Looking for advice on small 4x4 trucks

[gearheadE30]

Datsun 720's are awesome. Test drove a few and really liked them, but they were all too rusty for me.

Nissan Hardbody/D21 is a solid truck, as are the old Toyota Truck/T100/Hilux et al. Mechanically they are durable, but if you actually have to work on one, bolts tend to snap off left and right. And they rust to shit. They tend to drive a little more like a car, and they have very little power. Good fuel economy though.

Rangers are boring as hell to drive, but seem more rust resistant than S10's. Dakotas have reliability issues from what I've seen, and they're a little more unusual.

As others have said, the best of the S10 is the 4.3 5 speed. And it's pretty simple to swap in a 350 if you need more oomph. But they rust. Fenders, cab, frame, you name it, it rusts. They're all over, though.

I'm in a similar market as you at the moment, although more as a winter beater role. There are a TON of S10's and rangers with manual transmissions, 2 or 4wd, under $1000 on Craigslist. About 10% are reasonably rust free and wouldn't be too difficult to make drive nice and reliable. And I know you said you don't mind rust, but really, it's worth going out of your way to avoid. ALWAYS check floor pans; almost all old trucks rust them out.

And a little side note, my search has led me to box caprice station wagons. Sufficiently work-y for me, but still quiet and can hold people. 20 mpg for the ones with the long diff ratio on the highway, too.

[JasonC]

At that point you might as well get a full-size. Just as poor of gas mileage with more space. JMO I love Dakotas though. Too bad the V8's are the only worth while engine.

True. I got a Ram now, and still would like to have a Dakota. Just finding a 318 5 speed Dakota is the hard part lol. And i dont know why Dodge made the V6 out of a 318 instead of a 360. That would of gave GM 4.3's a run for their money!

[Eecen]

^

Fuck guys he's looking for a 500 - 1500 dollar beater truck. A d110 pick up is going to run you at least 12k and still need work. Land crusier is not a truck and finding a good one is going to be over his budget anyway.

LoL, pretty much.

Looking to spend 2500 tops. Would prefer much less. Just depends on whats for sale locally.



Leaning more towards a Toyota/Japanese since I don't have any imperial tools atm, less shit to buy. But realistically I'll buy whatever comes along at a good price.

[rustybullet]

Datsun 720 pick up. 24mpg average, bullet proof engine, enough power to cruise 90 fully loaded on the highway. I owned one and it rocked. Check them out, and go with a king cab.

[Kvasi]

that's why there known more for being family suv's and totaly
a cookie cutter like a honda accord.. :up:








:drink:

In fact they were built to usa as a tool, like a tractor that can carry stuff.
Feels like a tractor, handles like a tractor and has less to show but portal axles that makes some clearance under the diffs.
Still crap.

[mrsleeve]

^

Fuck guys he's looking for a 500 - 1500 dollar beater truck. A d110 pick up is going to run you at least 12k and still need work. Land crusier is not a truck and finding a good one is going to be over his budget anyway.

[Bene]

Land Rover 110 - lockable AWD ftw



really though; you can't go wrong with rangers or either Japanese brand. I'd avoid GM or dodge altogether.

[Pac1373]

Toyota 4x4, long lasting, reliable, will crawl just about anywhere you would care to take it. we used to use a buddy of mines off road all the time in and around Kamloops.

pick up's will get you;

between trees, no problem.
over rocks, no problem.
snow? see above.
Mud? more of the same.

I wont even get into the awesomeness that is a Toyota Land cruiser.

get one in good repair, keep it maintained. it will do everything you want it to.

[z31maniac]

The truck from Back to the Future.

That's all i have to add.

[Tree18is]

canada!!! diesel toyota or bust!
especially the first gen straight axle one.. DAYUM ill my give left nut for one of those!

[5Toes]

Toyota. Cheap parts. Bulletproof. Cheap

[CHIF8008]

a small 4x4 needs big tires.

makes it look like a toy haha :)

[KamakaziX]

Or maybe a 92+ Dodge Dakota. They are a little bigger then an S10. But like to suck the gas lol.

At that point you might as well get a full-size. Just as poor of gas mileage with more space. JMO I love Dakotas though. Too bad the V8's are the only worth while engine.

[mrsleeve]

OK

1/2 ton V6 5spd will be your friend, you will get much more capability outta that, for nearly identical fuel consumption and maintenance costs.

1st Gen S-10 yeah decnt work beaters and yes Jason 87 was the 1st year the 4.3 was an option. Hard to find and not destroyed or falling apart and even harder to find with a stick, if not nearly impossible. A simailr 90-98 1/2 with the small V8 (305) or the 4.3 v6 and a stick will be much easier to find.

Dakota are also harder to find that are not 100% shot.

Ranges are well rangers, 2011 IIRC is the last year for them and have mostly unchanged for the last 15 years.

the jap trucks I can tell you much about not much experience with them. Other than if your going to really WORK it the domestics will take the work better. I used an s10 like a 3/4 ton working construction for years.

Still buy a 1/2 ton you will be much happier in the long run, if your going to use it like a truck. the mini trucks are nothing more than small boat/lawn clipping hauling grocery getters

[MonkeyMadness]

Unimogs are useless offroad. Theres no travel on suspesion at all.

that's why there known more for being family suv's and totaly
a cookie cutter like a honda accord.. :up:








:drink: