Which Sub-$7000 4d 6' Bed Truck with Power to Spare?

My Tacoma is underpowered and I'd like to be able to comfortably haul 4 adults out into the middle of no-where. I also live at 7,000ft, so I notice the lack of power even more, and its quite frustrating at times.

I love the truck cap. I enjoy sleeping inside the vehicle. 6' bed is necessary. I'd be looking for a 36" A.R.E. utility shell.

Something like this:

I don't want to tow a trailer, nor do I want a roof top tent. The places I have gone in my Tacoma have proven that neither would suit me.

Lastly, I want a truck with power to spare. I don't want to have to regear when I move up in tire sizes, preferably something in the 33"-35" range.

I've contemplated splurging for a diesel, but they are just so much more expensive, with such higher miles, and since I'm not towing (yet at least) I can't see that being worth the extra dollars.

non AFM 5.3 silverado crew cab short bed.

avalanche with cap, and drop the midgate for your feet to sleep in bed? that'll give you 8 feet of room head to toe.

patgizz wrote: non AFM 5.3 silverado crew cab short bed. avalanche with cap, and drop the midgate for your feet to sleep in bed? that'll give you 8 feet of room head to toe.

I'll 2nd a GM with the 5.3. If you are considering anything Ford, avoid the 4.6. In their suv and trucks that thing is a dog.

If the cap doesnt have to be removable, how about a big block suburban?

What trans am I looking for with the late model GM trucks?

Can I find a GMT900 without AFM?

In reply to PHeller:

Not with a 5.3. But the 4.8 and 6.0 trucks do not have AFM.

Is the 4L65 anymore reliable than the 4L60?

PHeller wrote: Is the 4L65 anymore reliable than the 4L60?

Most of the problems with the early ones were engineered out buy the time the gen3 engines rolled around. And more still of those problems were perpetuated by the "bah gawd if it has overdrive ima gonna tow mah 10000pound camper with mah 500 pound wife in bah gawd overdrive" types

What are considered Gen 3 engines?

PHeller wrote: What are considered Gen 3 engines?

Those are the "LS" motors. Basically 99 or 00 through till about now. I think. wiki would know.

I've got 80k miles on ours trouble free, Dad got 180k out of his with minimal maintenance done. I'd say they are as reliable as anything else.

Wikipedia doesn't mention when the AFM systems started arriving on the 5.3L.

Wikipedia is about half right half the time.

Also the GMT800 CC trucks were 5' 8" beds and have no AFM on any engine. that would be the 2004-2006

I can't answer your question, but if you decide to get rid of the Tacoma, may I be first in line to buy it?

Bobzilla wrote: Wikipedia is about half right half the time. Also the GMT800 CC trucks were 5' 8" beds and have no AFM on any engine. that would be the 2004-2006

Drat. Did earlier (or 2006+) crew cab models have 6'+ beds?

I'm also wonder how comfortable the extra cab would be for adults. I've seen those seats and they don't look too terrible.

That might be next question; which full size truck has the most comfortable rear seat in extended cab?

And EvanR, I'd happily give you first dibs, but I'll probably want to get as much out of it as I can as when I make this upgrade it'll be the first time I've taken a loan or spent more than $3,000 on a vehicle.

The only CC 6.5' beds were the 1500HD and 2500 trucks. The EC rear seats aren't bad. What sucks is hte doors. definitely want the 04-06 as they swing past 90. the 99-03 only went about 90 and are hard to manuever around.

PHeller wrote: And EvanR, I'd happily give you first dibs, but I'll probably want to get as much out of it as I can as when I make this upgrade it'll be the first time I've taken a loan or spent more than $3,000 on a vehicle.

That's all I ask. Name a figure, and give me the first shot at "yes" or "no".

So you ok going to full size?

The tundra's are super nice, and have lots of power to spare but are $$$

Not sure how tihgt the areas your trying to get too are, but around here a 4dr full size gets left out of a lot of places. If I were doing it I would look into a flatbed and pop top or similar camper. The flatbed gives you some wiggle room with trees etc as it can take a bit of a beating.

These guys did a great job on this build, not really set up for sleeping, but a box is easy to build to slide on and off.

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I have a hard time spending a decent chunk of change on something I can't haul 4 adults in. Now, if the back seat of an extended cab is comfortable for an adult to ride in for 5 hours, that's one thing, but in most cases I'd say that won't happen.

The Tundra I posted above is just an example of what I'd like to have. I know Tundra's are expensive and I'm avoiding them for that reason.

While the above truck certainly is rad, a truck + flatbed + box/flatbed camper is going to be big money. I can find these super tall utility shells for pretty cheap, and it's all I really need.

I'll say this, I haven't encountered anywhere yet that I couldn't get with my stock 66x202in Tacoma, so I don't expect the extra couple of feet (78x220ish) to make a huge difference in access. And if does, I'll just get out and walk (most of the time we carry backpacking tent, etc).

I've also never been in a situation when dispersed camping where every sight is taken accept the one down a road where a full-size wouldn't fit.

That picture was more for the flatbed idea, I would want a true crew cab as well.

We run into width issues a fair bit in the PNW, Main FS roads are fine with some pin striping, but get off the main roads or onto a trail and it gets tight.

If your not sticking with a small truck it opens a lot of options.

Camped with a friend of mine who runs a dodge, he really likes it, but it was tight on a trail that required no real thinking driving my size truck. Not sure your looking at sub 7k though.... Anything 4x4 full size and diesel around here is going to be pretty old at that price range.

How about a Land Cruiser? FZJ with a 4.5 or 100 series with a V8. Reliable as the sun. Sleep in it if you need and then OME/SLEE suspension and 33-35s will get you 99% of anywhere you'd want to go.

Also where do you live? Your profile said PA but you said you're at 7000 ft.

None of them really have power to spare except the diesels and the big blocks; both of which require the 3/4 ton. In the 1/2 ton range, find a 6.0L chevy or a 5.4L supercharged Ford.

If you're going with Chevy, look on the SPID sticker for LQ9. That is a higher-output 6.0L used in the Escalade and SS trucks. 345 hp I think. The LQ4 is also a fair performer (315 hp?)

For power at altitude you want a turbo (it'll make extra boost to compensate for the altitude), but that's either the newer Ford with the turbo V6 (not cheap enough yet) or a turbo diesel which are going to be very high miles at $7K.

Codrus makes a good point. I was very impressed with the ecoboost F150 I drove. Not sure you'll find many in the budget, but they're out there

Just found a low mileage AstroSafari AWD locally for super cheap. I know it wouldn't be a speed demon, but would the 4.3l in the Astro be annoyingly slow at elevation like my Tacoma has been?