What Truck have you had the best luck with? I had a 2001 ford power stroke and in 10 years and 125,000 miles i put about every part on it including a transmission, 4 alternators starters , wheel bearings a complete front end,everything except the 7.3 motor. I bought a Toyota tundra 2011 5.7 new and have 90,000 on it and the motor now clicks and clacks like my old 7.3 . You can here the computer adjusting and it tames it down. This happens mostly when its warming up .Dealer says they can't figure it out. I think they know but really don't want to tear the motor apart even though its still under warranty.
I just want a truck to make a 200,000 miles I'm not the trade in every couple years type of guy .I pull a 25 ft 8,000 lb toy hauler if i get a hunt tag and the rest is a bass boat . overall not a lot of towing. Thanks
Dodge Cummins..........I've had mine for 12 years and have only had to replace the tie rods, etc., since I have it off-road at times and live in the desert (rubber dried out). Tows easily and very dependable. JMO
Some might not consider an 2008 Tacoma (smaller size) a real truck but it has served me well. Just turned 160,500 miles with no major maintenance, ie, just one front wheel bearing. Still gets 20 mpg, 15.5 when pulling the popup. I am sure it will make it to 200KKK. I do miss a somewhat larger truck but then one take too much stuff on trips.
2005 Sierra 2500 Duramax extended cab just turned 200k. I've replaced the water pump, block heater, front wheel bearings and brake pads at 175k...unbelievable!! On my 5th set of tires last fall and it still rides like a Yukon, most comfortable pickup I've ever ridden in and I've had 4-5 to compare....I guess I'll ride this one into the ground, can't get rid of it now! LOL
I am committed to the 7.3, I have a similar experience with the repairs. I redid the front end and some computer work as I approach 200,000 and am confident in the truck. I am sure the truck will go another 100,000 with only minor repairs. I love the diesel but ultimately I would like to keep the 7.3 and own a mid 90's tacoma for running around. As I get older I find I do not like taking the big ford to the grocery store because parking is a pain. I also take lots of short trips in the winter and would rather not warm up the diesel. Therefore i would like both, how greedy is that.
Bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins new. It has 230,000 plus on it now. Just put a new clutch in it last winter. Shocks and ball joints couple years ago. It still gets driven every day as my son drives it back and forth to school. He loves it.
I now have a 2011 Ford F-350 Diesel with 61,000 on it. I am hoping to get 150,000 out of it but we will see. Something tells me it will not live up to the Dodge.
My experience with Fords does not parallel yours. I owned several F-250s over the years, mostly gas rigs, but I put 60/80k a year on them and kept most of them past 175 k. One or two hit the 200k mark, with hardly a bobble. My driving was about 75% highway, but the other 25% was gravel lease roads ( oilfield ) or dirt. I pulled my farm tractor, boats, and a couple chevies out of mud holes :). I didn't abuse them, but I never petted them either. I also owned two Ford Excursions, and had a coil pack go out on the first one, never had a wrench on the second one, but they mostly stayed on the highway. You couldn't make me buy any other truck except Ford, unless is was a Toyota, but they are too small in the cab for me.
Toyota Tacoma 240,000 and only replaced water pump other then basic maintenance. All dealerships are pirates and that's the last place I would go for any maintenance!
Casper, I would try another dealer first. I am on my second Tundra and just broke 100,000 miles. I have never been in the shop for anything other breaks, tires and oil changes with either of them.
1997 Toyota Tacoma 300K miles and still going strong. I've replaced the clutch, some suspension work, ball joints...
Considering how hard I use it, it's performed beyond expectation. And like ermine, no need for an ATV or side by side. It goes anywhere I could legally take those expensive toys and keeps me and my gear dry, warm and comfortable at the same time.
The current style Tacoma was a big step down IMO with regards to off road capability.
06 GMC Sierra crew cab 4X4 Duramax with the 6 speed Allison. Did my glow plugs at 130,000. it took 45 minutes and $115.00. But I am religious on all my maintenance! I also pull a 37' 5th wheel toy hauler.
Looks like if you keep up the maintenance on them they're all good. 3years ago I sold a 2002 F350 7.3 Powerstroke with 392,000 on it and bought a new F350 6.7 Powerstroke so far .......great truck, powerful !! avg 20 mpg . Between these two trucks , other than oil and regular maintenance tires and ball joints on the 02 they have been as good as it gets. That 6.7 is a monster, a powerful monster too!!!
I have an 06 tundra I've had since 09. Routine maintenance and tires are all I've done so far.
I would agree with Pat on Toyota service centers being thieves. It's been getting worse lately but you have to say no to every repair they say you need and get a second opinion.
I have a 1999 F250 4X4 7.3 189,000 miles on it. replaced the alternator and rebuilt the transmission at 170K. Expect to get 300K out of it. Drive a 1990 Nissan single cab for daily commute, has 139K but dont expect it to last much longer.
I own a auto service center that my dad started in the 50's and I've seen good and bad in all brands. I'm going to touch on what Pat said in his posts. I had a customer with a camry come in with a problem.. After trouble shooting it, I check and there was a service bulletin on it that stated if it has this computer program that was not this number in it that it should be up dated to this new one before doing any repairs to see if it will correct the problem. (Up dated program was about $90.00 ) So I told the customer that he had to go to Toyota and get the up dated program. About 2 weeks later he came in and said that toyota said that the alternator was causing the problem. $600.00 to fix it. I don't know how the Alternator came it to the mix as even if the program didn't fix it the Alternator was not even in the mix of repair. So we checked,, and guess what it had the updated program. The alternator was on the bill,, but no where did it say anything about up dating to the new program.
