Pickup truck shopping

[rockfan4]

Looking for a truck to sometimes tow the car to the track, plus various around the house stuff, trips to the lumberyard, take leaves to the yard waste place, etc.
I don't need a 3/4 ton and I don't like the way they ride, but I want an extended cab so that I can lock stuff in the cab (toolbox, race gear, etc), and still have a 8' bed. It's just about impossible to find a 1/2 ton pickup, extended cab, 8' bed that's not a stripped down "work truck". I'd rather buy a used one, for the amount of use the truck would get (less than 5000 miles a year) it just doesn't pay to buy new. Any ideas on where / how to look? Autotrader and cars.com don't allow you to search by bed length, and trying the keyword "long", "long bed" or "long box" is hit or miss. Sorry, just wanted to rant.

[Nickshu]

Unfortunately 8' bed half-ton trucks are rare in the last few years. You are right most are single cab and bare bones work trucks. For example Chevy does not currently offer an 8' bed with extended cab, only a 6'6" bed. If you went up to 3/4 ton you would probably have a lot more options out there. If you are looking used then the cost difference may not be much??

[afterburn 549]

Dodge has its problems (3/4 ton) but they ride better then some cars.
I have a one ton dually, Its a LOT more comfortable then a lot of cars.

[Dantilla]

I'm the rare guy that insists on a regular cab.

I use all eight feet of the box often enough that a short box is worthless to me, and the combination of 8' box plus extended cab makes the truck so long it's difficult to maneuver in parking lots.

For your occasional use, the long wheelbase may not be a problem. Took me quite a while to find the truck I wanted, but it was worth the wait to get the right one, rather than have a truck that isn't quite right.

[Eric 951]

I see the following options for your search

1. 3/4 ton with ext cab and 8' bed

2. 1/2 ton with reg cab and 8' bed

3. 1/2 ton with ext cab and 6'-6" bed

As you have found the 1/2 ton ext cab 8' bed is practically non-existent anymore--I would vote for the first option, I use a 3/4 ton ext cab 8' bed as my DD. Good luck

[VincentVega]

A buddy has a 1500 hd GM that's extended cab and 8' bed so they are out there. I keep my eye on craigslist for one but a 2500, only issue I see there is many are used up tow rigs.

[ckelly78z]

Another idea is to go ahead and get a 1/2 ton with a 6'6" bed, and mount a Tommy Lift hydraulic/electric gate (or some other brand) on the back of the truck. I had one on a single cab long bed 3/4 ton, and my TommyLift gate extended the floor of the bed an additional 9" so the inside was actually 8'9", and then you could fold down the gate so it laid flat, and the flat surface of the bed was 11'9". Not to mention, the gate could pick up 1000# so a garden tractor, or motorcycle, or even a full sized fridge was no effort. Many times, my young son would roll the huge 200# chunks of the trees I was cutting for firewood up onto the liftgate and operate it himself.

[rockfan4]

The lift doesn't work so well with a trailer behind it. I try to keep the trailer as light as possible, so extra tires, fuel jugs, even the trailer ramps go in the bed of the truck.

I think GM stopped making 1500 extended cab long beds when the new generation came out in 14.

I should point out the current truck is a 2000 F150 Supercab Long bed, I've had it around 11 years now. I'd keep it except I'm scared I may have to change the plugs some day. And the bed sides are really starting to rust out. Before that I had a '89 Silverado 1500 Extended cab long bed, had that many years too. When I find a truck I like I keep it a long time.

[fastfredracing]

I would not rule out 3/4 ton GM trucks. My 2500 hd rides as nice as any half ton I have ever been in, and has all the power, brakes, and suspension you will ever need

[Joe Ricard]

My 2000 F250 Super Duty with 7.3L is Super Crew with 8 ft bed. Yep is is the LONG wheel base truck. Rides well with Bilstiens. It's 8000 lbs unloaded. but still get 20 MPG which equates to 700 miles between fill ups. 300,000 miles and is NOT for sale because best truck EVER.

[motion]

Every single 3/4 ton I've ever driven or ridden in has ridden like crap. They'll shake your teeth out. My neighbor has a new 3/4 ton Dodge. Its fully loaded and must have cost $80K. That thing gets completely sideways on rutted out gravel roads. No way in hell I would own something like that. My '04 F250 PSD rode so bad I couldn't talk on my cell phone while driving it on SoCal freeways. My voice warbled.

