I Can"t Decide On Which Truck Would Best Suite My Needs

I'm normally not this unsure. But now questioning my WANTS and NEEDS.

This is my conundrum:

My V70-R Volvo has to go.... I want shopping for a truck and came home with a fast car..

WORK NEED : I need a trk that I can go to work with, drive to 5 or 6 businesses every night with my staff and equipment and clean until 1:00 or 2:00 AM
WORK NEED : I need a truck that has seasonable fuel economy. I have a budget of $70.00 every 2 weeks for fuel.


PLAY NEED : I need a trk that can pull. I drag my 2 son's 2 race cars 150 mile to race 2 or 3 times a yr.
PLAY NEED : I need something I can maintain in my own shop. Oil changes, brakes, reg. general maintenance.

ALL AROUND WANTS : I want a vehicle I can be proud to drive and show off.
I want something that is gonna last for the next 5 yrs.

I DON'T WANT I don't want expensive maintenance.
I DON'T WANT I don't like 4 door, because of work it would have to be extended cab, but I don't mind 8 ft box or 6 ft box, doesn't matter.

I only have $10,000 to spend. So I have been looking at 2001 to 2004 trucks

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. but I don't want to start a war of the big 3
In a nut shell I think I'm looking for that an Affordable Heavy Duty Dream Truck

Get yourself a 1987 F250/350 with the 6.9 diesel and slap a turbo on there, open up the exhaust and youll be in good shape. Only problem is that im sure most trucks that old either have a sh*tload of miles on em or are rusted out. My 93 with the 7.3 gets about 18-21 mpgs and will pull anything ya hook it up to. They are stupid simple to work on. Ive only ever had mine in the shop once and that was to get the cruise control recall issue taken care of. Parts are cheap and they are stone reliable. I just found out the other day that my truck might actually have closer to 450k on it than what i thought it was. Id sure be happy to see it make half a mil.

I know the older they are, the more simpler they are to work on. When did FREE Wheeling, Locking and Unlocking Hubs stop being produced? I'm only seeing trucks back in the 80s with Free wheeling hubs. I could expect better millage with free wheeling hubs, Right?

i dont think it would make THAT much of a difference. It should be slightly better tho and i suppose it does add up over time.

if 4x4 is not needed you should just get a 2 wheel drive mid to late 90's f250 HD with a 7.3 preferably a powerstroke but doesn't have to be.

Dont get a powerstroke if ya want cheap replacement parts. I can replace all the injectors in my truck for the price of just one powerstroke injector!

Glenn, in all honesty, this is one of those questions if you ask 100 different people you get 100 different answers. Look for the newest, lowest mileage truck you can afford, with a common engine that the manufacturer made lots of, a truck with all the maintenace done on it, and if you can, with a warranty.

As far as Gasoline VS. Diesel, that depends on the trucks usage. You said you tow, which would make me suggest a Diesel, but then you said you want cheap maintenance, which makes me suggest a gas engine. Diesel engine trucks are generally better built and stand the test of time better, but are way more expensive to fix and maintain. Diesels get better mileage, but the fuel is more expensive. Etc...

For the record, Ford and Dodge still use free spin hubs on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. And the GMs still get better mileage.

Oh yeah, you spelt "which" wrong.

if it were me i would go with a late 70s to late 80s c10 with a 454 or deseil.. we all know that a 454 is the king of towing tourqe for a gas motor.. they are cake to work on, u can look at pictures of my c10.. i can sit in the engine bay and work on it. couple weeks ago i had to tear down the motor to replace the cam and lifters cause the cam was wipped out and wouldnt hold timing but besides that it runs strong

Right now I'm really leaning towards something like this one.
I found this in the auto trader up in Freezing cold Thunder Bay.