My last Tacoma got 201k, and was still going strong but they bought it back from me due to frame rust. Truck was 10 years old and they gave me 60% of the original purchase price. Unreal!
Currrent Tacoma has 167k and is going strong. No major problems.
I currently drive a 2010 Tundra that I bought new and have had no issues with it or service on it. My first Toyota was the small truck 1985 and I put close to 500K on it, did have the head gasket go out on it which caused some other issues a couple of years later but Toyota service decided it all came from the head gasket issue and replaced the engine at no cost to me when it had 144K on it.
My 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 5.7 hemi (pd $27,124 new, had 13 miles on it ) 204K+miles with minor repairs so far, most happening after 180K, front hubs, two rocker springs, radiator. If you do regular maintenance it definitely prolongs the life of the vehicle. I figure I may get another 50K+ miles before something major, like engine/tranny rebuild. Had a 1998 ram 2500 before it (79Kmi) that had nothing wrong when traded in for the 2003. I've owned Chevy, Ford trucks as well but never had much luck with them going past 100K. I don't think anyone builds a bad truck anymore, just a matter of preference and up keep. Best of luck to you!
1996 GMC 1500 4x4, has the 5.0 and 5 speed, can't tow much with it but I ran the hell out of it traveling for work and hunting. My son still has it and he uses mostly just for a hunting rig.
It has 250,000 on it with new intake gaskets, tune up at about 190,000. Tie rods at about 220,000, nothing else other than regular wear items like a few belts and a couple brake jobs.
My 96 Cherokee is a trooper as well at 200,000. The only bad part about it is that it's a Chrysler product and their systems were designed by some real deep thinking pot heads it seems.
'99 F350, 7.3 Powerstroke, 386,000 miles and change as of yesterday.
2 clutches, 2 ball joints, door actuators, alternator, and water pump. Replaced the factory injectors and glow plugs at 377,000 miles. I replace the fuel filter once a year and oil maybe every 10K miles.
2008 Tundra, 170K miles. transfer case seal ($80 installed), other than that fluid changes, oil, tires and gas. Still going strong and I expect to drive it another 8 years.
My previous Tacoma's were just as reliable and repair free.
I do agree on taking it to Toyota Service and them trying to rip you off for maintenance and repairs you don't need. Just because it's in their recommended maintenance schedule for those amount of miles doesn't necessarily mean it has to be done. They always try and up sell my wife when she takes in her Sequoia. She just now says no to everything and has the service manager call me.
I have found a good independent Toyota Service shop that's cheaper and they all OEM parts.
I've had a number of Fords (F-150s) and were certainly decent machines with no major problems, however each began to get a bit clunky earlier in their life than I would have liked and what I paid for. -I was talked into trying a Tundra ('11) and it has been perfect thus far. I take care of it and plan on having it for a long while.
I had a 1995 F150 2 wheel drive that I bought in 2000 with something like 60000 miles on it. That truck had a straight 6 cylinder motor, 300 CI, I think. I put another 200k on it driving to hockey tournaments, yearly trips to Iowa and South Dakota every November for 10 or so years straight and even one trip to Durango CO for elk season and another to SD for a pronghorn hunt. During that time I owned the truck, I leased a Dodge ram for 2 years. I let my nephew and brother use the Ford during that two years. In known to me a fuse had blow causing the odometer to quit so I have no way of knowing how many miles they put on it. In 2011 I gave the truck to my youngest and he and his wife packed it full and moved to Missoula Mt. to attend school. he graduated in December of 2016 and sold the truck to another young man. Friends still send us photos of "Old Grey" still on the road every now and then. No telling how many miles she has but it has to be near 400k.
83 Toyota Hilux. Would not die. 88 Chevy 1/2 ton. Always had issues but I knew nothing about its past life and appeared it was not maintained. New 99 f150. Had a fluke engine issue just out of warranty. Replaced it and ran it to 250k with nothing else major. 04 Titan. Nice truck but little things constantly popping up at 160K.
Looking at Tundras now. I've had a Land Cruisers and 4runners over the years with great dependability.
The problem with going to a dealer for service is that most of those guys are parts changers, not mechanics. I don't blame them necessarily, they may very well be real mechanics (as in FIXING something) but the dealers make their money on parts, so that's what they do...change parts. Firestone and the other chain auto "repair" shops are also like this.
I had an old GMC 2500 series pickup that had a busted/seized spark plug. I took it to Firestone and they wanted like $1500 to change the entire head!!!! I went to the local REAL mechanic and he got it out and charged me $90.
2000 F250 7.3L 238,000 Alternator Front brakes Fuel filter drain valve Fan Clutch Service Trans, keep it out of O/D in mountains, driving around town and towing except on flat ground. I've replaced a lot of the E40D transmissions on trucks because drivers wouldn't take them out of O/D. Some drivers I had to replace them once a year. Been a great truck.
I had several Ford F-150's (all purchased new) all of which got me into some money around 90,000 - 120,000 miles. Currently driving a 2010 Tundra (purchased new) and have 134,506 on it. Haven't done a thing to it except oil changes, a transmission fluid change, tires and brake pads. Still running like a champ. Still the original battery. Plow two driveways with it. I'll be buying another one when it retires but expecting to have it for a few more years.
