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Just FYI - the brand new Ram 1500 with the diesel engine is supposed to beat every truck that exists, as far as MPG. Don't know if that's in your price range, though.
Just FYI - the brand new Ram 1500 with the diesel engine is supposed to beat every truck that exists, as far as MPG. Don't know if that's in your price range, though.
Yeah, probably not, haha. I'm expecting that buying used will be the best financial option for me.
Here's the take on pickups from a guy who has been driving them for over 40 years. Some of this advice may not apply to the OP, but I figure that I might as well summarize it in one place.
First and foremost--a pickup is a handy tool to have, but it usually comes with a big penalty in acquisition cost, fuel economy, and--in the case of a 4WD pickup (which is the type of pickup that I drive exclusively because I use it in real rough backcountry service)--mechanical complexity. So, if you don't need the capabilities of a pickup, don't buy one.
Rule 2. Don't marry yourself to any particular make or model--this goes for any vehicle, not just pickups. Every manufacturer has, over the years, made some very good vehicles and they've made some real lousy ones. Which leads to my discussion below--this is my take on the best of the 2013-2014 trucks, but it only applies to those model years. Some of the same models that I recommend in a 2014 model were pure junk a few years ago.
So, my recommendations. A couple of assumptions: I base my recommendations on 4WD pickups--I don't drive anything else, so someone else can comment on the merits of 2WD models. Here we go.
Compact pickups. In my book, there is only one that I would consider--the Toyota Tacoma. Very reliable, with decent out-of-the-box backcountry capability. These days about the only reason that I would consider a compact pickup is if I needed the maneuverability of a smaller truck. Otherwise, there are full-size pickups that get nearly as good a fuel economy with full-size truck utility. The 4-cylinder Tacoma will beat the full-size 1/2 tons in fuel economy, but the V6 models don't do any better than many of the full-sizes. And, yes, I do consider fuel economy mucho importante in today's economic situation.
1/2 ton pickups. First off, in my book, if one is going to use a 1/2 ton pickup for any serious backcountry trail use, there isn't a single 2014 model that doesn't need a mild suspension lift. So, if you accept that assumption, here is my list of 2014 1/2 tons, ranked from worst to best. Ranked last is the Nissan Titan. Poor fuel economy and mediocre reliability, at best, knock it to the bottom. Then Ford. I'm not impressed with Ford's EcoBoost V6. On paper, it should have been a dynamite engine--economical, yet powerful. Unfortunately, like many turbocharged gasoline engines, it has wound up having reliability and longevity problems. The alternative engines, the 5.0 V8 and 6.2 V8 are, respectively, uninspired and fuel guzzling. The Ford SVT Raptor is probably the best off-road performing pickup out of the box, but it is saddled with the 6.2 V8 that gives it fuel economy down into the single-digits in in-town or off-road driving. Dumb move there, Ford. The rest of the Ford pickup line is just ho-hum mediocre. Next, are the Chevy/GMC twins. They are not bad trucks, but are just middle of the pack. Second best is the Toyota Tundra. I wouldn't have said that a few years back, but the Tundra has proven itself to me as a tough, durable, and reliable truck. Its down side is a thirsty engine (either V8). So, I would have never imagined that the Ram 1500 would be my 2014 pick as the best 1/2 ton, but it is. Why? 8-speed automatic transmission, a very economical and reliable 3.6 Pentastar V6 engine as a option, and now the 3.0 V6 Ecodiesel--the Ecodiesel which will put the Ram 1500 diesel at the top of the class in fuel economy.
3/4 ton trucks. There are three reasons to buy a 3/4 or heavier pickup:
