Do I need a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

[Shawn 357]

I would recommend a 3/4 ton. It doesn't matter what brand they all have their downfalls:
Gas truck problems:
Chevy/GMC -intake gaskets
Chevy/GMC (non Allyson) -trans
Ford -#8 cylinder shooting out spark plug
Dodge/GMC/Chevy -Limited slip Diff

Diesel truck problems:
Dodge (24 valve cummins) -Injection pump
GMC/Chevy -injectors

The list goes for miles......

Make sure to tow with the overdrive off and the trans will last a lot longer. Buy more truck than you need.
-Shawn

[HelmetHead]

New Tundra would be my first choice for Gas powered.....Diesel would be an 06 or 07 Chevy with the Allison Tranny.

Father in law bought the new Ford 3/4 ton last month and can't hardly find the low sulfur diesel which is req'd or you kill the catalyst.

I'm on my second Tundra since 1999 (I drive waaaaay too much)

I tow a 23' 6000 lb Correct Craft Nautique 226 at 70-80 no trouble (with my 04' double cab 2wd 4.7L)...and the new Tundra's got 160more ponies.

When my 100K warranty expires i'm thinkin of a 5.7L transplant

Good Luck
HelmetHead

[kaisen]

$10,000 buys you a well used truck, not a new Tundra or new anything else.

Buy a 99 or newer Ford Super Duty, an 02 or newer GM or Dodge. The Limited Slip in a Dodge and Ford are the same, the GMs use a true locking rear differential (not clutchpacks) - just to correct a previous posters advice.

I don't think you'll find a good Diesel in that price range, but Cummins/Powerstroke/Duramax are all good engines. Transmissions behind a Diesel: GM (Allison), Ford, and Dodge - definitely in that order.

Please don't tow such a big boat behind a 1/2 ton. Tail can easily wag the dog, plus you don't have the E-load-range tires or full-floating rear end to safely handle the load (even a new Tundra).

[Evans, Marv]

What he said.

[speeder]

I'll sell you mine for $10k, (or even a little less), but you have to come up to New England and get it. Do a search for my other thread when I was going to sell it before.

It'll pull a tree stump out of the ground, out-accelerate a lot of cars and get ~18 mpg on the highway.

Also, for every guy who says he'll never own a Ford, there are two or three that will never buy anything else. Try driving through Nebraska or Colorado some time, that's Ford country and those people are ranchers and farmers.

[VINMAN]

Originally posted by HelmetHead
Father in law bought the new Ford 3/4 ton last month and can't hardly find the low sulfur diesel which is req'd or you kill the catalyst.

Cant find low sulfur diesel?? Thats the only diesel thats produced around here. It sucks.

Listen, everyone has thier opinion on whats a good truck and whats bad. As I said before, all vehicles have problems. I have owned every major brand of truck. I comes down tho personal likes. I had two Fords with over 250k and another F150 with 345k when I sold it. I had a Bronco II which had a reputation as a total piece of sh#t, it had 225K when I got rid of it still running strong, only issue was a torque converter. and that because I towed a trailer alot with it.
My ram is the second Dodge pickup Ive owned. The first was a 76, that was a plow truck. with 160k on it when i bought it not one problem.
My current 3500, I use to pull a 9800#boat on a triple axle trailer, I have 104,000 on it. Nothing has fallen off it. Ive had to repair nothing other than regular maint of wearable items.

[Shawn 357]

Originally posted by kaisen
$10,000 buys you a well used truck, not a new Tundra or new anything else.

Buy a 99 or newer Ford Super Duty, an 02 or newer GM or Dodge. The Limited Slip in a Dodge and Ford are the same, the GMs use a true locking rear differential (not clutchpacks) - just to correct a previous posters advice.

I don't think you'll find a good Diesel in that price range, but Cummins/Powerstroke/Duramax are all good engines. Transmissions behind a Diesel: GM (Allison), Ford, and Dodge - definitely in that order.

Please don't tow such a big boat behind a 1/2 ton. Tail can easily wag the dog, plus you don't have the E-load-range tires or full-floating rear end to safely handle the load (even a new Tundra).