Over the past 41 years I've had both Fords and GMs for work and hunting. Overall they were both good trucks. The GM engines would run forever while the bodies rotted out from around them, while the Ford bodies stayed intact but I had more engine issues. I'm talking trucks now that actually had to work for a living and not just for hunting. 2500+ pound bed cargo weights and hauling 10,000 pounds of trailer and skidloader (not at the same time!) are all part of a day's work for them.
Was just talking trucks with my bro-in-law he bought a 2011 F-150 ecoboost new and totally regrets it now he said it started falling apart as soon as warranty expired. That was my experience with Fords also totally done with them forever. On my 3 Rd Ram pickup since 06 and they have been excellent. The nice thing about Fords is that you can tell the weather by looking at them. If the mountains are blue you know it's cold out.
I will NEVER own another Ford again! I had a $50,000 F350 super crew diesel 4x4 paper weight from them and they left me hanging! At 1.5 yrs old, I had already been through three motors, it was the 03 :.... (
My buddies son just bought the new F150... Loaded it was 50 or 60K, long story short, the motor blew at 10,000 miles.
Notice all the Fords on here are the 7.3 or gassers? no newer ones without a ton of problems. They are garbage!
2015 F350 with 6.7 Powerstroke. Zero issues at 50,000 miles, pulls and carries whatever you want (Northern Lite Camper for me), and gets 20 US MPG on the highway with a canopy on it. Nice truck that I plan to keep a long time.
My 2004 Nissan Titan was a good truck the first 150,000 miles and 9 or so years. The last 3 years it ate $$$$ for breakfast. The poster above that has one......my advice, dump it now.
It's hard for a lot of this information to be useful because so many simply list mileage without regard to where and how the truck was being driven. Most modern trucks (unless a lemon) shouldn't have any problem going 200k being driven on nothing but asphalt or concrete pavement.
My daily driver is a 2007 Silverado, and it has 197,000 on it currently. I have put a fair amount of work into it for maintenance of wear parts: ball joints, shocks, seals, cv's, etc. Brakes and tires are a given, albeit I have only done the rear brakes once and the fronts twice. It currently needs a few sensors, shocks, more front end work, and it has sprung an oil leak (possibly the rear main). I drive on poorly maintained gravel/chipped roads daily for part of my commute to work, plus I have taken it to the Rockies from IL 5-6 times. I would rate the performance of this truck as average/acceptable based on the abuse it has endured.
I don't know where I'm going from here. I don't need all the modern junk that the industry puts in a vehicle now, nor do I want to pay the premium price for it. My current truck has almost the exact options I want in a truck. I like buying new though because I tend to keep a vehicle for a while, and don't want to have to be playing mechanic in year 2 (or 1) of a purchase. I try to do mostly anything I am capable of as far as work goes because it is exhausting getting screwed by the shops without the use of lube. I am heavily considering a new Tacoma at some point, but it sure is a dilemma due to the size and power reduction.
I have a 1999 F-350 crew with 293000 on it it had 29,000 when I bought it Has the 7.3and a six speed manual. I changed one glow plug two alternaters, one clutch power steering pump it by far the best rig I have ever had. When I built my Cabin on POW Island My first load I took up from Montana was 27,000 lbs the second was 22,000. So it pulls it still gets around 20 mpg
I have put 100,000's of miles on Tacomas. Had the same issue as Pat with one dealer. No longer deal with that dealer. Pat probably only has one Toyota dealer in the People's Republic of Connecticut though.
2004 Ford Excursion with the 6.0L diesel. Yes, I've had great luck with the '04 Ford 6.0. Whenever we have long road road trip, the old gal gets the nod....pulls like a warhorse, four guy super comfortable, 9,000lbs safe and 20 mpg all day long (78 mph) without a trailer...13mpg pulling 6,500lbs.
The locking front hubs (locked) are incredible off-road....most recently pulling 7,000lbs through 10" of ice and snow about 1/2 mile getting firewood.
Here at work we have two Tundras with around 215k miles on them. Still running strong. Sheetmetal is thin on them and they have always ridden rough to me.
I have owned Dodge and Ram with no issues for the last 20 odd years. In between Rams I tried a 2007 Chevy Silverado. Nice looking truck but I had a bad one. Multiple Crankshaft positioning sensors and twice the transfer case failed. That truck was always in the shop.
I went back to Ram. Never had a major failure of any kind with Ram. Just tires, oil and brakes.
I am not a "Brand" guy. I buy what I like but as far as Chevy, never again.
I just traded a 2010 ram 1500 with 196k on it. Replaced the water pump at 170K and a manifold stud under warranty. Routine maintenance only other than that. Previous 03 Dodge Dakota had 213k when I traded it no major issues. I have had great luck with Chrysler/Ram so my new Ram 1500 has 300 miles on it today.
Im still driving my 2001 Chevy 2500HD gas 6litre. It has 293,000 in original drive train. Just replaced radiator and brake lines. My last Chevy pickup had 233,000. I gotta say I'm going to buy another when my son gets out of college. Man , we spend a lot of time in the saddle!
I have had very good luck with toyota for the past 30 years. WE buy them new keep up on the maintenance and go wherever we want. Never had one not get me there and back.
