Calling light truck GURUS (selection)

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SumpChump

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I hope to avoid buying a used truck and a month later looking at a green puddle underneath and then reading online that i picked one with a know waterpump or xyz problem..... So here goes...

Looking at my options on used trucks (full size i suppose) with $9-$10k cash. (Some as cheap as $7k). But i dont want junk. So far that means something with about 75-100k miles and usually 2003-2006ish. I have no preference as far accessories or even engine size. Only preference is automatic transmission.

Are there any "good" engine-tranny combos for the major domestic manufacturers?
Any particularly troublesome combos? ( my friend Joe, "heck man! Dont get a triton with the spark plug problems"). Stuff like that.

Please note that I dont mention foreign options because the buggars at $14k with 170k miles. Crazy! And the few chevy i can even find are at a $3000 premium above the Fords. Maybe they require THAT much less repairs at 150k miles?
So here are some samples: have a look, which to avoid , which to check out?

Ford F150 $10500
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5357378367.html

2003 F150 XLT SuperCrew 2WD - $6990
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5347861281.html

2003 F150 SuperCrew 4x4 $8600
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5335290108.html

2006 f150 crew $6300
http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5345202653.html

2005 Chevrolet Silverado $11500
http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5351348616.html

2002 Chevy Silverado Z-71 1500 4x4 $6000
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5338786392.html


2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 4dr Crew Cab Z71 $10995
http://madison.craigslist.org/ctd/5368404525.html
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
I hope to avoid buying a used truck and a month later looking at a green puddle underneath and then reading online that i picked one with a know waterpump or xyz problem..... So here goes...

Looking at my options on used trucks (full size i suppose) with $9-$10k cash. (Some as cheap as $7k). But i dont want junk. So far that means something with about 75-100k miles and usually 2003-2006ish. I have no preference as far accessories or even engine size. Only preference is automatic transmission.

Are there any "good" engine-tranny combos for the major domestic manufacturers?
Any particularly troublesome combos? ( my friend Joe, "heck man! Dont get a triton with the spark plug problems"). Stuff like that.

Please note that I dont mention foreign options because the buggars at $14k with 170k miles. Crazy! And the few chevy i can even find are at a $3000 premium above the Fords. Maybe they require THAT much less repairs at 150k miles?
So here are some samples: have a look, which to avoid , which to check out?

Ford F150 $10500
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5357378367.html

2003 F150 XLT SuperCrew 2WD - $6990
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5347861281.html

2003 F150 SuperCrew 4x4 $8600
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5335290108.html

2006 f150 crew $6300
http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5345202653.html

2005 Chevrolet Silverado $11500
http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5351348616.html

2002 Chevy Silverado Z-71 1500 4x4 $6000
http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5338786392.html


2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71 4dr Crew Cab Z71 $10995
http://madison.craigslist.org/ctd/5368404525.html
Id say the first F150 you have there seems like a good price. Someone else can chime in here, that might have the 5.4 v8 that spark plugs break in when you try to remove them. Othewise that 05 Chevy 3/4 with 115k is the best deal if you dont mind a 3/4 ton. Those 6.0 v8s are awesome just have to watch the manifold bolts. Also I didnt see if you mentioned if you want a 2wd or 4wd. 2wd will always be atleast a couple grand cheaper then 4wd here in Wisco.
 
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I was always a Chevy snob; hated Ford for being, for no good reason, a Ford. Dunno why.

At least around here, that age and price, means it's a pick of the draw. All about how it was maintained, and less about model. All I can say is, inspect well, and avoid the rusty ones. Which is a stupid comment, but pretty much sums it up: all of them are apt to have some sort of "common" issue, and any of them could be the rare one that "never heard of that one before". I mean, I've never heard of a GM LS motor spitting out a plug--but if the prior owner cross threaded one, then you'll be the lucky first one.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
I was always a Chevy snob; hated Ford for being, for no good reason, a Ford. Dunno why.

At least around here, that age and price, means it's a pick of the draw. All about how it was maintained, and less about model. All I can say is, inspect well, and avoid the rusty ones. Which is a stupid comment, but pretty much sums it up: all of them are apt to have some sort of "common" issue, and any of them could be the rare one that "never heard of that one before". I mean, I've never heard of a GM LS motor spitting out a plug--but if the prior owner cross threaded one, then you'll be the lucky first one.


