Should I Stick With My Truck? Buy "new"?

Sounds like it is time to move on. Not sure now is the time to shop used, but maybe there's a good deal on a lot somewhere.
 
Car dealers are open and hungry. Our sales department is offering home delivery now...we have new Silverados, a 2003 F-350 stake bed with 20K miles, some rusty Dakotas and F-150s from Idaho or somewhere, an Econoline paddy wagon, and more, take your pick.
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Originally Posted by supton
Sounds like it is time to move on. Not sure now is the time to shop used, but maybe there's a good deal on a lot somewhere.


Unfortunately with the uncertainty in the economy I don't really want to go new. But Ford and GM

Originally Posted by 01rangerxl
Car dealers are open and hungry. Our sales department is offering home delivery now...we have new Silverados, a 2003 F-350 stake bed with 20K miles, some rusty Dakotas and F-150s from Idaho or somewhere, an Econoline paddy wagon, and more, take your pick.
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Is that stake bed a gas engine
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?

I have been looking at Carmax. Oddly enough the local Nissan dealers dont have any used Frontiers.
 
Nope, 6.0 with none of that bulletproofing stuff. Probably has the original coolant.
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The Econoline paddy wagon is a 5.4...rusty but a good runner. New NAPA calipers due to rust. The owner of the dealer has been on a roll with some government auctions lately.
 
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With your price range I'd look into a full size truck.

New F150 XL with STX package and an EcoBoost or Coyote would be a good daily with plenty of tow capacity.

Or

Ram 1500 Express Hemi 4x4 with Tow package is a good value as well.
 
Originally Posted by donnyj08
With your price range I'd look into a full size truck.

New F150 XL with STX package and an EcoBoost or Coyote would be a good daily with plenty of tow capacity.

Or

Ram 1500 Express Hemi 4x4 with Tow package is a good value as well.


I would love to be able to go with another full size. Same / better MPG, more stable towing. The problem is I need 4 regularly opening doors with windows for the dog to ride in the back. A full 4 door truck in the full size segment wouldn't fit in my driveway.
 
Still on the hunt. Used truck prices are coming back down. On another note, I didn't realize the rear windows on the extended cab aluminum F150s rolled down. That's good. I have started to look at those with the base 3.3 or 3.5 NA engines. 2.7TT or 3.5T would be but I really don't need that power. I think I've abandon the idea of midsize, I did want a frontier/ranger but I'm slowly opening to the idea of a full size. Now that I have my trailer and I'm able to gauge how much space it takes up in the driveway (or doesn't), I think I can fit a full size extended cab/short bed configuration.

I know the GM powertrains are objectively better and I really like the 4.3 / 6 speed combo on the GM 1500s. But I keep getting drawn to the aluminum Fords.

My F350 has made it's last long trip towing the Jeep I think. I will still use it locally. I went down to PA in June and blew out an exhaust manifold -- no biggie. It's a Ford it happens. then went back down to PA and back last month and used 3 quarts of oil and 1/2 gallon of coolant. There was a cloud of blue smoke behind me at times. For about a 450 mile round trip. The transmission is starting to grind into 3rd now also. Making another trip down next month but I'll be renting a truck
 
That's true. They are starting to come back down but not where I'd like them to be. But still casually browsing.

For a while it was really insane. Used XL model F150s with 60K miles were selling for $40,000 !!! nuts!
 
Update to this: If anyone cares or is interested.

This fall I was at a lowes and went to get in and the running board fell off. Apparently the drivers side cab corner and rocker panel disappeared. With a lot of stuff going on including the cost of fuel going through the roof soon, I'm going to stick with this truck. The Subaru is nearly paid off and it's a good DD, if anything that will get replaced with a smaller car eventually.

Hoping to buy a new bed for it in a month or so. I will take the time to do everything that it needs. When I swap the bed, it'll get a new OEM fuel pump. I now have a gas capable welder so I can do the rocker panels and cab corners over next winter. I don't know if I'll paint the bed, no doubt it will be the wrong color.

