I posted about a Silverado a few days ago but I think I need to make a more general truck buying thread, as I see options available. I know you guys have huge knowledge of what engines are good and the like so I'm hoping you can help me, if I ever buy a truck. I'm also considering either selling my car for a truck or getting a truck for the kids that I can swipe for a hardware store run or whatever. Here's the latest: 1987 dodge ram, in beautiful shape, 6 cylinder, 9500 bucks, 87000 miles. 1987 dodge ram d100 - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive... trade for dump trailer or heavy equipment or cash offers $9500 obo rust free d100 1987 Dodge ram all original and low mileage with a the 225 slant six very Beautiful truck inside and out very clean dayton.craigslist.org
$9500.00 for an "87!!!?? Good Greif!!
WAYYYYY to much money for that truck.
That is not work truck price. That is classic price. He may get it too. Just because we remember when these things were new, then they were old junkers, now they have come back to being classics to some degree. Especially with the bed that straight and the interior. Even work truck class vehicles bring that price, though. I suspect things will come back to earth soon. But for now, it is tough.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/edmonton/1984-chevrolet-1-2-ton-shortbox/1658654546?undefined You think that's a crazy price
Aighead!------------That era of Dodge is not good. That engine has the dreaded Chrysler {Lean Burn} system. Any Chrysler/Dodge product of that time period has it. Plus most of the electrical components are SOL. From about 1984 to 1995 Ford, GM and Dodge had a mixture of issues. Little known Ford had a minimum of four different ignition systems. In order to stay away from bombs it's either before 1984 or after 1995. I sold my last of the Mohicans 1984 4x4 150 with a rebuilt roller motor, dash two kitted 727 auto and limited slip rear, Hooker mandrel bent twice pipes, for $6,000. It got 17 to the gallon with 3.25 gears.
TS, mostly agree with all you have said, but the classic buyer will not know or care about any of that. All he will think is old=good. I still run my 1989 F250 but I got it cheap and low miles. The usual everything under the hood is rotten with age but the alternative is $$,$$$ so I keep it going. It helps I have a car mechanic who was well steeped in that area and he will tell me the quirks whenever something strange happens. He even has the old hand held code reader from the time.
You guys rock. I agree it's a crazy price but I haven't see a better looking truck with mileage but not crazy mileage on it for anywhere near that price. While not as crazy as the one cutting edge posted this one looks real good. I think I knew of a bad set of years for trucks but I didn't realize they were that extensive. I don't know if this guy will reply, hasn't yet, but I may still go look and see if he's willing to come down a bit. Are there parts available to make this run properly or it's just bad? Is that what TS is saying about the electrical components? TS- That is sweet! I also mentioned this truck to a guy I work with and he said his was nice but it may have been a different year and he put a 318 in it.
I think most ignition problems of that era can be fixed with a gm HEI distributor, they are least available in fords and I bet Chryslers too
I don't look at Aighead as a typical classic buyer. Screw the classic buyer-they would buy a turd if it had enough chrome on it. Summit builds a ready to run ignition system {HEI} good to 10,000 rpm that is relatively inexpensive. For GM, Ford and Dodge. Way better than the GM HEI. But if one buys a rig then has to spend X amount to make it drivable he may as well buy one already done for 15 to 20,000. If he or she wants something from that era.
Your budget may not allow, but I would look to the south for a good used pickup. Then, you could be pretty much assured the body would not rot off of it from rust. In our part of Ohio, I see some good running older trucks for sale, but they are always eaten up with rust. I would not consider buying one of these rust buckets, even it it ran perfectly. Jeff
The '80's are over . . .
Maybe I need to find one of these running perfectly rust buckets to get a replacement engine and trans should mine ever shell out. Things don't rust here much but they are doing their level best with mag chloride lately.
Easy now - the '80's had some great music.
And movies. The best movies came from that era.
Great movie too.
Lots of nostalgia for me in that one, the old blue California license plate you hardly ever see any more because the cars from that era were so bad they are all gone. Most of the vehicles in there made me feel sick to my stomach from the catalytic exhaust and the fumes coming off the naugahyde interior in the hot sun. But the old motorbikes and the old Pete I would like to see again.
