Best truck under $10k?

[Doughknob]

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[MossRoad]

I drive a little Ford van at work that shuts off at stop lights, too long at a stop sign, etc. I’d guess it takes milliseconds to start back up when I lift my foot off the brake. Starts before my foot hits the gas. I still don’t like it, though. There’s just something about the thing shutting off, and all my past experiences have conditioned my brain to say if the engine shut off when you stopped, it must have stalled. I still can’t get used to it, and deactivate it out of habit about every time I notice it now.

 

[5030]

It's a thing for many model years starting around 2007 in some models. Older system wiped out the cam and lifters when it failed newer system causes big time oil consumption.

Yep. Amy's (my wife), hers started using oil between oil changes (and I don't wait for the change oil light, it gets changed every 5K miles). Was using almost 2 quarts between changes and I said enough is enough, installed the Range delete module and the oil consumption is actually becoming less and less as time goes on. Not familiar with the workings inside but deleting it made a difference in not only driveability but burning oil as well. Not at all impressed with the design and I've read they are a bugger to work on too.

Both she and I like the overall security the Suburban has. It's a 4 wheel tank and it rides excellent too. Best part is when you mash it, it goes but then so does the fuel gage...

 

[5030]

deactivate it out of habit about every time I notice it now.

At least you can deactivate it. The GM system has no over ride except the delete module or you can disconnect the pressure sensor connector from the brake booster cannister but that throws a check engine light. I guess the system somehow uses brake vacuum to sense something, what, I'm not sure.

Some of this 'green' crap amazes me. Mossy... Does it shut off all the time, like in the winter when it's cold out and you have the heater on or in a downpour when your wipers are running???

Considering how hard it is to replace any component on a Ford transverse engine vehicle, I bet the starter is a bugger. On my Focus, you have to drop the entire steering rack to access anything on the front of the engine, alternator, ac compressor and even the belt tensioner.

My BIL is a design engineer at Fords and I've asked him before who comes up with some of this stuff and his reply is always the same....'not ne'.

 

[MossRoad]

As far as I know, anytime you come to a complete stop and wait about 2-3 seconds, it shuts off as long as you keep your foot on the brake. I can’t recall if it shuts off in winter or in rain, but I’ll keep an eye on it and see.

 

[MossRoad]

Put it in park, and it stays running.

 

[D2Cat]

Here's a couple of pictures of the Dakota.

 

[dirttoys]

Plot twist: I already bought my Home Depot truck back in January but as I've learned some pros and cons, I figured I would see what others think. The advice is not far off from what I was thinking when I bought.

When I was looking, I found that a lot of the small dealers with cheap trucks had very little credibility, often with very similar stories told in the dealership reviews: major drive train issues were common and usually when I would go and see $8-$10k trucks, they were about a decade of abuse past their prime. Sometimes the dealers would be honest and say things like "yeah this one has some issues, well try to figure it out if you want to buy it."

In terms of size, I decided that I wanted a small truck that was still big enough to throw a sheet of plywood or drywall in the bed (while hanging out of course) so I didn't want a short bed. Full size trucks with crew cabs seemed less useful than a smaller truck with a regular or long bed.

Started narrowing my search and many people directed me to a tacoma... but then I keep seeing Ford rangers for about 60% of the cost.

I found one that was a one owner 2002 extended cab with 161k miles... more miles than I wanted but it was in great condition and had spent its entire life in Marina Del Ray, California. It had a "I'd rather be diving " license plate frame on it so I figured it wasn't a work truck, all things considered. The interior was very clean which for me is a big plus.

I wound up paying $7800 and then spent $500 on a good tubular bolt on ladder/lumber rack. The dealer gave me a 30 day handshake warranty and the guy seemed to be a stand up guy so I figured it was better than buying from a private party that might not be disclosing a major issue that is causing them to sell.

I know that this truck would have been $5k two years ago but what can you do. To get the same price in a tacoma would have been a 300k mile vehicle. Maybe the same amount of useful life left?

So I've had the ranger for 6 months now put about 3k miles on it and have had zero issues. Changed the oil once and they told me it's leaking oil. Sounds good to me.

My biggest mistake was not going with a flex fuel ranger which would have saved me some fuel cost. I read online that they were all flex fuel in 2002, but they aren't. I get 14mpg thanks to a lot of hills around here. On the highway I might get 20mpg if I'm lucky.

