Good truck experiences.

[Fordman1981]

I'm starting this thread at the suggestion of another member. I think Dmace sorry if I got the name wrong. I think it is a good idea for people to give experiences with older trucks. So other members looking to buy a used truck can see what kind of real world experiences other TBN members have had. Like I said in the other thread I had a 2002 f250 that I had 280,000 miles on before I had to replace the clutch and then it was a pressure plate failure clutch still looked mostly new. I would recommend the 7.3 with the manual transmission. The 7.3 is a good motor if you get one with an auto I would plan to put an aftermarket transmission in it at some point. The one weak point it seems the fords have is ball joints. I put ball joints in the 02 at 110,000 and 205,000 if I remember right and 80 or 81,000 miles in the 08 f350 I had with the 6.4 also high pressure fuel put at 110,00 on the 6.4 too cab off repair for that on by the way. Had to replace the radiator on my 08 and my dads 08 both just over 100,000 miles that's an $1,100 repair.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Best truck to date for me was a 1986 Toyota 4x4 4 cylinder 22R engine. Traded at 168,000 miles. 2 sets of front brakes. Rears original. Slave cylinder on the tranny. Spark plug wires. 3 sets of cheap off brand AT tires. Thats it other then plugs every 30K, fluid changes at 100K, and a few batteries.

8 F150's from 1997 to 2007. All 5.4L. Traded most in around 50K or when they needed tires and brakes. All 4x4 except a Lightning. Not a single dime spent. Not even a light bulb.

3 Ford diesels. All SRW 4x4's. 99 F350 totaled at 120K. Never a problem. 04 F250 traded at 80K. Never a problem. 06 F350 I still have. Been to the dealer once for a faulty fuel gauge. Replaced entire dash cluster. Nearing 90K and still going strong. Still have it.

08 Nissan Titan 4x4. Replaced a axle seal on the supposed upgraded Dana 44 axles. Did it myself for about $40. New battery in May along with front and rear brakes. 66K and I don't plan on selling it antime soon. Love to see if it can match or beat the Toyota.

I will not talk about the 3 bad trucks I have owned since you only asked for the positive.

Chris

 

[Fordman1981]

Diamond pilot

Been to the dealer once for a faulty fuel gauge. Replaced entire dash cluster. Nearing 90K and still going strong. Still have it.

My 08 had the same thing they replaced the entire dash cluster on mine too.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Diamond pilot

Been to the dealer once for a faulty fuel gauge. Replaced entire dash cluster. Nearing 90K and still going strong. Still have it.

My 08 had the same thing they replaced the entire dash cluster on mine too.

Yea, mine actually ran out of fuel pulling a 16,000# boat from Tennessee to Northern Indiana 13 miles short of my destination. Could not figure out what was wrong. Had it towed in and the dealer came and got the boat with a truck from the lot. Sat at the dealers for 2 days with guys scratching their heads. The gauge read 1/3 tank.

I was tossing and turning in bed when it donned on me I had driven all that way without purchasing fuel. Called at 7 am the next morning and told them to put a 5 gallon jerry can of fuel in her. They called me back a hour later and said it was running. I took it straight to the gas station and topped it off with about 25 gallons. That fuel plus the 5 they put in told me it was bone dry. The fact that the gauge did not move either was validation that the gauge had failed.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

1998 Dodge Dakota club cab 4x4 SLT V6 3.9l
Purchased in 2000 with 20k miles, worked it hard everyday as a land surveyor off road more than on and hauled two sleds in an enclosed trailer plus one in the bed every weekend of the winter to northern NH.
Sold in 2005 with 216k miles, had tranny problem at 170k wouldn't shift to 1st. $400 sensor with labor and its good to go. After about 150k, it got squeaky and was a pain to find problem but after replacing $300 in bushings it was fixed. Still, truck didn't owe me a thing. I loved it!
15-18 mpg empty 10-12 towing


2003 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 quad cab V8 5.7l HEMI 3.73 rear
Bought in 2005 with 28k, current truck with 126k miles
I have a company car, this truck does NOT leave the driveway without a trailer/camper on it.
Non maintenance repairs are a set of front wheel bearings ($300, done myself in 2 hours). One side was noisy so I replaced both. Also just replaced the brake pads and rotors at 100k, pads were low but rotors looked good. Replaced all for good measure, calipers like new.
Tows very well for a 9 year old 1/2 ton. Even with a 10k dump trailer loaded up. Another truck I love! My next truck will be a 3/4 ton with a large V8 NA engine. Simple and proven.
15-16 mpg empty, 9-12 towing


Our fleet is too large to break down but for good experiences:
All the Cummins RAM's have been indestructible but ride rough.
GM 6.0l's and Duramax's rarely fail and ride nice.
Chevy Impala's, good ride great service and mpg's.
Ford Ranger V6 3.0l's, solid truck, great ride even with 250k +

 

[dusty3030]

Bests

1991 Toyota 4 banger 5 speed. I cut her loose at 180,000 for a bigger truck.
Tires, brakes, plugs and wires, o2 sensor, replaced the battery, changed the oil. Never failed me, ever.

