oh boy...truck shopping time

[WI Dan]

Potentially in the search for a truck to replace my 2003 Honda CR-V. I'm overwhelmed by the search, I don't know what's good/bad. What should I run to, or run from?
(I've had good experiences driving our company's 2015 Ford F350 diesel super duty)

This may open a can of worms but want to ask your thoughts. I appreciate the collective (albeit- diverse) knowledge.

Requirements:
1. reliable/durable engine/drivetrain. I'm mechanical enough to do brakes, oil, belts, etc. But I'm not advanced enough to know what a 'lifter' or 'EVAP' code is.
2. six seat belts (family trips). Four-door preferred.
3. least rust possible, I hate cancer.

If you can give me some pointers, such as:
avoid 2002-2004 silverado: bad engines*
seek 2004-2009 F250: good transmission*

*i just made these up, may not be real.

 

[rbhuntn]

Love my 2008 Dodge 2500 4x4 Diesel. 4 Door short bed heavy duty version.

Got 215K on the clock. I did have to replace the tranny at 213K. Love the truck so replacement was worth it to me.

 

[steve_in_mo]

We need to know what your other requirements are.

Do you want or need to tow anything? If so, how heavy?
How old or big are the kids? Six seat belts in a Toyota Tundra
is a lot different situation than six seat belts in a Tacoma.

Do you have a good and/or bad local dealer?

 

[WI Dan]

Thanks rb.
How's the body holding up?

 

[jon f mn]

I know two people that had 2005 dodge diesels and both
rusted badly, one the cab settled down on the frame. This
was a few years back. My 05 ford showed the first rust this
year.

 

[WI Dan]

Hi Steve,
Full-sized. Kids are growing. Littlest one is taking up the most space (carseat)
Yes, towing. Likely a tandem axle RV or enclosed van trailer in the future.
Local Ford/Chevy/Dodge dealer avail. in town. Nothing above-average; standard "Certified" service. I haven't dealt with them much. Other brands within 1 hour drive.

 

[WI Dan]

Thanks Jon. I think I've seen pictures of your 'tractor-getter'. It's a Superduty F250 diesel, right?

 

[JamesJTX]

I have a 2009 Chevy Silverado 2500 crewcab longbed with
6.0 gas. Has 165k other normal maintenance runs like a top. I
pull stock and flatbed trailers no problem. Body great shape
but then I live in Texas.

 

[Loosehandle]

Bought a Duramax 2500 4 door from
Autoland outlet in South Beloit IL
right on WI border. It's been good,
came from Texas originally, no rust.

 

[Larry EC-OH]

2003 Dodge Crew Cab, 8' Bed, Hemi, no rust, no issues (bought it new) I did replace the battery last year.

Larry

 

[jon f mn]

It's an F350 V10 gas with 6spd manual. I bought it with
107,000 on it and it has 150,000 now after I think 6 years. So I
don't drive much. Pull some heavy loads and it does well at
that. Only money I've spent is oil changes a battery and a set
of brakes and rotors and rear calipers. Needs tires now.

 

[wjytexas]

2006 F250 6.0L diesel 4X4. Texas so no rust Kept outside. I pull a 24 ft gooseneck. Have had some work but am pleased. I made the 475 mile trip to Big Bend National Park last year and drove a bunch of the back country.

 

[wingnuttx]

W I Dan.... Just be careful not to purchase a previously flooded vehicle. Wingnut

 

[wjytexas]

since Harvey buying a used car would be a tricky thing. years ago my Dad was looking at a used car and popped the back seat up looking of the back seat seat belts. He found them and about 1/2 in. of silt. Looking in the engine compartment more closely, silt where ever the pressure washer couldn't reach

 

[Farmer Rock]

If your looking for reliability and turbo diesel power,a 7.3 powerstroke or 5.9 cummins are the only
choices.I personally run IDIs since they are basically tractors that do 65mph,they literally tow anything
hooked to it,and are dead reliable.takes 1 wire to keep it running.A lot of people under estimate the old
IDIs,but they been gettin' er' done for years.But it sounds like you are looking for a newer truck,so I
would only recommend staying pre emission and DEF,since those are really the only problems the modern
diesels have,but to repair them costs more than the truck itself.When I eventually look for a newer
diesel,it would be a 7.3 powerstroke with a 6-speed.

Chevy's are known for bad diesels(early 2000s and before),dodges are known for weak auto trannies,loose
front ends and bodies more prone to rust(never changed yet),Fords are known for brakes that need to be
replaced more frequently(not as much on newer trucks).I don't know about you but I would rather do a brake
job every couple years,then replace an engine,tranny,fix bad rust,or rebuild front ends.

Rock

 

[VicS]

2015 or newer F150 4 door 4x4 5.0 V8. Most
popular vehicle in America. Its Aluminum.
Shouldn't rust. But I would get a 3.5 Eco
boost. And before you-all say it will
still corrode. All premium semi trucks
have aluminum cabs. Ever see a Peterbuilt
or Kenworth rust?