1. To tow heavy trailers.
2. To carry heavy loads.
3. For serious backcountry use, where a bulletproof suspension is a necessity.
My ranking of 3/4 tons. Again, these are based on 4WD's. Once again, the order has changed for me in the last few years. Last place--Chevy/GMC. Chevy/GMC have two things going for them--in both gas and diesel, pretty decent engines mated to pretty good transmissions. Where the Chevy/GMC heavy duties fall down is their use of the independent front suspension (IFS) on the 4WD's. IFS's can be OK on 1/2 ton 4WD's (that's the only choice on them now), but they don't cut it for me on HD's. Second best goes to Ram. The Cummins diesel engine available in the Ram is legendary and Ram seems to have finally got a decent automatic transmission behind it. The 5.7 gas, though thirsty, is a good engine if one doesn't need the diesel. The Ram has a solid-front-axle (SFA) front suspension that is robust. First place goes to the Ford HD's. Finally, in 2011, Ford ditched the disastrous 6.0 and 6.4 Powerstroke diesels and built its own 6.7 diesel--which is proving to be reliable and economical. Like the Ram, the Ford engines are now mated to a pretty decent automatic transmission. The Ford 6.2 gas V8 is a decent performer in the HD's, and actually will get a little bit better fuel economy in the HD than it will in the 1/2 ton Raptor. Ford bodies have been pretty decent over the years and the Ford also has an SFA front suspension. Finally, a huge markdown for Chevy/GMC and Ram HD's in the 2014 model year is the fact that one can not get an HD in an extended cab--only in a regular cab or crew cab. Ford still offers an extended cab in the HD's and I suspect that they will make a ton of fleet sales just because they continue to offer that option.
Quickly, as to fuel type. I've been around diesel engines all of my life and I admit to preferring them over gasoline engines. That said, though, for most people, a diesel engine just doesn't make economic sense for most pickup owners, unless they use the truck for heavy towing or drive a lot of miles. I recently spreadsheeted out a comparison between the Ram 1500 with 3.6 V6 gas engine and the 3.0 V6 diesel, based on current fuel prices, difference in vehicle acquisition cost, and my estimated real world fuel economy with either engine. My calculations showed that it would take about 80K miles to pay off the additional acquisition cost for the diesel with fuel cost savings. Since I typically keep a vehicle for well over 10 years, the diesel might make economic sense for me, but it probably wouldn't for most people.
That's my take. As I said, I've driven pickups from nearly all the manufacturers over the years--and, the way that I use them, I know what works and what doesn't.
You'll need to be looking used. The SportTrac was discontinued in 2010.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rbohm
whats your point? she didnt specify new or used, and i figured since it would be a beater, used would be the way to go.
The OP indeed didn't specify new or used, but did say she is currently driving an SUV that was purchased new, and wants to save up enough money so she can buy buy a truck in a couple of years.
In a couple of years, when the OP is ready to make a purchase, the newest SportTracs on the road are going to be about six years old, so just wanted to point that out, in case she is thinking a new or late model truck. 6+ year old trucks, that have really been used as "trucks" can often be pretty rough-looking.
Yeah, I'll probably be looking at used. As a recent college grad who JUST got a "real" job, I don't have a big budget and even 1-2 years from now, I still won't have a big budget.
I guess my main concerns are:
I don't want something high maintenance, so nothing old enough that will be a pain in my butt. What are some key things to look for in a used truck? Any years better than others? I'm a girl who knows nothing about cars other than how to change oil, so something with a record of being low maintenance is a must.
as for what to look for in a used truck, start with;
1: rust issues. toyotas during some model years had bad rust issues in the frames, so be watchful of that
2: overall condition of the vehicle. you dont want to roll up on a truck that is beat to death, barely runs, and looks like it spent all its time in a mid bog
3: you want to make sure everything works, so during any test drive you take, turn on the a/c, heat, defroster, radio, cruise control(if equipped), etc. you also want to note if the transmission shifts smoothly, and that there are no ominous noises emanating from the truck
4: you also want to make sure that no smoke emanates from the engine, though a bit of white smoke upon start up isnt anything to worry about.
5: check the tires for wear and tire pressure, including the spare.
if the vehicle in question passes these tests, then take it to your local mechanic for a prebuy inspection. if it passes this test, then make an offer on the truck.
The OP indeed didn't specify new or used, but did say she is currently driving an SUV that was purchased new, and wants to save up enough money so she can buy buy a truck in a couple of years.
In a couple of years, when the OP is ready to make a purchase, the newest SportTracs on the road are going to be about six years old, so just wanted to point that out, in case she is thinking a new or late model truck. 6+ year old trucks, that have really been used as "trucks" can often be pretty rough-looking.