Ok. Sounds like they are pretty much bullet proof and i can expect no green puddles due to a common issue I could have avoided by changing my search criteria.
 
the GM 5.3L has less issues than the ford 5.4L in those years. I've owned both and prefer the GM engine.

The Ford trucks however are built very well. I just hate a Ticking engine. The cam Phaser issues with the Fords are annoying. I've changed out several phasers, chains,guides, etc on 5.4L trucks, but that is any expensive fix to pay someone to do. After it is done and running right you generally find the Converters are clogged due to the vehicle being driven many miles with phaser issues.

I like the Ford trucks but I don't care for the 5.4L. Transmissions are tough.


Some of those early GM trucks will have piston slap, but otherwise the 5.3L is durable. The 6.0 is a beast, and very tough. The 4l60-e isn't terrible as long as it has been maintained.

out of all of those i'd look at this one first. 6.0 gas, only 115k miles and its 3/4 ton. definitely should be durable. check the rocker panels for rust and check the exhaust manifolds as mentioned by others, too me it looks like a nice truck.

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5351348616.html
 
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Originally Posted By: donnyj08
the GM 5.3L has less issues than the ford 5.4L in those years. I've owned both and prefer the GM engine.

The Ford trucks however are built very well. I just hate a Ticking engine. The cam Phaser issues with the Fords are annoying. I've changed out several phasers, chains,guides, etc on 5.4L trucks, but that is any expensive fix to pay someone to do. After it is done and running right you generally find the Converters are clogged due to the vehicle being driven many miles with phaser issues.

I like the Ford trucks but I don't care for the 5.4L. Transmissions are tough.


Some of those early GM trucks will have piston slap, but otherwise the 5.3L is durable. The 6.0 is a beast, and very tough. The 4l60-e isn't terrible as long as it has been maintained.

out of all of those i'd look at this one first.

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5351348616.html


Any way to check the ford phasers?
 
What do you want for this truck? 2WD vs 4WD, 8' bed vs 6', 2 door vs 4 door? Towing capacity? MPG (ha!)? Seems like 4x4 four door, which is simply going to be more pricey--simply bigger market for them.

If you want something for odd jobs and few miles, go regular cab 2WD. Park it when it snows. You can run ballast and snow tires but it'll still be a pain in winter. But it ought to be cheaper to purchase, and ought to have less issues (less stuff to break).

The 3/4T Chevy I believe is a 4L80, which is less likely to have issues (as opposed to 4L60 or 4L65). Dunno on the Ford transmissions, but 4L60/65's are somewhat notorious for breaking. OTOH they are cheap to replace.

On the GM's, make sure to look down the length of the body and the bed--there is a crease that runs down the length. If they don't line up, then the cab corners are gone, due to rust.

On the early to mid 2000's GM's watch out for rusty brake lines.

On the GM's there are a number of codes which can be read from the glovebox door and which will tell you what engine, rear end ratio, etc. You might want to look up the RPO codes and write them down, as the owners may be clueless about what they have. I'm sure the Fords have similar RPO codes or ways to decode how the truck is optioned.
 
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Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
the GM 5.3L has less issues than the ford 5.4L in those years. I've owned both and prefer the GM engine.

The Ford trucks however are built very well. I just hate a Ticking engine. The cam Phaser issues with the Fords are annoying. I've changed out several phasers, chains,guides, etc on 5.4L trucks, but that is any expensive fix to pay someone to do. After it is done and running right you generally find the Converters are clogged due to the vehicle being driven many miles with phaser issues.

I like the Ford trucks but I don't care for the 5.4L. Transmissions are tough.


Some of those early GM trucks will have piston slap, but otherwise the 5.3L is durable. The 6.0 is a beast, and very tough. The 4l60-e isn't terrible as long as it has been maintained.

out of all of those i'd look at this one first.

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/5351348616.html


Any way to check the ford phasers?


listen to the sound of it at idle. and slowly raise the RPM to 1200 and let it drop. if it sounds like a diesel or makes any clunky sounds on the way back to idle it has phaser issues.

also if you drive it and floor it and it goes into safe mode the phasers are not changing the timing and knock is detected, also a good sign the converters will be clogged as well. this if for the 3 valve 5.4L and 3 valve 4.6L. If you are looking at a 2 valve 4.6L it will likely last forever. A 2 Valve 5.4L is good as well, but is known to have spark plug issues.


out of the Fords I'd look at this one.

http://lacrosse.craigslist.org/cto/5357378367.html
 
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Something I've never determined is how well the extended cab / 4 door trucks work out with kids--you know, the sort where you have to open a front door in order to open the suicide door. I didn't think I would like that, not for my planned usage, so I went four door. However I didn't want a sub-6' bed either. And a crew cab with an 8' bed would be too long, not only in my primary driveway, but too long to turn around in my other driveway. Plus be an overall pain in the neck in general.

