Which Truck should I buy?

koontzy

well I am 17 and getting ready to graduate...I do not drive now cause i dont reall have a reason too...I do occasionaly drive up to the parking garage(teen hangout) and mess around...
well my dad has a chevy W/T 1500(ps. whats the W/T stand for??is it Work Truck?) ok now back to the point...this coming summer I will be headed into the marines and will buy a truck while in there....
Now I have 4 trucks i like...
1.Chevy S-10 ZR2
2.GMC Highrider
3.Ford Ranger 4WD
4.Ford Splash
I thought bout putting the taco in their but after test driving them i dont really like them at all...
i do like my friends 91 toy though...

anyways i will be doing some mudding and driving through snow(maybe doing some doughtnuts:)) and ect...
also can i order all these trucks with the 4wheel drive on the floor??

Thx
all info would be greatly appreciated.,

Thx
Ryan

koontzy

anyone wanna help me on this????

lata

obyone

rather than owning a truck....cause they will own you.....

I've seen far too many have to sell their vehicles for a loss cause they are getting transferred and it cost too much to ship not to mention the hassles. Especially in a foreign country. Of course you could leave the truck at home. But that doesn't make sense either as you will be making monthly payments on it but yet can't drive it....

If you must have a vehicle, why don't you wait till after OCS? If OCS is a consideration.....my $.22

koontzy

well I am not really worried bout transerferring...I mean I wouldnt care to leave my truck at my house where I know it is safe....I do still have to pay for it, but also I am not puttting miles on it though:)

Later

amora

As soon as your promoted to 1st LT you will be able to afford the more robust truck, the Dodge Dakota 4.7 - 5.9 mini-pickup....

webbd

Since when do 17 year olds attend Officer School? When you sign on the dotted line, I assume you'll be going to the enlisted side.

Anyway, good luck on your assignment. You probably won't have much of a chance to enjoy your truck as you will probably be out for most of the year, but I gave my two cents worth the first time you asked for help and you may not have read it. But the jist was to buy whatever you LIKED the most, but try to buy a little more substance than style. Like they told you, if you go overseas, unless you have someone to keep your car, your going to lose some serious money when you go to sell your truck. You might want to wait until you get to your first duty station before you buy your truck.

By the way, what field are you going into?

koontzy

i am gonna do something in computers and electronics or do telecommunications....

Later

webbd

You might try the intelligence field. It's pretty interesting and diverse.

koontzy

Well I dont know bout that> is it hard to take that field????I mena do I have to score high on the test?
if not i might just do Intelligance...

lata
Ryan

obyone

you'd be better off in the air force...

A friend of mine just retired from the air force at the old age of forty. He was the NCOIC of computer security overseas. The day after he retired, he was offered a job by a bank in Japan that paying him 13,000,000 yen a year. The U.S. equivalent is $130,000.00 not bad for an old NCO.

obyone

get either the Ranger or Tacoma...Tacoma is slightly overpriced. Ford being the better value in my opinion

koontzy

My dad served 32 years in the air force....and no way I am gonna go there....

Later

webbd

Take it from me, you'd be a lot better off in the Air Force. I did my four years in AF Intelligence, training Marines as well as the Navy and Army recruits in Intelligence collection, and you can't imagine the difference in the standard of living between the AF and the other branches. The Marines are highly respectable (only force in the world never to have lost an engagement) but unless you want to spend 6 months per year on a ship and the other 6 in a tent, you'd best not join. I know you have probably heard from the Marine Recruiter or Marine friends about how wimpy the Air Force is or how feminine a force we are, but from my experience this is plain envy on their part as they could not score high enough to get into anything in the Air Force, or perhaps they envy that when we go to war, we sleep in hotels (oh, there are those who join because they want the Marine lifestyle). I enjoyed working with the Marines and have all the respect in the world for what they do, and personally, I wouldn't want to do it, but the Marines will really take anyone. Of course, you have to make it through basic, but you don't really have to score that high on the ASVAB to get a job. As for as that goes, I think if you score higher than 80%, you can just about land any job in the AF.