Me and Buford beg to differ.
I have a 79 square body I bought new you can't buy it for 25000.
Buy what you want everyone has different ideas.
I have a 79 round body it went through the demo derby last weekend buy it for $1.98.
Ha, I've had persons ask me how much I'd sell my '85 for, my reply is "you ain't got enough money"
Must have been a furd.
I still drive my 96 Dodge one ton with three fish plates welded to the frame to strengthen, or reinforce the frame cracks. Getting too thin to drive much longer so may purchase something cheap and repower with my existing truck as a donor. Son in law seen a very clean 2001, or 2002 diesel Excursion yesterday and sent me a phone number from the window this afternoon. Going to call on it as the phone number is a Florida prefix and the vehicle appears rust free from the photos. Fixed a lot of these when popular and kinda liked the truck based platform. I can't justify the cost of something new, or late model these days.
I saw a 1995-ish service body Ford with a straight 6-300 in Kansas I was thinking about buying. I don't really need another truck but it was cheap enough and I would love to have a 300 over the 351 I drive now. Was only around $5k.
Better off with injection, unless one can find someone who understands a carb. The 5 dollar gas hasn't detoured many, maybe with some luck it will hit 7. Then people will be building a pickup out of a 98 Civic.
Actually I was joking but if I did do that it would be a bowtie Aighead asked in his original post for others ideas.
You can find tons of vehicles for much cheaper than that
It's seems as though there are cheaper vehicles out there but I haven't looked much beyond locally, where there isn't. I don't care about the real classic truck at all. I'd love to have a neat old truck in great shape but then I wouldn't want to use it. What I've started considering (and it's making me really regret scrapping my 1987 f250) is a truck that looks terrible, but solid, and swapping pretty much everything out for new. Maybe I should consider stuff from farther away. I'd love to daily an old beater but I want to be able to really daily it and not worry about it breaking down all the time. I don't have the time or skill to do all the work, but I may have the money to pay someone to do it... I guess it would depend on the initial price. I'd have to keep my car around while the work was getting done.
I have been and probably always will be a Ford man. Even though my 2013 F150 is rusting like crazy, if I could a Ford it, I would probably get another. If you want something dependable, do some research, and buy a Toyota Tundra. There are certain years to avoid, but they are pretty reliable, and have a V8. Only way I could ever get an 80s truck would be to park it in winter. They had a Toyota truck at work. It got into a wreck and they got rid of it. It had one of those little boxes for rust. The only rust on the thing was the rear bumper, and the little wire was broke off that had something to do with the little box.
What's this rust you guys speak of? I have a 2001 F250 7.3 extended cab bought new that other than needed a paint job (original) it's in great shape - body panels and all.
It comes from a place where we have weather!
There is a 300 manual 4x4 I think it was a 89, doesn't run but did that Id love to get my daughter for $1200. Kansas
I think the junk yards in the southern states make a killing on truck boxes shipped to Canada. A Florida box to fit my 96 F150 is $3000. This a rust free box, but might be beat up and need work. I don't know what the junkers charge for them, but by the time they get here, the sellers make a mint.
Yes, pickup beds sell real well. Before moving from Texas, I did some driving for a used truck sales operation. They had picked up 45, 8', Ford pickup beds for late model F250's. They resold the whole lot to a wrecking /parts yard in the Ft. Worth area for quite a bit of money. I loaded and delivered all 45 of them to that place, and was paid a very nice sum of money for my time, using their equipment. The guy at the junkyard told me he would have them all sold up north in about 2 months.
I have an 06 Silverado work truck with 50,000 miles I'll sell you for $7K. Bit of a drive for you though. Joe H
Man, I'd love to come out to Utah again and get it! I'm looking at a picture of Arches on my second monitor right now! If you are serious, and the gurus here say it's a good truck , I'd consider having it shipped or driven back here.
06 gas wouldn't be a bad deal, you can get parts and reliability out of that.
The 6.0ltr engine, (V8) was a bit hard on fuel and some tended to leak coolant, but overall were very reliable. Coil misfirings were common for a spell also and best to replace all at once when servicing.
I'm in New Mexico, never changed my info. Moving back to Utah this year I think (hope). I'm in New Mexico, High Rolls 88325. It's a 6 cyl, 2 wheel drive. Runs good but I just don't drive it much. And I don't want to move it, have another truck & a Suburban and wife's car to move now.
HA! Enjoying a real spring this year with highs in the low 70's and lows in the high 40's for the last 2 months. Absolutely fantastic weather. Pic of said 250.
I just sold my 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 with 54000 Km on it for $18000. I only put 2000 Km on it in the last 12 months.
How much you want for it?
Not for sale. I'll let the estate sale go're's fight over it in the shed after I'm in the ground.
Love it, still doing bidding wars after you're pushing up daisies. Well played.
I was going to start bidding, but that dent in the passenger door . . .
I did that back in 2004 or 2005. Carrying a stack of 2x10 form boards on the Gradall (still have it too) on town home project we were building. Truck was parked on the opposite side of the street of a 30 yard dumpster. I knew better than lifting the load and going over the truck and dumpster but I did it anyway... well one 2x10 slipped and the edge caught the door. There's that dent and a small one on the drivers side rear bed quarter panel. I didn't do that one.
6.0 litre GM is horrible on gas if it's used mostly as a daily driver. Good power for pulling a trailer though. Passenger side exhaust manifold cracking isn't uncommon either. Don't know your budget but other than having to have a new fuel pump installed and fighting with an idiot at a dealer over warranty during covid, I really like my 2015 F150 4x4 with the 2.7 litre Ecoboost. Body isn't going to turn into a rust bucket and gets great mileage with great power output. Mileage is better than previous 2011 F150 2 wheel drive with base 3.7 litre non turbo engine. It's also very quiet. I don't understand the appeal of having big lifted trucks, especially diesel that make a ridiculous amount of noise and rarely go off road. In an older truck a 300-6 is the engine of choice if you don't need to win any races.
The 300-6 is probably the best engine Ford ever made for durability. The u flow cylinder head needed replacement for future emissions so the engine was allowed to die. Straight sixes don't package easily, so it had little future.
Put 2 ls heads on the 300 and your gtg
That and the 351 Cleveland open chamber, it made a great pickup engine. Was never offered in a pickup-but would bolt up where there was 302 5L. Why Ford never considered it for use in a pickup could only guess, had a great oiling system which the 351 M and 400 didn't.
The 400 had horrible mileage, the 460 was quite a bit better. My former neighbor had one and I think on a good day got about 8 MPG. His brother had a 460 that got over 12 MPG if I recall.
I had a couple of 400 engines. One in a Torino, and the other in a Ranchero. Both delivered very good economy for their day. Quite powerful in their applications too. Never had problems other than timing chain in Ranchero, (1973 Squire) but other than that very reliable over the two years I had it.
Neighbors was in a 79 3/4 ton Supercab. I thought early 70's would be a 390 but basically the same.
I knew a guy with a 300 6 in a 2 wheel drive pick up. Used to sit there and hold it to the floor while he mixed his rum and coke. Couldn't kill it. Wrapped it around a tree eventually. Killed the truck, but he and the engine were fine. Another friend bought it off him, and adapted it to a Willys Jeep
Never fear......Vetech to the rescue! Here is the perfect truck, and my wife just happens to be putting it up for sale next week. 1997 Mazda B2300 with 262K miles. 2300CC engine with a 5 speed manual transmission. So tall geared that you can achieve almost 30 miles an hour in first gear. Great fuel mileage, tight, drives like a dream, near new tires, interior is dirty but not torn up, plastic bed liner, and everything works! Needs new heater valve, paint, tailgate rod, front brake pads, and front windshield. Wife is asking $5K Come and get her! Her name is Pebbles
I used to drive one of those for work, the Ranger version. Camper body with side doors, loaded down with tools. It was so frustrating trying to get it started up a steep hill or anything. Years went by, we switched to a new one, drove it somewhere unloaded, thing drove like a dream compared to when it had been loaded.