F150 2001 190.00 miles its rusted to heck right now but never put a cent other then brakes and tires.Engine still runs great.I decided to by a new to me 2013 f150 for hunting out of state,hope it lasts as long.
Sapcut is correct. The Fzj80 Land Cruiser is amazing. I've owned a few Cruisers including a '96 with factory lockers. There will likely never be anything like it in the mainstream US market again. A pickup version would have been great.
The wife is considering a 100 series. Not the same but still great.
Current daily driver is a '13 Ram 2500 6.7 Cummins, have 175,000 miles on it, like it, but don't love it.
Still have my '02 F250 7.3, 325,000 miles, it sat for two years but it's back on road and my 18 yo son is driving (and loving it). Did a partial rebuild, new turbo, straight exhaust, tuner, stage one performance upgrade, and that truck runs amazing!
I like it so much that I'm thinking about dumping the Ram and finding another 7.3
If I keep the Dodge I'm gonna do a full delete, 4" straight exhaust, double r tuner, level kit and slightly bigger feet (35" or 36")
Just for fun
Also had a Toyota Land Cruiser '06, and that thing was just a freaking tank. Bought it New and it was my wife's daily, but it started falling apart at about 15 years old with 325,000 so we dumped it. Saw one yesterday on the road and it brought back great memories.
I have owned about 20 new Silverado's,2014 is the newest.2014's were a big jump in gas mileage and ride.All were 4wd and most extended cab.I have had great luck with them.My buddy has a 2004 Tundra(200,000) that has been a money pit lately;frame replacement,exaust manifolds,cat converters,body is about shot.Salt on the roads in the north-east is tough on all vehicles.
116,000 on my 2006 Tacoma and no major work done just the usual brakes. Pat I agree and will never use Toyota for repairs. I brought it in for the frame change out and left with a broken spring. When I noticed it I brought it back and they denied they broke it. I know it was fine before I brought it in. They ended up selling me a spring and labor was free. Gave them one more chance and had brake work done. Next day brake light comes on and it also took 3 days for the pedal to work right. I also don't care much for their salesmen. It's a shame as their trucks are top notch. I use Ford trucks at work and had a F450 diesel truck engine blow on a 2012 with 110,000 on it. My experience with Ford is not good at all. Wish the Toyota's weren't so damn expensive.
I like half ton chevy or gmc, but I used to work for a contractor out in the Dakotas, Colorado and Nevada. He only bought Dodges with the Cummins. Those trucks got used...HARD. They were well over 200k and a couple over 300, and still going strong. Most of those miles pulling heavy gooseneck trailers.
If I needed a heavy duty pick up, I know what I would get.
Love Toyota 4Runners. Have driven one exclusively since '94. They run forever and are absolutely reliable until they turn upside down at 70 mph on the interstate.
New one is an F-150 Supercrew with the V6 Ecoboost twin turbos. Gets better gas mileage than the 4Runner and hauls/pulls a lot more. Did a lot of research on what I wanted for the future before settling on this one. 1200 miles and still going strong! :-)
I have an 07 Sierra 1500 with 150k miles and I really haven't done anything other than maintenance on it. I only tow a small drift boat or a pop-up camper with it, so I don't need a dedicated hauler type truck. It has the 5.3L motor and it's fine with some load, but for pulling trailers, it couldn't pull a greasy string out of a cat's ass.
We have one 7.3L 99' Ford F-350 with 360k miles and that truck has not had an easy life; we've replaced the transmission several times and just barely replaced the injectors for the 1st time, but other than that it's just been maintenance.
Patdel, funny that you mention that about the Dodge's, pretty much every rancher or agricultural company around here runs the Dodge with the Cummings. If they don't run that, they run the Fords, but I'd say it's rare. Construction companies seem to be more split and either run Fords or Dodges, but I rarely see a GM as an actual work truck. By observation, there does seem to be some regional preferences; as I recall the midwest GM seems to be more preferred.
2000 F-250 crew cab, 7.3 with 275K on it. Think it needs new ball joints and Ive had to replace the injectors, cam position sensor and the wiring for the transfere case. Been an amazing truck, my families limo!
I have only owned one truck. It's a 94 GMC SLE, Z71, 4x4 with a 5.7 and a 5 speed manual transmission. I can drive it 75 on the highway and get 17 or better mpg. I just added a Flowmaster SS exhaust system and a K&N intake system. My wife had me mount the long steps on the side so it is easier for her to get into. I thought about a new truck but there is nothing wrong with this one and I have not had any trouble with it at all. I have been in places in our Colorado mountains that you would not believe. Love this truck. Guys from the city come by and ask me if I would consider selling it. Nope. Everything is still all original.
My last new truck was a 2004 f250 Supercrew. It was a 6.0 I bought it new with 0% financing for 6 years loved that financing program. I owned the truck for 12 years and would still own it if Morgan wasn't driving.
By the time it had 102k miles I went thru 4 turbos, 1 front end, and 2 motors.
After Ford replaced the second motor put in I bullet proofed the motor I bypassed the egr valve, installed aftermarket head bolts, put on a 5.5 inch exhaust, installed a heavy duty engine transmission oil cooler, put in a diablo performance chip.
I was pushing close to 500 HP and could burn rubber regardless in 2wd or 4wd.
