codrus wrote: 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.
I guess my question is, if those miles are mostly highway miles, and the truck is in great shape otherwise, should I still be worried? Lets say its a 7.3l Ford, what's a common issue for them at high mileage? Likewise with the Cummins?
Could you just add a supoercharger to the Tacoma?
Doesn't haul 4 people. If it did (and still had a 6' bed) I'd certainly be looking at that option.
PHeller wrote: 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?
yes.... I love the astros, but any tire increase makes them a dog, id assume altitude would too
What's the deal with the 2003+ Gasser Rams again?
I find them cheaper with less miles than comparable GM trucks.
Titan's are getting in that price range: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2017&zip=19446&maxPrice=7000&showcaseListingId=424671260&mmt=%5BNISSAN%5BTITAN%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=TITAN&driveGroup=AWD4WD&sortBy=derivedpriceASC&startYear=1981&makeCode1=NISSAN&showcaseOwnerId=69520&firstRecord=0&searchRadius=0&listingId=433979384&Log=0
PHeller wrote: What's the deal with the 2003+ Gasser Rams again? I find them cheaper with less miles than comparable GM trucks.
Check for rust.
My buddy has got a Titan that is pretty high miles and he hasn't any issues with it.
PHeller wrote:codrus wrote: 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.I guess my question is, if those miles are mostly highway miles, and the truck is in great shape otherwise, should I still be worried? Lets say its a 7.3l Ford, what's a common issue for them at high mileage? Likewise with the Cummins?
Tough one to answer. Here's the short answer IMO: If you can't drop the coin for a decent, lower-mileage diesel, I would avoid them. A $7000 diesel is possibly a good deal but hard to tell. Just like with a 100k-mile gas car, it depends on how it was treated. When you're talking about a 300k-mile diesel truck, there is a lot more room and time in which abuse can take its toll.
Both the 7.3L stroke and the 5.9L Cummins are usually a very long-life engine. Even in commercial heavy duty applications they don't expect rings or bearings until 600k miles. Even then, its more of a preventative thing than needing the repairs. Usually those commercial versions are derated a bit (180-230 hp let's say) compared to the pickups, but still very reliable engines.
The 7.3L will need a steady diet of glow plug relays approximately every 60-100k miles. Napa GPR104 or GPR109 are your part numbers depending on if you have the plug-in style or the bolt-on style. Last time I bought one it was $68 and they are right on the top front of the motor and take 20 minutes to replace. After a very long life (I would guess in the 150-250k range) you'll probably need a cam position sensor. I think they're more like $175 and I honestly haven't replaced one. Its a DIY swap for sure, but its down on the front of the motor somewhere.
94.5 - 98 trucks did not have an intercooler. 99-03 did have one. This alone didn't cause huge performance gains, but its nice to have one if you plan on modding in the future. Keep this in mind, however: The older boxy trucks had nice engine bays. The 99-03 trucks with the newer body style have a strong rake to the windshield and a set-back engine. If you ever need to do head gaskets or turbo work you will most likely have to take the cab off the truck. Seriously. Question is... can you find a 94.5-98 truck that isn't either A) completely wasted or B) in really nice shape and commanding $15,000?
Powerstrokes use an HPOP (high pressure oil pump) to provide pressure for fuel injection. Because of this, oil change intervals (all 14 qts of it) are a little more important. The abuse that a powerstroke gives its oil can be pretty intense.
Cummins are darn near bulletproof. There are three basic versions of the 5.9L: 89-93 (ish) VE pump, 94-98.5 P7100 pump 12-valve, and 99-03 P7100 24-valve. Starting in 03 they went to a high pressure common rail injection. I won't talk about the 6.7L Cummins because you won't find one for $7000.
Early Cummins Dodges had what owners call a KDP (killer dowel pin). Its a dowel behind the timing cover that can work its way out and drop into the timing chain and cause major damage. Many 24-valve owners insist on using an upgraded fuel lift pump. There is a traditional electric fuel pump that supplies the high pressure injector pump. If the lift pump fails it can cause expensive failure of the injector pump. Earlier 12-valve engines used a more reliable cam-driven mechanical lift pump.
One caveat to Cummins trucks: Dodge automatic transmissions are not up to the task. 46RE and 47RE transmissions are not only weaker compared to the Ford and Chevy offerings, but they are hideously expensive to rebuild. Its not necessarily that the Cummins makes more torque or power, its how it makes it. The Cummins makes bigger power events every 120 degrees versus a V8's 90 degrees. The result is a huge difference in the violence and abuse seen at the crankshaft. Ever notice how a Cummins belt squeaks when it shuts down? That is the voilent torsional forces the engine creates. Combine that with their weak transmission and its a recipe for disaster. I have seen snapped input shafts, shattered drums, split pumps, torrington bearings scrubbed flat... Not pretty. The solution is to make sure to get one with an NV5600 manual. It will still rattle it to bits, just not as fast.
Keep this in mind: Diesels for us enthusiasts on a budget are getting very difficult to find. With the last 7.3L rolling off the line in 03 (and subsequent 6.0 and 6.4L versions being a whole can of worms), it means trying to find a 7.3L stroke that isn't wasted beyond belief is very difficult. I lucked into a 99 stroke in an E350 van with 99k on it, but I had to pay almost $6000 to get it. That same setup in an F250 would have been $15k.
