USED Truck

[POS Racing]

What are the main uses you're looking for in this thing anyway? Hauling stuff? people? towing? Give us that and we'll have better suggestions..

If it's anything like Onething's current Molester Van it will set in the driveway and go out on the street once in a blue moon.

[sammm]

I still haven't ruled out the small import segment, and have looked at a couple of Mazdas. Any input to that possiblity will be appreciated too.

Another thing to consider - with a small truck comes a small bed. Can make hauling 2x4's or a sheet of plywood an adventure!

[Mathews2004]

How about one of these?

http://www.qv500.com/lamborghinilmp6.php

[rx7gslse]

Read the whole thread, Sparky...





What's that Suburban get in traffic, though... maybe 8mpg?

I think your Suburban is a good choice if you're looking to carry a small army through a mud bog, or find a roomy tow vehicle on the cheap, or if you like spending a lot of money on gasoline. However, if you're just looking for a commuter vehicle, I'd suggest one that is slightly easier on gas - and easier to park - than that battleship .

Then again, if she's just looking for a commuter vehicle, I'd suggest something other than a pickup anyway, unless you have another compelling reason that you need to have a truck around.

Oh heck no... I wouldn't suggest a suburban for commuting.. That's just insane! I got it for hauling half a dozen peopel and a boat to the lake.. But since he's replacing a van, I figured it's a valid suggestion.. And it gets about 11/14mpg thank you

Still waiting to hear what the use for his truck is... Daily driving with some hauling, or sitting and occaisionally haulin' when needed...

[Kestrel]

I'm with Altiain on this one... the best Toyoter ya can afford. As a [distant] second choice, I'd pick up a Ford.

[Treibenschnell]

You could go with a domestic but probably nickel and dime yourself on repairs in the long run...

[onething]

Kids - kids - kids! No, that is not what I plan to haul, I'm just getting your attention.

What do most folks in the Metromess use a pickup for? To make people think they live in the country and need a truck! :grin:

• Third vehicle for commutes when needed
• Haulin antiques for mrsthang
• Hauling dirt, fertilizer, and yard stuff to the house
• Hauling dirt, tree limbs, old tires, etc. to Altiain's house
• Occassionally dragging a small trailer if the pile of tree limbs is too big to fit in the truck - trailer not yet spec'ed

Realistically, it will sit for long periods and not get much attention. The Molester Van gets 9 mpg and does OK. Just not handy for hauling trash, and the trailer I used to borrow is still in Athens.

[Dave04]

What do most folks in the Metromess use a pickup for? To make people think they live in the country and need a truck! :grin:

Well, I actually bought the truck to pull a horse trailer and other country pursuits...

Dodge 2500 with the 6-speed manual and the Cummins 5.9L Turbo Diesel.

While it's probably more truck than you really want, the 20+mpg I get driving around unloaded is very very nice...

[TurboDuane]

I think some of you are missing a minor detail in the request here by suggesting a tacoma/Frontier...

What are the main uses you're looking for in this thing anyway? Hauling stuff? people? towing? Give us that and we'll have better suggestions...

FWIW, my 89 Suburban (what 2400 will get ya) was $2400.. It'll be a LONG time before I have to sink enough money into repairs to make up for the cost of a Japanese truck with a smaller motor.

Oh yea, that tranny starts acting up get ready to throw another $2500 at it. I attempted the TCB route, ended up spending $2,000 on it, and had the same darn issue it had to begin with, then they told me it was the computer and it would cost another $700. I sold it! When it was all said and done, I should have let the dealer do it, they quoted me $2500 installed. What really sucked was all it was doing was shifting really hard, so I wanted to get it fixed prior to pulling a sailboat to Arkansas, cause I didn't need a failure up in them hills (hey boss lemme do it, I always wanted to work on a transmission).

BTW, on my trip the damn torque converter blew a seal , so I bought a couple of gallons of Tranny Fluid and drove home, stopping and re-filling every 50 miles. Man did it take a lot of cleaner to get that crap off my boat. The shop tried to get out of replacing the torque converter, as they said I drove on it too far. After some very HEATED words, they decided to cough up and pay for the new converter.

Granted some of my problem was with my shop, but at 50k miles a 1/2 ton truck should be able to pull a 2500# boat and not break!

[onething]

• 84 1/2 ton Suburban - tranny @ 75k
• 99 1/2 ton Suburban - tranny @ 60k and ready for another at 100k
• 04 1/2 ton Suburban - tranny shot at 17k

Is there a pattern here?

I know lots of people who say the Suburban eats trannies, but not the pickups ??:

[tailchaser]

Well, I actually bought the truck to pull a horse trailer and other country pursuits...