Then when it got about 165k miles on it I noticed the bed was rusted then after further inspection I found that the crossmember were almost gone there was a hole rusted thru the bed and the bed had been linexed.
Then a few years later Morgan was within a few months of getting her temps so I sold it and I sure didn't want a. Ew driver with that much power or driving a 8800lbs. Truck. So I bought a 1 owner 1997 dodge 4x4 extended cab truck with 135k miles from a coworker for 1500.00
Still driving it and I have put about 30k miles on it. I did put new shocks and tie rods on it.
For 1500.00 it's the best money I have ever spent on a truck even though it's a typical rusted out Dodge lol
Jeep is coming out with a new Wrangler pickup this August and I love our 2010 4dr Wrangler.
The new Jeep pickup has almost zero towing and hauling capacity but it looks to be totally bad ass. My goal is a person will need an extension ladder to get into it.
Ugh, Kelly. That 6.0 Powerstroke was just a bad engine. Cost Ford a ton of money in warranty repairs before they dumped it. Hopefullly Cummins learned something from that debacle.
I really like my Toyota Highlander. Have had no issues. 180K and still going strong. Will get another one. Big enough to sleep in the back pretty comfortably with second seats down.
Toyota Highlander? I thought this thread was supposed to be about TRUCKS?
It's bad enough to have 150's and 1500's in the mix, but at least they LOOK like trucks. That's where it ends though, but I suppose we have to make some concessions. ;-)
WW, I used to have a big Dodge Power Wagon, a Chevy, then a Ford diesel. Driven lots of others for work, big and small. Gotta say, this new F-150 with the 3.5 V6 twin turbos is a hell of a truck. 365 HP, 450 ft/lbs torque, I can haul an ATV in the bed and still pull 12000 lbs. Gets 18 mpg in town driving. It's a whole different deal than the older 150s.
1997 F-150. Still driving it. Has made many trips from Wasilla to Prudhoe and a bunch to Chitina for the fish wheel.
Have one of the new Ram 1500 diesels. Left Billings pulling a 4000 lb trailer, set cruise at 60 and never lost a mile of speed heading to Rawlins. Gotta love that 8 speed tranny.
"Not sure the Lexus flower delivery vehicles would pull a 25', 8000 lb toy hauler."
I am very sure.....they won't. That's why I don't need or have an 8000 lb. toy hauler. But thankfully they are still built in Japan specifically for the utilitarian purposes of withstanding the harshest environments on the planet. That is why I drive them in the woods everyday, managing timberland, with years and years and miles and miles of reliability. No prisoner of the pavement for me. I can deliver flowers any where on the globe and make it back safely to post it on bowsite. And, Lou.....you do know that all the cute little 4Runners want to be Lexus Land Cruisers when they grow up. :)
One of my boys named my '02 7.3 F250 "The Great White" when he was little and the name stuck. Can't tell you how many times we headed for the door with me telling them "we're takin the white".
That truck is really part of the family, and has been for a long time. It was even stolen/recovered once. Guess this is what people that don't own dogs do?
I drove a GMC 3500 Sierra for 15 years. It had over 300K on it. And like an old draft horse it WORKED. I changed the oil regularly and when it got down to zero and less at night I'd slap a magnetic oil pan heater on it. Those really cold starts take a lot of life out of an engine.
I had a ram with the cummins for 17 years and it was a good solid truck. ball joints at about 170K and the track bar. I did have some lift pump problems early on like every one did with that model year but it was resolved with an after market improvement and never a problem afterwards.
very few rattles and the doors and tailgate were tight when slammed. I had buddies that owned ford's and chevy's and they would comment how tight the truck was when they rode with me. I got good money for it when I sold it.
about a year ago I was shopping for a replacement and drove them all, multiple times. i no longer needed a diesel and would by a gasser. I also looked at slightly used ones. the ford's interior rattled a lot and felt cheap on the used trucks with less than 30K on them. the 5.0L V8 was strong and sounded good.
I never liked the way chevy's/GMC drove and they always felt too soft. I know many like them for their better smoother ride. I owned an S10 blazer years ago with the 4.3L V6 and more recently a GMC Canyon with the 5 cylinder. The 5 cylinder had known head or valve issues that GM covered under warranty. The blazer fell apart but the motor and tranny were good. at the time, the 6.0L V8 chevy in their HD trucks felt underpowered compared to the Ram or Ford in my experience.
I really liked the Tundra and felt that it was the highest quality out of all the brands. My decision came down to the Ram and Tundra. I wound up buying the Ram 2500 with the 5.7L Hemi and 4.10 rear. if the Tundra had more payload and tow capacity, i would likely be driving it. the best price i got on the tundra was still almost $3K higher than the 2500 Ram. so far i am happy with the ram and have had no issues. i do not like the dealer though.
I have loved my GMC Sierra's! First one had 248k miles on it when I got rid of it, the second one had 238k miles. I'm on my 3rd and hope for similar good luck with it!
My best truck has been my 02 Silverado 1500. Very few mechanical problems. Did have to replace the oil pan gasket recently but that's been the worst thing. Not bad after 15 years of use. I have a 11 Suburban now and it has cost me some money. Bought it used with 67,000 miles and I've had to basically rebuild the rear differential.
