Need pickup truck suggestions

[Ray H]

I never thought Id say this but I may be trading in the XJ and the YJ for a pickup. Im looking for used 2000-2003. I have no brand loyalty so lets hear the good, bad and ugly. What kind of problems have you pickup owners had with your particular trucks?
The uses I foresee for this truck are, mostly commuting, sometimes vacationing and road trips, occationally hauling building materials and seldom towing as much as 6000lbs. Because of the hauling and towing, Im thinking I definately need a fullsize truck but I think I can get by with just a 1/2ton and wont need a 3/4ton. Its just my wife and I so we hardly ever need more than two seats so Im not sold on getting an extra cab or four door. I would sooner have an 8' bed then the extra seating. I definately want 4X4. Im not locked into diesel or gas.

Ive had trucks before but its been a number of years since ive been in the market so I havent really kept up with them. Are there any engines, drivetrains, years, to avoid? Are there any must haves?
No doubt this will turn into a battle of the big three so have a ball, but remember, in the end, we all love our XJs.

 

[WrenchMonkey]

...I think I can get by with just a 1/2ton and wont need a 3/4ton...Im not locked into diesel or gas...

Well, this is the only absolute I can give you: You won't find a diesel in a halfton. At least not for another couple years.

But beyond that, it's all pretty subjective, like arguing the best flavor icecream...

Robert

(Although, 6000 is a pretty heavy trailer. Will it really be that much? Cause everything else you list could be done with an XJ and a utility trailer.)

 

[ChiXJeff]

Actually, there may be a good reason to step up to a 3/4 or 1 ton. A diesel. If you're planning on putting on a lot of miles, they diesel may pay for itself in mileage, both per mile and over the life of the vehicle.

Aside from that, no reason that any decent half ton wouldn't do the job. Anything I'd toss in now would be personal preference.

 

[POSJ]

I've got an 01' Dodge CTD 2500 and I absolutely love it. I was a Chevy/GMC guy for ever until I bought this truck to hauler trailers around. I haul about 6000#-10000# with no problems. I get about 14-15 MPG while towing in the lower range of that spectrum and I know gas vehicles get around 6-7 with that weight. Look into Cummin's diesels you wont be let down.

 

[Matthew Currie]

If you do ever haul as much as 6000 pounds with a half ton you'll find it pretty scary. Even if the truck can pull it, a heavy trailer will tend to jerk you around on any but the smoothest roads, and balance and leveling become very critical. I'd look at 3/4 tons, especially if you can find a diesel. I traded up from a half ton after a few times towing a sailboat (a little over 2500 pounds) on a brakeless trailer. A short-bed Ford with a 6 and four-speed can pull that weight with no problem, but slowing it down on a country road is a real adventure.

I can't give much advice since my 3/4 ton Chevy is an 88, and I can hope they've improved a little since then. It's a robust hunk of.....ummm....stuff, at least. It's a 350 gasser and the mileage sucks even running empty. I'm hoping for a good deal some time on a 1-ton diesel with a dump and enough towing capacity to haul my excavator.

 

[Rev Den]

Anything BUT a GM.

I could add more but that would be personnal preference and not based in fact.


Rev

 

[Gerr]

honestly a dodge 2500 diesel would be my first choice and the ford 250 diesel a close second. My Dad has the dodge and it's a pure monster of a engine and has needed very little in the 164000 miles on it.

 

[Matthew Currie]

Anything BUT a GM.

I could add more but that would be personnal preference and not based in fact.


Rev

Whazzamatta wit GM, buddy? My trusty Chevy has 43 thousand miles on it, and it's only on its second transmission and its second set of ball joints (ok, at the end of its second set of ball joints....), and there's still a little paint left on it too. It's only been recalled four times. "Like a rock," man.:guitar:

 

[88xjchief]

I work Chevy dont buy one. They all have to many problems.

 

[DrMoab]

Being a Dodge guy you know what I would say as far as brand goes....So I won't say anything there.

What I would suggest is looking to a 3/4 ton or a 1 ton truck.

