Not a trick question - Making the general assumption that trucks were maintained in a similar fashion, which 2000-2010 brand would be more durable after 200K miles? In other words, which brand could be reasonably expected to last another 100K with routine maintenance? 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton, gas or diesel, manual or automatic. I'm wanting a newer truck for errands and occasional work commute, and most I'm seeing in my budget range around 200K + / - 20K miles. Please explain your selection. Thanks.
200K Miles - Durability Between Brands, 2000-2010
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I would say anything that is naturally aspirated. I marvel at the ecoboost engine but I don’t think I’d buy one in the 200k mark just yet.
Coming from a young, but professional mechanic that has worked on each of them: Chevrolet with non-AFM gas V8. I think a 1500HD or straight 2500 is a well-balanced truck for someone that doesn't expressly need a bigger truck. And the driving response of the manual throttle body trucks (pre-'03?) is night and day to the DBW throttle body. That's on the older side of your spectrum but finding a nice one could be worth it in the long run.
Too many variables, only normies are foolish enough to believe that if you buy the right brand vehicle you can somehow avoid spending money on repairs.
My vote would go to a '06/'07 LBZ Duramax. Mine has 380,000 miles on it, I have 2 customers with 500,000 plus on their LBZ's.
One owns a Mrs Baird's delivery route & the other does some kind of USPS subcontract with his box truck.
*Steering shaft rattle
*Glow Plugs are a maintenance item, One a year for me.
*Belt/Tensioner/Idlers every 100,000.
*Left Temp Door Actuator.
*Trans Cooler lines every 100,000 (Allison 1000 makes a lot of cooler circuit pressure)
That is ALL I've done to my truck other than basic maintenance (Fluids/Filters/Grease/Tires/Shocks/Brakes/Batteries)
With that said....The 2007-2010 GMT900 LMM Duramax trucks are really good to, Just a DELETE away from being a LBZ truck with [censored] body & wiring.
One owns a Mrs Baird's delivery route & the other does some kind of USPS subcontract with his box truck.
*Steering shaft rattle
*Glow Plugs are a maintenance item, One a year for me.
*Belt/Tensioner/Idlers every 100,000.
*Left Temp Door Actuator.
*Trans Cooler lines every 100,000 (Allison 1000 makes a lot of cooler circuit pressure)
That is ALL I've done to my truck other than basic maintenance (Fluids/Filters/Grease/Tires/Shocks/Brakes/Batteries)
With that said....The 2007-2010 GMT900 LMM Duramax trucks are really good to, Just a DELETE away from being a LBZ truck with [censored] body & wiring.
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In our neighborhood the generation of 4Runners with the 4.7L V8 engine are proving to be really reliable and trouble free. I consider my 03 to be a 4door pickup with a permanent good fitting camper shell lol. I tow a horse trailer over desert roads and I'm at 165K+ miles without any problems, nothing. I was worried about the transmission at first but it's been no problem. A neighbor has a 64 V8 with 300K mostly off road and no problems.
Domestic: Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon with an LM7 (-'06) or LY5 (-'14) if you want a 5.3L V8, or the L92 if you want a 6.2L V8. The 4L60E was replaced in favor of the 6L80 in '09. Easy to work on, parts are plenty and takes a lot of "abuse".
Import: Mitsubishi Montero with the 6G74 3.5L V6. They don't drive as nice as a Tahoe/Yukon and are not as common in the U.S., but if you do find a decent one, they are bullet-proof and will last a long, long time with basic maintenance. OE parts are not as cheap as a GM, but you get plenty decent, aftermarket parts and they are very straightforward to work on. You would need a blowing up machine to demolish the Aisin transmissions these are equipped with.
Import: Mitsubishi Montero with the 6G74 3.5L V6. They don't drive as nice as a Tahoe/Yukon and are not as common in the U.S., but if you do find a decent one, they are bullet-proof and will last a long, long time with basic maintenance. OE parts are not as cheap as a GM, but you get plenty decent, aftermarket parts and they are very straightforward to work on. You would need a blowing up machine to demolish the Aisin transmissions these are equipped with.
You can google something like “ % of vehicles on highway with 300,000 miles.” It brings up data revealing that only 5% of vehicles make it past 200,000 miles and 0.1% make it to 300,000 miles. However we are the Bitgoers so are the exception. There was really no smoking gun on all this. Check some of those websites and see who they mention. Large SUV’s tend to do best so check them out and maybe buy the truck version of them. Trucks with good maintenance records are the best bet, with recorsds showing regular oil changes, transfer case changes, diff and transmission oil changes, and coolant changes.
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Chevrolet/GMC 5.3 Pre 2007. are pretty much bulletproof. Easy to work on, parts are cheap.
Unless you are towing heavy for a living the cost of diesel fuel just isnt worth the expense for a commuter or occasional tow pig.