We had one in a E250 it was a great engine it had every little oil presser but ran forever. I never thought about not being in pickups.
Dad had one it was geared different i guess it would tow a full size pickup easy but couldnt stop it. Thats one rig that i have nothing bad to say about .
Funny you should mention low pressure. Ford and some of their phony stuff, during the late 80's early 90's the 6.9/7.3 diesels would show low pressure. So Fords fix was a resistor wire clipped in between sender and main wire, gauge would then read in the middle of zone.
Those were merely a LOP switch with a resistor AFAIK. Even my 7.3 Powerstroke has it. I never knew or cared how much oil pressure was in any Ford diesel because they all just ran, for me anyway. Weak by today's standards but we thought they were really something back in the day.
Ford are great for oil pressure. 5-7 psi switch only, at least to 2007 and I bet even longer. At least with the 7.3-6.0 they can't run with no oil pressure.
My 83 6.9ltr was that way after I'd rebuilt the engine complete, and added an ATS turbocharger package. Mechanical gauge I knew to be accurate showed 60+psi upon cold start yet the OEM gauge was barely in the "OK" zone. Engine hot and the LOP lamp was flickering at idle, yet gauge showed 40+ psi. I installed a rudimentary LED gauge trio, and varistors to display accurate readings in both the voltage, and oil pressure outputs. I found the original SW transducers to be lacking in linearity but precision varistors series installed worked well with them. Temperature, and type "K" pyrometer were direct reading, so no modifications there.
I had a little Mazda B2600I, before they went to the Ford Ranger style body. It was a 5 speed I think. That was a great little truck. I put 60,000 on it in 13 months, and never in the shop except for oil changes. I believe mine was about a 91 model give or take a year.
The problem is all the guys compensating for small appendages want the Bam Bam model with big loud exhaust pipes and oversize tires.
What about us that realize another inch and we'd be king; yet lose an inch and sure **** be queen? The world wonders.....
Ide have to lose 9 inches to be a queen
You are truly blessed.....
You braggin' or complainin'? Momma can get kinda irate when you forget to leave the last 3 inches out in the cold.
Fords didnt need oil presser to last but some how made it up in exhaust presser . I have seen GM engines lose half of the manifold bolts and never leak but a Ford will leak if every thing is perfect.
Bruised knees?
Sounds like the time for my inquisition again, since I never did buy a truck. My son is paying rent and my wife has come up with a couple good ideas, either use his rent money to help pay off the barn, or use it to make a truck payment. Truck payment will likely be the way. We anticipate having a couple grand down on something but man do I not like thinking of spending $7-10+k on something that I'm not sure will work well. We'd likely use it around the house and for lumber or junk runs, but I'd love to have mostly reliable. 4x4 would be ideal to travel on my back roads in the snow and around the yard, should it get sloppy. I'd rather it's a bit beat up on the outside, so I don't feel bad mistreating it. We have a car lot, mom and pop style, kind of, just around the corner, that always has a pile of trucks sitting outside. I'll have to stop by and take some pictures so I can get y'alls input. My guess, via the prices in the windows, is that they are all high mileage. I'd also be ok shipping one from the south, which doesn't sound like a terrible idea.
Wife and I just bought a 2018 GMC Denali 1500, with 100k for 26k on Saturday. It will replace my 2010 Chevy 1500 LTZ truck with 219k for my daily driver. I still have the JK Jeep but have never been without a pick up. I used to run 2500’s but found myself always trying to pull more than I should. Just need to keep the Topkick on the road for the equipment.
In this day and age the older it is the more reliable
Problem around here is, the older they are, the more rusted they are. This salt brine stuff they are using now, will total the frame of a truck in 3 years.
Those Denali's are sharp but I'd hate to do any work with it. I want to be able to shove a sheet of plywood into it and throw 2x4s. I also struggle because of the 50 million different years and options, it's hard telling what and when is good at 100k miles and what will be a turd.
