Topic: American Pick-up trucks

[Prospect]

I'm not much of a car guy.  I like classic cars but have my hands full trying to keep my fleet of bikes running well.  I'm thinking of buying a used full size pick up truck.  I'll probably only drive it around 3000-5000 miles a year.  I don't drive much.  Considering how little I drive I'm thinking of getting a high mileage pick-up, maybe 10 years old, but I'm concerned about reliability.  These modern trucks are difficult to work on and I'd have to take it in to the shop which is always expensive where I live (most of the shops have been bought our by condo developers and have left the city).  I had a Nissan pick up in college and loved it.

What should I look for? Chevy Ford GM? I like the look of the F150 and I believe it's the most popular vehicle in Canada.  Are there years to avoid?  Rust prone? Red flags?  Only a long box can fit a cb750?

[BenelliSEI]

In my opinion, you can’t beat an F150 for price. Having said that, Toyota pickup owners relate them very high and usually buy another one!

[Stev-o]

Toyota pickup owners relate them very high and usually buy another one!

+1.  I am on my 5th Toyota truck, 2 Tundras and 3 Tacomas.
I drive a lot for business, and they cant be beat.

[newday777]

The Chevy/GMC with the 5.3 motor has been very reliable and plenty of power towing a 20 enclosed trailer full of tools. The 5.3 started in 2003. Fairly decent gas mileage too.

[Prospect]

Toyota pickup owners relate them very high and usually buy another one!

+1.  I am on my 5th Toyota truck, 2 Tundras and 3 Tacomas.
I drive a lot for business, and they cant be beat.

Yeah. They have great reviews but are so expensive. Even the well used ones are 40% higher than American.

[calj737]

10 years ago, trucks and cars were as complicated as they are today. You're talking about a 2010 model. Go 20ish years back, and you will find less complicated motors.

Fords of that era (150 model) had some motor problems on specific model engines. Body was decent, cab corners were prone to rusting, so check carefully.
GMs of that era (99-06) were widely available with 5.3 Vortex engine, burned oil, brake lines rusted out, motor leaked at the main seal, trans (4L60 was crap) and the rockers and quarters rusted badly. Plenty of good motors and trans replacements out there.
Don't have any insight on Dodge for that era.
No opinion on Toyota/Nissan trucks.

A 5.5' bed will carry a 750, loaded front wheel slightly askew, tailgate down with tire on it. No issues. If you are worried about rust, grab a post '16 Ford since they are aluminum body/bed. Will cost you a hefty penny, but great on mileage, EcoBoost v6 is great on gas with ample power and decent tow capacity.

Or buy a diesel-engined Super Duty. Easier to work on, lasts for decades and decades, and tolerates sitting and low mileage driving.

[lash]

You want to go off the deep end crazy, how about this? Remember , taxes extra!!
https://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/F-150/St-Eustache/QC/5_49774485_20200430193306865/?loc=J7P4W9&utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=DSP&utm_campaign=CA-DSP-EN-REMARKETING-CRITEO-WEB

[Prospect]

You want to go off the deep end crazy, how about this? Remember , taxes extra!!
https://www.autotrader.ca/a/Ford/F-150/St-Eustache/QC/5_49774485_20200430193306865/?loc=J7P4W9&utm_source=Criteo&utm_medium=DSP&utm_campaign=CA-DSP-EN-REMARKETING-CRITEO-WEB

Doesn't do anything for me.  I rather take that money and buy a barn full of bikes. 

[lash]

Me too! Thats what I have done, way too many bikes! Besides that Im a Ram guy..

[Don R]

 Most of the ford and gm engines are long lasting. I'd check to see who uses galvanized steel in the body, Canadian vehicles used to have more rust preventative than the us versions. 
  My 2003 GM has badly rusted brake and fuel lines. What a poor choice to cut corners on. I'll need to lift the bed to do the repair right. 