I also seldom pull anything over 6000Lbs. Usually the only thing my truck sees is my jeep on a flatbed trailer. However pulling it is a dream. It drives better with the trailer on then a stock jeep, has way more power pulling a trailer then my jeep has empty and gets better mileage then I can get just driving my jeep.

My nephew had a 1/2 ton Dodge(he traded it for a 1 ton like mine) and he bought an 18ft enclosed haulmark trailer to pull his sand toys in. The day he brought it home empty from the trailer dealer he parked it and used his dads 3/4 ton from then on.

 

[dphillips]

I've been using a 4 door dodge 1500 (2002) at work for the last four years. Over all it has been a decent vehicle. It will pull our 7000lb trailer without much problem, this trailer does have electric brakes though. It would be pretty scary without the added brakes. The truck left me on the side of the road one day because of an o2 sensor. It went bad before it even hit 20,000mi and just shut the whole engine down. Now at a little more than 50,000mi it needs a new radiator. Gotta love plastic radiators! The a/c sucks. If I remember correctly it also had a tsb on the wiring harness under the dash. Something about them catching fire sometimes. Oh, I almost forgot the best part. It gets about 11mpg on a good day.

 

[nick86]

please get your dodge fixxed, specially if you hual a trailer. it has to do w/ the extra lights that a trailer has, too many amps pulled thru the light switch and it can start a fire under you dash. have seen this in person, not a pretty site.

 

[87manche]

get the extended cab, the MJ has 0 room to store anything in the cab and it sucks.

 

[JohnX]

Another vote for a 2500 dodge diesel. Not the cheapest around, but they hold up VERY well and you'll hardly notice a 6k trailer on all but the steepest of hills.

I added a 4 inch exhaust and an air filter kit....no other changes...gets over 20 mpg on the highway, and 16 mpg towing my jeep on a trailer behind it. And that is on a 10 year old truck with 240,000 miles on it.

 

[shelbyluvv]

I say go this way too, I just picked this truck up for $5000. It is a V10 5 speed though. I towed a 7000# trailer for 300 miles and only used 3/4 tank of gas figure about 11 mpg not bad really. I figure the extra cost of oil changes and price of a diesel engine are easily offset with the V10's price.

 

[nick86]

stop posting a pic aaasshtt. he wants to buy a good,reliabale, truck, not look at pic's of your POS.

 

[shelbyluvv]

Wow, aaasshtt?

I'm so sorry, I did not know you are the know all truck expert here on this board. I am glad you brought it to my attention that my truck was a POS as well.

Man, do I feel stupid that I paid too much for that turd.

Maybe I was just trying to show the man what kind of truck he could get for about half the price of a diesel. But, I forgot you are a know it all.

Now you see why I hardly ever post on here. Gotta love the newbs.

 

[Beej]

The uses I foresee for this truck are,

1. mostly commuting,

2. sometimes vacationing and road trips,

3. occationally hauling building materials

4. and seldom towing as much as 6000lbs.

5. I definately want 4X4. Im not locked into diesel or gas.

Maybe I'm being devil's advocate, but from the list above, you need:

1. A late 80's Honda Civic

2. Your XJ

3. Your XJ and a utility trailer

4. A good friend with a pickup or renting a pickup (depending how often)

5. Your XJ

:dunno:

 

[Matthew Currie]

stop posting a pic aaasshtt. he wants to buy a good,reliabale, truck, not look at pic's of your POS.

I like his truck. Watch out or I'll post pictures of my truck next. You'll need a tetanus shot just to look at it. It will cause permanent brain damage and before you know it you'll have become so dyslexic you can't even spell asshat.:jester:

 

[Gerr]

a pic of my beater/tow rig it is not pretty but it will pull a stump through a key hole. I got it for $2500 with new rebuilt 454 and a ton more rebuilt /new stuff. If your only towing once in a while get a beater truck and a good daily driver for the rest of the time. insurance on the truck is only a addtional $25 every 6 months and its a good back up vehicle