The only reason I was given a new SUV by my parents was because they were able to get it at the cost of a used one because they were purchasing another new SUV for themselves on the same day. I guess the salesmen were so happy about selling 2 new SUVs at once during a bad time in the economy (2008) they gave us an amazing deal (according to my mom). I'm definitely open minded to "gently" used trucks though. I just have no idea where to start when looking at used vehicles.
as for what to look for in a used truck, start with;
1: rust issues. toyotas during some model years had bad rust issues in the frames, so be watchful of that
2: overall condition of the vehicle. you dont want to roll up on a truck that is beat to death, barely runs, and looks like it spent all its time in a mid bog
3: you want to make sure everything works, so during any test drive you take, turn on the a/c, heat, defroster, radio, cruise control(if equipped), etc. you also want to note if the transmission shifts smoothly, and that there are no ominous noises emanating from the truck
4: you also want to make sure that no smoke emanates from the engine, though a bit of white smoke upon start up isnt anything to worry about.
5: check the tires for wear and tire pressure, including the spare.
if the vehicle in question passes these tests, then take it to your local mechanic for a prebuy inspection. if it passes this test, then make an offer on the truck.
What about mileage? Obviously lower would be better, but is there a certain number that I should be trying to stay under?
Thanks everyone! And jazzlover, your post was awesome - definitely going to save it as a reference for the future - I just didn't want to quote it in this post because it was long!
One additional comment. For years, Chevy/GMC have duked it out with Ford for dominance in the fleet pickup market, with Ram (Dodge) running a distant third. I place a lot of stock in the fleet market because those commercial users tend to need trucks that are economical, reliable, and long-lived. From 2003 to 2010, Ford got a really black eye in much of the fleet market because of the horrible 6.0 and 6.4 Powerstroke diesels. Chevy/GMC picked up nearly all of the market share that Ford lost in the fleet market because of those engines. In just the last year or two, Ram appears to be picking up some market share in the fleet market. Since the introduction of the diesel 6.7 by Ford in 2011, they appear to be regaining some share lost because of the Powerstroke debacle.
What's your price ceiling? How big/long of a bed do you need? Will you be towing/hauling anything heavy?
Skip the diesel unless you need to haul/tow heavy stuff often. It's not worth the trade off of the initial cost, especially given the price premiums and the Big 3 all struggling to make a reliable diesel lately (their quests to have the biggest hp/tq numbers combined with trying to comply with emissions standards have gotten in the way).
Just a thought......if your current vehicle is still doing fine and you have no need to get rid of it, maybe it's a smarter play to either buy or rent a trailer to tow behind it when you need. I'm a truck guy, and when I had to go with just one compact car for a while, I thought I'd miss having a bed. But I put a hitch on the car and bought a used 4x6 trailer, and with that, I hauled everything I needed with no issue. Only logistical hurdle I had was storing the trailer, but we had space so it was no big deal.
Lmao, yeah I'm female, I think I said it in my second post on this thread. I don't need to do any "work" with it (probably won't have to tow anything or go off roading/mudding).
That is right, the Japanese trucks are usually the ones driven by females. If you won't be towing anything, going offroad, or doing construction work, I don't think you will need a full size truck, unless you just like driving a big truck. I am not fond of any of the Toyotas because I have heard too many bad things about them. You should check out the small trucks from Chevy and GMC.
As for me, I am on my third Dodge Dakota. It is 10 years old with over 160,000 miles on it. Generally I would get rid of it at about this mileage, but I plan on keeping it to 250,000 or maybe 300,000 miles. I have had to put out for repairs in addition to regular maintenance, but I cant complain because it has been good to me. I rarely wash it and I think I have waxed it only once, but the paint still looks new. I have had many compliments to that effect over the years, even recently. Everyone says it is a good looking truck. I am a conservative person who doesn't like change and who expects things that I buy to last a long time (coats, shoes, vehicles, etc.). The Dakota is the perfect vehicle for me and I highly recommend it.
What about mileage? Obviously lower would be better, but is there a certain number that I should be trying to stay under?
Thanks everyone! And jazzlover, your post was awesome - definitely going to save it as a reference for the future - I just didn't want to quote it in this post because it was long!
to me mileage means virtually nothing. the condition of the vehicle is more important. back in the old days mileage was kind of important because finance contracts were usually less than 36 months, and by that time people were trading their cars in for a new one, so they tended not to take care of their cars. add to that oil wasnt the best at the time, especially compared to today, so engines with a lot of miles on them usually also had a fair amount of wear on them as well. today however finance contracts are much longer so people tend to take care of their cars much better than in the old days, and add in the much better quality oils and additives, and cars tend to be in much better condition beyond 100,000 miles than cars on the old days.
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