Are you kidding me? It’s already got 100k on it. At this point in its life, it’s either well broke in, or ready to break! I just went through the under 30k lot and picked the best GM half ton, with the least amount of rust. I was intending to go back to a 3/4 ton till I took one for a test drive Saturday morning. Unless it’s got a plow on it, which I certainly don’t need or want, I really don’t need a 3/4 ton. Costs more to maintain. Only thing I tow with my truck is my SxS in a 6x11 trailer, my hauler, I use my 1 ton dump.
Hopefully you didn't get one of those factory bad engine gms, I think the year range is 2020-24
2017 up. The old boss had his 2021 explode at 17,000 or so, on cruise at 70. Took the dealer in Idaho 6 weeks to get a engine and replace. So it was traded on a new. Dropped a valve.
Till it suddenly took a dump, which many did and many didn't also. Early power strokes were known to crack blocks from head bolt stress on the left side, I know of one that ran another 100,000 on aluma seal every six months. 6.9/7.3 had crap heads and block porosity issues, most wouldn't bore without installing sleaves.
Unless your hooking up a gauge you didn't know how much oil pressure is in that ford
Most didn't have more than 30 at speed at idle 15 on ones I checked at dealer. The last two years 92 & 93 had less of a issue because the pump had a higher psi rating. 90 had issues with oil cooler bundle o-rings on a certain batch of engines, I replaced 3 different IIRC.
I have never seen this in a 7.3, but, I am not a mechanic. I did buy 18, Ford 's, with the 7.3 diesel and never had trouble with any of them. I bought them all, with a min of 250,000 on each. Later on, I sold them with around 350,000 each. I still see one now and then, and a couple have almost 600,000 miles on them. All of mine were 1993-1997 models. So, maybe those years were ok, or I just got very lucky.
I have been to Georgia and Oklahoma in recent history. I saw a lot of vehicles I have not seen in years. I bring a beach towel and lay underneath. I know quickly if it is worth further looking (rust). Fresh paint underneath normally gets that vehicle crossed off the list. Saw a gm 1500 today with the front top of the bed leaning on the back of the cab…
Working a dealer, you see everything, sometimes.
I would get a 250k mile truck in a heartbeat if I felt it would go another 75k miles. That crap makes me nervous!
I've got two chevy's, 2009's. Ones a 1500 5.3 and the other is a 2500 6.0. The 6.0 was under $5,000 with 250,000 miles on it, the 5.3 is somewhere around 150,000 and I think it was around $12,000. Both have been good trucks. The 6.0 is kind of hard on fuel. I'd recommend either in that age range. I've got a 2006 f-250 5.4 ford that has been nothing but trouble with only 100k on it. Don't get one of those. I've got a 16 and 2017 ford f150's with 5.0 and 6 speed auto's, that are both good trucks also, but those are more like $20,000 trucks than $10,000 trucks. I've got a 2020 5.0 f150 with the 5.0 and 10 speed transmission, and the transmission is terrible, and kind of the whole truck isn't as nice as my two older f150's. Mine is getting a new transmission right now, but from what I read, I don't expect the new one to shift a lot better, right now has a CDF failure (internal transmission common failure of the 10 speeds). To get the upgraded transmission parts in the 10 speeds, they need to be newer than 2022. Or have the transmission already replaced. When I'm buying (work) trucks, I prefer the rubber floors and cloth seats and non turbo engines. Carpet is a pain to keep clean, vinyl seats are hot and leather doesn't hold up. I also would rather buy 4x4, simply because even when its got a lot of miles, there's always a market for a 4x4 truck.. I don't think the little turbo gas engines hold up as well over time as a N/A engine. I have better luck with fords and gm's, than dodge's. I've never owned a toyota, but there's usually a premium price when buying them, that you can get back in resale, but I don't fit in most smaller trucks. I like to buy a truck with around 100,000 miles on it, and would like to drive it until it has 250,000 miles. I'm not usually surprised if it needs a engine or a transmission. But in buying 20,000 trucks instead of $60,000 trucks, I figure a engine or transmission still keeps me money ahead. If its not you're everyday driver, you can save a lot of $ by buying either regular cab, or extended cab, everyone wants crew cab, and so resale is a lot higher on those. From what you describe you want to use it for, regular cab with a 8' bed, should work. If its a everyday and you have kids, the crew cab sure helps when wanting to haul more people around.
