I might be in the market for a newer truck pretty soon. I have no clue what to get/ look at. Pretty much it needs to last a good 5-10 years, good chance i'll put on a fair amount of miles/ tow across country, i'm pretty sure I want a bed, pretty reliable, 4x4, and it has to have a manual trans (i can't give in to the automatic thing). Cheap easy to find parts would be a big plus. The ability to tow a 2 place gooseneck would be nice but isn't manditory by any means. I know i'm not buying new but $$ isn't going to be a huge factor in the decision.

So far i've been using a glorified 1990 chevy 1/2 ton, 350, sm465, 4x4, 160k, ugly as hell single cab long box. I like the truck and it's "enough truck" for towing my trailer/ trail rigs, i'm never really in a hurry, i usually drive like a grandpa/ am the person people sware at because i'm not doing the speed limit, doing 45mph up hills really doesn't bother me.

I like no frills work trucks, the current truck has cloth seats, manual everything, am/fm i think tape though i've never used it, it doesn't have ac or cruise which are the only 2 things I wish it had. I'm considering everything from '99 and newer reg cab/ long box 1/2 ton chevys with the 4.8/ 5 speed to 3/4 and 1 ton diesels. Another thought is picking up a clean older truck probably either a NA 6.9 or 7.3 ford and adding a turbo/ over drive and some other parts. Maybe a 3/4 or 1 ton gm with a 350/ manual and adding fuel injection and an over drive. I like the idea of an older unique truck, by the time it's "up to par" i'll probably have the same amount if not more $$ into an older truck then a newere 3/4 ton diesel, and I don't really need another project.

Give me some ideas on which direction to head for a truck.

94-98 Dodge diesel. Get the one with all the options - Cruise, AC, power everything....

Search for the lowest mileage manually tranny truck you can find. Do you need 4wd? If not put 2wd versions in your search and you'll have more low mileage clean ones to pick from.

Toss some gauges on it - throw a GN hitch in the bed and daily drive it/tow with it 'til the body falls apart and the power everything quits working. No need to make it a 'project' truck - keep it simple and just use it.

99+ 3/4 ton Chevy - newest/lowest miles you can find/afford

If you want a no frills "work truck" type to tow your stuff around then a 99+ Ford Super Duty in XL trim package should fit your bill just fine. You'll get vinyl bench seats with rubber floor mats, manual windows, manual door locks, am/fm cassete, ect. If you want cheaper engine parts then find one with the 5.4 or better yet get the 6.8 V10. If you can find one cheap with the 7.3 powerstroke then that's a good solid engine although parts for it are going to be considerably more spendy if you had to fix something. The gas engines come with a 5 speed manual while the diesel comes with a 6 speed. You can get one in ANY cab/bed configuration you want from single, extended, and crew cab all with either the 6.5 or 8 ft bed with the exception of a reg cab/6.5 bed combo.


Axle

4 wheel drive is manditory, we get lots of snow, i can't get my trailer out of the yard in the winter/ spring without it and i will ocasionally run 2 tracks with it.

I'm leaning towards an extended cab long or short box or crew short box, right now it's just me and a decent sized lab, no plans for a girl friend but a second dog will probably follow me home in the next year or 2. The new wheeler will also hold 4 people so it would be nice to haul 4 people and a mut in the tow rig.

Well you've pretty much heard it all - a Dodge guy, a Chevy guy and Ford guy. Pick your poison and go from there!

And with 2 dogs, a trailer and a wheeler -- you've pretty much taken care of your chances to find a GF :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

And with 2 dogs, a trailer and a wheeler -- you've pretty much taken care of your chances to find a GF :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Life is simpler that way, I lived with a chick for 6 months, I got out cheap without a kid and got the keep the mutt, I know better now. All my buddies are buying rings, have to do crap with the wife, spend stupid $$ on things like food and dates while i'm out in the shop till the wee hours of the morning, wheeling every weekend, and spending $20 a week on grocries and drinking $10 30 packs. The mutt eats better then I do, problem is she's a chick magnet...


