Again with the trucks!

[RoadWarrior222]

Hi folks,

Well, I'm at it again, torturing myself or something with vehicles I "might" be able to get. It's not really a total dreaming thing, we're between regular incomes, so at present "maintaining liquidity" and that could change overnight, also various entities owe us some chunks of change that we can't rely on getting soon, or maybe ever in some cases, but they could also turn up overnight... so for long term survival purposes I'm as tightwadded as ever...


Anyway, at least for sh!ts and giggles then, which truck? why?

http://stcatharines.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1996-GMC-Sierra-3-4-Ton-Pickup-Truck-W0QQAdIdZ257626949
http://stcatharines.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1992-Ford-F-350-Pickup-Truck-DIESEL-DUALLY-W0QQAdIdZ247407408#
http://stcatharines.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1993-Dodge-Ram-250-diesel-W0QQAdIdZ249023744

I wanna be able to haul a big camper, and I wanna (eventually?) get 20 mpg out of it. (And possible set it up to run any crap that's runny enough to pour in the tank :D ) and I have ideas of regular or irregular income that I might come across that a truck makes possible, annnd a relative is talking about buying a large parcel of land, that I could likely have free run of for helping with (Including maybe a cabin site, who knows)

All of those, due to recent claimed replacements sound like they have got 1000s of miles in them, and sound like they have common issues already taken care of for quite a while...

I am not too worried about not using a truck enough for truckly things, I use my poor wagon and minivan for truckly things at least once a month :D ...... neighbours are probably all like "WTF has he got tied on top of there now?"


RW222

["Top Fuel" Bender]

Of course everyone here is going to go with the ram
But I would too
I've got the '92 cummins
overdrive is a must which that one has
20mpg is possible
I'd check over the body (usually rocker, cab corner and wheel well rot)
have a smooth ride for their towing capacity

I like ford trucks but don't care for their diesels
specially non-turbo
Fords seem to have water-pump/ timing cover failure that reaks havoc on the motor
and the AOD trans, are hit or miss, you got a crap one or an O.k. one
20mpg is pushing it, more like 15-16
the stability of the dually is nice on long highway hauls with a big trailer
but more money on tires and maintence, wives usually are more scared to drive it and overkill for a daily driver
typical rot too
IMHO the fords seem a little more stylish in trim and accessories

I've only driven 1 6.5 chevy
same thing with the non-turbo, not a big fan
they kill balljoints and tie-rods every other year
body stlye isn't too bad
they are either rot buckets or emaculate

[Johnny]

The GM will not haul a large camper, the Ford will. Ford has no power without the turbo.
Dodge would haul and get good fuel mileage.

[trannybuster]

Go with 96-2000 ram. It'll burn anything, anitmatter, neg electrons, lol.....People arent talkning about Chevy engine implants or even Ford diesel swaps, they all want the Cummins.

[RoadWarrior222]

Yeah, the GM is the weakling of the bunch, only pulls 8000ish.
How roomy is the extended cab on a '93 dodge?

Newer would be nicer, don't think I'll be able to swing more than $4000, so for that I can get the older ones with a lot of fixin done, or the newer ones with it all to do.

Jus' keepin' an eye on them, in case the money frees up before they're gone.

[Johnny]

How roomy is the extended cab on a '93 dodge?
1992 and 1993 have the stronger frames and intercooled, so for the 1st gen, those are the 2 to get.
I have a '92, rear seats are jump seats. Adults would not want to go a long ways back there.
Very dependable.

[RoadWarrior222]

I'm wondering exactly what kind of TLC this one needs,...
http://hamilton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-94-dodge-ram-diesel-with-western-snow-plow-reg-cab-W0QQAdIdZ260398264
New frame?

Unless that really is the mileage, then the motor is prolly coked up bad.

[Evilancer]

I would stay away from anything that has had a plow on it. The cummins is probably fine, but the rest of the truck will be pretty beat up, being as old as it is, and all the salt its seen in its life, its a good bet it needs more than "tlc".

Dually's are nice, but a 2wd one in the winter time, is NOT very fun at all. You'd have to carry a fair amount of weight in the box to get the rear end to bite in the snow.

A 12v Cummins could get the mileage you are after unloaded, and do pretty much everything you ask of it. Plus if you want to mod it a bit there are some pretty cheap mods you can do to it to wake it up a bit.

N/A diesels aren't very fun, but they can get the job done, it just will take a little longer.