Any mid 90's truck that is considered a great truck? I'm looking at many f150s, dodge ram, t100s. Most all of them have over 150k miles and some over 200k. I've heard the dodge trucks have shitty trannys. I would prefer no rust with somewhat clean interior and NON-SMOKER. It would be nice to have 4x4 or diesel but I'm a realist.

I understand a ford truck is much different than a ford car.

What would the TWW recommend?

2/8/2008 5:30:47 PM

toyota 4x4 22re 4cyl. 5 spd. might be harder to find under 3. anything mid 90's in decent shape is going to be more than that. maybe look at mid 80's trucks in really good shape.

[Edited on February 8, 2008 at 7:45 PM. Reason : ..]

2/8/2008 7:44:46 PM

i love the way the pre '97 F150s look. My dad has a '93 that he got probably 6 years ago with a 5 speed and its still going strong. Only issue he ever really had with it was that the second gas tank wouldn't work right, the fuel pump is probably messed up but he never bothered to try and get it fixed b/c the other tank worked fine.

[Edited on February 8, 2008 at 9:19 PM. Reason : dunno if the fuel pump thing is a common issue or not, but thought i'd mention it]

2/8/2008 9:19:14 PM

^I've seen tons of these for sale. I'm leaning towards an early-mid 90s F-150.

^^I like the way the tacomas look but they're way overpriced. And they also aren't fullsize. I know the t100 wasn't fullsized either but the tacoma is too small.

I need a real truck.

2/8/2008 9:50:14 PM

what about silverados?

2/8/2008 10:00:05 PM

IF you need a truck and you are looking at anything other than a chevy, it had better be a toyota.

2/8/2008 10:03:26 PM

what kind of work will this truck be doing?

2/9/2008 11:22:29 AM

This truck will be used for
hauling trash to the dump on weekends
picking up mulch, dirt, other landscaping crap
transporting a riding lawnmower every now and then (as in I'm going to buy one)
picking up lumber from the store and taking it home (I'd like to fit a full 4x8 sheet in the bed)
i'm building house so I need one

basically what most people use a truck for.

I'd prefer diesel only because they last so damn long and 4x4 only because my yard will have several large hills in it.

2/9/2008 3:07:44 PM

you better raise your price range a little

2/9/2008 7:05:30 PM

What you need dosent match with youre price range and what you "prefer".


A small 2wd truck will suit you just fine, or even a base model 2wd petrol fullsize. Shit even a middle sized truck like a Dakota will work fine.

OR forget that advice, double your price range, stop dreaming about diesels, and find a nice 4wd chevy.

2/9/2008 9:22:25 PM

Okay so diesel may be far fetched. Yes a 2wd fullsize will fit my needs just fine. I just need a truck and I don't want a wimpy one.

Okay so a chevy, should I stay away from obvious former fleet vehicles (white ones)? It looks like I can get a chevy or ford fullsize for under $3k early-mid 90's. Some even have 4wd.

2/9/2008 11:13:54 PM

i think he can get a fullsize ford or chevy for under $3k no problem, even without a ton of miles...especially if he foregoes 4x4 and diesel.

i know some diesels last a looong time...is that characteristic of pretty much all light truck (say, 3/4 ton) diesels made in the last, ohhh, 20 years or so? I'm looking at buying a truck, too. Also, are diesels more expensive to repair if they do have problems?


I want to be able to pull a good size (say, 25+ foot) travel trailer, with everything I own inside it and the truck, and do it from WA to NC. I probably have at least 5000 pounds of stuff, plus whatever the travel trailer weighs. Will a 3/4 ton with a small block do it, or will I need a diesel...or will I need a 1-ton?

2/9/2008 11:47:45 PM

Quote :

"Will a 3/4 ton with a small block do it, or will I need a diesel...or will I need a 1-ton? "

small block, cross country, with that kinda weight.... well. you would certianly find out quickly if it was getting ready to blow or not. id look at a chevy with the 454. ivan has one, dave has one, someone else had one i think and they will pull their asses off. look at ivan pulling that trailer with two trucks on the back behind that suburban. the 454 will do it.

