Need advice on crew cab truck

[flyboyx]

^well....it looks like its in good shape so i think it was a good deal.

to the op: if you decide to buy a diesel ford of this body style, make sure you get a late 95 to 97 because you will get a power stroke turbo 7.3 liter engine. about the only problem these engines had was the cam sensor goes bad and it will stop running until you replace it. less than a 100.00 fix.

i had a 96 f350 for about 5 years or so. i purchased it in '02 and sold it in early '07. it was a 5 speed and i used to get almost 20mpg consistently. it came with a 3.50ish axle ratio.

[LuckyHenriksen]

^yea we were usually able to get 17-18 MPG out of the 7.3 trucks. I will have another some day

[ParsedOut]

Ok....a different take on the OPs question. What about the first gen Toyota Tundra Double Cab (2004-2006)? I've owned a couple of Toyota trucks (Tacomas) which have been incredibly reliable. The Tundra Double Cabs have 4 real doors, are 1/2 ton rated, and the 4.7L V8 has proven itself as a dependable mill. Seeing you don't plan to do any off-roading (you made no mention of towing), then this might be an option worth researching.

I did a quick search on AutoTrader for local offerings and there were a few that matched your mileage & price criteria.

Jon

Thanks for the different take, I had no idea there was a first gen Tundra with a crew cab. I've done a bit of research and I'm intrigued!

I picked up a 92 F350 2wd Crewcab a while back and have really loved how simple, reliable and cheap to fix it is. Its a 7.3 with a stick shift, dually crew cab. Paid $4000. Old tech by todays standards but a great truck nonetheless.

Thanks for all of the 7.3 super duty suggestions, I'm sold that if I go with a diesel it'll either be a 5.9 Cummins (have personal experience) or a 7.3 Powerstroke. I plan to stick with a 1/2 ton though, but I'm open to whatever comes around at the time.

[mrsleeve]

Tundras until the current incarnation were not really that grate. If you tried to use like the neighbors 1/2 ton 88 dodge and over load the piss out of it all the time, then they tend to not hold up.

While they are prolly fine for joe home owner that needs to take 3 2x4's and 4 sheets of ply home form the home improvement emporium once every 4 months, if you have any heavy hobbies (cars, horses, landscaping, racing etc...) you might be better off seeking a Domestic.

5.9 Cummins is the hot rod engine of choice, if your going to hot rod it that is. They are decent on fuel, but the issues are mostly the shipping crate that it comes in. Dodge EAT front ends like nothing else. The are just a horrid in the interior and feel like your driving a god dammed tank. Ball joints are like candy to those era trucks and it will likely eat a set every 25k miles give or take even just running around empty. The trans is trash, this is why most guys that worked the trucks got them in a stick. There is nothing wrong with that other than trying to pedal a stiff fucking diesel clutch in stop and go traffic all the time.

The international combine engine is as reliable as a stone, they are decent if you get a turbo Post 96 example or 98+ IIRC is when they put the intercooler on them. the biggest issue with them is the pricing premium they command due to 2 things, the reputation of the ford 6.0 and the fact they have changed engines totally 3 times since 04... and the fact they are a preemissions power plants. Guys that have them will sell but its going come a high cost for an older truck especially in a 4wd with some options on the inside.

Duramax anything preemissions is going to cost. Great power plant Almost as good as the 5.9l Almost !!!! The LB7 (1st gen 00- 1st 1/2 of 04) is a solid reliable non egr no frills other than the common rail injection diesel. Issue is you have to pull head to do injectors, most good indy shops get about 3k for a set of new installed. the LLy went to a VVT turbo and changed the injector setup so you dont have to take the heads off. But you have to deal with the EGR and cat, not a big deal a blocker plate a fancy little device to trick the comp that the EGR is still working and for abotu 80 bucks and 30 mins NO more EGR issues. The tranny is the best there is available in the light truck market the allison 1000. The ride on a 3/4 ton an up in a GM is the best of the big 3 as well, you will still have to put a front end in it about every 80-100k its not as prone to failure as dodge.

Where did I put my money when I bought my pulling truck. 1st year for the LLY 04 1/2 GMC 3/4 EC/SB I would not trade or sell my truck for anything, I have people offer to buy it all the time for well more than the market says it should sell for. Mine also has about 89k on the ticker.... I have lots of time in all 3 of the big 3's diesels and for the best total package for a unloaded DD and pulling rig the GM wins for me, mostly due to the RIDE, it dose not jar your spine out of place when hitting a squirrel on the road like dodge will.... Fule mileage has gone to shit since the ULSD hit the market by and large in late 09 (yes mandated in 07 but was not really available till 09) I still get 16-17 with mixed/rural driving, about 14 on winter fuel and extended warm up times. If you play with the throttle and pedal it just off boost on the high way you can keep at about 21 if you dont have much elevation change to deal with.....