Good luck on whatever you choose. You can't go wrong serving your country.

obyone

Your post #6. I thought all of those that were Officers in the ROTC would qualify for OCS? For myself, worked as a contractor with all the brances in DOD. I know who cruises and who doesn't. Let me tell ya, they don't call the air force flyboys for nothin....

pocahontas

I realize that in the course of discussion..., it's natural to veer off topic a little. And that's okay... as long as it doesn't continue beyond a couple posts.

So let me suggest that from this point on, you use your email or other messenger services to continue your discussion on the airforce, rotc, and other off topic subjects; otherwise, you just might find that you're writing with invisible ink. Okay? ;-)

And now, for the benefit of those that came here to discuss trucks, let's get back to the topic of "which truck to buy." Thanks for your participation.

Pocahontas,
Edmunds.com/Town Hall Pickups Host

webbd

Yeah, if you pilot a plane, you will see significant time away from your home. Don't know if that was what you were hinting at or something more perverse.

If you are in ROTC, then you will be commissioned upon finishing college where you will then have to serve a minimum of four years in the AF. Koontzy is 17, and unless he is way ahead of his time (attending college in a ROTC program) he will either have to be selected after enlisting to go to Officer Candidate School or he will have to get out, get a degree, then re-enlist as an officer. No one right out of high school can be commissioned, unless there has been some new statue instituted that I'm unaware of.

But to keep my message from being deleted due to being off-topic, here's the usual contrived dialogue: "YEAH, THE TACOMA WHOOPS UP ON THE S-10 AND ALL THE REST. TOYOTA IS THE BEST AND NO ONE CAN BEAT THEM! YEAH!!"

amora

If you join the US NAVY and get stationed at San Diego, there are many
wonderful Chevy/GM dealers that give great credit union rates, may
be able to get a S10 XTREME with P235-16's and ZQ8 suspension that will most surely spank the Toyotas, Nissans, Dakotas, and Rangers...etc

USAF VETERAN
Wanted to join Navy in '64 but recruiter was out to lunch so I spoke with AF recruiter sitting at next table...should have waited for
Navy recruiter to return from lunch.....

pocahontas

Yes, I agree; it's certainly reasonable to discuss the army, or other issues here, that are directly related to the subject of this topic. "Which truck to buy?"

However, I was referring to the subjects/posts veering off... to the point that they are no longer related or connected in any way to subject at hand. As I mentioned above, I realize it's quite natural for this to happen in these forums; my job is to help keep the subjects on topic.

This if for the benefit of all the participants here. Btw, if you have any other comments/questions on this, please post them in Questions about the Pickups Conference. Thanks.

And now, let's continue with this subject: Which truck to buy?

Happy shopping. ;-)

Pocahontas,
Edmunds.com/Town Hall Pickups Host

obyone

But what kind of Toyota truck can an E-1 buy unless the parents actually co-signed or bought the truck outright for him. Ahhhh...there you go....the Dad's air force...bailing out the marines again...LOL!!

lariat1

If you are stationed in San Diego you are better off going to Mossy Ford and buying a ranger.

amora

Make sure it is at least (min.) a SPLASH with the SOHC mudduck
207 HP V6, toooo bad the 5.0 engine was not an option.....tooo bad...

mrkevinho

i have narrowed my choice down to these two fine trucks, but which one??? i know gmc and chevy have different front grills (i prefer the chevy myself), and i know gmc is at least $1k more, but why should i pick one over the other? is one truck better than the other ??? or is just personal preferences over cosmetic appearances???
thanks, kevin!

amora

Have owned GMC full size....they have different interior and decor
options, engines same....options very close...C3 is....?? go with the
Chevy if you prefer, drive both and check owner's input from townhouse topics...

Good luck and congratulations on outstanding selection of make...
you are unique in that you are not following the "monkey see, monkey do" trend when purchasing a new truck...[refer to sales figures of
ugly trucks, they are breaking records]

webbd

Obyone, you're right about an E-1 not being able to buy a new truck without a co-sign. My first vehicle as an E-1 was a '94 Metro with 20,000 miles on it that I got for $4995, I think. But when he steps up to E-3, usually around 2 year mark depending on branch (Marines and Army advance way faster than AF), he can buy a reasonable truck. I bought a reg. cab Ranger and Tacoma as and E-3, but both were used. I didn't however need a co-sign on these. Anyway, E-4 is where you start earning a little more, and I stepped up to my current Prerunner. Of course, all this is dependent on the recruit keeping his credit straight and not signing up for every credit card offer he gets by mail because, trust me, Koontzy, you'll get a lot of offers. Just don't get impulsive when you get your first credit card.