I wound up putting on running boards onto my truck, initially because of the kids, although I've found I use mine all the time. Once in a while a kid will slip a foot off, but for the most part I found them "essential". They are also great for knocking snow off my boots while getting in. I don't care how beat up the running boards get, they can get bashed and they unbolt pretty easily. Actually, I bought mine used and they were rusty to begin with.

I have a camper shell / topper / cap on mine, and love the setup. I did have a tonno cover, which was ok. I always knew I wanted an overgrown station wagon, hence the topper. Snagged the cap off CL for $200 from a salvage yard--new it was probably a grand. Tops aren't cheap.

I still don't know your usage, but I've said it before, and I'll say it again: my 4x4 truck is the worst snow vehicle I've ever had. I'll take my old Jetta on "ok" all seasons rather than my truck on snow tires for 4" of snow and less. Only above six inches or so does the extra ground clearance of the truck really make it into a winter warrior. Even then: part time 4WD sucks. Off road it may be great, but on road it's wicked primitive. Maybe I'm just a wuss after a couple decades of only FWD/manual transmissions, but it was a rude wakeup call to realize this.
 
The 2005 2500HD is a solid truck, but man that's a lot of coin for a decade old rig that probably sold for $32k new.

That vintage of Ford had bad motors, I bet their isn't one on my job sites that hasn't had the motor opened up for something. If you want a Ford V8 spend more for the new 5.0.


Your kind of shopping at that age where condition and the life its lived matters a whole heck of a lot more than what it is. Anyone of those F150's owned by a retired 90 year old to get his coffee in, is a better truck than that 2500HD if it was used by a contractor for the last decade.
 
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Originally Posted By: supton
Something I've never determined is how well the extended cab / 4 door trucks work out with kids--you know, the sort where you have to open a front door in order to open the suicide door. I didn't think I would like that, not for my planned usage, so I went four door. However I didn't want a sub-6' bed either. And a crew cab with an 8' bed would be too long, not only in my primary driveway, but too long to turn around in my other driveway. Plus be an overall pain in the neck in general.

I wound up putting on running boards onto my truck, initially because of the kids, although I've found I use mine all the time. Once in a while a kid will slip a foot off, but for the most part I found them "essential". They are also great for knocking snow off my boots while getting in. I don't care how beat up the running boards get, they can get bashed and they unbolt pretty easily. Actually, I bought mine used and they were rusty to begin with.

I have a camper shell / topper / cap on mine, and love the setup. I did have a tonno cover, which was ok. I always knew I wanted an overgrown station wagon, hence the topper. Snagged the cap off CL for $200 from a salvage yard--new it was probably a grand. Tops aren't cheap.

I still don't know your usage, but I've said it before, and I'll say it again: my 4x4 truck is the worst snow vehicle I've ever had. I'll take my old Jetta on "ok" all seasons rather than my truck on snow tires for 4" of snow and less. Only above six inches or so does the extra ground clearance of the truck really make it into a winter warrior. Even then: part time 4WD sucks. Off road it may be great, but on road it's wicked primitive. Maybe I'm just a wuss after a couple decades of only FWD/manual transmissions, but it was a rude wakeup call to realize this.


The problem with the suicide doors on the Ford's is they make a racket when your on a dirt road and its freezing out. Which is why no one uses them anymore except for Ford.

I have not been on a bad winter road in a 2015 yet, maybe Ford fixed the issue.
 
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Hadn't heard of the racket issue.

I'd think the suicide door would be great for a single guy, or no planned kiddo usage. Easy access to the area behind the seat, and many people do like extended cabs for the fact they can toss stuff behind the driver's seat.

*

On my truck I deliberately wanted a front bench and column shifter so as to get seating for six. Not that I would use it often, but six is better than five. I know GM's of this vintage though used a lap belt for the center seat up front, and that was a big no-no for me, as I won't let anyone in my vehicles use lap-only belt. Three point or no one is in that seat.
 
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
The 2005 2500HD is a solid truck, but man that's a lot of coin for a decade old rig that probably sold for $32k new.

