Best used Truck? Ford, Dodge, or Chev?

[Stormchaser]

So I'm deciding to buy a good used truck. I've looking at so many trucks they all look the same after a while. So i'll put it out to you guys......I've got a a budget of 25K and would like a 4x4 that could pull at least 8000lbs or so. Since my budget is where it is, I'll most likely end up buying a truck around years 2005 - 2008. I've looked at the older Lariats, Laramies and the Chev series trucks(whatever their top line is called.) but what i'm missing is some good old CP first hand advice.

For you guys who own these trucks, what do you recommend?
Is there a difference in engine/road noise or are they all kind of on par with each other these days? What made you choose one over the other?

Are there certain years to stay away from? I was reading some of the Ford diesels starting in 2007 are made by international and have had troubles with injectors or such.

Thanks

[REDVAN]

I recently got an 09 ram 1500 for about your price range. Very happy with it so far.

[Jacks]

I've always been a Ford guy so I'm a bit biased. Depends what kind of ride you like.

In your price range you should be able to get a fairly low mile 2009 3/4 ton, maybe 2008 if you want a loaded up model. Not really familiar with diesels, I wouldn't buy one unless I was pulling something on a regular basis.

Edit: 2008 F-250 Lariat Crew Cab 4x4 blackbooks at $26250 clean. Add $5000 for diesel. Yikes.
If you can get away with an F150 a 2009 lariat supercrew 4x4 books at $26450 clean.

[Stormchaser]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I've always been a Ford guy so I'm a bit biased. Depends what kind of ride you like.

In your price range you should be able to get a fairly low mile 2009 3/4 ton, maybe 2008 if you want a loaded up model. Not really familiar with diesels, I wouldn't buy one unless I was pulling something on a regular basis.

Edit: 2008 F-250 Lariat Crew Cab 4x4 blackbooks at $26250 clean. Add $5000 for diesel. Yikes.
If you can get away with an F150 a 2009 lariat supercrew 4x4 books at $26450 clean.

Yeah its hard to know at this point if I even need the diesel at all. I have plans to tow a 5th wheel in the next couple years. Some of the used sales men seem to think I could get away with a gasoline engine if it was big enough.

[Jacks]

Even the regular gas engines are putting out 300+ HP and lots of torque these days.

Don't forget that if you get a big diesel truck your neighbors will hate you at 7:00am.

[bc-chris]

i'm not sure about newer chevs, but the older styles (late 80s and into the 90s) were well known for nasty transmissions

my truck is an '89 chev ck1500 - i replaced my transmission back in '97 and the transmission guy said that it was not the original tranny.... mind you, the transmission that went in back in '97 is still in my truck today and it still works great


if i was you, i'd definitely be looking at at least a '2500' series truck.

a buddy of mine down in vancouver has a newer 2500 ford (i'd guess 2009) and uses it for hauling a 5th wheel - he says it has tons of power for what he needs. my dad has a 2000 chev 2500. it's got the vortec v8 engine and it's also got lots of power.

[Young-Sneezy]

anything as long as you're willing to drive like a complete dickhead.

[Chingas]

Originally Posted by Young-Sneezy

anything as long as you're willing to drive like a complete dickhead.

Great advice

I've always been a Chevy guy. I'm a mechanic and prefer not to bring my work home with me

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by stormchaser

So I'm deciding to buy a good used truck. I've looking at so many trucks they all look the same after a while. So i'll put it out to you guys......I've got a a budget of 25K and would like a 4x4 that could pull at least 8000lbs or so. Since my budget is where it is, I'll most likely end up buying a truck around years 2005 - 2008. I've looked at the older Lariats, Laramies and the Chev series trucks(whatever their top line is called.) but what i'm missing is some good old CP first hand advice.

For you guys who own these trucks, what do you recommend?
Is there a difference in engine/road noise or are they all kind of on par with each other these days? What made you choose one over the other?

Are there certain years to stay away from? I was reading some of the Ford diesels starting in 2007 are made by international and have had troubles with injectors or such.

Thanks

If I was going to spend $25k I would buy an 07 GMC 2500 with the LBZ Duramax diesel. I have one, that I bought new and it has 135k on it now with no problems. 8000lbs will be quite a bit to tow with a gas engine. The diesel will get you much better fuel economy, and you won't be pushing it to tow almost anything. The Duramax also comes with a 6 speed allison transmission. You can also chip these trucks to get more power and better economy, mine empty going through the mountains uses 13 liters/100km. It would be closer to 11/100km, if I wasn't speeding and kept it around 100km/h.

The Fords with issues are the 04-07 6.0 liter diesels, I would stay away from them. The Dodge diesels have the cummins engine, but their transmissions arent the best.

[Top Shelf]

Wish I could help buddy, but I'm having the same dilemma trying to decide between truck brands.

I have heard that you want to be very careful buying used around here, as there are a ton of oilfield service vehicles around, that have been used and abused.

I'm down to 2011 Ford F150 and 2011 Dodge Ram 1500, tough choice, both great trucks and both have fixed lots of the issues from the past.

[Brewmaster]

I recently picked up a 2007 F-150 FX-4. It's a great truck and I'd recommend Ford to anyone. It's tow capacity is rated to 10,500lbs but if you're planning on pulling a 5th wheel, then a 3/4 ton is probably a better option.

[THE SCUD]

One word: Buy in texas.

I guess that's more one sentence than one word.

[Redliner]

If we're just voicing opinions, I'd take Ford-Dodge-Chevy, in that order. Honestly though, even though my personal preference has always been Ford, from a quality standpoint they're all pretty close.

Word to the wise before you buy a diesel though; they will pull anything you put behind them but maintenance on them is a killer. My brother is a mechanic and he says that when someone brings a diesel in for work, before they even look at it the shop runs a credit check on the owner. Be prepared to spend 20-30% more if you ever have to fix the thing.

[Titan]

Also, remember that "planning" to tow 8000 lbs means you will likely buy a trailer that weights 8000 lbs. with luggage, food, ice, bikes, generator etc. you will be over 10,000 in the blink of an eye. Also, consider mountain driving which is way harder than flat.

I would not consder a half ton for a fifth wheel unless it is a mini/super light weight.

[Stormchaser]

I looked a while back at a lightweight 5th wheel that had a dry weight of about 6000 pounds so that's where I ended up thinking i'd be around 8000lbs loaded up.

I'm thinking a Diesel should be pulling that weight behind it but that just means i'll be getting into a little bit of an older vehicle. I just can't seem to justify spending so much money on something that depreciates so fast.

[Jacks]

Depends on how often you will be towing. If you are going to pull a 5th wheel 1 week out of the year but then will be city driving for the other 51 weeks I wouldn't want a diesel. You'll burn a bunch more fuel with a gas motor but if you are only spending 1 day a year driving uphill to get home from holiday then it's not such a big deal. I'm not a big fan of diesel, they are loud, smelly, expensive, etc but some people love them so who knows.

[burn_this_city]

New diesels are hardly loud if left with stock exhaust. It's the idiots with straight pipes on their Cummins that give them all a bad name. I wouldn't buy a gas truck after owning a diesel, the benefits out weight the negatives by a long shot.