2/9/2008 11:52:28 PM

yeah, i meant to include the 454/460 option

i know it'll pull like hell...just wonder if it would be such a horrendous gas hog that it would be better to go with the diesel, since this will likely be a daily driver for a few months (depending on how long it takes to get my orders to NC and how long it takes to sell my Evo)

2/9/2008 11:59:13 PM

dude, jump on this quick.
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/568552296.html

2/10/2008 12:05:04 AM

this looks good too.
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/567112689.html

2/10/2008 12:11:03 AM

those wont do the duke much good

[Edited on February 10, 2008 at 3:23 AM. Reason : lol]

2/10/2008 3:19:28 AM

Quote :

"look at ivan pulling that trailer with two trucks on the back behind that suburban. the 454 will do it. "

daaaamn. that's probably what, at least 12k lbs behind it? i figured he just used the diesel bus or something for jobs like that.


http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/562274998.html

maybe i should call this dude and offer him like $1400 or so...I would prefer to find a truck with a rebuilt engine and trans, but for the right price, and without TOO high mileage, i'd consider otherwise.

[Edited on February 10, 2008 at 4:22 AM. Reason : asdfasd]

2/10/2008 4:00:18 AM

Quote :

"those wont do the duke much good"

i was referring to the OP, considering duke doesn't live in raleigh.

[Edited on February 10, 2008 at 7:45 AM. Reason : .]

2/10/2008 7:45:24 AM

i know, i went back and edited it. you should have seen what i posted the first time.

2/10/2008 7:17:19 PM

my 98 dakota 4x4 w/ a 3.9L will do everything on your list

2/10/2008 11:11:52 PM

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/569663720.html

1989 K3500, ext cab

454/spd

91k miles!

paint is shitty and he says interior is "a bit rough, but has a seat cover" and "everything works".

$1800 obo

[Edited on February 12, 2008 at 1:30 AM. Reason : asdfasd]

[Edited on February 12, 2008 at 1:30 AM. Reason : asdfad]

2/12/2008 1:30:21 AM

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/car/569706988.html

'83 F250

60k on rebuilt 460

4spd

don't know about total mileage

$950

2/12/2008 1:39:13 AM

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/car/569438794.html

pretty clean looking '87 F250

says odo reads 54k miles and he believes it to be accurate

460

bucket seats, AC, cruise, recent brakes and tires


$2500, but selling due to "financial issues" and because he no longer needs the truck, needs to sell this week so make an offer.

that sounds like about $1800 to me.

2/12/2008 1:43:54 AM

yep, with my 2500 454 suburban i pulled about 12k lbs. or so from raleigh to harlan, ky and back and i've pulled my trailer empty or with just one vehicle several times which is usually 4-8k lbs. it's got plenty of power, and even with the big load it went up the steeper grades in the mountains at no less that 45-50mph. just dropped it in 2nd, put my foot on the floor, and let it eat. keep in mind it's an all original 227k mile motor also. i didn't buy it to be a primary tow rig, just for around town stuff and trips that i don't need a place to call home.

gas mileage is atrocious, but when you consider the price difference of a diesel, the price of fuel itself, etc. it's not so bad. i get about 10-12mpg empty and 5-8mpg towing depending on the load. it's hardly a perfect truck, but it's a damn good drivetrain combination.

if you hunt for a gm, i would highly recommend getting a vortec motor if at all possible (1996 and up). there is a big power jump over the tbi. if it's a 3/4 ton, you'll also want to consider airbags. i get a pretty nasty sway above 60-65mph unless tongue weight is dead perfect. a quality brake controller and a trailer with good brakes is a must have also. the stock brakes are hardly adequate for the truck itself, much less a trailer too. beware of past or present overheating issues, that's a common problem.

as for other brands, the 460 is a good gas motor also but not quite as strong as the 454. don't overlook dodge v10's either, they're power monsters and are dirt cheap in the shadow of the cummins.

to the op: for a basic fullsize truck just to fart around in and do small tasks, you can't go wrong with anything from the big 3. none of them are really any better than the other. only when you get into specific activities of really using the truck like heavy towing, off roading, etc. do things get different. for that sort of stuff, dodge has a clear advantage in most cases.

