I know this isnt tech but I was looking for opinions on trucks. Right now I only have my Z and a work truck. I am looking at buying a pickup or suv of some kind. What I need is something that I could trailer my car if I need to or be able to haul larger parts.

I am strap for cargo space since I have a convertible and the girl drives and import. What kind do you guys recommend? I can only spend at most 16K. I have a wedding coming and saving for a house so I am limited to what I can buy. I was looking at like a 97 Tahoe. Or a Chevy Pickup. I dont think a s10 or a blazer would be enough towing power.

What do you suggest?

 

Heeeeyuck, I chure Dew LIke 'Dem dAr FOARD Truck Ef Tree Fiddy's!

 

Well the only way to go is 3/4 or bigger, and this is the way the big three match up:

Ford: Rough ride, indestructible, decent power
Chevy: Soft ride, breakable but somewhat durable, and decent power
Dodge: Soft ride, the easiest to break and the most power

I'm hard on trucks and Fords are the toughest. I dont like Ford but they're the only ones that like to use solid front axles and that's a bonus for me.

Oh and import trucks are underpowered and break sooo easily.

 

2wd or 4wd? extended cab or regular cab? i'd say go for a 98 regular cab c1500 with silverado option package, L31, M30, GT4, G80, Z82, and KC4. preferrably with dual battery option also.

 

Manuals can get annoying on trucks.

 

Looking for something with 4wd and has some storage space since I dont want to have to use the bed for everything.

Mostly I need the ability to move things that cant fit in my camaro which is just about everything but I also want to be able to pull my car if need be.

iroc22: what are you doing thats hard on trucks? are you in construction?

 

Dodge has the most power? Probably out of your price range, but the vortec 8100 (stroked big block) or duramax diesel with the allison 5 speed automatic will out pull them all. If the most you are going to pull is your car, you could pick-up a tahoe with the vortec 350 that will do the job just fine. Or a half-ton extended cab chevy pickup.

 

I would think a Duramax diesel would be way out of the 16K price range, but is the best towing truck out there. Maybe you could find one that cheap, but its probably going to be hosed and not worth buying.

I'd go with a Truck before a SUV (like a Tahoe)but thats just me. Unless you need room for more than 4 passengers, get an extended cab fullsize truck. It will weigh about 2000lbs less than the SUV, therefore better gas mileage. A 1/2 ton truck will pull a car on a trailer with ease. I've pulled my car behind both, an F150 and a 1500, no problems. Although the F150 seemed to squat more, but it made it. Gas mileage goes out the window when it comes to towing, but when you are not towing, the mileage will be better than a SUV.

Food for thought.

 

Yeah,the dodge 5.9 may be a small amount more powerfull then the chevy 4.8?5.3 6.0 8.1

 

I'd go with a Chevy 1/2 ton ext cab with the Vortec eng.
Look for an original owner wanting to upgrade. There's a lot of cream puffs out there. Chevy owners seem to take better care of their trucks, or at least it seems that way to me.
I bought a '95 3/4 ton ext-cab 3 1/2 years ago, it's been a great truck. The only reason I got a 3/4 ton was because I haul a 8000 lb boat around during the summer.

 

I have a 'vert too, if I was buying a truck, I'd buy a Dodge, I wouldn't even look at other trucks.

 

My dad owned a newer dodge dakota 4x4. I didnt much care for it. Mainly the transmission in it. I have seen more cherry chevys than fords. I have never driven a ford truck though. I havent liked the way any other ford has driven but the explorer i drove wasnt too bad except for its lack of power and feeling the ticking of the engine in the gas pedal. I wish I knew someone trading up. Thats where you get the best deal. May try riding around in the sticks some this weekend. Might find something nice sitting in a driveway.

 

My Grandpa was just out looking for trucks. he test drove a new dodge, ford, and chevy... all of them were 4x4's.

The dodge had to many curves and the roughest ride. you can fell every little crack in the road.

Ford probally had the best overall ride, but again to many curves and some what under power.

the Chevy's ride is alright. not the best and surely not the worst. some curves but still its like a ROCK. and had plenty of power...


my dad jsut bought a 1997 chevy 1/2 ton Z71 true duals, nerf bars. tinted windows all around. 350 vortec. tonnue cover towing package. all that and 80 thousand miles for 12 thousand bucks... killer deal. the OLD guy just wanted something brand new. he to bought another chevy.


CHEVY... you have too!

 

I bought a 2001 Chev 3/4 4x4 ext.cab with the vortec 6 liter motor lots of power lots of torque but the fuel economy is the $h!ts, but my dad hasone of those new duramax lots of power and decent fuel economy, but the next truck I'm getting is going to be a Ford SD with the 7.3 diesel.

Vance

 

F-150, they are great trucks i dont care what anyone thinks but i will never buy a sierra or chevy truck over the ford. ford is personally the best in the truck area without a doubt. when it comes to cars i am undecided except 60s-70s mopar are the powerhouses.

 

M30 is an automatic. it's the rpo for the 4L60E. dodge is by far not the most powerfull. and greg, all Z71's are half ton's as well as the vortec in a 97 part. if you bought a 97 there was no non-vortec option for gas engines. and on the dodge, i work for a dealer that is chevy and chrysler, dodge is by far not the most powerfull and deffinitly has more problems.

 

..we have nothing but ford trucks at work....they get BEAT ON AND BEAT ON....they are pretty good....yeah they are really durable...i would say get one....they lack in other areas but the durability makes up for it. ....see..i am not brand "locked"
\

edit: for got about the red dump......3 rears...umm...LOL...and the New Holand(Ford) back hoes and the "little Blue" tractor we have are the POS....the leack hydral fluid and and just....****....the John Deere stuff...OMG that is good ****.. the John Deere hoe is 3 years older and is only now geting a slight hydral leak...and the excavtor....umm that is from the 80s...it is still runs STRONG and we beat that thing...we bought them used along with other john deere stuff....good ****...the N.H. we bought new.....they are SHIIIIIIIIIT

EDIT...AGAIN, we also use 'Cheif Truck" on a regular basis to pull the hoes around.....umm they are like 7 tons w/o the trailer...LOL...it is a F-450 7.3L turbo disel i think....umm it is about its max...should be good for a 1.5 ton car..lol

 

If the most you're planning to tow is your car, a half ton Chevy would do you just fine, and extended cab would give you the storage inside, and still be able to haul stuff you wouldn't want to put inside.

As for the Fords, I couldn't count the number of 4.6 engines we have replaced in them! Mainly fleet truck, that don't tow, just get driven around town a lot.

And the Dodges, well, all Dodge automatic transmissions are weak! I've rebuilt many more Dodge tranny's than Ford, Chevy, and Imports put together! Otherwise, the Dodges are nice looking, and would pull your car around just fine.

Chevy, (Of course my pick!) In 96 (I think!) they went to the Vortec engines, and the 97 got even more power. The weak on the Chevy would most likely be ring and pinion gears. The 4L60E tranny is just an electronis 700R4, and it has some of the same issues as the 700, but a Transgo kit will take care of you for the most part. One more thing on the tranny, 97-up have a PWM Convertor clutch, and the valve in the valve body for it is junk. The transgo kit will fix this, too.

All, in all, I have to say drive them all, and see which you like best in the way of ride, performance, and handling. They all have their
issues, and none of them are really junk vehicles, if taken care of.

Good luck!