One last note with more modern diesels and this goes for all of them INJECTORS HATE WATER. Anything with a common rail and pilot injection hates water. Once its in the nozzle its not coming out. Using a good fuel treatment is a MUST, I use Stanydyne its a "De-Emulsifier" in other words it clumps water together so you filtration can catch it. Vs most other water treatments that are emulsifier's break it up so fine that it passes though the system. I would suggest no matter what diesel you run if you pick one up to use the "performance formula" the blue bottle and treat a bit on the heavy side. Also since there is no sulfur in the fuel anymore ie..... high pressure (20k PSI + ) lubrication for the fuel system parts you run a 1/2 a bottle of the purple bottle of stanydyne every 2 or 3 fill ups to help with lubricity. Even though the performance formula is set up with some fuel system lube the purple really quiets down the injectors like there real 500ppm LS diesel in it again....

AS far as 1/2 tons go they are all about the same, local dodge store is selling 1/2 4wd with mid level options NEW for right around 30k. They are all farily comparable but again the GM 5.3 is really hard to beat in 1/2 ton, and they ride very nice but in the 1/2 tons they all have a good feel too them. Yes the tranny is a little under rated to live behind it but thats an easy fix when the time comes to swap it. In the 1/2 ton market from abotu 05-06 onward its going to come down to options packages and the styling you like the best and what comes up 1st. Me personally would be getting a 5.3 in a Sierra, or if I could find one a Denali packaged one with 6.0 but that will ruin your fule mileage as the 6.0 gasser GM's are thirsty reliable and great work horse of a power plant just so long as you can feed it.

[dirty30]

^well....it looks like its in good shape so i think it was a good deal.

to the op: if you decide to buy a diesel ford of this body style, make sure you get a late 95 to 97 because you will get a power stroke turbo 7.3 liter engine. about the only problem these engines had was the cam sensor goes bad and it will stop running until you replace it. less than a 100.00 fix.

i had a 96 f350 for about 5 years or so. i purchased it in '02 and sold it in early '07. it was a 5 speed and i used to get almost 20mpg consistently. it came with a 3.50ish axle ratio.

It is a solid truck and honestly I've had more fun upgrading and tinkering around with it (F350) than my E30.

[Shangsta]

My daily is an 00 f350 7.3 with a 6 speed. I got a great deal on it and it has 96k on it. Driving the 6 speedin atlanta traffic can be a pain in the ass sometimes but i wouldnt have it any other way. It gets pretty good gas milage too. In the summer I am gettin 21mpg

[ParsedOut]

Starting to consider an SUV instead... Kind of like the short Yukon or Armada.

[mrsleeve]

Yukon/Tahoe are the best SUVs on the market especially in your price bracket they will be hard to beat

[jalopi]

The "seats" in the mid 2000's and up yukons/tahoes are amazing, and by seats I mean the most amazingly comfortable couch ever. Can't go wrong there.

[nrubenstein]

Basically, avoid the 6.blow like the plague. Unfortunately, you won't be able to get an LBZ duramax in your price range - because of the bizarre confluence of a modern engine and transmission and essentially no emissions equipment, people are paying up for them.

[mrsleeve]

^
still paying up for lly's and lb7's too...................

[ParsedOut]

So I'm back to fucking this football... I'm really leaning towards a mid-late 90s Tahoe/Yukon. Any advice on what to look for other than the basics?

[Farbin Kaiber]

Family friend picked up a 1999 Yukon Denali, I think it rides/handles like a boat full of fish.

[mrsleeve]

So I'm back to fucking this football... I'm really leaning towards a mid-late 90s Tahoe/Yukon. Any advice on what to look for other than the basics?

take it form me get look for the gmt800's (2001-2006) the you get the 5.3, opposed to the reliable yet antiquated 350. and a much much better chassis and ride out of them, they have a much more car like ride vs the more truck like of the GMT-400's, the interior are a little more pleasing though all plastic.

. We still have a 99, and while its good for what we do with it, (winter beater/back country bomber status) I would spend a little more money and get something just a tad bit newer. Mostly anything your going to find is going to need about 600 bucks and weekend of your time, to put a front end under it, prolly will need shocks, other wise they are solid though very truck like

[dannyyisntt]

Need advice on crew cab truck

My parents have a 2002 Tahoe. Been a great truck. Has 300k miles on it and the 5.3L is still running strong.

Honestly rides better than my grandparents 2010 Tahoe. Granted theirs have lower profile tires.

We tow anything from boats to snowmobile trailers with it and it does well. Hauled my e30 on a car hauler from Maine back to Michigan no problem.

Wouldn't hesitate to pick one up for myself if I didn't have free access to theirs already lol