Author Topic: Looking into used trucks (Read 12904 times)

ltruong · « **on:** October 30, 2014, 12:36:26 am »

Hi all.

I've been looking into trucks lately and will probably buy one before christmas. I only want a used one for about $4,000 but there is so much in that price range. I planning on commuting with it but my main use will be moving furniture
(moving soon) and work around the new house. build a fence, deck and maybe pull my tent trailer for camping once in a while. Here are things I'm looking for.

-4x4 \awd
-extended cab or 4doors ... able to fit a baby seat
-good mileage as much as truck can be...
-reliable. engine\tranny... I don't want to play with wrenches anymore.
-trailer brakes would be nice

- here are the truck i've been looking into....i just don't know their reliability

-Gmc\chevy 1500... v6 or 4.8 or 5.3 extended. the 4 doors are a bit pricey
-Ford f150....no clue about their powertrains
-GMC canyon 4doors with 5 inline
-dodge dakota 4doors

What do you guy suggest?

ArticSteve · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2014, 01:00:30 am »

Avoid the Canyon and the Dakota and any Ford that had the spark plug issues (two different issues).

4.8 for the GM or 4.7 for the Dodge if your talking mid 2000s

bridgecity · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2014, 01:09:47 am »

Older chev/gm with v8. Drivetrains are pretty solid.

In that price range, wrenching will be involved, by you or someone else. Maybe not engine/tranny, but chances are suspension/steering/miscellaneous will require work sooner than later.

Fobroader · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2014, 08:58:14 am »

Cant go wrong with a GMC/Chevy with a 4.8 or 5.3.

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Northernridge · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:12:37 am »

I have a Sierra ext cab 4x4 with the 4.8 and after about 70,000km it's been trouble free. No issues at all, I use it to haul building materials and for mild offroading. It's not sexy but very functional.

I think the 4.8/ext cab combo makes for poor relative resale value so if that config. works for you, you're set.

tortoise · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:17:57 am »

Quote from: ArticSteve on October 30, 2014, 01:00:30 am

Ford that had the spark plug issues (two different issues).

From this thread it appears the two issues are spitting the plugs out and the plugs seizing to the block.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1104517-which-engines-have-sparkplug-thread-problems.html

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1123060-what-year-was-the-sparkplug-ejection-fixed.html

ltruong · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:30:26 am »

Quote from: ArticSteve on October 30, 2014, 01:00:30 am

Avoid the Canyon and the Dakota and any Ford that had the spark plug issues (two different issues).

4.8 for the GM or 4.7 for the Dodge if your talking mid 2000s

What's wrong with the canyon and Dakota?

dodge 4.7, is that a Hemi.? I thought they were horrible on gas in early 2000

ltruong · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:36:03 am »

Quote from: bridgecity on October 30, 2014, 01:09:47 am

Older chev/gm with v8. Drivetrains are pretty solid.

In that price range, wrenching will be involved, by you or someone else. Maybe not engine/tranny, but chances are suspension/steering/miscellaneous will require work sooner than later.

I don't mind changing suspension/steering/miscellaneous......but don't want to be pulling a tranny or changing a head gasket... I had an 1997 GM 1500HD 6.5 diesel. the body was pretty good but the engine was crap... I was getting 11l/100km on highway tho. Apparently it had a bomb proof tranny and diff but can't remember exactly.

ltruong · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:40:34 am »

Quote from: Northernridge on October 30, 2014, 10:12:37 am

I have a Sierra ext cab 4x4 with the 4.8 and after about 70,000km it's been trouble free. No issues at all, I use it to haul building materials and for mild offroading. It's not sexy but very functional.

I think the 4.8/ext cab combo makes for poor relative resale value so if that config. works for you, you're set.

YA I have a friend that had one of those. This was kind of what I was looking for in the first place but I don't see much 4.8 out there, mostly 5.3.
What years are the 4.8.? in the half tons

ltruong · « **Reply #9 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:42:08 am »

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2004-gmc-canyon-sle-crew-cab-pickup-in-great-running-condition/1028841408

Though this looked pretty good... what's wrong with these beside being smaller?

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #10 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:49:16 am »

My buddy had one and loved the way it drove, but it was in the shop regularly for expensive fixes. Seemed to be all kinds of issues.

I think there is a pretty good tool now to change plugs in Fords with the seized plug engines (ie, tons of them). They are good engines otherwise, if a bit underpowered.

Fobroader · « **Reply #11 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:50:26 am »

Quote from: ltruong on October 30, 2014, 10:30:26 am

Quote from: ArticSteve on October 30, 2014, 01:00:30 am
Avoid the Canyon and the Dakota and any Ford that had the spark plug issues (two different issues).