Unless you are towing heavy for a living the cost of diesel fuel just isnt worth the expense for a commuter or occasional tow pig.
It depends on who owns it, personally I like Toyota trucks. Aside from the rusted frames on the Tacoma years ago they are excellent vehicles.
I much prefer the Toyota engine to the domestic V6 and V8, the drive train and 4WD system is trouble free as is the steering and suspension systems. All in all its just a better truck IMO and they are priced right with a good amount of standard equipment.
The best truck GM ever made IMO was the late 60-s Camper special, a 3/4 ton with a 1 ton rear axle and 8 foot 6" bed, 8 lug split rims and massively over built frame, suspension and steering parts with a SMC under the hood and the lowest granny gear I ever saw in a pickup outside of a unimog. The bed floor was 1" thick marine plywood bolted in.
These truck could outwork a new F250 all day any day and maybe even a F350. Sadly trucks are not trucks any more, they are for the most part personal vehicles posing as trucks.
I much prefer the Toyota engine to the domestic V6 and V8, the drive train and 4WD system is trouble free as is the steering and suspension systems. All in all its just a better truck IMO and they are priced right with a good amount of standard equipment.
The best truck GM ever made IMO was the late 60-s Camper special, a 3/4 ton with a 1 ton rear axle and 8 foot 6" bed, 8 lug split rims and massively over built frame, suspension and steering parts with a SMC under the hood and the lowest granny gear I ever saw in a pickup outside of a unimog. The bed floor was 1" thick marine plywood bolted in.
These truck could outwork a new F250 all day any day and maybe even a F350. Sadly trucks are not trucks any more, they are for the most part personal vehicles posing as trucks.
I think more ownership will tell the story. Single owner 200K vehicles were cared for and loved by the original owner or they would have never kept it that long.
Multi owner (more than two) could mean it is hinting at trouble when the last person sold it.
Multi owner (more than two) could mean it is hinting at trouble when the last person sold it.
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Originally Posted By: Alex_V
And the driving response of the manual throttle body trucks (pre-'03?) is night and day to the DBW throttle body.
Can you expand on that? Thanks.
And the driving response of the manual throttle body trucks (pre-'03?) is night and day to the DBW throttle body.
Can you expand on that? Thanks.
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
Chevrolet/GMC 5.3 Pre 2007. are pretty much bulletproof. Easy to work on, parts are cheap.
Unless you are towing heavy for a living the cost of diesel fuel just isnt worth the expense for a commuter or occasional tow pig.
Can add to this is if you get the 2500 with the 6.0 engine. It is a tried and true bullet proof engine, just likes to suck fuel is it's only downfall.
Chevrolet/GMC 5.3 Pre 2007. are pretty much bulletproof. Easy to work on, parts are cheap.
Unless you are towing heavy for a living the cost of diesel fuel just isnt worth the expense for a commuter or occasional tow pig.
Can add to this is if you get the 2500 with the 6.0 engine. It is a tried and true bullet proof engine, just likes to suck fuel is it's only downfall.
Originally Posted By: Rat407
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
Chevrolet/GMC 5.3 Pre 2007. are pretty much bulletproof. Easy to work on, parts are cheap.
Unless you are towing heavy for a living the cost of diesel fuel just isnt worth the expense for a commuter or occasional tow pig.
Can add to this is if you get the 2500 with the 6.0 engine. It is a tried and true bullet proof engine, just likes to suck fuel is it's only downfall.
Bingo. That is precisely why I got mine.
Originally Posted By: krismoriah72
Chevrolet/GMC 5.3 Pre 2007. are pretty much bulletproof. Easy to work on, parts are cheap.
Unless you are towing heavy for a living the cost of diesel fuel just isnt worth the expense for a commuter or occasional tow pig.
Can add to this is if you get the 2500 with the 6.0 engine. It is a tried and true bullet proof engine, just likes to suck fuel is it's only downfall.
Bingo. That is precisely why I got mine.
2008+ Toyota Tundra.
In my eyes, Ford and Toyota for the win. There's good reason why a majority of government and private fleets prefer the F-150 and F-250(although in base trim XL and with the non-EcoBoost V6s or the FFV V8s) and the Tacoma still calls for top dollar used. The Tundra is still an underdog, although Toyota did cheap out the 2007+ trucks, they still are solid mechanically.
Originally Posted By: nthach
There's good reason why a majority of government and private fleets prefer the F-150 and F-250(although in base trim XL and with the non-EcoBoost V6s or the FFV V8s)
I think that has more to do with contract negotiations than anything else.
There's good reason why a majority of government and private fleets prefer the F-150 and F-250(although in base trim XL and with the non-EcoBoost V6s or the FFV V8s)
I think that has more to do with contract negotiations than anything else.
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