I have had Chevy 1/2 tons all my life . In the past a 74,79,89,95, 2000, 2004,2012. I still have the 2004 and 2012. Prior to the 2012 , I had the 2004 as my trip truck and a Toyota Tacoma as my work / hunting truck. The Tacoma was 14 1/2 years old and had ZERO rust , except it was bought back by Toyota for the frame recall. Toyota actually paid me $14,884.50 for the truck. By far the Tacoma was my favorite . Other than normal oil changes brakes and tires , it was excellent. My 2004 was my trip truck and the first 8 winters it stayed in my garage . This past summer the rocker panels and cab corners rusted out . Very disappointing to say the least. I invested the buy back money from Toyota and this fall or winter , that money will go towards a new Tacoma. Going to buy a crew cab with long bed . My wifes car is a Toyota Camry , that we purchased new in 2000. It has also been excellent and has NO RUST. I will probably miss the extra space that my full size Chevy , but as Paul at the fort stated , we sometimes take too much gear anyway. My Chevy have been excellent mechanically . I just am discouraged with the rust as it has been taken care of. I applaud Toyota for taking care of my Toyota with the frame issue . I was told a sub supplier made the frames and the issue was resolved.
I had an 86 Toyota pickup that was reliable, if a very stiff ride. I now have a 2007 Tacoma with ~105K miles, no major issues. Biggest is it supposedly needs a new rack + pinion, but not a pressing need, just a little shimmy of the steering wheel at certain speeds.
But I have been lucky with the dealership. The service manager knows I am cheap and slightly mech. inclined, so he calls me if there is anything needed that I could save money and do myself. But the reason I bothered to post is to share this: There are Tacoma-owning geeks who have a website called Tacomaworld. These guys apprently live their identity through owning a Tacoma. Not my thing, but it can be very helpful - Case in point, the dealership wants $175 to change the spark plugs. Service manager explains why - it is not hard, just takes a long time. So I go on Tacomaworld, and some kind soul has gone to the trouble of creating a 20+ page file, complete with photos, showing how to do it. (Each plug has its own coil, and they are about 12" deep into the block.) It took maybe an hour and a half for me.
Also, I like to listen to books on tape on long drives, and I figured out how to add on blue-tooth capability to the 2007 factory stereo. About $60. I borrow mystery novels free from the library, put them on my phone, and listen through the stereo. Pandora for music too. I thought I would share because I was scared the capability would cost me big bucks.
I've owned several 4x4 trucks over the years, but the one that stood out the best was my Nissan Titan that I bought new in March 2004. It was a very dependable, (122,000)comfortable, and great off road vehicle. Cons are poor gas mileage (12.5-18) I retired last spring and traded it in March 2016 for a Tacoma Off Road.
I owned a 1997 Chevy Suburban. It had 350,000 miles when I sold it. The only things I had to do was replace the transmission, U joints, batteries, starter, and alternator..just routine maintenance for something with that many miles on it. I have a 2005 now with 110,000 miles. We will see how this one holds outs?
My last truck was 2000 Silverado 1500 5.3L. I bought a 2015 Silverado 1500 5.3L last December. I sold the old one the first day I listed it on Craigslist. I had 37 calls in 24 hours. It had 160k on the clock but was mechanically perfect. All I ever did to it was fluids, brakes, tires, and a set of shocks. I have 14K on the new truck. I've driven it to N.B. Canada twice and Iowa once. I average 22 MPG on the highway.
Bought a 1949 Jeep pickup in 1977 that had a four banger and 4 wheel drive. Drove it for 3 years, hauled firewood with it, and sold it for what I paid for it, $400. I now have a 2009 Tacoma 2 wheel drive with 170,000 miles on it. Replaced the clutch and one rear wheel bearing. I buy stripped vehicles with not many extras as they are simpler to work on. I do all my own work. I carry chains as a set of chains beats 4 wheel drive up here every time.
02 Toyota Sequoia. 238,000. Everything seems to work fine. Starting to show a bit rough on the edges purely from time but nothing that makes me want to replace it. could use some seat covers since the seams on the driver's seat have split.
Ford's have been good. Had a friends with Dodges and their last 4 Chryslers have been nothing but repair bills from my vantage point.
Ask them and I'm sure they'll say the diesel motor is the best engine on the planet and forget to mention the $5,000 in electrical, or rear ends or whatever always happens with those things. Seems like every time they go to the doctor it's $5,000 but I'm sure we're all partial to what brings us home every day right?
I totally thought this was going to be about what vehicle you killed the most stuff out of.
My luck in that regard has been spread fairly evenly, going back to stuffing a couple of big deer into the back of an '89 Pontiac Phoenix. Great car. Got it for $0 and beat the piss out of it. Went bear baiting one time with 2 45 gallon drums inside the car as well as all my bait. She was a lowrider!!!!
On my third Toyota truck. First was a '92 Hi-Lux sold after 50K miles, no issues. 2nd was a '97 Tacoma that Toyota bought back in 2011 for frame rust. Got a check for almost $7,000 for a truck that had a 180,000 miles on it with a rusted frame. The only thing I replaced was the starter.
I now have a 2011 Tacoma Double Cab 4WD. 115,000 miles no issues. Oil changed by me at 5K. Every other oil change, lube the drive train, every 30K or so, replace the fluids in the diffs and transfer case, same with plugs. Shocks swapped out for Bilsteins, front brakes are easy to change. The point being, their easy to maintain, why let a stealership get your $$. No reason this truck won't easily hit 200K. And I fully expect it to.
