I'm looking to get a new or late model pickup. Will drive to work 85 miles on the highway,and to use around the farm. Would like to hear some recommendations and specifications on what people use,like or dislike.
I'm looking to get a new or late model pickup. Will drive to work 85 miles on the highway,and to use around the farm. Would like to hear some recommendations and specifications on what people use,like or dislike.
You probably should have given more information about what you're gonna do with that pickup besides commute. If that long commute is the major use, the small trucks (S-10, Ranger, Nissan, Toyota) with 4 cylinder engines will get the best mileage, but if you're gonna haul much load, pull a trailer (how big a trailer?), etc., then a "full size' half ton, 3/4 ton? Small V-8, big V-8, diesel? Lots of choices.
How high is up? How long is a roll of string?
How soft does your place get? How hilly? Do you need to pull trailer or anything when it is wet/soft? What is your passenger carying needs? Do you need 4x4?
4x4 is an emotional issue for many but often not a critical requirement in actual point of fact. A good limited slip rearend on a 4x2 in the hands of a good driver will go where most folks can go with 4x4 except in certain extreme situations that you may seldom encounter or be able to defer to better times.
4x4 costs more, can be a maint hog, is a fuel hit, rides rougher in general, costs more to insure and is essentially a waste for a comuter vehicle that sometimes drives in a field.
Do you need seating for you and your hound dog, just you, wife and kids (how many?) or what? Crew cab with full sized bed introduces parking and manuvering problems as well as difficulty in going over crests without hitting the underside. Standard cab is cheaper and results in shorter wheelbase (often a good thing but you can't take 4 passengers, +a cooler, +the dog, etc)
What if anything do you intend to pull? In the field over what hills or just on the pavement, again flat or hills? A V-6 might do everything you want except take trophies at the drags. Usually more economical to operate and maintain but if you consistently overwork it you might ought to have gone with a V-8. If your "farm" use is not toooooo heavy duty a V-6 is a good choice and they cost less used because of being viewed as less sexy by many folks.
Automatic or manual. Real men don't worry about their MACHO image and automatic in recent years does OK on mileage. If you have much stop and go on your commute and or if you go 4x2 then automatic is a reasonable consideration. Automatic will allow you to ease in throtle incrementally and start moving so gently that you can drive out of situations where it could be easy to get stuck or burn a manual clutch trying to replicate the "stealth" start the automatic does with ease in a manual trany ride.
I have two pickups now, the only non-Ford trucks I have ever owned and there were a lot. I have never bought a new Ford and I never had a Ford truck that I didn't like. I now have an automatic 1 ton turbo diesel Dodge/Cummins 4x4 extended cab with service body, 19.5 wheels and extensive modifications. I also have a Dodge Dakota ('89) with conventional cab, automatic tranny, and 4x4. They both have their niche. I have reservatons about both. I like both and will keep them as long as they remain safe, reliable, and economical. I just replaced the engine in the Dakota, an indication of my intentions to keep it. The Dakota is a small V-6 that is a bit underpowered for pulling a load so I don't use it for that. It is light and manuverable and lets me get around the property when the diesel would bury up to the frame or not be able to go up a wet slope. I have had to winch myself out of trouble several times and prefer to use the Dakota. If I knew then what I know now I would have bought a few years newer with a V-8 and done as good or better with fuel economy and had better power reserve. This is ot typical of trucks in general, just the V-6 in this Dakota.
A good alternative to a mid size like the Dakota if you aren't hauling huge loads is a full size half ton with V-6 in any of the BIG names. Just check frequency of repair info so you don't buy a truck with a family history of problems. F-150 standard cab long bed 4x2 with posi-traction and auto trany with a V-6 is a decent ride and will be good on the farm. If you don't intend to haul bulky stuff or 4x8 sheet goods with the tailgate up, then consider a short bed for better of road capability/clearance, and enhanced manuvering and parking ability. Standard cab is cheaper and helps keep the wheelbase down (a good thing) if you don't need it to double as the family sedan. A long bed with either an extended cab or crew (double) cab gets to be really long and flexible, manuvers like a battleship, is hard to park, and is not good over ridges or obstacles and can get "high centered" and either strand you or hurt the "workin's" underneath. There are exceptions to anything I might suggest and if you could give more details as regards your requirements, then some of the guys might be able to give more detailed suggestions.
