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First Time Pickup Truck Buyer - Help

moviepilotmoviepilot Member Posts: 1
edited April 2014 in Chevrolet
He there,
I'm in the market to purchase my first pick-up truck and I have no idea, what type of options I need to look for.

I've been looking everything from a 1972 to 1996 trucks. I just dot what year and model trucks to stay from? (since I dot want to get into those trucks notorious for computer problems)

I'm really not looking for anything pretty, just a good powerful truck. I am planning on using it to transport some light equipment around, as well as a 100 gallon fuel tank with diesel fuel-with an electric pump attached, to be able to re-fuel some construction equipment.

I really don't want to spend alot of money, since it will only be used occasionally.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

Ray--
rmccort@hotmail.com
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Comments

  • ricschricsch Member Posts: 540
    Not sure if your brand loyal to any make in particular, but if your looking at Chevy or GMC, '96 or newer would be a good choice-vortec engine, good dependability, good fuel mileage compared to the others. My .02.
  • 2kaccordv62kaccordv6 Member Posts: 28
    I'd go for a 73-87 Chevy if you aren't looking to pay much. Easy to work on and tough. I owned a 98 with the Vortec 350 and to sum it up it was a $27k mistake! The worst engine I hope I ever have to own. Off the lot it had plenty of power and was great at about 18mpg, but by 13kmiles it was burning 2-3 quarts of oil every 3k, and doing 10-11mpg. Of course Chevy said this was all normal. So I traded it for a Dodge Ram Off-Road with the 360, and talk about going from night to day! More power, and the "Off-Road" package isn't just a decal on the body! Plus it's hard to find an engine as big as a 5.9L on a 1/2 ton now a days! Chevy offers a 5.3, and ford somewhere in that ball park too.
  • bamatundrabamatundra Member Posts: 1,583
    It is not clear that you need a full size pickup. 100 gallons of diesel (a very rough approximation) should weigh about 800lb. Many compact pickups can handle this load easily.
  • amoralesamorales Member Posts: 196
  • tundradudetundradude Member Posts: 588
    Anything in fairly good shape and a decent price.
  • eric2001eric2001 Member Posts: 482
    Though I would probably stay away from the smaller trucks, just for the fact you are going to have 1000+ pounds in the truck sometimes. Anything in decent shape that runs well (maintained) should work out fine.

    Set your priorities: do you need 4wd? long bed or short? regular, extended cab, or crew cab?
    A/C? long trips-cruise?

    Under a budget an older chevy would probably work best. Parts mostly same 73-87, same motors for decades - cheap parts, and a heavy half would probably work fine. Need more cabin, try the older Fords, they made the extended cabs back in the 70's and the F100 was the highest selling truck ever. Just my $.02.
    -Eric
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