GMC for me. I had a 1995 that I bought new. Just did basic maintenance on it, with no major problems. Sold it last summer with 142,000 miles, and bought this 2013 with 14,000 miles on it.
In 2004 I bought a new GMC Sierra 4x4 with the work truck package. Drove it 8 years and 192000 miles with only general maintenance and a left front wheel bearing. Traded it off on a 2012 GMC Sierra extended cab...never like it much. Found a 2005 Silverado 1500 4x4 with only 28000 miles on it in October of 2013 and swapped the 2012 off on it. The '05 is a good truck, 17 mpg in town and if I keep the speed at 65 mph and under I get 20-23 mpg on the highway. The newer (2007 on up) GM trucks are nice enough, but I can see the road better and sit more comfortably in the pre-2007 models.
I sold my 2004 Nissan Titan a couple years ago, it had 280,000 miles on it. I had to replce the radiator because I smashed it on a rock on a keep trail. Other than that I changed the oil and fluids and kept tires on it. I bought a 2012 Nissan Xterra and have since put 65,000 miles on that and also no issues at all. I really like the smaller footprint of the Xterra. Plus, I can take the back seats out and sleep in the truck, which is really nice.
2000 Toyota Tundra. Toyota put new frame under it in '16. They called dealer and told dealer replace anything I wanted done and to NOT charge labor. I replaced the Timing Belt, all rotors and brakes, tie rods, brake lines, all transmission fluids and filters, and spark plugs and wires. And a few other things. Cost me 2500 and it runs like a brand new truck!! I can't complain about Toyota or their service.
2000 Toyota Tundra. Toyota put new frame under it in '16. They called dealer and told dealer replace anything I wanted done and to NOT charge labor. I replaced the Timing Belt, all rotors and brakes, tie rods, brake lines, all transmission fluids and filters, and spark plugs and wires. And a few other things. Cost me 2500 and it runs like a brand new truck!! I can't complain about Toyota or their service. I now have 170k miles on it.
2005 Toyota Tacoma dbl cab... Still runs great, 165,000... Worst day of my life though was when I decided to sell my single cab ford f250 power stroke.. DUH... Thing was a beast but somehow I thought i didn't need it anymore..
Ford for me... I've had 3, f250 s...1, 350...Ran one of the 250s into 23 ft of water.pulled er out...My mechanic had er running in a week...Just a few small electronic problems but she ran fine afterwards....Love my fords
If you can find one, I think the Ford Excursion is probably the ultimate outdoor vehicle. Very few other vehicles on the planet can haul you and 7 of your buddies, all of their gear, and still pull a 10k+ trailer.
Wish they still made them. If they did, I would probably own 2. A new one and the 2002 that I currently run.
Back in the nineties, I knew a guy who drove one of the small GMC two wheel drive trucks on a bank run of around four hundred miles a day, five days a week. Before he retired, he had around 800,000 miles on it, and never did anything to the engine. He did have some drive train issues, but new parts fixed that. I asked him about the engine, and he said he made sure it never got hot.
I've got a 2002 GMC with the 6.0, and it's about to hit 190,000. Only complaint is two in-tank fuel pumps.
Sapcut is right...the Landcruiser or LX equivalent is the best built vehicle on earth year after year. I don't have one but they are better than anything else.
My 2000 GMC Sierra with 230,000 miles on it is my hunting property/work truck and is the best thing I've ever owned. I put a transmission in it this summer and to my wife's chagrin I won't ever sell it.
My 2001 GMC suburban/yukon has 240,000 miles on it. It is working into becoming my hunting vehicle.
I have had to do little more than put brakes and oil in either of these outside of the transmissions at 220K miles. But I don't think that GM makes them like they did from '98 through '04. The boy at the dealership that does my work states that the last 4 years have had problem after problem.
Well there you have it. After all these posts it should be obvious which truck everyone's had the best luck with. Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Nissan and Dodge are the winners. The best ones are the 1/2, 3/4 and 1 tons. :)
Hope that helps anyone thinking of buying a truck.
F150 eco boost so far 3 rearends a turbo 3 front hubs and a transmission in 184000 miles 70% highway 30% Oilfield lease roads glad I don't own it or pay for the repairs. They tell me I get a new one just like it at 200000 oh joy what will I break next hahaha!
You guys with the older Tacoma's better hang on to them as long as possible the newer ones don't even come close to them anymore, especially for the long "haul".
I work 9-5 as an auto tech. if you don't need a big ass truck get a Tacoma. if you need a big ass truck Tundras kill water pumps but they are super easy to change out so its worth it. Rams go through front ends like Swiss cheese and if you throw big ass tires on it,, forget about it. Fords blow out spark plugs and Chevy's leak everything. if you get anything turbo the turbo will leak oil, coolant or both. tires and brakes will cost you your firstborn child. pick your poison. for what its worth get a Tundra... I haven't worked on one of those in the shop for all of 2017 so far.. that alone tells me whats up.
Bought two Ford products in the early 1980s. Both junk. Drove used Dodges until 1998. Leased a 1998 Chevy 4 x 4. Decent truck. Went to dealer to trade...no deal. Went with Ram 2500s with diesel and no issues approaching 200,000; though only 12,000 on the new 2016. Unless a recall issue try to never go near a dealer for service. Have a very good local mechanic.
