good small truck??

[ludashoeless]

Seeing the car thread made me start thinking about what I want for a first car. I'm not there yet, but i want to plan ahead and it's something to think about lol.

So i think i want to get a small truck. manual or auto. preferably 80-100k miles and at the very most 7 or 8k. I was looking at the ford ranger. i guess i would prefer american made

[ludashoeless]

Also i would like it to be good mpg for a truck.

[Kyluckyman]

I'd like to have a Ranger, myself. Good for you and a date, and you can move from apt. to apt. by yourself. The ones I have been in were good solid trucks. I liked them better than my old Chevy PU's.

[dman]

I absolutely love my Dodge Dakota. 2001 model with 4wd, 3.9 V6 and a 5 speed manual (had to look long and hard for that!). It's more a mid size...it'll take a 4 foot sheet of plywood between the wheel wells, but the bed's 6.5 feet long. I've got the extended cab, so there's a small (very) rear seat...better for carrying bags of groceries or camping gear than humans (at least full-sized ones). 17 city, 21 road...not world record, but, hey...it's a truck. Doggone shame Dodge stopped making these.

[DeepSouth]

[Nick JD]

[Telemarkman]

Canadian Military Pattern Chev C15A, cab 13, 1942-45 model. Produced by GM, Canada to British specifications, but with the standard US 6-cyl. engine (216 cid ohv).

They were extremely reliable and could withstand almost any abuse!

Besides, it's the best looking, most charming truck ever made IMO. No, I ain't joking - I really mean it!

[fuzzbender]

Tonka

[BobbyZ]

Check into the MPG that before you buy. Some Rangers are real gas hogs.
One of my brothers had a new 99 with the 3L auto 4x4 it got 14mpg.
My 99 Silverado 5.3 4x4 would do 17mpg and had room in it for fat chicks.

[mal paso]

I had a Ranger about 10 years ago, which sadly was stolen. Uh, but anyway, it was awesome. Trucks are fun. Be prepared to help friends move for the rest of your life


One of my good friends had a Chevy S10, and it was real nice as well.


Good luck Luda, keep us updated!

[boris bubbanov]

I've got to ask, what all will you be using the truck for?

I ask because, some individuals earn good money using such trucks, and this drives up and demand and thus drives up retail prices. Meanwhile a car of similar vintage (and less miles) costs very little. I've seen a lot of people buy pickups, or jeeps, or in the past they bought vans, and they didn't use them except for transportation. After a year or two they sold it.

Ok, Bubba, what did they lose doing this? The trucks, bigger vehicles use more gas, and more brakes, more tires, and for forth. On the other hand they can be repaired more simply, and they're sometimes cheaper to insure.
And if your friends all already have pickups, they won't borrow yours.

[Colt W. Knight]

My Ford Ranger is ano outstanding ing little pickup, 5 years & 75k miles, no issues. Changed the front brake pads at 55k.
4Cyl standard, 25 mpg. Was a bit higher when newer, but still going strong.

[KC]

since yr in a warm climate, look around for a full-size GM with a 6cyl and a manual trans. I had a Chevy half-ton a few years back, ex-Forest Service truck, vinyl seats, rubber floor mats, etc -- but that thing how better gas mileage than most compact trucks, 22 or 23 on the highway, and would haul or tow pretty much anything. Plus they have a reputation for reliability -- my mechanic estimated 300,000 out of that combo if serviced regularly.

The one thing it wouldn't do was drive on snow and ice. Studded tires and 300 lbs of sand in the back and I still had to get help to get out of the parking spot in front of the bar.

[ludashoeless]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

I've got to ask, what all will you be using the truck for?

I ask because, some individuals earn good money using such trucks, and this drives up and demand and thus drives up retail prices. Meanwhile a car of similar vintage (and less miles) costs very little. I've seen a lot of people buy pickups, or jeeps, or in the past they bought vans, and they didn't use them except for transportation. After a year or two they sold it.

Ok, Bubba, what did they lose doing this? The trucks, bigger vehicles use more gas, and more brakes, more tires, and for forth. On the other hand they can be repaired more simply, and they're sometimes cheaper to insure.
And if your friends all already have pickups, they won't borrow yours.

if i didn't get a truck, i would get a explorer type thing. and i'd prefer a truck over that because if i started mowing more lawns it would be better for that and also the back would get torn out putting stuff in and out

[Murky]

I had a 90 Ranger with the 4-cylinder standard tranny. Good truck. Manual windows and not much complicated to fix if needed. I drove it for six years and sold it for what I paid.

When I'd travel, often the car rental places had them at a price close to the little cars. They had the extended cab with the half-door that opens like a suicide door. Nice bit of space.

If I were to get one again, I'd get that. Carrying guitars and amps in the back was OK but it limited me to good weather only and if I wanted to load up but not head right home, I had to put things in the cab to keep them from walking. Extra work.

Friends have had small Chevies, Dodges, and plenty of foreign trucks. They all seem to have pluses and minuses. I drive a Tacoma crew cab now and have a hard cover over the bed. It works but the gas mileage isn't in the bragging zone.

If you're serious about a Ranger, keep your eyes open for the Mazda series that matches it. Basically the same vehicle.

[Fearnot]

Ford Ranger. Mine's 19 years old, has 230,000 miles on it, gets 17-26 mpg. Someday, I'd like to get another car, but I suspect I'll keep the truck anyway.

[purpletele]

My first choice would be a Ranger too. After that maybe a VW Rabbit truck.

[Boubou]

Driving my second Toyota, this one a Tacoma, the first one was when they did not have a name, just a Toyota pick up. Very happy with them, when I bought the first one I was set on the ranger but the ford dealers could not be bothered to sell me one ( for example would not even let me have a test drive), so I went Toyota and never looked back

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[tap4154]

You can't go wrong with an old Toyota truck. If it's been maintained well, they just keep going. I had two ('75 and a '89) and drove both over 260-280K miles and they were still running when I sold them. I also still have a first generation Toyota Celica ('73) with over 230K miles that runs and looks great, with the original engine and 4-speed tranny, and no major work done on it.

If you want to go full size I have to recommend what I currently drive for work; a 2000 Ford F-150 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. It gets 14-15 MPG during real, off freeway (and hilly) driving carrying tools/parts and heavy loads in the bed. Never tested it just on the freeway.

[flathd]

Originally Posted by Fearnot

Ford Ranger. Mine's 19 years old, has 230,000 miles on it, gets 17-26 mpg.

Thats incredible!! I bought an '83 Ford Ranger, brand new. It was a good truck, but I quickly outgrew it, and it wasn't big enough for all my tools. A great truck for zipping around in though, sure beats the 10 mpg box I am driving now.