As far as truck choice, personally, I would buy either the Ranger or the Tacoma. The Tacoma is gonna cost you more, as everyone is sure to inform you, but offsets with better reliability. The Ranger is probably a better truck for the masses, being softer-riding, quieter, and having a more luxurious interior. However, like I said, you really need to buy what YOU desire the most, and take everyone's advice here with a grain of salt. I'd steer clear of ANY GM or Chrysler product. Check out www.nhtsa.com for more info on recalls, TSB's, etc. Good luck.

amora

I live near March AFB (Riverside, Ca) and frequent the Chevron
gas station next to base where many military personnel of all
ranks go to fuel thier vehicles. I've seen many enlisted people
in the E3-E9 ranks. Saw a E4 Buck Sergeant with an EXPEDITION, she
had no rings on either. Gave me a nice smile....just thought
some of you may find this interesting...

amora

focus on the more low cost maintenance pick-ups; Ranger and
GMC Sonoma. I recommend you stay away from the over rated
and costly domestic trucks (Toyota, Nissan...) "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT"
have been driving and owned all vehicle types for past 39 years..who elso can give you golden nuggets of wisdom, guidance and experience...

webbd

Yeah, E-4's and up are generally where you'll find the pricier vehicles. They did away with the Buck Sgt. rank, though. Now you're just a Senior Airman.

Of course, keep in mind, you may find an E-1 driving a Lexus, but that just means he's probably high in debt, bought it used, or is just really, really good.

amora

Was in USAF '64-'68, stationed in Montana during the Minuteman missile buildup. Made E-5 just before early out...was able to purchase '69 Mach I by saving and cashing my mandatory savings bonds...many of the E1-E2's were able to purchase vehicles by being frugal, getting part time jobs off base and help from home. Pay was very humble in those
years. Officers, 2nd Louies were able to buy new Gran Prix pontiacs and GTO's no problem...
.

Regards,

webbd

The pay is pretty good today, in my opinion. You can't find a higher paying job without a degree or education than the military. Sure, you could work your butt off at Burger King or sell cars, but to find a job with a future that paid $1000-1200 for zero education and experience from the start--impossible.

But I don't believe today's society is much like the one you grew up in. Frugality would not be in the dictionary of most of the recruits I knew. They were of the mindset--"Spend today, make it up in the next four years or reenlist and stretch out my payments." And getting second jobs, forget about it. They'd rather go on food stamps and whine about how much their military pay sucked.

I can appreciate what your talking about though. Wish I had a Mach 1. They just don't make classics anymore (911 Turbo excluded, of course.)

amora

webbd, a true sports car, one that will put you in low orbit, sheer
delight....I'll settle for the humbled Boxter myself

lariat1

There is no better place to learn a career and learn how to control your own life than in the military. I spent 6 years in the Navy I went in and spent 2 years studying nuclear power and spent the next 4 years living in hell on submarines.I had the advantage of never being an E-1 (nucs start out in boot camp as E-3's) and after 6 years of busting my butt I got out as an E-6 with no re-enlistment.A word of advise for when you are in the military is to get all the schools you can and try your absolute hardest to advance quickly and you can get that new truck as soon as possible.

amora

Vietnam (era) vets had benefit of GI BILL (all of $433/mo for carrying
12 units) plus being able to get VA loan (no money down) and VA
medical benefits (I pay $40 visit and $2.00 co-payment for non
service related medical care)...going to college at night takes
8-9 years to get sheepskin...(BS, AS, AA) maybe going full time can become Doctor quicker..... In 60's you had to have degree in science
field to become Officerin USAF, now I don't know.

Getting promoted quickly will surely depend on academic achievement
and therefore able to purchase more truck

webbd

The GI Bill is now $650/month. Monthly pay goes up, generally, 3-5%, every one or two years. The medical plan is now like an HMO, but it could be worse. They do have 100% tuition reimbursement now for active duty. Can't beat that. And you can't beat the way of life. After all this talk, I might have to just re-enlist.