Kaisen is right, my mistake, the gm's/chevy use a "locking diff" but it is still one of the weak points on the gm's/chevy's in my opinion of course.

I have beaten on Toyotas, Nissans, Chevys, Fords, Dodges... as long as I did my routine maintanance they have all been decent trucks for me. Although I hate admitting that because I hate Fords

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by VINMAN
I beg to differ.... Ive always been a long time Ford person, Ive owned 6 ford trucks From a BroncoII up to a crew-cab F350.
My Dodge Ram 3500 It probably one of the best vehicles Ive owned. There is absolutely nothing wrong with its build quality. The truck is a tank.

+1!

I've got a 2002 Dodge Ram Quadcab 4x4 1500 with the smaller 4.7 V8 in it. I got a GREAT deal on it with less than 7000 miles on it and I agonized over buying it without the Hemi, but it was just too good a deal to pass up. Having heard the same things about Dodge I had misgivings too but I have LITERALLY run it in conditions from -8 degrees to + 114 degrees in Laughlin, NV and it has never given me a minutes problem. This has been a GREAT truck. I got stuck as one of the last cars through I-395 the winter of '04 and was in 4x4 High for a coupe of HOURS at 50 MPH - not a single problem. I'd have NO problem towing what you're planning (I've done it, brother-in-law's 22 ft SeaRay with dual Merc's on it - heavy SOB) and the 4x4 makes pulling up a steep boat ramp a piece of cake. I usually tow dual 3 man Kawaski Jetski's with it and hardly know they're there.

All that said, I'd still tell you to buy a 2500 if you have the slightest question about how much you'll use it. I've got nothing bad to say about Ford or Chevy, but my Dodge has been killer good...even with the little 4.7 in it. Its a great power plant except the fuel economy is (believe it or not) WORSE than a Hemi and with about 100 HP LESS than the Hemi too. Doh!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by Nostril Cheese
I'd have to second on the Dodge build quality

my uncle had a 2006 Ram 1500 with the 4.7L V-8

at 22K it needed new valve lifters

transmission went at 30k

he traded it in for a Toyota and hasnt had a problem since

Nostril Cheese ( ) I just saw your post. My truck had 6,900+ miles on it when I bought it in February of '03; only 14 months old. The original owner bought it off the dealer showroom floor in December '01 and only sold it for a Chevy 3500 4x4 after realizing he bought it for looks (brand new body style that year)and it wouldn't do what he wanted.

I've not had the slight problem with it. I've run Mobil One in it from the day I brought it home. As I said above, I have run her in some extreme conditions; towing too and not a lick of a problem. My girlfriend had the same 4.7 in her '01 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd and it was great in that vehicle - of course that was a lot lighter than my truck but it was part of the reason I decided to take a chance on Dodge when I had heard bad opinions about earlier ones. Here she is bringing my various "babies" home:




Your Dad may have had a bad experience, I can't imagine why, but my experience with the new Dodges has been GREAT.

P.S. Original owner bought the 100K warranty and it transferred to me for only $100 I think. Have never had to use it, I've got a bit over 70,000 miles on it today.

[speeder]

That's a good-looking truck, Dan!

All of these trucks mentioned are made to work; I've always been a Ford truck guy, even in the days when their cars were junk the trucks had a good rep. I've heard all of the stories about bad 6.0 diesels but I would still buy one if it was not one of the first ones. Ironically, none of the big 3 make their own diesel mill; the Ford Powerstroke is an International, the Chevy/GMC Duramax is made by Isuzu , and the Dodge of course is a Cummins.

I've driven all 3 brand new in '06, they were all really impressive. I love the Chevy w/ the Duramax and Allison trans, but I know someone who made them buy one back under the lemon law. (And I'm sure there is an equivalent Ford story out there).

Here are some picture from earlier today of a Ford 6.0 Powerstroke that works for a living, I think it's an '05 with ~50k on it and they are towing and hauling miles.

What's this coming in the driveway? The granite that someone bought being delivered?


Yup, it's the granite. Old curbstone from the 19th century that has been sitting in someone's field for a while. Does it look heavy? Freakin' right it is.