After more thinking I think i've narrowed it down to

'01-06 chevy 2500HD either 6.0 or duramax/ manual, probably #1 choice

F250 or F350 with either a 300 6 or 6.9/ 7.3 diesel and a manual, not sure on years, a nice rust free '84-'86 6.9 would be tits with a turbo and OD, mild lift and 35's, easiest of the diesels with a manual find

dodge with a cummins/ manual, hard to find with lower miles and a stick, I like the 1st gens but finding one with under 150-200k and a manual is almost imposable

'95-99 3/4 ton or 1 ton chevy vortech 5.7/ nv4500, probably the cheapest option, not a diesel but i'm not sure I really need one

The biggest thing is finding a solid, rust free unmolested truck (no lift, no diesel mods, no swaps, no plows, pretty much bone stock), it's gota last 5-10 years till I can afford another, becoming a shop teacher doesn't exactly pay well.

if you plan on haulin more then 2 people, with the mutt, go with the crew. You and your passengers will be a lot happier. i got a 2000 xtended cab gmc, and have to just about sit on the wheel for my rear passengers to have leg room. i'm only 6' tall. Before you decide, climb in the driver seat and adjust it to where you like it, then go hop in the back of the ext cab and sit behind it. you'll see what i mean. around town it's adequite, but anything over an hour forget it.

I would go for A 01 and up dodge with 6 speed manual. Plenty of power,and suspension is heavier than ford or chevy 3/4 tons. Also Chevy with duramax and manual tranny are hard to find. I have 05 chevy crew cab dually with allison great truck but would be even better with 6 speed manual like my 01 3/4 ton dodge. 5 speed dodge manuals are very prone to loosing 5th gear when pulling heavy loads. have had to swap in 6speeds in these truck$$$$$.

Any of the newer 3/4 ton or 1 ton trucks are great quality.
Go find out what one you like, they all look different.

There's an 04, 3/4 ton, ext cab, 6 speed manual, Duramax on ebay right now in Kansas. Item # 120093580936 Wish I could buy it, but it just doesn't fit what I am looking for.

For what you are planning to use it for, you probably don't want to get the Ford V-10. 8 MPG is a good day. Pulling a trailer brings it down from there. I would also recommend against the 2000+ Chevy 1/2 tons. I had one. It didn't pull a trailer worth a darn. It was OK for around town and taking a road trip, but it was just underpowered for pulling 6000lb trailers.

I can say that I've been extremely happy with my new Chevy 3/4 ton with a D-Max and the Allison. I know you don't want to automatic, but if you get one the Allison is the one to have. They stopped doing manuals with D-Max completely in 06 so you are limited to 05 and earlier, and they are extremely rare. As far as ride is concerned, you couldn't get a nicer ride while hauling a load. The next best one that I've driven is the Dodge with a Cummins. They are much more common with manuals and they also ride nice while pulling a load.

As far as narrowing down gas or diesel is concerned, the diesel gives a distinct advantage in mileage and longevity but it also costs more, makes stinky smoke, and is considerably noisier. You can save some money with a gas motor up front, but it will eventually catch up in higher gas bills. I figured that I need to drive my D-Max at least 100K before I'll break even on the extra expense of the diesel motor by saving gas.

i don't believe chevy ever offered a manual behind the 6.0 but i could be wrong

If you wana pull any trailer at all you'll need to step up to this..
http://dumbcelebs.com/images/cxt.jpg
or at least that's the vibe i seem to get around here. :shaking:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/International-4-Car-Carrier-Rollback_W0QQitemZ220088813799QQcategoryZ31846QQrd Z1QQcmdZViewItem

DONE!

Actually, not even close to what you need, but I thought it was bad ass :flipoff2:

The 99+ Super Dutys are fine...I love my 05...but there are some down sides too. Unit bearing hubs on the front being one of the more mentioned. Lack of greaseable componants if it is OE stuff yet is another. ALOT of people bitch about the 6.0l, although mine has been excelent and I have no complaints.

The older Dodges were not offered in crew cab...only xcab. I think they only started offering crews with the newest bodylines...04 maybe?. Dodge also used unit bearing hubs, but I don't think there are as many compaints about them as with the Ford version. The Cummins is a great engine though...My father in law put several hunderd thousand miles on his pulling camper trailers.

I can't speak much on the Chevys...nothing against them other than the interiors just aren't comfortable for me, but there are lots of them on the road too. I never have liked their 4x4 engagement system either. Buddy has a 'Burb and if it's cold, it takes it a while to finally lock in.

Personally, I like the manual shift t-case and lockouts. The only one of them that you can get that with is the Ford.

I got an extended cab, and it didn't take long for me to realize that I should have went with a crew. I usually don't have anyone that rides with me, and no kids, but the extra room would be really nice. Plus, the ability to haul more people comfortably would be nice. I have ridden in the back of my truck, wife was driving so the seat was pulled forward, and it really wasn't bad, but it was only for 20 minutes. More than that and it would have really sucked.