Ditto on 6 litre's GM's being thirsty. My mechanic friend is the service manager at a Ford dealer says the y speed trans. is way better than the newer 10 speed. I like the 2.7 litre Eco-Boost in my 2015 F150. Great gas mileage and good power for a daily driver. I had the valve covers and oil pan gaskets replaced under warranty and needed a new fuel pump way too soon but other than that it has been a great truck. I've had way better luck with Ford trucks than GM trucks. I had a 2000 Chev. Silverado 2500, which is apparently supposed to be one of the best years for them, that I regretted buying. The gas mileage was atrocious to say the least. The right exhaust manifold cracked. The heater stopped giving heat even after having the cooling system professionally flushed. Then it sounded like the heater fan came loose on the motor and rattled around. It had approx. 150,000 miles and I parked it and got another truck. My 87 Ranger needed a couple heater cores but went approx. 240,000 miles before it got tired. It still had the original starter and alternator. Had a 1980 F150 with 300-6 that went over 300,000 miles and didn't burn a drop of oil. It got parked because the hood flew up due to a secondary latch that did absolutely nothing. My dad had the oil checked when he got gas and kid didn't close the hood all the way. Even after closing it all the way it flew open again several month's later. **** pour hood catch from Ford.
Thanks guys, lots of good notes. I'm leaning more towards Ford, but for barely any reason. Crane Op- You are correct, I'd like regular or extended cab with at least an 8' bed. I'd really like a regular cab, if only I could lean the seat back more than normally possible. I'm somewhat tall and feel like I've got to hunch over to sit that straight and still see.
I like the regular cab/long bed also. However, it has gotten really hard to find a truck like that over the past 10 years or so. Used to be, 8' was a standard bed. Now, 6' seems to be the standard bed. Heck, some full size pickups are closer to 4.5' in bed length
Yeah, I don't like that at all. I want something that I don't have to keep orange flags on hand to hang on most things I'd move... We may try to go truck shopping this weekend. The joint down the road from me, though they have many trucks in their lot has a ton of very negative reviews, so I'll probably skip them. Everything else looks to be more than I'd like for my budget. I hate facebook with every fiber of my being but I came real close to getting back on for marketplace... I'm not sure I won't go that route but Craigslist seems pretty dead.
That is a unicorn. I have been on the hunt for a nice lower mile excursion for several years now but I am also one that won't buy it unless I feel I am getting a deal on it and every one I see is way overpriced in my opinion. I am sure most people are getting asking prices or close to them but $30,000 for a 25yr old family vehicle is absurd to me.
All of you guys complaining about the gm 6.0 need to be a high school kid putting gas in mom and dad's suburban with the 8.1. It was the "family" car so everyone in the family drove it but it never failed that every time I got in it it was on E. Kind of ironic that the same thing happens every time I get in the wife's vehicle to this day
Seems that’s part of the marriage deal. Husband, whenever using wife’s vehicle, wife typically makes sure it’s on empty, so husband can fill it. I swear, my wife has gas cans hidden around, that she siphons the gas out, the night before I’m supposed to use her car for something. Lol
Running around on E shortens the life of in-tank fuel pumps.
In my area, nothing is on craigslist, its all on facebook marketplace. I finally got a account because I buy a lot of used stuff, and its the only market now. If you really want a low mile excursion, they are more and more rare. No one makes anything like it, so they have a following, and prices have gone up accordingly. They aren't going to get cheaper.
I get it but I remember when you could pick up a pretty nice one for 10-15. Kind of like square body chevy trucks. I bought one for $500 20years ago but now a completely rusted out one that doesn't even run is $2500. The world is changing faster than I can keep up with. Maybe one day I will start playing the lottery so when I win every penny won't be such a big deal
I didn't read the 5 pages ahead of me but here what I can add to the origional question. This is a video from the car wizard and he has some good advice.
