Looking for a used pickup as a daily-driver

chaos386

.sa = bad driver!
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Nov 8, 2004
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Back in Saudia
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SEAT Leon FR
So, since I'll be moving to Pennsylvania in a couple months, I've gotta look into a new vehicle. I foresee quite a bit of moving my stuff around in the first couple years, so I figure a compact pickup truck would be a good balance of hauling ability, fuel economy, and ease of parking.

So here are the requirements:

  • Reliable (won't have a garage in which to work on it)
  • Basic (see the above. The only feature I'd like is an AUX input on the stereo for long drives, but I could add that later)
  • Cheap (I'm hoping for $2-3k, but I can afford $5k if it'll be worth it to get a more reliable truck)

A couple friends of mine recommended looking at 4-cyl manual Chevy S-10s from the late 90s, but they're quite GM-biased, so I'd like to hear other opinions as well. :)


*grumble mumble* Relatives planting seeds into my mind of towing and road trips... *Blues Brothers scenes flying through my head*


NEW requirements:

  • Full-size extended or crew cab truck (preferably extended)
  • Reliable (won't have a garage in which to work on it)
  • Comfortable highway cruiser
  • Ability to tow 7000+ pounds
  • Not-so-cheap ($8k looks to be the new budget)
 
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There'll be snow, salt, and therefore rust in PA, so be aware of that when shopping; also, have you had experience with driving in low-grip conditions?
 
Is the Toyota 4runner pickup the same as the Hilux? If so we know how solid they are, and there are quite a few on Craigslist.
 
the 4Runner used to be a hilux pickup with some fiberglass on the rear to make it an SUV, but the later models have diverged and arent based on each other
 
Is the Toyota 4runner pickup the same as the Hilux? If so we know how solid they are, and there are quite a few on Craigslist.

The 4Runner is an SUV. The Tacoma is the same as a Hilux, but older models have been known to rust out.

In South Eastern PA you can probably get away with 2WD, though there could still end up being a couple of days that a RWD truck could leave you stranded. A small FWD or AWD car will get good gas mileage and be capable of going most of the places you want to go. If you need a truck an S-10 wouldn't be a bad idea, nor would a Ranger, Tacoma, Frontier, Colorado, Mazda B-series or any that I may have omitted. I'd look for 4WD and check for rust. Something people tend to do when their car or truck rusts is get it painted, so if it doesn't look smooth underneath the paint you should probably avoid it.

A Nissan Navara is an Australian model.
 
The 4Runner is an SUV. The Tacoma is the same as a Hilux, but older models have been known to rust out.

Oh OK, for some reason I saw one listing when I searched and my brain decided that the 4Runner was a pickup.

This is one of trucks for sale but as you said there is some rust on the drivers door.
 
A friend of mine was looking at the same things here in MD, and some of the trucks we looked at were in PA. In your price range, the absolute best choice, hate to say it, is a late '90s Ford Ranger. They are plentiful, cheap, rugged and yes, reliable. They won't be as rusty as the Toyotas (and the ones in your price range will be older than Tacomas, just regualr hilux models). You MIGHT find an older Mazda or two in that price range, but around here they are harder to come by. Stay away from the Nissans in your price range. Rusty and not as reliable. Seriosuly, Rangers have the seal of approval from a number of automotive formes were you'd thik they wouldn't. iv'e had both a '96 Ranger and a '92 Toyota and the Ranger is the nicer truck.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/2454445642.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/2453133290.html

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/2428751584.html
 
Ford Ranger:

https://pic.armedcats.net/b/bl/blind_io/2011/06/24/2PU.jpg

Cheap, common, runs forever if you get the V6, can tow and haul like a champ (especially for the size) and parts and repairs are cheap. Can be had in RWD or 4WD, plenty of aftermarket support.

Most the people I know with these trucks have had them for 15+ years and have over a quarter-million miles on them.

The old Nissan Hardbody trucks are supposed to be pretty good, but I don't have any personal experience with them. I do know that the V6 put in those were supposed to be bomb-proof.
 
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I have a friend who picked up a 4WD Ranger for $500 that needed very little work, completely offset by selling the bed cap that it came with. Not bad for a daily driver.
 
I had an S10 (91) with the 4 popper. I liked the truck overall but always wished I had the 4.3.. The 4.3 is a smallblock missing a couple of cylinders and will run forever if you treat it right.
 
The Ranger/Mazda B series (same truck) are the way to go. Everything is cheap to fix and they will last until the end of time.
 
Go for a Ranger, my dad has one and it is fairly bullet proof.
 
Those older Land Cruisers are getting pretty aged these days, the Ranger is essentially unchanged so there are more possibilities out there.

Plus those older Cruisers were very underpowered and the leaf springs all around with solid axles make it rather punishing and lively as a daily driver. The 4.0L V6 in the Ranger can drag 5,000 lb and the coil-over independent front gives it better road manners.
 
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