Place I worked we used the cheapest ford rangers, all through the 90's. They all ran over a thousand miles a week loaded down with a/c and refrigeration service tools and equipment. 150,000 miles was nothing they really impressed me in durability for what they were.

 

[timswi]

1976 GMC 4x4 w/lt1 350..'77 K5 Blazer with dyno tuned and blueprinted 406--Wifes truck..Both an absolute blast to drive. They both needed the attention that you would give a classsic car.

91 & 97 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 standard cabs...Ran both to 200K before moving on..Never needed anything beyond normal maintenance..'04 GMC Xcab 4x4 5.3..Bought with 15K ran to 100k with no problems...Traded on a 2011 GMC xcab 6.2 4x4 no problems beyond a throttle body under warranty.

 

[Fordman1981]

Good stuff so far guys. I currently have a 2500 ram quad cab long bed with the 6.7 cummins G56 trans it has a little over 12,000 miles on it right now. I hope to have the same service or better service out of this truck as I did my 02 f250 7.3 with the manual trans. I have a standing order in for a new company truck it will be a ram 3500 srw quad cab 5.7 Hemi 4x4 with the factory gooseneck prep package and the chmsl camera and tailgate back up camera with 8.4 inch touch screen. It should be built this month and maybe arrive at dealer in early march. So I will be able to see side by side what the 2012 cummins and the 2013 3500 hemi will be like as far as maintenance cost and repairs.

 

[powerstroke444e]

Had many good trucks and like the idea of a postive thread for once

stuff I got rid of that I would buy again
2002 dodge 2500 cummins 5 spd 100,000 miles did nothing to it.
2004 Dodge 3500 430,000 miles auto I didn't put all the miles on it but it only had 2 trannies, ujoints, a tranny cooler and differantial cover.
1995 F350 drw auto tranny and injectors were out when I bought it @ 80,000 miles don't know why but put another 50,000 with no problems other than operator error.
1997 F350 srw powerstroke auto 130,000 miles only problem was ball joints and leaf springs were replaced twice more my fault than truck
Trucks I currently use
1997 F450 powerstroke 5spd 114,000 on it and needs a tranny but not trucks fault put about 2k in the fuel in system due to alge in fuel
2012 F350srw powerstroke just got it but so far been really impress time will tell.
All the ones I have listed I would buy again with out thinking twice. Nothing I have has been chipped or modified. Had many more but these are the good ones and no experience with anything between 7.3 powerstroke and the 6.7L by choice.

 

[schmism]

1994 toyota 3.0 V6 3vze.... replaced the motor due to head gasket (known issue on the 3vze) 248,000 on the truck 148,000 on the new rebuilt motor with headers. trans is org. I swapped the rear axle when i had the Detroit locker put in it. replaced a rear u-joint.... front CV boot... alternator....and oh put a new radiator in it a few years ago.... Its starting to show its age, she needs a tune up bad. ive lost 3-4 mpg and its s_l_o_w off the line, but shes my good ol truck. Ive thought about selling her and upgradeing to a early 2000's taco... but the wife has talked me out of it saying i need to keep her as ive had her for 14 years.

 

[Reyer Farms]

The two best trucks I ever owned:
92 Toyota 4wd 4 banger and five speed great truck, should have never parted with it.
00 reg cab 1/2 ton silverado 4wd with z85 suspension. The truck was a tough tough truck. It would flat walk in the mud and pulled hard. Replaced transmission at 110k, rear end at 90k. Wrecked twice t-boned & later rear ended. It was my first new truck ever. Pulled out an 18 wheeler loaded with windows that got stuck on the job site. Had twice pipes coming from the cats and it snorted pretty loud. Used as my first welding truck. Had the entire bed full welder, tanks, gangbox, weather guard saddle box full, and full pork chop box and late one night needed to move equipment to next work site. Hooked to trailer and loaded a b21? Kubota backhoe. Guy working with me commented that truck hardly squatted, I looked and explained it was because we were on the axles. Off she went. Sold it to my neighbor, and he still uses it to haul hay in the summer.