[speeder]

I'm looking at this stuff and wondering how on earth we are going to unload it. I mean this stuff is heavy. Like you could not physically move it if your life depended on it.

Here is the answer, and this is one *****in' dump trailer:

[VINMAN]

Dennis , is that granite gonna get recut and reused?

[speeder]

A couple of the big pieces are going to be the steps into the carriage house that is getting refurbed in the 2nd picture, the rest I'm not so sure. Someone just could not resist a bargain on the whole pile, I guess.

You need some?

[charleskieffner]

have 85 3/4 4 x 4 surburban for sale. 454 crate. 36k on mtr. original owner. never wrecked. will tow boat up sunset grade on I-17 w/26 ft boat to powell loaded to the gunnels 8 people a/c blowing ice cubes at 75mph all day long @ 195-200 degrees water temp.

way to many goodies to write about. interested?

[VINMAN]

Originally posted by speeder
A couple of the big pieces are going to be the steps into the carriage house that is getting refurbed in the 2nd picture, the rest I'm not so sure. Someone just could not resist a bargain on the whole pile, I guess.

You need some?

Nah, was just curious. I like seeing stuff like that get recycled.
Back when my father worked for NYC, he brought home a couple of loads of old cobblestones from a street that got ripped up. We made a patio in our backyard out of them.

[speeder]

Originally posted by VINMAN
Nah, was just curious. I like seeing stuff like that get recycled.
Back when my father worked for NYC, he brought home a couple of loads of old cobblestones from a street that got ripped up. We made a patio in our backyard out of them.

Good for you for using them, those old pavers were the best. They'll last a thousand years.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Denis, Thank you for the compliment. She's pretty and a good worker for the low impact weekend stuff I do and the occasional larger job...which she has handled with no problem so far. Of course NOTHING like carrying around that granite though!

I guess the way I figure it is relatively few people really use their truck as a true truck. They spend more time taking home groceries or ferrying the kids around than really heavy pulling or carrying on a continuous basis. If I were doing that I guess I'd look a lot more carefully at 3/4 and 1 ton chassis and diesels. As it is, I'm more than happy with my truck

[cnielsen]

Absolutely go with a diesel! You will not regret it and with gas prices now and the potential to go with a bio diesel... Also, diesels hold their value better than gas trucks do.

Here is my '01 Dodge. This thing pulls like a freight train!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Nice truck. With that lift, the black rims and that "cow catcher" up front it kinda LOOKS like a "freight train" too - I mean that in the nicest possible way.

[Laneco]

One often overlooked point in choosing a pickup truck is remember to buy for the 90% use. Choose the engine, weight rating etc., that are appropriate for 90% of what you plan to do with the vehicle.

If you plan on using the truck as a commuter 90% of the time and towing 10% of the time you would likely be better off with a half ton two-wheel drive short-bed. More manueverable, more comfortable etc.

If the truck is a ranch truck, the long-bed is always more appropriate as is 4 wheel drive.

If you honestly intend to do nothing but tow with it (say 90% of the time), step up to the heavier duty truck with appropriate trailer tow package that would include heavy cooling system, "real" hitch (not the bumper job), limited slip differential, transmission cooler etc.

For your sake, regardless of the pickup you choose, equip the trailer with brakes. Many boat trailers come with no brakes or brakes on one axle only. A trailer shop can swap the axle for you often cheaper than you can add the brakes yourself. BRAKES ARE GOOD!! Further, in a poorly engineered cost-savings plan, it is fairly common for the trailer to have a single axle under a 22 foot boat (as our Ski Challenger was equipped). This STINKS! The axle weight rating is extremely marginal and the tires themselves were rated too light for the trailer/boat (especially after we threw a few coolers into the boat....). Check the ratings of the axles and the tires when the boat is loaded as you go to the lake. You may find you are beyond the load range of the tires. We wound up putting a 2nd axle under our trailer. If we towed at highway speed for more than about 30 minutes, the trailer tires got so hot you could not touch them.

Hope that helps you out and saves you some hassle.
angela

angela