Back to, what is appropriate, correct, or just perfect to one isn't to another. To some an Oatmeal Cookie is just that an oatmeal cookie--and to some if a oatmeal cookie has raisins, it is a waste of oatmeal cookies. Ford and Chevy should both come out with a retro version of four wheel drive Ranchero's and El-Camino's with a 3" lift, they have resurrected everything else.
I just found a excursion and fixing it up now. I've always wanted one but after a full family trip last year in the minivan more room was definitely needed. I found a very dirty but straight 02 v10 2wd which was exactly what I was looking for except the dirty part. These trucks are dying and lots of people are very proud of them wanting insane amounts. I did see one with a 11-16 cab, king rance red interior, 6.7 diesel, and they even put the 11-16 fuel door on, a very expensive excursion indeed.
So, my new to me truck, 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 loaded, 100k miles, got all worked on. New 2” lift loaded Rough Country struts, RAS system on the rear leaf springs. Deleted the muffler. Put Napa Gold Ceramic front brake pads, while off, spray painted all the calipers red. Washed and waxed, whole bunch of other stuff. Was complaining to brother ( senior GM tech 35+ years) that he screwed up the front end alignment as it was drifting to the left, against the crown. Also, could feel some surging, at certain speeds and throttle. So, we switched trucks yesterday and he took it in to work to put on the rack. He already had shut off the AFM lifters and changed some tables and took out the factory converter slip, as I like my trucks that way. On the way in, he felt the surging and decided to lay into it a little bit. As he was letting of, he heard a pluck and a pop and immediately check engine light came on and he could feel a cylinder dropped. He babied into work, shutting it off and coasting when he could. Anyways, he popped off the left bank valve cover. #1 AFM intake lifter collapsed and seized, hopefully the cam is okay. Bent pushrod, popped out of rocker. ***! Didi mention, I hate DOD lifters. Seeing if warranty 3 months, 3k miles on drive train and engine is real. I never believed 3rd party warranty would be good for anything but will see. If I can get a little money out of them, I am pretty sure I will be doing a DOD thing as the AFM lifters are just a problem waiting to happen. Oh, I’ve only put 342 miles on it so far, oh the joy of a new to me truck. LOL
Parts only is common
The 4,6,8 AFM has always been flawed--imo, the idea of cylinders going dead in the valve train to save fuel. AFM has eaten many a camshaft.
Welp, I bought a truck! 2017 GMC 1500 Sierra Denali, with only 34k miles on it. It wasn't really what I was going for initially, but realized that to get something I wanted I was going to have to spend some money regardless, and that meant selling off the Civic. Then I thought about how much I'll daily drive versus move stuff, so I went with comfort over some ability to move as much. We took our first trip to the hardware store yesterday for some 10 foot long 4x4s and it was a treat just being able to toss stuff in the back and go!
Awesome looking truck.
I'm giving the Denali back! It had a rear end squeak when it was pulled off the truck that wouldn't go away and they wouldn't take care of, then a mechanical gremlin I didn't like. I bought it online and after I had words with them yesterday they made part of the experience right and allowed me to return it if I didn't like it. I'm getting a 2022 f150 xlt instead and I have a feeling I'll like it better and be less anxious about it. Shows up Tuesday.
Make sure you get the 5.0, no ecoboost
I have a 2017 F150 with a self destructed 3.5l Ecoboost. To be fair this was a Nisku Ritchie Bros. purchase (broke my own rule: always inspect in person). Failure (at 287,000km) likely due to poor maintenance (was a supervisors pickup used to build the Calgary ring road and had a lot of winter idling hours.) Stretched timing chains/rattling cam phasers. Sounded like a diesel when idling lol! When it ran it was really nice, and the 10 speed tranny was solid. I was pleased with the aluminum body. Truck came out of Alberta and body is perfect, no oxidation either. I have heard the 2.7l Ecoboost is potentially an excellent engine… Same with 5.0l Good luck!
