Pick Up Truck!

[DriplineZack]

Howdy,

I am looking for some advice on a truck purchase that has been on my mind for months now... I scanned the threads, but nothing. So I thought I'd ask...

I am looking to get out of my Mazda 3 (Perfect estimate vehicle) and upgrade to a pick up. The idea behind it is to have something that can serve as a daily driver and estimate vehicle, but also strong enough to haul a chipper if needed. Or, serve as a back up truck to haul a trailer that I chip into sometimes with a little 3.5 inch chipper (holds about 6 yards of chips). I'm small time, if it isn't obvious,and need to make wise purchases. Current chip truck is an 87' Chevy r30, but it sets me on edge to rely solely on that.

Thinking of a Dodge 2500, 5.9L. Or maybe I can get away with a 1500 until I have the space and capital to buy a second chip truck?

Perhaps you guys may have some other handy ideas. Your advice is much appreciated!

 

[Tree09]

Welcome to the treehouse! How much daily driving are you doing? Do you work another job as well, and does that job require a bunch of driving? Do you live in a very heavy populated area and parking is tight? I would likely recommend getting as much truck as you can afford, another dually would be a good thing i would think. The trick I've found with running beater trucks is to have backups so when ones down you aren't dead in the water.

 

[DriplineZack]

Hey Kyle, Thanks for the welcome, and response. Yeah that's the idea. So I'm not stuck in the water. This is the only job, no too hilly, but a metro area, so yes, parking is limited. Thought of getting a dually, but settled on the idea that I need a daily driver pick up first, but one tough enough to haul the occasional load. Just more versatile then being limited to just a dually and a little mazda.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Welcome Z. I'm all for one ton single wheel pick ups. Doing tree work we can max out any truck a person gave us the keys to. One ton is the same size as a heavy half or 3/4 ton but I can put six yards on it and safely pull a chipper. I bought a Ram 5500 a couple of years ago but keep my F350 for getting into small places or wetter fields. (I'm small too.)

 

[DriplineZack]

Welcome Z. I'm all for one ton single wheel pick ups. Doing tree work we can max out any truck a person gave us the keys to. One ton is the same size as a heavy half or 3/4 ton but I can put six yards on it and safely pull a chipper. I bought a Ram 5500 a couple of years ago but keep my F350 for getting into small places or wetter fields. (I'm small too.)

Thanks Merle. I'll keep that in mind

 

[Tree09]

Yeah, i agree with a 1 ton, dually or not. My daily driver is a dually now, and it's a pain sometimes, but i got it for working and it does that often enough. Basically, I've never said to myself "man i wish i had a smaller truck." I've said the opposite more times than i can count.

 

[lxskllr]

Gotta pay more for tolls with a dually, and 50% more tires. Small trucks suit me, and what I do. I can fit in smaller areas on congested contruction sites, and get between trees in the woods. I don't have to tow anything though. Currently have a dakota. Not sure what the next one will be. I consider a jeep cherokee to be my minimum standard in capability and capacity. I worked out of one for a good while. A little cramped, but it did everything necessary.

 

[greengreer]

I'm in a similar situation right now. Have a one ton dump that does it all, and a 4 banger Tacoma that mostly is a DD/ estimator but also pulls the dingo around every once and a while.
I'm on the fence between keeping the yota and picking up another 4x4 class 3/4/5 with a dump bed. Or ditching the Tacoma and going to a 3/4 ton dump trailer combo.

If it's gonna be a daily it needs a back seat, but extended cab is good for me. Short bed, as parking can be tight here. Been there do e that with extra cab long bed diesel. Too much truck to wiggle around in town.

Strongly looking at the 2011+ f250/350 with the 6.2 gas. Everyone I've talked to has had really good luck with them, lots of power and longevity. I like my diesels and all but the newer ones freak me out a bit. Way more power than the oldies but alot more complicated and expensive to fix.

Regardless, gas is usually 50c a gal cheaper here, right now .75 less. Cheaper oil changes, probably not a huge difference in fuel economy anymore. My old inline 6 f150 got about 13-15 around town. I think the newer gas 250 would be the same.

Will miss that 3rd pedal though. Can't get anything manual anymore. If the old dodge diesels weren't selling for a small fortune I'd probably go that route.