2/12/2008 3:45:18 AM

the '83 F250 has 130k total (60k on reman 460), but needs a rear slave cylinder, battery, and has some sort of issue that causes it to run rough until warm. none are showstoppers, and it's still a pretty good price, but i think i'd rather spend a little more to get a known quantity that i won't have to work on right off the bat.

2/12/2008 10:18:41 PM

Offered the '87 F250 guy (with 50k miles) $1700 and come get it any day he wants this week.


The K3500 guy just emailed me and said he'd let it go for $1400 with a set of new tires that just needs to be mounted. Claims AC works but needs a recharge (which I take with a grain of salt). Still, that's a really good deal.


Which one should I go for?

2/12/2008 10:34:08 PM

avoid those fords. Poe87 has a good ford of that era, but most of those trucks were nothing but a pain in the ass. so were the dodges then. get the chevy.

2/12/2008 10:43:03 PM

any other input?

not that i don't trust your opinion, joel...

2/14/2008 1:01:40 AM

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/car/571127654.html

2/14/2008 1:36:25 AM

i concur that of your choices the chevrolet is definitely sounds like your best option. i would be curious as to why the bed has been replaced though.

2/14/2008 1:48:28 AM

^^ called about that one...paint is peeling and the ignition switch shit the bed, so apparently there's some macgyver-assed mess of wires rigged up. said he'd take $1250...i'd do it if it was 4x4.

2/14/2008 6:03:18 PM

its so funny to hear people with chevys having to rig shit up like that, they dont realize every part of the truck can be bought at the dealer for like $11.

2/14/2008 8:17:45 PM

got some more pics of the 1-ton. the bed was replaced because it had a flat-bed on it and the previous owner wanted to keep the flat bed, so that was the best match he could find.

it has an [old] cd player. clutch is new.

good chance i'll come home with it tomorrow...it's about an hour and a half away, though...gotta find someone to drive my car back.

2/14/2008 11:58:13 PM

that shouldnt be too hard.

2/15/2008 11:51:04 PM

talked him down to $1300 via email, went down to pick it up, and it was a piece. engine ran like ass, transmission was WICKED loose feeling, driver's door didn't close properly. set of new tires wasn't new--they were a set he'd bought used with maybe 25% tread remaining.

asked him if it was really 90k miles (which i knew it wasn't) or if it was 190k, and he was like "Oh, well, I don't really know."

Thanks, faggot. I thought I made it pretty clear that I didn't want to drive an hour and a half to find a misrepresented truck. One thing's for sure--he won't be selling it on Craigslist. I'll flag the fuck out of any ad I see for it.

2/16/2008 12:27:07 AM

welcome to craigslist. i'd say at least 50% of the vehicles i look at are in worse than described condition. however, it's about the best place around to find good deals so stuff like that is the price you pay.

yeah, looking at those pics again i can tell that door is sagged to shit. not uncommon on 88-98's the doors are so damn heavy. you can rebuild/replace the hinges fairly easy though. mine sags a little, but not so bad it doesn't shut right.

i was actually going to mention that truck looks like it's been beat hard and put up wet, but it's hard to make a judgement looking at pics because the paint gm used in those years was so shitty. a lot of them just look like they're piles of crap, when they really might be solid low mileage vehicles underneath. so, i wouldn't let appearances turn you off from looking at another one.