Ultimately, I think as long as I can keep it from completely getting consumed by rust, I can keep this going for quite a while. I already have a spare manual transmission for it. Still hunting down a transfer case. The 2 valve 5.4 was used in econolines up until the end, so if it should need an engine soon-ish, I'm sure I can find another lower mileage 5.4 - the current one has a bad head gasket. The frame is in good shape still.

The bed will run me close to $2000. Which isn't the end of the world, still cheaper than buying a new truck. I will still use rentals for longer distance trips.
 
My truck is a 2001 F350. BASE model - only options are 4x4, LS rear and heavy service suspension. No AC, no power windows, vinyl seat ... the only thing I would like is AC.

LOTS OF RUST!!!!!

I got it for "free" from my parents a few years back at 58000. However, I did have to do the below to it:
- Engine $550 --- engine has 225K, truck is at 70K
- Radiator, coolant hoses $200 (I got a good discount)
- Intake Manifold $175
- Coils / spark plugs $150 (used OE coils)
- Starter $75 (got a good discount on new)
- Ball Joints / Wheel Bearings / U Joints in front axle - $1100

It sat for 10 years after my dad had some serious health issues. So it rusted pretty badly from sitting in a gravel driveway. Real bad rust.

I have been using it mainly for towing. The bed is way too shot to use for truck stuff. But I have towed my Jeep all over with it, towed a F250 back from Vermont. I have a "trust" range of about 200 miles or so ... because that's why my AAA membership is. For the most part, I can't imagine doing too much to my Jeep that I wouldn't be able to drag my trailer with Surge brakes home on back roads if needed. Short of a serious mechanical failure.

However, we're starting to do a lot longer runs. This year we are going to Maine and down to VW, along with local stuff and trips to the usual spots in PA. Probably about 3500 miles of towing my Jeep. Definitely out of my comfort zone with this truck. Especially the 450 mile (one way) Maine trip.

The truck is 20 years old. The transmission is physically broken and has been for some time.

So here's some things that the truck needs:
- New Bed $2800 minimum for the 8' steel superduty bed
- Transmission fixed ($1000 to have someone pull and install the transmission, then whatever it costs to have the case tigged together then reinstall)
----- As part of above, I'll do a new clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, slave cylinder, throwout bearing --- $350 for a good set
- Passenger door
- Shock Absorbers - $150 for a good set

"likes" would be getting a drivers side rocker panel and cab corner replaced.

Even if I went through all of that, I would have a nice looking and very functional truck. But it is still all of 20 years old. I don't know when the fuel pump is going to quit. I don't know when the water pump might go out. What if it blows out a plug somewhere? What if the 1997 F150 engine decides to scatter somewhere on the side of the road? These questions drive me a bit nuts and anytime I go anywhere I end up worrying what will break and where it will break.

I have been looking at mid size trucks. Honestly, I prefer my small fleet of utility trailers for house work. Easier to load and unload. Easy to get out of the way if needed. Getting a Ranger / Taco / Colorado with a mini bed wouldn't bother me because I could just use a trailer to move stuff around. There's no reason one of the mid size trucks rated to tow couldn't tow my Jeep on a trailer. And it would have AC! I'd get rid of my Subaru, of course, to find one that's 2 or 3 years old.

There's a lot of sentimental value in the F350, so that wouldn't be going anywhere either way. I remember riding off the dealer lot with my dad when it was brand new. Just have a new bed and some of the costlier items delayed.

Used truck prices are very high so buy a new work truck. Wait till the dealers have full lots to get a better price.
 
Used truck prices are very high so buy a new work truck. Wait till the dealers have full lots to get a better price.
Your F350 seems pretty much used up. If you can afford it, look for a new half ton pickup since the prices on used pickups are outrageous now.


Sticking with what I have for now. Our house flooded bad back in August so we're moving. Any extra money (which would buy a nice truck right now) will be used to get into a different house. First project in the new house will be rocker panels, cab corners and probably making a flatbed for the f-350.

Trying to stick it out with old vehicles as long as I can!
 
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Sticking with what I have for now. Our house flooded bad back in August so we're moving. Any extra money (which would buy a nice truck right now) will be used to get into a different house. First project in the new house will be rocker panels, cab corners and probably making a flatbed for the f-350.

Trying to stick it out with old vehicles as long as I can!
Good Plan.
 
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