it sat 6 years with windows down before i got it so lots of electrical gremlins but i still put 38k on it in under 2 years). my 88 got retired with 175k - someone poured something in my oil and killed it. my 90 1500 got retired with 230k and i put the engine into my 92(took out the 180k mile 4.3) and drove it for a year, sold it and it is still going. current work truck is a 90 with a 454 and manual trans.
In reply to ReverendDexter:
+1 on manual 4x4, Just work it thrue all selection before buying. The blue beast didn't have 4lo, we found that out on a trail.
On fords, I would recomend the 300/6 over the V8's
Also, the '88 era Chevys will just last
The 300 I6 is a cool engine. Interestingly enough, I just read a thread (not on here) about how it's a bad engine for towing because, like other engines, it has too much torque for towing and will deform the truck's structure.
I loath the Chevy trucks you are going to find in your price range. They have the worst steering & braking feel (even when new).