2/16/2008 1:21:24 AM

yeah, concur on the paint.

and yeah, that's nowhere near the first time i've found a misrepresented vehicle. i'm just extra pissed because he just flat out bullshitted me, even after i specifically told him that I was driving a long way to see it and didn't want any surprises.


emailed this guy again to offer him $1700. http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/car/569438794.html

[Edited on February 16, 2008 at 1:40 AM. Reason : asdfad]

2/16/2008 1:39:26 AM

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/578799599.html


Flag this ad.

Fuck this guy...he flat out lied to me about several aspects of his truck for sale, causing me to waste about 5 hours of my time going to see it (and gas ferry money money). He continues to post incorrect info in his ad.

2/19/2008 12:51:37 AM

see, what you need is the BUS. haul all your shit, sleep, etc. i will offer delivery.

[Edited on February 19, 2008 at 1:40 AM. Reason : i have this sick thought of towing the bus with the new toterhome...lol]

2/19/2008 1:39:11 AM

haha, you don't want to deliver to my house...that would be one helluva drive.

the bus looks fun, but i'm leaning towards getting a travel trailer and a bigass truck to haul it with...that would allow me to move all my stuff back across the country, sleep in the trailer instead of hotels (or the truck cab again ), and I think I might get paid for the weight of the trailer itself in the move (if I own it instead of rent it).

The other big thing is that I'll likely be getting back to NC around June/first of July...but if I had to guess, I'd say I'll probably be going to Iraq about September or so. I'm thinking about buying a house when I first get there, then putting it up for rent and just living in the travel trailer for a few months until I deploy, at which point I'd sell the trailer (while continuing to rent out the house while I'm deployed).

Your bus would be killer for a road trip, but I don't want to live in it for ~3 months!




Now flag that locker room faggot who's bullshitting about his heap of a truck!

2/19/2008 1:51:07 AM

ad flagged

2/19/2008 1:54:59 AM

ha, you doubt my willingness to traverse the country at the drop of a hat. wouldn't be the first time, and hopefully not the last. in fact, that would work perfectly to incorporate into the canada/alaska trip i've been wanting to do.

2/19/2008 2:22:03 AM

yeah, i really enjoyed my first drive across the country (Pensacola to Whidbey Island, WA). I'd enjoy it more in a hot car and with a passenger riding with me, but even by myself in a box truck, pulling a car carrier, I liked it.

I'm looking forward to doing it again in the other direction (and catching a few new states in the process). I'd love to do it in the Evo (or who knows what else I would be driving by the summer ), but I stand to profit at least a couple thousand dollars by moving myself, and that pretty much requires a big truck.


I can't do the bus...but dude, if you ever feel like checking out the Pacific Northwest/British Columbia, let me know...my house out here kicks ass (look at the pics from my back deck in my gallery), and you're welcome to stay whenever. You can check out Seattle, Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, San Juan Islands (and their killer whale/other wildlife populations), Vancouver, Victoria, etc.

[Edited on February 19, 2008 at 2:34 AM. Reason : asfdasd]

2/19/2008 2:31:00 AM

looks like his ad is back up, with the same old bullshit being spewed.

time to flag it some more, fellas.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/579992497.html

2/21/2008 12:11:14 AM

done. i think i'll make a warning post too.

Quote :

"ONLY SEROUS BUYERS CAN TEST DRIVE NO MORE JOY RIDERS!"

lmao, that's you josh! damn joyrider...

2/21/2008 12:16:00 AM

how do you make a warning post, and where are they seen?

and that dude can't seriously think i drove 3-4 hours round trip on a friday night, spending $50 in gas and ferry fees, to joyride in a heap of a 1-ton pickup truck!

2/21/2008 12:28:31 AM

just do like you're making a for sale ad, and put warning in the subject about that truck. then explain in the description area what happened. people usually won't flag them, at least here.

2/21/2008 12:31:57 AM

ah gotcha

2/21/2008 12:32:45 AM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qa6D1M-BImc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kqCzyru25Cs

2/23/2008 1:40:13 AM