good small truck??

[flathd]

Originally Posted by tap4154

If you want to go full size I have to recommend what I currently drive for work; a 2000 Ford standard cab with V6. It's at 210K miles, and the engine runs like new, but I replaced the auto tranny at 140K. Great truck, and a lot of used ones are out there, cheap. Again, if it's maintained well, they just keep going. Classic body style ('97 to '04) as well. I like them better than the new ones.

+1, I had a '97 F-150 with the V-6, most reliable truck I ever had. It went 205K, but pulling trailers, and hauling (weight).

[Stubee]

Toyota T-100 was the best truck I ever had in 40 years of owning trucks but they quit making 'em.

I got a Tundra to replace it mainly because the new Tacoma was smaller than my older T-100. The Tundra is a behemoth but gets great MPG for its mass with the 4.6 V8 (better than the T-100).

[Racer5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Ace ?

[PapaLion]

I suggest a Toyota Tacoma, I've put more than 1/2 mill miles on 3 of 'em (I 4Runner, 2 Tacomas). One bg problem, they never break, you trade because you get bored.

ps: It is a very distant happy memory searching for my first ride. Enjoy it.

[rghill]

I would go with Toyota. Over the years members of our family of owned many Toyota trucks. I have had an '82, '83, '86, '88, and a '96. The only reason I don't own one now is because of family needs, but I have been thinking that when its time to replace my Versa, I will look at a later model 4 door Tacoma.

[Buckocaster51]

I got one of the last Ranger's to roll off the line. My brother got one also.

Good (maybe great) little trucks. 4 cyl 5-speeds and we are getting in the high 20s for mpg.

As far as friends borrowing them, as soon as we mention "stick shift," they generally move right along...

[big-daddy-59]

Had a couple Rangers, first was an '83 with 2.0l 4 banger and manual trans. It was underpowered for the hills here in Virginia but was ok back in Ohio. Ran it till it started knocking all the time, rebuilt the engine with a reground crank and ran it till I wrecked it a year later. Had about 300k miles on it then. Always got about 25mpg-loaded, empty, stop-n-go or freeway, didn't matter, 25mpg was what i got. Second one was an '85, that the kid who had it before me had stuffed a 351W with a C4 auto trans into it. That little truck was a lot of fun but got like 12 mpg on a good day. And no, I didn't drive like a maniac all the time. Just an old carbed engine from the '70s and a loose trans = no mileage.

Currently have a '93 Chevy fullsize with the 4.3 V6, 250k and still going strong. Gets 20-23 mpg if driven sensibly.

[tap4154]

Originally Posted by PapaLion

I suggest a Toyota Tacoma, I've put more than 1/2 mill miles on 3 of 'em (I 4Runner, 2 Tacomas). One bg problem, they never break, you trade because you get bored.

ps: It is a very distant happy memory searching for my first ride. Enjoy it.

If I didn't need a full size/longbed P/U for work, I'd get a 4-door Tacoma. My brother-in-law has one and it's a great truck. Carries 4 very comfy, and still has enough room in the bed for moderate hauling (and putting stuff in the back seats). Very nice body design as well.

It's like this one, same color:

[BobbyZ]

I did drive a 2001 Ranger 2 WD reg cab 4 banger 5sp. It was maybe the cheapest truck in the Ranger line that year but I got 25- 27mpg out of that one. (shop parts runner at a place I worked)

That kind off mpg makes me not mind a little truck. And I don't hate small trucks just the ones that suck gas.

[Murky]

Thought I'd stop back and add a note on the Ranger. I had the little 4-banger with a standard transmission. Good combination for my purposes.

I took it into a muffler shop to replace the back end of the exhaust after too many boat ramps. The guy working it kept going back to his book and computer after he got it up on the rack. He tried to tell me it would be a custom install because I had a V-8. He had me come over and watch as he counted off the 8 spark plugs.

That little four cylinder had a double-distributor and dual plugs in each cylinder. I guess it was a first for him.

I don't know how long they made them that way, but the thing worked good for me.

[Buckocaster51]

Getting a couple of those plugs out of the old Ranger 4 cyl engines will take every extension in your toolbox.



I think the original owner of my '94 ran them over 100,000 miles and never changed them...

['56Teleman]

...

[JayFreddy]

Mazda B Series. The Ford Ranger is actually just one variation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B-Series

The ones with the Mazda name plate tend to sell for slightly less, at least here in Dallas, but are every bit as good.

The Nissan Frontier is another excellent choice. Solid little work trucks.



If you want good mileage and low maintenance costs, get a 4 cylinder engine with a manual transmission.

Toyota makes great small trucks too, but they cost too much, IMHO.