I have seen plenty of 04-08 F150 extended cab trucks with 8' beds around. If you search hard enough, you'll find one. Can't speak of the 09 and newer. Not sure if they're around.

[rockfan4]

I test drove a Chevy 2500HD and thought it rode pretty stiff. Maybe I need to sample another one.
Dodge - don't they still have solid front axles on the 3/4 ton 4x4? No thanks.
Ford - There's a 2009 F150 about 90 miles from me in the configuration that I want, but it has the heavy suspension and the stupid 7 lug wheels. I'm also not sure about the whole cam phaser issue on the newer 5.4 engines. Have to go to a 2011 to get the new 5.0.

One other reason I'd like to stay with a 1/2 ton is weight. Like Joe said above the F250 Diesel is 8000 empty. Truck plates in WI are based on weight, and above 8000 gross they start to get expensive.
B plate (6000 gross) are $84 / year
C (8000) are 106, 10,000 are 155, 12,000 are 209.
I know it's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things but if I can the function I want in a lighter truck, why buy the heavier one? It adds up in gas mileage too.
By the way, not looking for a diesel. Don't drive it enough to warrant the extra price.

[ckelly78z]

Last weekend I took my 99 PSD 4x4 F250 and went to the rental place to pick up a mini (6000 lbs) excavator for doing some drainage and water line work at home. They wouldn't let me use my 16x7 tandom axle trailer rated for 3.5 tons 7000 lbs so I had to rent thier 10,000 lb trailer. I am sure if I would have shown up in a 1/2 ton pickup they would have sent me home without the excavator.....something to think about if looking at ever renting anything.

[HardDrive]

I've got a 2000 f-150 extended cab long bed. Great truck. Are worries about plugs really a good enough reason to spend $ on a new truck?

[HardDrive]

Says the man who sold his 997 because he was worried about the IMS bearing.....

[peppy]

We have a 07 F150 supercrew with the 6ft bed. I think the 6 ft bed is plenty long for hauling DIY projects.

Several people around here have the 5 ft bed and a trailer.

[peppy]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I've got a 2000 f-150 extended cab long bed. Great truck. Are worries about plugs really a good enough reason to spend $ on a new truck?

I am contemplating trading ours before we need to change them. I am believing the horror stories. $1500 for plugs is crazy.

[VincentVega]

But still cheaper than a new truck

The tool to fix/replace isnt expensive and seems to do the trick. I havent used it though so maybe it's tougher than it looks.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

Looking for a truck to sometimes tow the car to the track, plus various around the house stuff, trips to the lumberyard, take leaves to the yard waste place, etc.
I don't need a 3/4 ton and I don't like the way they ride, but I want an extended cab so that I can lock stuff in the cab (toolbox, race gear, etc), and still have a 8' bed. It's just about impossible to find a 1/2 ton pickup, extended cab, 8' bed that's not a stripped down "work truck". I'd rather buy a used one, for the amount of use the truck would get (less than 5000 miles a year) it just doesn't pay to buy new. Any ideas on where / how to look? Autotrader and cars.com don't allow you to search by bed length, and trying the keyword "long", "long bed" or "long box" is hit or miss. Sorry, just wanted to rant.

FWIW........

Back in '05 I was in need of a new truck for my landscaping business.

I contacted one of my clients who owned a Chevy dealership and put in my request:

1) 1/2 ton (1500)
2) 2 WD
3) extended cab
4) full size (8') bed
5) V-8

Couple weeks went by and I got the call they had what I was looking for (it was brought down from Georgia).

2002 Silverado 1500, 2 WD, 8' bed, extended cab, and 4.8 Vortec. Had about 80K on the clock but was in really great condition.

Gave me good $ on my trade in (older Chevy truck with a fair # of mech. issues) - out the door I paid about $12K. Took about 1/2 hr. to transfer my tag and set up temp. registration and I drove this baby home.

I now have going on 190K with zero major issues over the past 10 years.

Moral to the story - put the word out to your local dealer what you're looking for - maybe they can find it for you.

[Baz]