4.8 for the GM or 4.7 for the Dodge if your talking mid 2000s

What's wrong with the canyon and Dakota?

dodge 4.7, is that a Hemi.? I thought they were horrible on gas in early 2000

Dakota will have endless front end issues, electrical issues, the build quality of a 1980s Hyundai Stellar and consume fuel at a rate which you will swear to people that there is a hole in the tank. The Canyon.....it has no reason to put it above a 1/2 ton, even pricing or fuel economy. If you want to get baby seat in the back, you want a quad cab whether its full size or downsize trucks. An extended cab would make it a PITA to get baby in and out.

ltruong · « **Reply #12 on:** October 30, 2014, 11:01:33 am »

What about the Nissan frontier Or Tacoma. but Tacoma are usually pricey.

Nissan are descent deals on kijiji.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/calgary/2000-nissan-frontier-pickup-truck/1029061741?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

horrible color tho

JohnnyMac · « **Reply #13 on:** October 30, 2014, 01:21:09 pm »

Ever consider a Subaru Baja? Just kidding. $4,000 can go a long way depending on where you live. Have you ever considered getting something from the states? They seem to have better deals down south for pickups than north of the border.

2JDM · « **Reply #14 on:** October 30, 2014, 01:42:01 pm »

Tacomas are priced like gold.

You can probably get a rust free one from the states (ie. California).

http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Toyota/Tacoma/BOWSER/British+Columbia/19_8380939_/?showcpo=ShowCPO&orup=5_15_138

Seriously? $7400 for a 12-13 year old truck with 435k?

tooscoops · « **Reply #15 on:** October 30, 2014, 01:46:34 pm »

true... a truck in the range you are looking at will most likely be one in need of a few things, but will then be great, or a rougher truck in general. best to take one with a known issue imo.

my first thought is stay away from dakotas and canyons/colorados... but they might be the only real way to get a full quad cab in your price range that should have some life left.

you are almost better to find a sweetheart old 90's truck. they have bottomed out on value at that point, but so many are still solid, but dealers have told the owners that they are worth 500 bucks, so they put em on kijiji for 2000 or so. http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/hamilton/solid-f150/1027922182?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

tough price point for a truck... as long as a 4x4 starts, it is worth 2500, so you aren't a huge amount over a truck that runs. good luck.

blur911 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 30, 2014, 01:56:24 pm »

Quote from: tooscoops on October 30, 2014, 01:46:34 pm

true... a truck in the range you are looking at will most likely be one in need of a few things, but will then be great, or a rougher truck in general. best to take one with a known issue imo.

my first thought is stay away from dakotas and canyons/colorados... but they might be the only real way to get a full quad cab in your price range that should have some life left.

you are almost better to find a sweetheart old 90's truck. they have bottomed out on value at that point, but so many are still solid, but dealers have told the owners that they are worth 500 bucks, so they put em on kijiji for 2000 or so. http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/hamilton/solid-f150/1027922182?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

tough price point for a truck... as long as a 4x4 starts, it is worth 2500, so you aren't a huge amount over a truck that runs. good luck.

I'm looking for a somewhat similar 4x4 work truck. Things seem to either be junk you wouldn't want to sit in, let alone drive or $10k for anything decent. Hard to find any in the middle that are good value.
My '97 F150 still runs great, it's just falling apart with rust though. I might have a look at a nearby '00 Chevy 2500 for $5k if I get a chance.

blotter · « **Reply #17 on:** October 30, 2014, 03:03:52 pm »

Tacoma - agree, too much in resale
you can find plenty of great GMs instead.

Frontier -
the back seats are very small. Even smaller on older models.
be on the look out for rusting chrome bumpers.
I have two friends with Frontiers, mechanically they've been very good.

Fobroader · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2014, 03:22:46 pm »

Here are some, because of your price range, a crew cab is going to be tough:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/2004-gmc-sierra-1500-z71-sport-extcab-4x4-pickup-truck/444186840?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/2000-gmc-sierra-1500-slt-pickup-truck/1028899770?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/1998-gmc-sierra-z71-4x4/1028816785?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/1997-gmc-c-k-1500-pickup-truck/1028293068?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/2003-gmc-sierra-sle-4x4/1027092812?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

This is the one that I would get. Haggle the guy down to $6-800. A new tranny is ~$2k. Body damage, pick and pull has lots. Stick on a set of Bilstein 5100s and for less than your budget you can have a decent truck.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/gmc-1500-whitecourt/1026950391?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

tortoise · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2014, 03:25:29 pm »

As long as your kids are forward facing they can fit in the back of an F-150 extended cab.