Seems like it brakes down to:
A- buy a more dedicated truck for the biz and keep the low cost of ownership and driveability of a 4cyl
(B) buy a bigger pickup that can wear more hats but won't necessarily do either well. But will be one less vehicle to register, insure, maintain, etc

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And if youre handy with a wrench; buy something you can work on yourself.

 

[ruel]

There is a tree co in my area that only runs 3500/350 pickups with dump inserts and wooden boxes. Seems crazy to me, but he's been in busines for 30+years

 

[DriplineZack]

I'm in a similar situation right now. Have a one ton dump that does it all, and a 4 banger Tacoma that mostly is a DD/ estimator but also pulls the dingo around every once and a while.
I'm on the fence between keeping the yota and picking up another 4x4 class 3/4/5 with a dump bed. Or ditching the Tacoma and going to a 3/4 ton dump trailer combo.

If it's gonna be a daily it needs a back seat, but extended cab is good for me. Short bed, as parking can be tight here. Been there do e that with extra cab long bed diesel. Too much truck to wiggle around in town.

Strongly looking at the 2011+ f250/350 with the 6.2 gas. Everyone I've talked to has had really good luck with them, lots of power and longevity. I like my diesels and all but the newer ones freak me out a bit. Way more power than the oldies but alot more complicated and expensive to fix.

Regardless, gas is usually 50c a gal cheaper here, right now .75 less. Cheaper oil changes, probably not a huge difference in fuel economy anymore. My old inline 6 f150 got about 13-15 around town. I think the newer gas 250 would be the same.

Will miss that 3rd pedal though. Can't get anything manual anymore. If the old dodge diesels weren't selling for a small fortune I'd probably go that route.

Seems like it brakes down to:
A- buy a more dedicated truck for the biz and keep the low cost of ownership and driveability of a 4cyl
(B) buy a bigger pickup that can wear more hats but won't necessarily do either well. But will be one less vehicle to register, insure, maintain, etc

Right on. The 3/4 ton passed through my mind as well, but the my mechanic has me thinking of a 4.7L Dodge 1500 between 2002 and 2010. He claims those engines are bulletproof, and if I can find one under 140K mileage it would last a good while and do everything I ask of it without much difficulty. Probably go that route... If i can find something in the Boston area that is rotted out to the core

 

[spankywheatjeans]

Low milage 4th gen or new cummins equipped Ram Tradesman 2500 HD 4X4... Not as expensive as you would think because of the stripped down nature of the Tradesman, and will do just about anything you need it to do....The 6.7 pulls like a plow horse and if taken care of will go for a very very long time......

 

[Cobleskill]

The bad thing about Dodge trucks is they are prone to rotting.

 

[spankywheatjeans]

If rotting is a concern because of where you live have the undercarriage coated and reap the benefits of the million plus miles that a well maintained cummins can deliver....I have had a few of them and they have never failed to deliver.....

 

[Cobleskill]

Oiling works well if done annually and rust has not already got a foothold. Salt really sucks. They used to mix salt and sand around here. Now straight salt and lots of it.

 

[spankywheatjeans]

Thats a bummer.... Hard on our vehicles and hard on our environment... Lose, lose....

 

[lxskllr]

My dakota is an 05, and I got it from a used dealer. All the used dealer magic(bondo) is falling off. A lot of rust around the rear wheel wells. Same as pretty much all the dodges of that era I see that actually get used.

 

[Bermy]

Do you guys have 'zeibart' undercoating in the US?
Literally every vehicle that comes into Bermuda gets 'Zeibarted' they get right inside the pillars and everywhere on the chassis and undercarriage. The salt in the air is everywhere and if you don't get the treatment your vehicle won't last long before it rusts out.

 

[flushcut]

Fluid Film. There is their under body spray gun kit with tubes for snaking in the doors, frame rails, and every other nook and cranny. Yes there is zeibart in the US.

 

[DriplineZack]

Do you guys have 'zeibart' undercoating in the US?
Literally every vehicle that comes into Bermuda gets 'Zeibarted' they get right inside the pillars and everywhere on the chassis and undercarriage. The salt in the air is everywhere and if you don't get the treatment your vehicle won't last long before it rusts out.

Yeah, there is one near me. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Cobleskill]

Oiling seems to have gained favor over Ziebart. Our salt is sprayed over underbody in liquid form and copious amounts. If it finds a void in the undercoating it spreads under it.