Do some requirements analysis. What do you want to do, how do you want to do it? If you have a task that could be deferred or avoided that is the only reason to have 4x4, then forget 4x4 and the extra cost, maintenance, etc.
Sounds like your major job for the truck is a comuter car with sometimes casual farm duties. Plenty of good choices out there for that. Just about any 1/2 ton V-6 standard cab automatic with posi-trac and short bed would do an excellent job. You can upgrade from there to the detriment of function and economy but you might actually need more.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
Pat's post was pretty comprehensive, so I can't add much to that. But Bird had a good point - for an 85 mile commute a small, 4 cyl truck will save you a *bunch* in gas. Trucks aren't by nature very fuel efficient so unless you need to tow or haul much you can get nearly the utility of a full size out of one of the smaller ones and save a mint in fuel.
If you do need the abilities of a larger truck, diesel would be something to look at - slightly better fuel economy and diesel can be purchased for less than gas...mostly. And unless you absolutely need 4WD, with that commute I'd recommend against it. 4WD adds weight, which hurts fuel economy, and there are also wear considerations involved when driving in 2WD for long distances.
In the larger trucks, I'd suggest automatic trans (Pat laid out the reasoning pretty thouroughly). In the smaller ones, manual will help the smaller engines deliver more power to the road. But if you're in stop and go much, automatic is probably the way to go either way.
Abe:
Sounds like a compromise will be in order. You'll have to decide on which features are required and then make the closest fit in the truck market you can find. There are actually weighting factors rating systems out that you could use to make a choice.
End result you'll have to make your own decision based on the factors you consider important.
For myself I'd choose a 2500 series 4x4 diesel with the long box providing economics were there.
Egon
I have a 93 Ford F-150 2wd 6cyl that Im thinking of trading up. I was thinking on the lines of a 2500HD 4wd 6L gas,or F350 Super duty 4wd 5.6L,or comparable Dodge. Want one truck that will do all I need. Was wondering if anyone has recently bought something similar,if they would have bought one over the other in hindsight. Dont want to buy one and wished I had bought another. Have had mostly Ford F-150 in the past. Was going to try GM trucks,but have seen they redone the F series.
If I were going for that big of a truck and commuting that distance, I'd sure seriously consider diesel.
Sounds like your type of truck is picked. Now to choose make and model. Chances are there are some pro's and con's to all makes. Chances are they will all give you good service. Choose based on what you like and feel comfortable in while taking the cost into consideration.
I'm envious; can't go shopping for new vehicles.
Egon
I have done a commute like that. With a 3/4 ton truck.
Look at getting your truck, and a cheap used econo-box car. Use the truck for the work stuff, where it is intended. Use the cheap econo car as a daily commuter.
That would save miles on the truck, wear and tear that is more expensive to maintain. Find a car with 30+mpg, and you'll save on fuel too, enough to make up for having two vehicles(tires are cheaper, fuel, upkeep).
I wish I would have done that back then. My truck got 17mpg(TD with Auto, 4.11, 4x4) and rode like a 3//4 ton 4x4 on our wonderful roads [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Diesel around here is at least as expensive as Regular, and more typically about the price of mid-grade gas.
Alternatively, you could consider a decent but economical car and a "beater" truck. After you factor in the incompatibility of the requirements, you might find that two vehicles are required to make a good fit. However, if your insurance rates and tags are high enough that could bias the decision toward a single vehicle.
I'd be a little cautious about the idea of buying a 3/4 ton diesel truck for an econo-comuter. There may be an economical diesel econo-comuter but it is likely a VW TDI and not a truck.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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