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

Do not buy a local one. I to live in WI and always get my vehicles south or west. I have an 02 Chevy Duramax that is a rust free truck from CA. My son recently got one from TX. Bought my last mini van in southern IN. We are also having our vehicles undercoated with Fluid Film. Time will tell on that but the rust always wins just a matter of how soon. Tom

 

[504]

The wife has a 2014 Ram Crew Cab,it will seat 6 adults with more leg room in the
back than the front. 1/2 ton 5.7 Hemi rated to pull 10,000#. runs 16 pulling the
camper and 21 MPG on the hwy. It has 163,000 miles on it,no rust, I have put 1
water pump and 1 front hub bearing on it. And if you want a lot of cab room,
look at a Mega cab Ram.

 

[jm.]

I trade F 150s ever two years so never any rust, but am on my 4th eco-boost and I can tell you I love that engine.

 

[jal-SD]

I have an '08 Toyota Tundra with just
under 140,000 on the clock. It's pulled
an 18' flatbed all over SD with antique
tractors aboard. Extended cab, enough
room for 5 adults. 5.7 gasoline engine,
plenty of power, will give you 12-13 MPG
pulling, up to 20 empty, as long as you
don't stick your foot into the injectors.
No rust showing & only trouble was
replacing the radio, under warranty. New
brakes at last oil change, first time.
Change oil every 5,000-never added a drop
yet. Made in Texas & I'd buy another
Tundra in a heartbeat.

 

[Whiskey Bent]

I agree with a 2015 or newer F-150, ecoboost or 5.0 either are great engines and like was said no rust!

 

[MarkB_MI]

What is it you actually NEED? You're getting by right now with a small SUV, but you're talking about driving a one-ton truck. That's a big jump.

Do you need to pull or haul heavy loads? If not, you don't need a 3/4 or one ton truck. They're expensive to buy, maintain and operate.

The only concrete requirement you've given is six seats. That eliminates mid-size pickups. A full-size extended cab pickup without a console can carry six passengers, but not comfortably. And where will you put luggage? In the bed, out in the rain? It sounds like you need a crew cab, but they are either very long or have very short beds.

Are you really sure you need a pickup? Maybe a bigger SUV is a better choice; you can buy a trailer for when you need to haul stuff that won't fit (or you don't want) in the SUV. The Chevy Traverse/GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave can pull a decent load and can easily carry six passengers with luggage. If that's not enough truck for you, then there's always the Suburban.

 

[Walston]

(quoted from post at 17:44:45 08/31/20) Potentially in the search for a truck to replace my 2003 Honda CR-V. I'm overwhelmed by the search, I don't know what's good/bad. What should I run to, or run from?
(I've had good experiences driving our company's 2015 Ford F350 diesel super duty)

This may open a can of worms but want to ask your thoughts. I appreciate the collective (albeit- diverse) knowledge.

Requirements:
1. reliable/durable engine/drivetrain. I'm mechanical enough to do brakes, oil, belts, etc. But I'm not advanced enough to know what a 'lifter' or 'EVAP' code is.
2. six seat belts (family trips). Four-door preferred.
3. least rust possible, I hate cancer.

If you can give me some pointers, such as:
avoid 2002-2004 silverado: bad engines*
seek 2004-2009 F250: good transmission*

*i just made these up, may not be real.

I have had 2013 F150, 2017 F150 and just got a 2020 F150, all 4 doors. My Sons have the 2013 and 2017 still. They are great and I have had very good success with them, but they have 5 seat belts. 6 seat belts pretty much eliminates most if not all pickups.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

They each have their quirks and problems, but there are fixes for all of them.

 

[warbaby]

Probably the most important lesson if youre buying a diesel truck :

DO NOT BUY ONE SOMEONE HAS MODIFIED!

If they did a DEF delete, or swapped out turbos or pretty much anything else, youll be sorry. They are never-ending headaches in constant need of repairs, all
because the previous owner thought he needed more than 800-1000 ft.lbs. of torque @1800 rpms.

IF he did need actually need more than that, you dont want his overloaded and abused truck anyway!

Check out the local dealers for a truck coming back off a lease- I just picked up a 2017 Silverado extended cab 4x4 that only had 7k on it for $25k less than a
similarly equipped 2021 truck

 

[miangus]

Same advice for lift kits, just pass.

 

[ss55]

2X on Mark B's comment to determine your needs first before shopping.

Will you tow a heavy load with all the family along every week or just once or twice a year? Consider renting a vehicle for those once or twice a year trips. Renting a motor home for an annual vacation trip can be more comfortable and cheaper than owning a large truck and RV trailer.

Rust levels depends a lot on simple maintenance. Hosing off the underside of a vehicle every spring can easily double the years before any rust appears.

 

[Lyndon - AB]

(quoted from post at 18:06:04 08/31/20) 2015 or newer F150 4 door 4x4 5.0 V8. Most
popular vehicle in America. Its Aluminum.
Shouldn't rust. But I would get a 3.5 Eco
boost. And before you-all say it will
still corrode. All premium semi trucks
have aluminum cabs. Ever see a Peterbuilt
or Kenworth rust?