I'm not saying that my Chevys are any better than those Fords with the bad spark plugs or the Dodges with the bad front ends but I've been a Chevy/GMC man my whole life and have never had any leakage problems. Heck even my 300,000 mile '87 woodhauler that I've owned since it was almost new doesn't even leak... at least from the drive train anyway...
2002 Dodge 2500. Cummins diesel with twin turbos, 150 h.p. injectors, triple stacked programers and Suncoast trans. It's my daily driver and I tow a work trailer almost every day. Replaced every front end part including ball joints and u joints, track bar ,tie rod ends and hub bearings. Big tires and plowing beats the front end. 187.000 miles and going strong, 19 miles to the gallon around town if I don't press the skinny pedal hard and make the young kids cry when they can't get around the blue bomber with their big pipe, neon light rice burner cars.
Me and my brothers 1999 Ford F-350s both with 7.3 & 6 speed Manual. I also have another 1999 Ford F250 I use as a snow plow both get 20+mpg Mine has 294,000 on it My brothers has 210,000
Best truck I've ever owned was 2005 Dodge diesel, 400,000 miles and ran like it was 40k. Only problem I had with it was another driver rear ending me doing in the neighborhood of 90 mph.
2003 F350, 6.0. 187000 miles. Did injectors 2004 F350 6.0 178000 miles. Turbo at 92000, under warranty. Injectors 3 months before it saved my life in a head on. 2011 F350 6.7. Has 139000, Had to replaced exhaust manifold bolts and both front hubs. Still have all 3 of these trucks.
I used to flip vehicles. Buy at auctions and resale. So, I've had more than most. The ones I'd keep, I'd drive until I could sell it for more than it was worth for me to keep. Here's examples of the latest year models from manufacturer I've owned.
Had a 1998 Dodge 1500 I used for hunting and beating around off the job. I sold it three years ago with 238,000 miles on it. It went through a flood, through all kinds of turmoil, and never took more than standard maintenance. The largest being a transmission wire harness. While it wasn't my work truck, It wasn't babied ether. Really Good truck.
2004 Silverado. 212,000 on it when I traded it. Good truck. Had to replace the wheel bearings several times but, I work in the mud. No complaints.
2010 Tacoma. Great little work truck. 138,000 miles when I let it go. Not highway miles either. If you don't need to haul or tow much, going to be hard to beat these trucks. If money were no object and I needed a truck just to recreate out if, it'd be a Tacoma. It never got the gas mileage it was touted to get but, it was an awesome little truck if you don't break the bed loose around the bed bolts. Like I said, it wasn't made for payload work.
2012 Tundra work truck. Piece of CRAP. Transmission and brake troubles within 50,000. Got rid of it before 70,000. Three of my buddies personal ones had the same problems.
For my current ride, I bought a used 2011 F150 STX three years ago for myself to work out of and use everyday. While I've owned quite a few, none compare to this truck. I bought it used with 51,000 on it. It had after market dual exhaust and tuner program installed. I work the heck out of this thing. EVERYDAY. It now has 133,000 and change. ZERO problems. I average 18 MPG in the city and almost 19 on the highway.
It's the fastest, quickest truck I've ever rode in. Counting worked diesels. It will flat out fly from start to finish. Eat up with power. I tow 4,000-5,000 pounds down the interstate and it doesn't gear down on the steep long pulls. Seriously, it never kicks out of over drive when cruise is set at 70 mph. I love it.
Had a mechanic working on the log loader a couple weeks go. He had a 2010 or 11 F350 powerstroke and was talking about how fast and strong it was. When we left the yard, he was in front. I pulled out, and started pushing him up the road. He stomped it and had the black smoke rolling. I stomped mine and went around him and never saw him again until the following Monday when he came back to finish the loader. Needless to say he wanted to know what the $#@! I had in that truck. I really don't know other than what they told me at the dealership. I don't care either as long as it runs a longtime and does so efficiently as it has up to this point. I pray to still be driving this truck 20 years from now.
I've had a lot of good ones. I'll buy only a Ford or Toyota Tacoma from a dealership from here on out. No bailout and they've been the best. God Bless
Bought a F250 in 2002 after almost killing a F150. I haul too much. The '02 has the 5.4 Triton and pulled a 32' camper all over the country. Never had a issue with the truck other than brakes until right in the middle of moving in May of '14. It blew a plug out and I went truck shopping. Ended up with a 2014 F250 quad cab power stroke. Love this truck! Drives and rides better than any Toyota I've been in and gets 20 mpg at 70 mph on the interstate. The wife didn't want a noisy, smoking diesel, but loves driving the power stroke. Says it makes her fell safer on the highway when she's at eye level with the semis. Had the '02 repaired for $360 and use it for everyday and hunting. It's about to roll 186,000.
I've owned 3 ford rangers in my day. All extended cab 4x4s. Great little trucks and never had a problem. Currently own a 2011 F150 crew cab 4x4 and love it. But the best truck I ever had was my 2001 chevy silverado 1500 extended cab. Only had it a year, but man did I take my fair share of game in that truck. 2 blondes, 2 brunettes. Never could land a redhead though.... :( weary little creatures. Sold it to my little brother but the magic was all wore out after that year....
Just talked to bro-in-law he bought a 2011 Ford 1/2 ton ecoboost said it lliterally started falling apart when warranty expired has been nothing but grief with a ton of issues but electical has been the worst. Not a happy Ford camper.