Most degrees will now get you into OCS. They even got positions for degrees like social work.

lariat1

Why would tou want to re-enlist? The military is good training not a good way of life. This is my policy on re-enlistment:PAPER CLIP it stands for People Against People Ever Re-enlisting, Civilian Life Is Preffered. When I got out of the Navy I got a job immediately upon reciept of my 214 and started making more every week than I made a month in the Navy.As a result I ended up with a bigger and better truck and a boat along with a snowmachine.

webbd

I wasn't serious about re-enlisting. Was just emphasizing that the military is a good place to start and a good stepping stone to better things. Believe me, I won't go back in. I liked having a lot of responsibility, but I love my personal freedom a lot more.

brucec35

Buy a USED or NEW Full size truck instead of these toy trucks. Except for giving up a little off-road maneuverability, these are all inferior to the big ones in almost every category. A loaded ZR-1 ext cab costs what a reg. cab Silverado w/o too many options does. F-150's are an especially good bargain in XL 5-speed guise. Resale will also kill you on most compact trucks. Check the lease factors and see for yourself.

greg116

Hey, man, I'm about the same age as you and facing the same choice. For someone who wants to go into the military, I am pretty confident when I say you'll be very happy with a ZR2. I'm personally going for a regular S-10/Sonoma 4x4, extended cab sportside, and Cherry Red is the best color there is! I may not be military, but I know what guys our age like. I know another guy my age whos got a ZR2 and takes good care of it. Some advantages the Chevys have are 4-wheel disc brakes, THE most durable V-6 there is (not counting the Jeep I-6) and an overall great-looking truck! Hey, if you do go army with a ZR2, you'll be able to run right alongside those M-1s, and go faster than them to boot! j/k

webbd

Some disadvantages to the S-10:

1. Poorest reliability next to Dakota among compact pickups. See NHTSA.com for recall and TSB information.
2. Oldest engine among compacts does not make it the most durable.
3. Even the M-1 Abrams, which weighs in at 69.54 tons, can out-accelerate it (not really, but you get the point). If you want acceleration, buy a sports car.
4. Poor off-road ability. See 4wheeler magazine's perennial picks for compact 4x4 of the year.

Stick with the Ranger or the Tacoma. Both are light years more reliable and refined than either the Dakota or S-10 and perform much better than the Frontier, a reliable choice, nonetheless.

And if you're joining the military, don't take the advice of those who haven't served.

superjim2000

Typical toyota owner. The 4.3 is a great engine better than the tacomas. Better mileage also.

The engine (4.3) is somewhat old, you get it right you dont mess with it.

The S10 V6 is not slow. You want slow buy a slowyota. It wasnt that long ago toyota changed from calendars to speedometers. Still the same.....extremely slow.

"If you want acceleration, buy a sports car."

Youre way of admitting that toyotas are slow?

Toyotas are very slow, except when it comes to rust, man toyotas rust very fast!

[Deleted User]

This is vehicle #50 for me... 2001 Prerunner V6 XtraCab, loaded... Toyota truck #7. Once again, I surveyed the market for something I liked that would be worth something in 2 years, and Toyota won again. This truck drives and handles better than any truck I've ever driven. Amazes me how good a deal I can get on a Toyota considering it will have the top resale value in 2 years when I'm bored with it and need another "fix." MSRP was $21,562, paid $19,995 ($200 over invoice) with 3.9% financing. I also recently bought a new 97 GMC Z71 and a 96 Mustang GT convertible... so I'm not stuck on Toyota... I try to get something different and fun to cure my boredom. But bottom line... nothing I've ever owned holds up like a Toyota, or has the resale value of a Toyota. I've also had 9 Corvettes (61-73) which held their value as well... but nothing else even comes close. Oh, and I sold Chevrolets from 71-74, so I'm not new to this game. If what Toyota makes doesn't fit your need because u need to tow a cruise ship or haul 8 kids... then buy something else. If u can't afford one, then buy what u can afford. If you're gonna drive it till it's dead, then who cares about resale value. If u live in the snow belt.. then buy something that's plastic (I live in Sacramento, grew up in Chicago). Just my opinion.

dodgelove

i have an 89 dodge ram with a 318, and i belive its the best 4x4 ive had. ive owned a chevy s10, ford f150, and now my dodge, and its the best one so far.

webbd

Here's a link to a car and driver test between several trucks. You'll notice that the chevy has the largest engine of the group, yet finishes third behind the tacoma and the ranger in acceleration when loaded up with an 800 lbs ATV (it tied the Tacoma and lost the 1/4 mile unladen).