VicS, as a matter of fact, yes, I've seen several Pete's and KW's with aluminum corrosion on the cabs. A good friend of mine spent the summer rebuilding the cab and sleeper on his 379 Pete, it was incredible the degree of damage salt can do to aluminum. The corrosion buildup inside the cab braces under the cab was so bad it was starting to distort the lower structure of the cab. Also, between the rivets and cab skin was another point of bad corrosion.

Good paint on steel can last just as long. Still see lots of good looking old Western Stars working up here.

 

[David G]

I have a four door super duty with front bench seat, the 6th person is not comfortable so better consider that a 5 person truck.

 

[Pitch]

That is some outstanding mileage, the very best mileage! You must go downhill a lot! My 2013 Ram 1500 5.7 six speed gets 18 to 20 on non ethanol 90octane. Towing our 6k travel trailer I average 11 mpg on the same fuel.
Love the truck, if you run it like it was designed,(not afraid of revolutions)(peak HP about 3600 RPM,s) the thing pulls like a freakin freight train.
Mine had a problem about 53k. Service electronic throttle came on and went into limp mode.
Ram dealer threw parts at it for three months.
New Body control module
new engine management computer
new main fuse block
new electronic gas pedal
new engine wiring harness
new transmission wiring harness
various and sundry sensors.
still don't know what was wrong with it.
My cost was 300 odd bucks for their first attempt, the rest FICA paid for.
Runs fine 28k miles not a hiccup!

 

[Tractorman90]

I worked with a number of vehicles working in the auto industry in Detroit. It's amazing how much better newer vehicles are than ones made 10-20 years ago. It sounds like you need a half-ton pickup, based on your towing needs. As others have said, for capability, the 3.5L EcoBoost F150 is probably the best all-around full-size pickup out there. Be careful when looking, as Ford also has a 3.5L Naturally Aspirated engine that they sold to fleets, but those are pretty rare to find. If you can afford it, the 2017 or newer 3.5L EB and the 2018 or newer 5.0L NA have the 10 speed transmission. I was working at BorgWarner when that 10R80 transmission came out, and the transmission experts I worked with said it was one of the best designed transmissions they've seen. There's only been one class-action lawsuit on it, which is actually surprisingly low for new transmissions and engines in the auto industry (a lot of our job is documentation for the always impending lawsuits). The newer Rams and GMC trucks are also great, with very few issues, but they don't have aluminum bodies.

If you're not needing the truck bed, and you're only towing from the receiver hitch, you might be ok with an Expedition or Suburban too. They both are based on the full-size pickups, and they'll have a lot of room for your growing family. My mom went from an Explorer to an Expedition to an Excursion as us kids got older. But the main benefit of the bigger SUVs was being able to haul campers and trailers for family trips. They will be cheaper than a crew-cab pickup of the same age, and it'll be a great upgrade from your CR-V.

My wife loved her 2nd generation CR-V like you have, and she's happy with her 3rd gen, but we're planning on replacing it with a bigger SUV soon. I have my '99 "Heavy-Half" F250 (F150 frame with F250 transmission and suspension) that I'm doing an engine rebuild on right now, but that will continue to be our towing and work machine. It might be worth getting two vehicles like we plan on doing, an SUV for hauling kids and a cheap pickup for hauling big stuff.

 

[WI Dan]

That's a nice looking machine wjytexas.

 

[WI Dan]

wingnuttx Thanks for the tip, I'll keep it in mind.
How can you tell if it's been flooded? Do I need special equipment, or just a really thorough inspection?

 

[WI Dan]

farmer rock: thanks, good tips. I appreciate this.
Yes, I prefer Fords and I agree: brakes are expendable. Engines/tranny's should not be.
I'm not sure about a diesel. Do they require more attentiveness/maintenance? Diesels aren't #1 on passenger vehicles. Why?

 

[Farmer Rock]

Gas trucks generally get terrible mpg's,but are a good bit cheaper to maintain..Diesels get great mpg's
and last twice as long so you make your money back.If you get a pre emision diesel (2007 and earlier),that
will eliminate the most common problem on a modern diesel,which is the emission system.Diesels have a
higher price tag (as well as resale value) but you should expect to get 400k-500k miles,maybe more if
taken care of so it pays for itself.Pre emission engines can be worked on pretty easily by the home
mechanic..And I am sure you will appreciate the extra power and fuel mileage.I am not trying to push
towards diesels,after all,there are some applications a gas truck is better,for instance,if you don't need
3/4 ton or larger and a 1/2 ton would be more than enough,in which case it would be gas,but it really
depends on your needs,and obviously it will be your truck,so make sure it works for you.I personelly would not want a diesel with all the emission junk,so if given the choice between that and gas,I would take a gas truck first.I have seen way too many people spend $60k on a truck,then in 5 years the emission system sends false readings and over heats the engine with out warning,blowing up the engine that costs $15k to replace.

Rock