I'm sure it can be but with tiny oil control rings, belt drive oil pump, and low volume oil pumps it doesn't go well
I tend to shy away from turbos in gassers because at 80k they are a crap shoot.
Well, I got the 2.7liter ecoboost. My buddy has the same engine in his and he's very pleased with it, and he uses his in a very similar was as I will mine, though I think mine will be driven more. Unfortunately, it feels like the whole truck buying experience is a crap shoot but a big part of that is being used to Honda that generally have zero problems almost ever. I feel like just by buying a truck it's a gamble, and there's potential for spending a fair amount of maintenance money. Hopefully it goes well. To you guys that have tool boxes in the bed... What do you jam in there as a daily driver? I work in a factory, where I'm not likely to do things like have a bunch of tools in there or chainsaws, etc. I'm assuming I'll take it out and stick it in the barn or sell it, unless I'm missing something. Not sure if it'll fit golf clubs.
Good looking truck. I've owned many Super Duty's and other than the 6.0 years the trucks have been solid. Ford IMO has gotten better along the years in fit and finish quality. As far as the tool box goes I have all sorts of things crammed in the small Weatherguard box goes - Cleaning supplies - scrub/wipes, glass cleaner, paper towels and wrags Zip ties, tape - both Gorilla and caution/danger Small socket set Small set of line wrenches Set of funnels that fit inside each other Rubber boots Jumper cables Fuses Bailing wire Several sets of those specialty bits combos one can buy at HD or Lowes that fit odd ball screws/bolts Can of marking paint And some other stuff buried in the bottom I have forgotten about Have one of those UWS drawer sets at the rear that holds wrenches, screw drivers, pliers and a roll of ratchet wrenches.
Only thing I can think of that's a problem with some of those tool boxes is sweating inside. I bought three Buyers brand for the tow truck--every time I run in wet weather, afterwards once in shop I open the doors to dry them out other wise rust starts fast on tool surfaces. *
I used to run cross over tool boxes behind the cab in my pickups, don't anymore. They always seemed to get terribly disorganized, were never really weather tight and were in the way of hauling any real cargo in the bed. The bed sides on these new trucks are so high you can't reach anything in the middle of them anyways. Also I couldn't see the gooseneck ball when hooking up trailers. Went a different route when I got my 2019 F250, got a decent sized Rubbermaid Action Packer which holds a tow strap, ratchet straps, bottle jack, 4-way, jumper cables etc. Then got a couple large Ridgid weather tight tool boxes (same as Milwaukee Packout) to keep my hand tools, cordless tools, etc in. The cabs on these new trucks have so much more room than the older ones things like a small bag of mechanics tools, paper towels, gloves, extra clothes go behind or under the seat.
Haven't had any sweating issues with the Weatherguard boxes over the years although the quality has went down compared to 15-20 years ago. The UWS drawer set door latch will vibrate loose and has to be adjusted all the time. Looking at other options next truck go around.
Just from the few days I had the Denali I see the same storage issue it sounds like you guys have had. Too much! My little civic only had so much space and in that space I found probably a hundred napkins from fast food, probably 30 lighters, though I haven't bought a single one in months, probably 10 bucks in change though I rarely cash, and a few different Leatherman style multi-tools, who knows what else. When I moved into the truck there's a hundred different hidey holes, not to mention a giant console box that held literally everything from the civic. I'll likely either get rid of the tool box or find some other use for it. I'd rather a cover for normal every day use.
The service bed I bought has foam board sandwiched in between all sides of my tool boxes including the door.
Right now i am driving a rusty 1982 K10 6cyl 3 SPEED it has a tool box across the bed behind the cab. The pickup and box do the job. I got it to drive while i was fixing up my 1984 K20. For my job i have to haul some tools but the future is very uncertain. I also have a car my brother loaned me to drive when i am not working but thats not very often. I was looking for a car before i got this loaner. In the past i just had a 2 WD pickup. Now i think if i had a 2WD no 4x4 or car in the long run what i would save just having one vehicle ? So many things i think should i be able to figure out $$$$ and what it will be like doing this or that but i cant. It would be great to have a Crystal ball and not have to wonder what should we do ?