Dodge 2500 with the 6-speed manual and the Cummins 5.9L Turbo Diesel.

While it's probably more truck than you really want, the 20+mpg I get driving around unloaded is very very nice...

I can so see mrsthing driving your 2500 with the 6-speed...

[OzCop]

Heck, my 99 AWD GMC SLT Surburban went 68K before I traded it in, and the only expense other than regular service was a Power Steering pump. The sucker was easy to drive on trips, got up to 20mpg, and the heated seats were a delight to my aging back. I averabed between 14 and 16 mpg in town. I loved the damn thing, and although it would pull my enclosed trailer, it struggled a bit. That was the big reason for trading it for the duramax. But as used trucks go, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Chevy/GMC with Vortech. I had always been a Dodge truck owner, and only switched to GM vehicles because working with GM car and truck engineers through a SCCA Corporate training program, I just felt guilty driving up in a Dodge, so I bought GM... Never had a Dodge leave me stranded, and I have owned at least three new Dodge trucks. Always pulled a trailer, the primary purpose of buying a truck to begin with, for me anyway, and never experienced tranny problems that so many complain about... So, that said, I could reccommend either of these two purely by my own experience....You could probably find a previous gen. Dodge, 94 to 97 or so in the price range you are looking for...

[rx7gslse]

• 84 1/2 ton Suburban - tranny @ 75k
• 99 1/2 ton Suburban - tranny @ 60k and ready for another at 100k
• 04 1/2 ton Suburban - tranny shot at 17k

Is there a pattern here?

I know lots of people who say the Suburban eats trannies, but not the pickups ??:

that's odd.. I know some have had issues with the 700R4 and heavy towing, but that seems a *bit* extreme.. I find it hard to believe that GM would regularly have to replace tranmissions on a 2004 at 17,00 miles.. How did this guy kill them so fast??

Mine has 172k and its still on it's 1st tranny.. a little slow to shift on cold mornings, but that's nothing..

Growing up we had a 79 suburban, an 86 suburban and a 91 suburban... All saw regular ski boat towing duty every summer and all lasted well over 100k (ok, well teh trannies did... the 91 didn't fare so well when my sister drive it ~40 miles after the waterpump went..)

I guess we've just had really good luck?

[POS Racing]

that's odd.. I know some have had issues with the 700R4 and heavy towing, but that seems a *bit* extreme.. I find it hard to believe that GM would regularly have to replace tranmissions on a 2004 at 17,00 miles.. How did this guy kill them so fast??

Wonder if all the Suburbans that Onething killed transmissions on all pulled the "training" trailer, it's a big pig??

[MadMerv]

There is a late model Mazda extended cab down the street from me with a "For Sale" sign on it. Want me to get more info???????

[onething]

Wonder if all the Suburbans that Onething killed transmissions on all pulled the "training" trailer, it's a big pig??

Only pulled the "training" trailer with the new one. We have 3 company suburbans (leased) and the 99's all had tranny issues with no towing. One was on it's 3rd replacement. The 04's all have less than 30k and two have had issues.

[Treibenschnell]

Only pulled the "training" trailer with the new one. We have 3 company suburbans (leased) and the 99's all had tranny issues with no towing. One was on it's 3rd replacement. The 04's all have less than 30k and two have had issues.

Well, I have yet to see any local Miata have tranny probs because of towing a race trailer... so here's the solution - pick up a stout NB and a nice flat bed trailer, and whammo, two birds with one stone.

[onething]

There is a late model Mazda extended cab down the street from me with a "For Sale" sign on it. Want me to get more info???????

Sure if it is not too much trouble and you aren't mad about my post on LSMC

[rx7gslse]

Only pulled the "training" trailer with the new one. We have 3 company suburbans (leased) and the 99's all had tranny issues with no towing. One was on it's 3rd replacement. The 04's all have less than 30k and two have had issues.

man, that sucks...

Ok, that's it.. I'm keeping my old truck.

Anyway, I've yoinked this thread too far out of the way... Enough about GM trannies. Toyota makes good trucks, no doubt, but they're so expen$ive... I've had several friends in college with older Mazda ickups that ran forever and every with no issues as well, and for a *lot* cheaper than Toyotas... Although, they're the same as a Ranger, so take that with a grain of salt?

[altiain]

Wonder if all the Suburbans that Onething killed transmissions on all pulled the "training" trailer, it's a big pig??

Could depend on whether they were towing in overdrive or not. I worked a corner with a guy at the last PCA event who was towing his track car with a 1/2-ton Chevy extended cab, and he also made the comment that the tranny was the weak link on those trucks, and that towing in overdrive just accellerated the problem.