2004 chevy 2500 silverado ext-cab 4x4 duramax diesel. awsome cond. safety checked, always serviced with the best of fluids.filters changed regular.

thats a sharp lookin truck.. paint the flares to match and throw a set of rockstar rims and beefy tires and it would look excelent..

oh yeah and ditch the chrome grill insert and level out the front end.. lol

OK.. indecisive me .... I don't mind the look of the Crew Cabs now, (4 door) as long as they are the short box.

In2Trux wrote:

Right now I'm really leaning towards something like this one.
I found this in the auto trader up in Freezing cold Thunder Bay.



2004 chevy 2500 silverado ext-cab 4x4 duramax diesel. awsome cond. safety checked, always serviced with the best of fluids.filters changed regular.

I've been trying to call this guy today, but I can't seem to get throw. I keep getting a fast busy signal.
They must be having problems with the long distance phone service.
And the add says NO EMAILS please. I sent one anyways

I'll try phoning again 2morow

He phoned me 2nite. He wants $23,500
I didn't ask him any more questions about it. Didn't want to waist his time. It was long distance.
Why are all the nice one so frig-gen expensive? He says he want to try it at that price for a while, cause it's a rare truck up in Thunder Bay.

thats insane.. were are you in canada.. i know im 6 hours from the canadian/new york boarder.. i had to pick up a motor that was 40 miles the voarder.. if i were you i would look in the states for a truck and transfer it over. that same exact truck would go for half that around here.. to me it would be worth the hassel any day of the week.

I'm right here. I'm a little better than 6 hrs away from the Niagara Falls border

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Because I only have $10K to spend. I was thinking on going the see a friend of mine that owns Central Trux Auto wreckers.
He said he would give me an awesome deal on a late model Chev truck. All I had to do was Remove and Replace all the wrecked parts.
He says after it was done I could be in a sweet truck for Half the price of a new one.

Thats a nice truck Glenn, but its over priced. Even with the premium a Duramax commands, its still not worth that. I guess the hunt continues.

Thanks Robert... Yeah that is an awesome looking truck. And it has everything I want in a truck. And usually when you find something that you really, really want, I might pay that little bit more just to have it. But Not $23,500 I like it but not that much.

I talked to my friend at Central 4X4 Trux Auto Wreckers.
He made me an offer a few years back that he could put me into a vehicle for half that vehicles book value. All I had to do is replace the damaged parts.
He has 2 Silverados in stock and 2 or 3 Duramax diesels sitting on the warehouse shelves
He said he could sell me an 04 or 05 Silverado ext-cab 4X4 6.6L Duramax for around $10,000 + 2 or $3000 in parts to get it looking good again.

So I'm thinking I may go see him when I'm ready to buy.
This way I'll be in the truck I want for under $20,000

$23,500? BWHAHAHAHAAHAH!!!! riiiiiiiiiiight.


From what you are describing, I'd go for diesel. If you get one that is 01-04, it should still be fine, as far as injectors and such go. But, it depends on the application.

1993GMCSierra wrote:

$23,500? BWHAHAHAHAAHAH!!!! riiiiiiiiiiight.


From what you are describing, I'd go for diesel. If you get one that is 01-04, it should still be fine, as far as injectors and such go. But, it depends on the application.

HaHaHa I'd luv to forward your post to this guy selling that truck. BWHahahahah !!! Riiight !!! Good Luck LOL He needs to see this

My Application ??? Every day driver, about once a month towing cars and utility trailer

im tellin ya you should find urself a 7.3 or 6.9 IDI. Parts are cheap and they are stone reliable. One with 3.55s and OD will put you in about the 20 mpg range

Any updates on the hunt?

No sorry.. Nothing to report.
I'm still really putting the push on to sell my car first,. I don't want to use it as a trade in. You know how that goes.

I'm now leaning towards picking up a late model (2005 - 06 ) fixer upper.
But it will have to be ONLY sheet metal work. I don't want to get into frame repair $$$

So I'll keep pushing on the car sale and keep shopping for that deal of a life time

Yeah, stay away from bent frames. They can never be truely repaired. Good luck Glenn, and keep us updated.