Avoid the Chevy S10 and Dodge Dakota like the plague.

[Lunchie]

You can't beat a Ford Ranger for affordable small truck that will last forever and good on gas. I had a late 80's Ranger 2.3L w/ 5-speed and I wish I never got rid of it. I see it driving around town now and then. I have a F-250 5.4L with a 5-Speed Manual as my daily driver. I prefer my trucks manual.

Unless you need 4x4 stay away from the V6's because you start talking about 16-18 MPG instead of 25-30 MPG.

[Lunchie]

Originally Posted by JayFreddy

Mazda B Series. The Ford Ranger is actually just one variation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B-Series

The ones with the Mazda name plate tend to sell for slightly less, at least here in Dallas, but are every bit as good.

The Nissan Frontier is another excellent choice. Solid little work trucks.



If you want good mileage and low maintenance costs, get a 4 cylinder engine with a manual transmission.

Toyota makes great small trucks too, but they cost too much, IMHO.

Avoid the Chevy S10 and Dodge Dakota like the plague.

Does Mazda still make Ranger Parts?

[Boubou]

Originally Posted by JayFreddy

Mazda B Series. The Ford Ranger is actually just one variation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B-Series

The ones with the Mazda name plate tend to sell for slightly less, at least here in Dallas, but are every bit as good.

The Nissan Frontier is another excellent choice. Solid little work trucks.

If you want good mileage and low maintenance costs, get a 4 cylinder engine with a manual transmission.

Toyota makes great small trucks too, but they cost too much, IMHO.

Avoid the Chevy S10 and Dodge Dakota like the plague.

Nope,
I owned an Xterra 2000, built on the Frontier platform. After my first Toyota pickup.
Ok first, to put it in 4wd, you have to drive slower than 40 km/hr ( Toyota 1993 slower than 80km/ hr, same as my 1983 Subaru
), but then at 15 km/ hr when you shift into 4wd there is a big kaklunk and the whole vehicle shudders. Second , in the manual it says that Nissan's engineers are not sure if the 4wd will come off, so after using the stick to take off the 4wd you have to stop the vehicle and reverse directions for 3 feet, very practical on the highway. I live in a snowy country and use the 4wd on and off, with the Nissan it's ( or at least was in 2000) impossible to shift on or off depending on the road condition. In 2000 the Xterra built on the frontier platform was already antiquated. Of course Nissan might have updated it since then

Sent from my iPad using TDPRI
P.S.: nothing to repair on a Toyota , so the supposedly higher cost is offset by that

[Jack FFR1846]

Subaru Baja.

What?

Subaru Baja.

It will get great mileage, is more reliable then every pickup in existance and has the space for the lawn mower. Subarus are like legos, so if you want to hot rod the thing in the future, go ahead and put a WRX engine in the thing. Oh.....the American thing? They're built in Lafayette, Indiana. When my mom bought a Ford Fusion to buy an "American" car, I broke the news to her that it was built in Mexico. Yah.....I think all the trucks are built in the US.......or Canada.

[boris bubbanov]

I had access to an extended cab/wheelbase Chevy S-10 pickup truck for about 15 years and in the first 4 years after Katrina and it was a real solid truck. Yes, you have to watch them, keep the engine maintained and don't let the head gasket blow (this is the V-6) and they cannot carry the weight the full size trucks will carry (although I did try) but if I needed a 2WD truck I would look at these. It was easy to maintain, although it did go through exhaust systems. A 1991 I think. Full length bed. It is still goin' strong, I understand.

I would not get the tiny cab, because you can't ever relax, seated in the truck and you will want to, more than you might think. An extended cab with a recline function is pretty important, IMO.

Edit: I found, same as Dan as posted below, 16-18 mpg. Which I thought was not bad next to other trucks I'd driven. Many newer pickups do a lot better, yeah.

[dan1952]

I had an extended cab S-10 with a V6, nice and roomy for carrying gear or groceries, terrible gas mileage (16-18 mpg). I also had an S-10 w/4 cyl, small cab, and hated it, too small, no power, bad gas mileage (maybe 18-20, I don't recall). A 1/2 ton full-size is much more useful, same or less money, and for some reason, they seem to get at least as good mpg. I currently have an '88 Dodge with a 318 that gets 18 mpg around town, 190k miles, that I've owned for 16 or 17 years. Great truck, oxidized grey paint...I'd drive it anywhere. (I've also owned about a half-dozen full size Chevys and a couple of Fords - buy full-size!)

[Ricky D.]

2005 Tacoma 4x4 4-cyl here. Regular cab. I've got 140K on it and no issues at all. gets 20-22 mpg.