Cummins follow the same basic thing. The last of "the good ones" rolled out in 03. The newer common-rail 5.9s are just bloody expensive. The resulting demand for these trucks keeps them remarkably expensive.
There is a silver lining, though. The Duramax has been a wonderful engine for Chevy. There is a very high demand for them keeping prices high (because the 'stroke and cummins buyers are pushed into looking for better diesel options in the 03-08 years) but they are plentiful enough to keep them affordable.
If you get an early LB7 (01-04.5), make sure the injectors have been done. They were a common failure point and they are under the valve covers and use o-ring sealed cups that often fail as well. They are just a pain to replace. Later Dmaxes had the injectors outside the covers and are much easier to replace. The 05-07s are your unicorns. LBZ/LLY are the ones that are the sweeties; VNT turbos, external injectors, and before all the DPF/Urea equipment that kills MPG.
The added bonus to getting a Dmax is the Allison transmission.
All of this I present without bias after a decade or so of running repair shops including tranny repair shops. I have very strong opinions about the trucks themselves which I will omit. That's up to your taste. Offering opinion on the truck itself is kinda like getting a Trump voter to switch to Bernie.
curtis73 wrote: 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
This. My parents leased an ecoboost 3.5 F150 until last year. The two things I took away from it was that they were very expensive (buyout after 3 years was still $35k) and that it had loads of power to spare. Almost wheelspin on demand in 2wd mode.
I would avoid a 2500 for your use. They are not as capable off road without beating up their occupants. Washboard roads and rocks are much nicer in a 1500.
2002maniac wrote: I would avoid a 2500 for your use. They are not as capable off road without beating up their occupants. Washboard roads and rocks are much nicer in a 1500.
Yeah but it's a trade off. I'd rather get beat up a little more in ride comfort and have beefier components underneath that can take more abuse (1/2 and up trucks).
Thanks for the all the info folks, especially Curtis on the diesels. I want a diesel because well, I feel like every car guy has to own one at some point, but I'm not sure if I need one.
I found a Montero locally that fits the bill of what I've been looking for, but I still can't bring myself to jump. They get "ok" gas mileage, and while they are quite capable offroad, I feel like I'd be cramped trying to use one as a mini-RV.
I really just like the idea of 4 door and a 6' bed that can easily turn 33's.
Something like this is about perfect for me:
Question: How are the late model Dakotas with the small v8? These seem to be less miles, cheaper, and newer than full-sized trucks. Same with 1st Gen Colorado/Canyon.
NVM, Dakota Quad Cab was only offered with a 5'7" inch bed.
I can't speak too much about the Colorado/Canyon. I have two friends who own them and they seem to like them, but they're not really "car" guys.
If the newer Dakotas are anything like the 98 and 02 that I owned, you couldn't pay me enough to own them. All the drawbacks of a small pickup, all the fuel and maneuverability of a full size, and fraught with buzzes, rattles, and nitpicky failures. Hate and Detest are two words that would start my ownership history with Dodge trucks. There is a reason they're newer/less miles/cheaper.
PHeller wrote: Thanks for the all the info folks, especially Curtis on the diesels. I want a diesel because well, I feel like every car guy has to own one at some point, but I'm not sure if I need one.
I wouldn't say that anyone really needs a diesel unless they are towing 15k lbs. I can understand wanting one for practical reasons, like 900 lb-ft of torque and 20 mpg compared to 400 lb-ft and 14 mpg with gas. Diesel is a practical choice in that its cheaper on fuel, typically last much longer, and resale, resale, resale. Its pretty easy to buy a diesel truck for a median price, run it for 5 years, and sell it for almost as much as you paid for it. I've done it a half-dozen times. I bought a 95 'stroke with 46k for $10k. I drove it for 6 years towing 10k lbs all over the country until it had 112k and it had been sideswiped. Insurance company wrote me a check but I never fixed it. I sold it wrecked for $7k after a $3100 insurance check, so I actually kind made money on it.
99 'stroke cargo van: bought for $6000 with 90k, sold it three years later with 126k for $5500.
02 Dmax, bought for $1500 with leaky injectors. Put new injectors in for $1300, a tree fell across the bed destroying it, sold it as a cab/chassis for $3000.
But hands down; even considering the premium purchase price, diesel almost always puts more money back in your pocket than gas if you include resale value. I say that hoping you know that doesn't include 6.0L and 6.4L 'strokes. They can be a bit of a money pit until you replace the EGR coolers and oil coolers.
My only reason for not getting a diesel this time was that I didn't have enough money to get one that wasn't totally clapped out. $4500 doesn't get you much when it comes to diesels, but your $7000 budget can really get you something nice if you shop carefully in the Dmax market.
I can't recommend the early 2000's GM trucks. Wide spread piston slap issues, they rust like they don't have paint on them, their door hinges are a joke, like seemingly all GM vehicles they have major electrical glitches, and mine puked the trans with only 100k on it. Worst truck I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of them.
Still searching...
Almost went and bought an 05 Montero with 150k, but decided against it. I really think I want a 6' bed + Ulta-High 36' Topper.
Still undecided about quad cab vs extended. Right now it wouldn't matter, but later down the road it might.
Found an 05 Duramax Quad Cab Short Bed with lift and mods, 148k for 12k, motivated seller. Maybe he'll do under 10?
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