I've seen plenty of rangers on the market with 200k miles so I figure this one has a decent amount of life left.

I have a flex fuel (e85) f-150. Somebody did the math, the ~20% you save on cost is also lost on millage. The way prices are, I have considered selling everything but one truck and waiting for a buyers market. Good luck with the ranger, usually if your willing to do maintenance things work out ok.

best,

ed

 

[Muhammad]

I have a flex fuel (e85) f-150. Somebody did the math, the ~20% you save on cost is also lost on millage. The way prices are, I have considered selling everything but one truck and waiting for a buyers market. Good luck with the ranger, usually if your willing to do maintenance things work out ok.

best,

ed

Here, e85 is about 50% cheaper than regular unleaded. I figured net 30% savings?

 

[dirttoys]

Here, e85 is about 50% cheaper than regular unleaded. I figured net 30% savings?

Should be, we never get that delta here, and nearest e85 is 30 miles for me. I would say you would be making money if you had flex, I doubt the risk is worth it for a non flex engine.

Best,

ed

 

[Muhammad]

Should be, we never get that delta here, and nearest e85 is 30 miles for me. I would say you would be making money if you had flex, I doubt the risk is worth it for a non flex engine.

Best,

ed

Yeah I wouldn't put e85 without proper conversion. E85 is all over this area... oh well maybe next time.

 

[dirttoys]

Yeah I wouldn't put e85 without proper conversion. E85 is all over this area... oh well maybe next time.

Hey man, I am happy you found something you like for under 10k, gas might come down! Maybe start saving for a good used electric truck for the next one

 

[Raul-02]

truck under $10,000

That image you have of yourself must be about 30 years old or you must be buying from a doting uncle. 10K won't get anything worth owning these days.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

at 10k they are all junk, not sure what your expecting. Toyota is the way to go, but thats like a 200k mile vehicle

I don't know about that. I bought mine for 500 two years ago. Didn't run. Saw it had wrong battery, and by putting it in, they had broke a cable. Fixed on spot and been rolling ever sinçe. Straight body, glass good, cold air and warm heat. 196,000 miles when I got it. Eddie Bauer Expedition. I was going to just take the engine and transmission out and put in a pickup with a bad engine. Maybe it was 2019. Been to Shreveport and Texarkana several times. Both are over an hour from me. No problem whatsoever.

 

[Jstpssng]

Here, e85 is about 50% cheaper than regular unleaded. I figured net 30% savings?

Do you find that your mileage decreases though? When we started getting E-10, I found that my mileage dropped 10%.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I was driving a 76 Ford. 55 Miles to work one way. Six days a week. Drove that truck 8 years straight before I put a wrench on it. Blowed out a tire in Texarkana, first wrench in 8 years. 10,000 ? That truck was less than 1,000 way less, like 500 I'm thinking. I did put a transmission in it, I knew the old one had been in there 42 years, It worked still. I had the truck maybe 15 years by then. But I had another one laying around that I knèw was good. So I put it in my shop and swapped it while I was off around Thanksgiving. I have never walked or got a tow since 2005 when I got it.

In 2015 I hooked on a 33' horse trailer loaded with junk and left out of Louisiana and crossed the Yukon in Alaska. Went that trip in a 1975 F250 4x4, bone stock.

 

[RebelHomesteads]

F150. It’s easy and cheap to fix them.

 

[JP_Austin]

I picked up a 2000 Chevy 4x4 while in the middle of the Covid deal. Been a great farm truck and got it for a great price. Fast forward a couple years we have been offered nearly 2X what I paid but it runs too good to sell.

Has a 5.3L that runs really well. Great truck if you can find a clean one.

 

[Muhammad]

Do you find that your mileage decreases though? When we started getting E-10, I found that my mileage dropped 10%.

My particular ranger has a 15 city/20 hwy rating.

The E85 version has a 11 city/15 hwy rating.

So it's 25% lower, at least. But again saving 50% on fuel...

I know a guy who converted his jeep to e85 and says his mpg stayed the same. Not sure if that was a scientific test however.

 

[Muhammad]

That image you have of yourself must be about 30 years old or you must be buying from a doting uncle. 10K won't get anything worth owning these days.

I was 29 in the photo... 39 now. I will definitely update it by the time I turn 49.