That vintage of Ford had bad motors, I bet their isn't one on my job sites that hasn't had the motor opened up for something. If you want a Ford V8 spend more for the new 5.0.


Your kind of shopping at that age where condition and the life its lived matters a whole heck of a lot more than what it is. Anyone of those F150's owned by a retired 90 year old to get his coffee in, is a better truck than that 2500HD if it was used by a contractor for the last decade.


True, for a 10 year old vehicle. Then again, Toyota Tacomas even older are going for $14k.

And really all the trucks are is a big old olds station wagon lifted up. We drove those just fine winter after winter after winter and yet somehow a 2WD truck is almost guaranteed to kill me. I wonder what the difference really is?

My mind is also blown by the number of $1500 F150's in my state still driving around.
 
The '05 2500HD is the only one I would consider, The LQ4 6.0L & the 4L80E that backs it up is the most durable drivetrain in your list, Around here that is a $9000 Truck "MAX"

The Cluster in that truck is bad (Stepper Motors), Look at the gas gauge, Common issue though.

The NP263HD Transfer Case has issues with the Pump Body wearing a hole in the Magnesium Case & leaking all the fluid out, At 114K....Most likely not an issue yet, Merchant Automotive has a fix (Pump Rub Kit) for $75, Can be installed in 3 hours including pulling & splitting the T-case.

The Manifold bolts do pop heads, Not that hard to deal with, Pull the Inner fenders, Weld a nut on the broken stud & extract them, Replace with ARP Bolts. If their not broke yet, You can install ARP's one at a time.
 
Kind of all over the place on type of truck. 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton? 2WD or 4WD? Regular Cab or Supercab or Crewcab? You get the idea... I'd narrow that down before I went further...

After that, buy on condition. That age and mileage, condition will be more important than brand.

The 5.4's are noisy in the 04-08 F150's. As was pointed out, the rattle when idling down from about 1200 rpm is a good test. Otherwise, the phasers and injectors are just noisy on that vintage. Have 175,000 on mine. No phaser issues. Yes, the plugs are pain. They should be changed before 100,000 miles, and preferably before 60,000 miles. If not, plan that many of them will break on removal. Plenty of tricks and tools to help with that, but most likely looking at an expensive plug change the first time. (4 broke on mine - costing an extra $220 for removal).

Not sure what the noisy supercab door issue is. Owned two of them and have a fleet of them at work. Never had an issue with them rattling, and I have a 30 mile gravel road one way to the front door of our cabin in northern mn where it really gets cold. Crash test results are more concerning on those...

And if you want a 4 door crew cab 4x4, better check the budget. 10k won't buy very much these days.
 
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Originally Posted By: SumpChump
And really all the trucks are is a big old olds station wagon lifted up. We drove those just fine winter after winter after winter and yet somehow a 2WD truck is almost guaranteed to kill me. I wonder what the difference really is?


Station wagons had more of their weight over the rear axle, and usually less power. They also usually had taller rear end ratios, so they simply put much less torque to the ground, making it harder to spin a tire.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
And really all the trucks are is a big old olds station wagon lifted up. We drove those just fine winter after winter after winter and yet somehow a 2WD truck is almost guaranteed to kill me. I wonder what the difference really is?


Station wagons had more of their weight over the rear axle, and usually less power. They also usually had taller rear end ratios, so they simply put much less torque to the ground, making it harder to spin a tire.


Oooh, i see. I was wondering, thanks.

Several folks have asked my purpose for the truck. Just city/highway truck in a rural county. Not desolate. Roads paved. In other words... Camrys drive these roads just fin in the dead of winter with -25wind chill and 4 inches of snow. I have. 10 mile work trip daily and have been dying to be able to even carry a tv home in a vehicle i own. Ever since the Corolla i cared for so dearly got smashed into oblivion with me inside it..... Ive been yearning maybe for a vehicle i could give a [censored] about. And actually be able to carry something. But now that i'm lookin at phasers and pulling manifold bolts pretty much as a very likelyhood..... I might as well just get a Corolla with 210k on it and run it with absolutely zero to replace and just pay a buddy with a miraculous record breaking never been seen before 1996 F150 with 225k to haul stuff for me for $10 a pop.

Too bad that us companies cant make a durable vehicle. I learned my lesson i guess with the overheating slam-banging tranny in my former 2006 3.5L Impala. Especially eerie was when she first slammed and the tranny guy said "oh those are my bread and butter.
 
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