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/comparisontests/1998/August/199808_comparisontest_compa.xml?&page=4

And yes, they picked the s-10 in this comparison ahead of the Tacoma, but just read their reasons why. They go something like, "tries harder to be a car than it does a truck."

ryanbab

What are you talking about? My dad has a 92 S-10 4.3 2wd regular cab. 90,000 some miles on it.



Only things to be replaced

Tires
oil
battery
brakes

Truck is still running great only thing it really needs are new shocks.

I wouldnt think a 2wd S-10 would be a good offroad vehicle. Never had any recalls. This thing isnt slow. 180Hp isnt all that much but it can move trust me. The S-10 in snow does sucks my only complaint

Ryan

amora

If you want a carefree vehicle while in military,
one that will not send you to the poorhouse with
repairs and headaches, one that will last until your enlistment is over, one that you can trade-up to with decent value, (this is very hard for me) then buy a used '93-'95 Toyota T100.....4x4's slightly higher. In fact the T100 will probably last thru your college years also.

My '92, '95 Rangers lasted well over 140,000 mi with no problems, but their values dipped....

meetturbo

I'm not talking about 0-60. Lets race to 1,000,000 miles and see who has a high maint. cost. It sure as hell won't be the Toyota! I have owned a Ford and Chevy with V-6 motors (4.0 and 4.3) and I gotta tell ya- the acceleration may have been better, but I use my truck for work, and nothing has done anything close to what my Tacoma can do.(I'm talking towing baby! Yeah!) I would have to give Toyota a thumbs up when it comes to power with a load.
Rust? Didn't they fix that in 1993?
Resale value is obvious! Check out what J-D Power says. The #'s speak for themselves!!!
This is my own experience. I used to knock Toy's too before I bought one.
Just something to think about.

laststand

Hi I am new to the truck world. Actually I am interested in purchasing my first
truck. It will be a used one. I need one as a second vehicle to pull a boat (1000
lbs weight total with trailer) and to due the usual light hauling when you live in the
country. I am leaning towards a small six engine (3 litre). I have been told that
FORD Rangers and MAZDA BXXXX series are basically one in the same truck
except for body styling. Can any one provide me with details and opinions on
what I should buy and why. I am looking for a basic truck ...nothing fancy...an
extend a cab is not required (but nice though). The most important thing is
reliability and cost. Is there anything I need to know about these model years in
the ranger and B3000(?) Thanks all.

jstarzynski

I am ready to buy a pickup for personal use in Northern Minnesota. Tundra or Tacoma? I don't need it for hauling so much as some house driveway snow plowing and for towing my medium-sized fishing boat. I don't want more truck than I need and the gas mileage on the Tundra frightens me. Help!

bamatundra

Go for the Tundra. If you get a V6 - you only pay a 1 mpg penalty in gas mileage. The Tundra is quieter, rides better, and has a much larger rear seat and bed.

For comparably equipped trucks, the Tundra will cost you $2k to $3k more - but it is worth every penny.

I have owned a V8 SR5 Access cab for a year and it has been the best vehicle I have ever owned.

You can get a stripped Tundra V6 2WD starting at $15K retail( and no one ever pays full retail). Quite a bargain. It may be hard to find a V6 though - over 90% of Tundras are sold with the V8.

justtheone

Thems the one too get if ya goin in that Army now. Good luck on this one now!

bamatundra

The only "full size" pickup built entirely in the USA is the Tundra. The others are built in Mexico or Canada. Support the US auto worker - buy a Tundra.

The best built trucks are built right here is the USA - we know how to build them. That is why the Tundra is the best 1/2 ton pickup built - US auto workers are building them

pocahontas

Let's please use this discussion to help people decide which truck to buy. Spam and inappropriate bashing... will be subject to immediate deletion in these discussions.

Hi Justtheone- If you feel the need to post messages bashing one particular make/model (i.e. Toyota Tundra), I'd like to suggest that you do so in a more appropriate discussion. Otherwise, you'll find that you are writing with invisible ink....

Thanks for your participation. ;-)

Pocahontas
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