[Kelly E]

I've had my 93' F250 Diesel 4x4 since 98'. It still runs great and is simple being the last year of the mechanically injected motor. It's got a full Banks turbo kit on it with a stage 1 towing transmission and a Detroit Locker in the back. Because it is a diesel all the running gear is 1 ton stuff stock so it weighs 7000lbs empty with a gross weight of 8800lbs. I also put on better springs, rear airbags and center link steering to eliminate the Twin Traction Beam wander these trucks are famous for. It will tow anything that I put behind it.

[ekpent]

 That's a real truck Kelly.

[Stev-o]

That's a real truck Kelly.

That’s like a friggin freight train!

[Kelly E]

Thanks, it's my forever truck. It currently has 140k miles on it and I'm not selling it. When I got the truck it was all stock with 61k miles on it. I have used to pull stumps and logs when the tractor wouldn't do it. It's a great truck.

[333]

I don't know pickups, but I've been a GM fan for most of my life. I currently have a Chevy 3500 Express long wheelbase van. It has the 6.0 liter V8, and averages between 16 and 17 MPG.  And, at 6400 lbs empty, it'll do 0 to 60 in under 8 seconds.

[jlh3rd]

I'm not much of a car guy.  I like classic cars but have my hands full trying to keep my fleet of bikes running well.  I'm thinking of buying a used full size pick up truck.  I'll probably only drive it around 3000-5000 miles a year.  I don't drive much.  Considering how little I drive I'm thinking of getting a high mileage pick-up, maybe 10 years old, but I'm concerned about reliability.  These modern trucks are difficult to work on and I'd have to take it in to the shop which is always expensive where I live (most of the shops have been bought our by condo developers and have left the city).  I had a Nissan pick up in college and loved it.

What should I look for? Chevy Ford GM? I like the look of the F150 and I believe it's the most popular vehicle in Canada.  Are there years to avoid?  Rust prone? Red flags?  Only a long box can fit a cb750?

I'm not much of a car guy.  I like classic cars but have my hands full trying to keep my fleet of bikes running well.  I'm thinking of buying a used full size pick up truck.  I'll probably only drive it around 3000-5000 miles a year.  I don't drive much.  Considering how little I drive I'm thinking of getting a high mileage pick-up, maybe 10 years old, but I'm concerned about reliability.  These modern trucks are difficult to work on and I'd have to take it in to the shop which is always expensive where I live (most of the shops have been bought our by condo developers and have left the city).  I had a Nissan pick up in college and loved it.

What should I look for? Chevy Ford GM? I like the look of the F150 and I believe it's the most popular vehicle in Canada.  Are there years to avoid?  Rust prone? Red flags?  Only a long box can fit a cb750?

08 silverado, 62,000, 5.3 LS engine, automatic, rear wheel dr., posi, purchased new.
I've replaced front rotors ( developed shudder, as did my 02 camaro) and the fuel purge solenoid. So far,that's it, but 62,000 is really nothing. Front end A-arms, spindles are pretty rusty. Body is fine but i do maintain it. Interior is fine, but, a small split did show up already on the driver's vinyl seat side which i feel is way too early. Engine does run nice, at a stop you can hardly tell the engine is on. Tranny is fine but i've already completed drained and refilled, and will do it again this summer. i've pulled my 24' pontoon boat with  no troubles. The long bed holds my 550F easily. I don't beat on the truck, and can't answer to other negatives about GM......So....
      This biggest known trouble with these gm trucks reported is related to the lifters that are part of the AFM (active fuel management ) system. Supposedly, they are prone to fail. Early LS1
  aluminum block engines, such as my 02 camaro have a rattle at idle called piston slap. Yes, my 02 has it. I don't think the iron block ls1's do, but some earlier trucks might.....so google's your friend....
      Knowing what i know now with all the reading and research i do, Id get a toyota.....then an F150....then a chevy......