 

[D7E]

On the farm right now !

1990 gm seirra 2wd 5.7 with 478'000
1999 ford f150 4wd 4.6 with 345'000
2000 dodge 2wd 5.3 with 298'000
2002 chev tahoe 4.8 with 320'000
2008 chev trailblaizer with 146'000
2010 GM sierra 4x4 crew with 4.8 52'000

Personally i dont regard gas milage too much and am far more into the reliability and having a vehicle there when you need it . All things considered the old 90's 350 chev has been the rock and cost us the least second to that is my f150 ( alternator ,battery, used 4wd drop box and 2 tyres in 5 years) we have owned 4 dodge gassers over the years and there will not be another . (Rust the worst,Terrible on gas and trannies seem to be made on tissue paper )

The newer chevs are having more than their share of electrical problems , We are due for some upgrades and they will be fords .

 

[ultrarunner]

For Longevity it would have to be my 1930 Model A Ford Pickup...

For durability, my 85 G20 Chevy Van has been a real workhorse... it weighs in close to 10k which is 1200 pounds over the GVW because it is loaded with racks and supplies and has been for 25 years...

My 91 Chevrolet Style side is my tow vehicle... it has the 350 with the higher Hp and it does well towing my enclosed vehicle trailers...

I thought seriously about a Diesel Excursion... borrowed my neighbors a couple of times and found it to be a great long distance tow vehicle... too bad Ford dropped the line.

 

[dodge man]

The truck that stands out in my mind was a 1990 Chevy regular cab, 2 wheel drive, long bed, 350 V8. Its not the best truck I've owned, but it was my first, and by far the best buy I've every gotten on a vehicle. The dealer had just gotten the vehicle on trade and instead of thinking how much he could jack up the price, he probably sold it to me for a little mark up for what he took it in on trade. In my opinion, it was the first modern pick up where they started to make them more comfortable. I think its the truck that made Dodge and Ford start to modernize their trucks. It got about 20 mpg on the highway and I drove it for about 2 years. Traded it on a 94 Dodge and ignoring the numbers games dealers play, I got more on trade in then I paid for it.

 

[sam5570]

i can tell you that in my exprience as a machanic for long time and we are not comparing gas to diesel. the best most dependable mid size pickup for many years was the toyota all we ever did to most of them was normal sevice. i have seen several of them with 3 hundred thousand miles and still going.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Best compact pickup:

'97 Toyota Tacoma 4x4, 2.7L 5spd. 270,000mi with nothing more than routine maintenance and one starter.

Best Full-size:

'88 Ford F-250 4x4, 460 5spd. I can't say the truck has been trouble free, but at 240,000mi (mostly of which were work miles, hauling, towing etc) it's bound to have some problems. Rebuilt the motor at 170K, new transfercase at 235K, only routine maintenance otherwise and never left me stranded.

Best Medium-duty:

'75 Chevy C-60, 350, 4+2spd. 37yrs old, 130,000 (very hard miles), it still runs great and I hauled 200tons of gravel with it just a couple weeks ago. Truck is still 100% original and required nothing but basic maintenance.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Seems to be a lot of us Toyota fans. Now if they would build a 1ton diesel.

Chris

 

[Ed of all trades]

2001 Dodge 1500, Changed two tie rod ends, and it's up to 150,000 mi. Brakes, tires, plugs and wires of course. Was at the honda place to get parts for the car and the salesman tried to talk me into replacing it. I told him it's paid for and less than $200 in repairs and he did not have much to say.

 

[crashz]

Had a 2001 F150 and 2004 GMC 1500, both 4x4. Both were great trucks and went well over 100k, but not without a few problems. I won't list them, but none were beyond my skill set to repair. I think if I had the 4.6 or 5.4L V8 in the Ford, I'd still be driving it (it had the V6). The truck was a nice daily driver, rode nice and smooth, responsive, and visibility like a bubble. It was the perfect driveway plowing rig (short bed, regular cab). The GMC was just a bit more comfortable (long bed, SLE) and had the bigger V8. Ironically both had similar problems: wheel bearings and electrical woes.

 

[Fordman1981]

I was at the dodge dealership today and seen this. It's a mopar body kit. The way this one was setup they said 64,500. It's neat but no way it's worth that. I was thinking if keep did offer this as a production vehicle at a reasonable price they would sell.