Lookin for new pickup

[Boondox]

Just last autumn I bought a 2003 Dodge Dakota. "Don't need a full sized truck," said the wife, so I turned away from the Silverado I really wanted and settled for a smaller truck that gets the same mileage.

I don't tow or plow with my truck, and the heaviest thing I'll carry is my ATV or a bed full of hay, so Tamara was right in that we didn't need a full-sized truck. Not that I dislike the Dakota, but in retrospect, the new Chevy Colorado with the inline 5 cylinder engine does everything mine does...and gets 10mpg better!

So like Pat suggested, define your needs and shop smart.

Pete

[robertn]

Yup! One of the best trucks I ever had was a $100 pickup(Sounds like part of a Jimmy Buffet song... live album...). It was a '64 Ford F100. It was a great beat up old truck!

[Autotech]

I have to agree with the assessment that you need two vehicles. If you are doing an 85 mile a day (or is it 170 a day!) commute, even a relatively frugal pickup, gas or diesel, will eat a big hole in you budget right quick. And if you opt for a large gas engine, like a V-10, I'd have to say you're nuts!

I upgraded from an F250 Supercab Superduty to an F350 Crewcab a couple of years ago. I was considering going to a gas (probably V-10) to save a few dollars, so I asked a couple of folks who had them. The horror stories on fuel mileage were quite convincing - F250's getting 4-6 mpg!! With the diesel in my current truck I'm doing about 15 with my mixed driving. My old F250 was good for about 20mpg on the highway when I traded it. Neither of these is a number I'd want to carry for the types of distances you're commuting.

While a small pickup with better mileage might work, you may find yourself compromised when it comes time to get to work at home. Not a good situation either.

Personally, I'd consider a 1-3 year old fullsize pickup that will fill your needs at home, but still be capable of handling the commute on one tank of fuel (diesel), and find a good fuel miser for the trip to work. I've seen Diesel VW's go 50-55 mpg and run for 200,000 to 300,000 miles. They're nice cars, fairly easy to find used in decent condition, and pretty mechanically friendy if you're the weekend mechanic type.

Gregg