[BPellerine]

in canada look for a western truck they do not use salt out west,got an 02 f150 with 370k on it ,came from whitehorse,runs great,highway miles are easier on a motor than city miles,I have seen trucks out there with 500k on them and they look and work well

[Prospect]

in canada look for a western truck they do not use salt out west,got an 02 f150 with 370k on it ,came from whitehorse,runs great,highway miles are easier on a motor than city miles,I have seen trucks out there with 500k on them and they look and work well

That's an excellent strategy.  I'd fly there and drive back from BC would be 5-6 days and Whitehorse another 1 day.  Worth investigating.

[BPellerine]

put mine up on the hoist here and the mechanic said he had never seen such a solid underside ,the farther east you go in canada the more rust you see,even on much newer trucks.

[BenelliSEI]

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about, for a while. Check out Kijiji and you will see there are lot’s of 70’s and 80’s pickups, restored by people just like you and me. Too much time and money spent and now they want to move on to something else. Instead of a 10 year old truck (for ridiculous money), just pick a well restored one you like, get it undercoated, and drive it for the next 15 years!

[DickL]

Consider a restored 50-60 Ford or Chevy pickup.

[onepieceatatime]

I just have my old '88 Chevy 3500 that I bought in 2002, and my '94 F350 that I bought a couple years ago on Ebay.
I like both trucks, but in my opinion, GM had smarter engineers during that time period. all kind of little things are easier to work on on the GM than the Ford. Plus the Ford turning radius is terrible. Even the regular cab '86 F150 I used to have had a worse turning radius than the Chevy.

The Chevy has a 4 bolt main 350, bored .40 over, that I put in to replace the 2 bolt main it had, because it was burning a bunch of oil, and I had to replace brake and fuel lines due to rust.
The Ford has a 351 Windsor and a 5 speed manual transmission. I put in a ZF5-S47 to replace the ZF5-S42 it came with, it is a little heavier duty, with improved synchros.I also had to replace brake lines due to rust.
Both are around 120,000 miles and run great.

[Prospect]

I've considered 70's and 80's trucks but I need reliability.  I would need to tow with it and park it outside of my garage and drive it in winter.  Even well done restorations can cause problems at the most inopportune times.   I would love to have one.  They look great!

[Prospect]

I just have my old '88 Chevy 3500 that I bought in 2002, and my '94 F350 that I bought a couple years ago on Ebay.
I like both trucks, but in my opinion, GM had smarter engineers during that time period. all kind of little things are easier to work on on the GM than the Ford. Plus the Ford turning radius is terrible. Even the regular cab '86 F150 I used to have had a worse turning radius than the Chevy.

The Chevy has a 4 bolt main 350, bored .40 over, that I put in to replace the 2 bolt main it had, because it was burning a bunch of oil, and I had to replace brake and fuel lines due to rust.
The Ford has a 351 Windsor and a 5 speed manual transmission. I put in a ZF5-S47 to replace the ZF5-S42 it came with, it is a little heavier duty, with improved synchros.I also had to replace brake lines due to rust.
Both are around 120,000 miles and run great.

Any problems starting them in winter?

[onepieceatatime]

I just have my old '88 Chevy 3500 that I bought in 2002, and my '94 F350 that I bought a couple years ago on Ebay.
I like both trucks, but in my opinion, GM had smarter engineers during that time period. all kind of little things are easier to work on on the GM than the Ford. Plus the Ford turning radius is terrible. Even the regular cab '86 F150 I used to have had a worse turning radius than the Chevy.

The Chevy has a 4 bolt main 350, bored .40 over, that I put in to replace the 2 bolt main it had, because it was burning a bunch of oil, and I had to replace brake and fuel lines due to rust.
The Ford has a 351 Windsor and a 5 speed manual transmission. I put in a ZF5-S47 to replace the ZF5-S42 it came with, it is a little heavier duty, with improved synchros.I also had to replace brake lines due to rust.
Both are around 120,000 miles and run great.

Any problems starting them in winter?

Nope, only time I had a problem with starting the Ford was because the battery was old. With the Chevy I had trouble starting it twice; I had the ignition module go out once, and the 16 year old battery died the other time.

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