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How much is to much truck?

11K views 83 replies 26 participants last post by  93XJcountry 
#1 ·
Im finally tired of buying POS trucks, so im in the market to buy a nice 1/2-3/4 truck to use as a DD/Tow rig. The truck would see 90% DDing and 10% towing. Ive looked at a few mid 90's GMCs all with 350's, auto trans and 4x4. All these trucks are almost 13 years old and all have 100k+ miles on them. Prices ranged from 3-5k.

The other option ive been looking at is 3/4 ton Diesels. Yesterday I stopped at a local dealership and on the lot they had a 02 Ford F-250 Crew Cab, Short bed Lariat, 7.3 powerstroke w/auto trans 4x4 truck. The truck looked brand new, clean inside and out, very grandpa style. They wanted around 14k for the truck.

Right now im still in college, with around 1.25 years left till i get my degree. I have an alright paying job right now, but not sure which way to go. I could buy a cheap truck & pay it off real quick but it probably wouldnt last more than a few years. Or I could get a 4/5 years loan and buy a nice truck that could last me 10years or more, tow all I could ever want... The only problem i can see with the diesel is the cost of fuel, but I could always do a veggie conversion on it down the road.

What are peoples opinions to this question? I need to make up my mind within the next week or less, cause my litte Toyota beater truck isnt gonna last much longer
 
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#2 ·
diesil is more than you need, I don't know about fords but a 24v cummins can get about 23 mpg so fuel cost can even out some times but that is with a chip, it comes down to preferance and what you want to spend, older 3/d tons don't ride as well so consider that also.
 
#4 ·
A 1/2 ton will tow most all the the average Joe needs. And a 1/2 ton will average better mileage.

Im not sold on diesels unless you tow everyday. How often do you change your fuel filter on a gasser? how many quarts of oil does your gasser take? Ever bought parts for a diesel (its not pretty).

Just my $.02 though.
 
#5 ·
a 1/2 ton gaser will do fine for you in MI. When you wheel out of state and hit the mountains you will be wishing that you bought the grandpa F-250 7.3L

I picked up a beater diesel that did awesome for under $5g but I then went out and bought my awesome truck for a ton of money but it's super nice so . . .


I live in a hilly area and always head south through the mountains so for me it was easy to choose the Diesel and look how much money I'll save on plugs and wires over the years :sonicjay:
 
#8 ·
If you're still in college, I would wait it out until you're done and then buy the truck you want for a price you can truly afford. Instead of getting tied into a 4year loan+insurance (full coverage because you owe on the truck) Do you know where you'll be in 3-4 years, and can you afford to have those payments anchored to you? Keep in mind you can't blow all your cash on a sweet truck to look cool in while in college. Ramen noodles aren't very healthy. There are other responsibilites than having a dope ride.

So. If you really need a newer truck, try to find something cheaper, as you did find things in the 5k range.
 
#13 ·
x2

Or find a nice 1st gen Cummins. My '90 4x4 got 23 mpg empty on my trip up north last weekend. At $.50 to $.70 more a gallon, you would have to get at least 20 mpg in a gasser to make diesel more expensive to run. Many 1st gens and 2nd gens, and a few 3rd gen Cummins are capable of over 20 mpg. You will be hard pressed to find a cheaper truck that get comparable mileage. Also people like to bring up the oil changes, $60 will get you 8-10k miles. Compare that.
 
#21 ·
cumins are great motors. my dad has one in his loader, his mack, and he put a 2004 24V in a chevy 2500. dodge trucks are turds on the other hand.
 
#18 ·
It might have enough power to get it down the road, but that's about it.
I know a guy who tows a 23' boat with a Vue, but he mostly, only goes 1/4 mile. Still nuts IMHO.

We scream safety, safety, safety when winching/pulling with anything but a unworn, non-tattered strap, but won't hesitate to pull 10k down the road with an F150 "because it can". A Mis-Guided Missile. An accident waiting for a place to happen.

Another factor is if you are pushing those load limits all the time, how long will your 1/2t vehicle last. Not an issue if you buy a new one every three years, I can't afford that.
 
#22 ·
How can you even compare a 1/2 ton gas to a 3/4 ton diesel? Your talking apples and oranges.

The 1/2 is a better DD and part-time, medium duty hauler.

The 3/4 is a heavy duty hauler thats rides like a dump truck.



I miss my 99 chevy 1500 everyday on my way to work but, when I pull my camper, jeep and trailer up a hill passing guys pulling half the weight, the rough riding F250 gets a lot more comfortable.
 
#30 ·
Back to original topic. If you are in school I would suggest a modest priced gasser that can do your 10% of towing, 90% dd stuff. The cost will be cheaper in the long run and you don't have to go in debt for a retarded amount of money. At this point in time a diesel truck is somewhat of a liability as a dd due to fuel cost, my opinion.
 
#31 ·
Comparing a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton in towing is silly. Comparing a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton diesel is stupid. The 1/2 ton just won't match up in towing manners, braking, or longetivety of drivetrain components.

However, in answer to the question: You can't have "too much truck", but the right choice for you while going to school and needing a 90% DD would be going with a lesser vehicle payment with the 1/2 ton IMHO. Just please get a good brake controller :d:



BTW, the high cost of "maintenance" debate with diesels still cracks me up. Maybe back in the old days... But my CTD has been my lightest cost of maintenance vehicle to date. Used to be 5 quarts of oil every 3K, now it's 11 quarts every 7.5K. Everything else is on regular schedules just like the rest of the vehicles I've owned. Meh, to each their own though.
 
#32 ·
Comparing a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton in towing is silly. Comparing a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton diesel is stupid. The 1/2 ton just won't match up in towing manners, braking, or longetivety of drivetrain components.
It’s not a silly comparison at all. I’ve towed the same trailer with the same load with a 94 C2500 6.5TD & 4.10 gears and my mom’s 04 F150 5.4 & 3.73’s and the F150 wins hands down. Both are very stable towing but the f150 tracks better and requires less steering corrections. The brakes on the F150 are A LOT better. Acceleration is better with the 94, but not by much and I think it has as much to do with gearing as engine power.

Overall UP_ROKTOY is right a modern 1/2 ton is a better tow vehicle then an older 3/4 ton, gas or diesel. Remember we’re talking about 3 vehicle generations ago and 5 or so generations of engine development, things have come a long way since then.
 
#38 ·
maybe your not listening.

a 2007 half ton has better components then an earl 90's 3/4 ton therefore will tow better.

Its not a hard concept, it makes sense, and its not an insult to anyones truck.
There is not a lot of magic going on. Disc brakes are what they are, (except anti-lock), and size matters. They only feel better because they are new.
 
#39 ·
There is not a lot of magic going on. Disc brakes are what they are, (except anti-lock), and size matters. They only feel better because they are new.
 
#33 ·






Won't catch me towing with a half ton :finger:

:sonicjay::sonicjay:

Been there, done that. Luckily I never ended up like this guy... :teehee:
 
#48 ·
the trucks the 6.5 came in were great trucks. the best thing to do with a 6.5 is to replace it with a cummins.



 
#44 ·
I can't compare or discuss a deisel because I have no experience with one. I can just say that for the amount I tow I couldn't justify the difference in cost.

However, I can discuss 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton. I've had and towed with both. I had a 2000 1/2 ton with a 5.3 w/3.73 gears. It had a hard time staying in overdrive and seemed very under powered towing my jeep on a flat bed. I had a 2004 2500HD crew cab with a 6.0 & 4.10 gears. Towed great. Rode like shit and the daily around town mileage dropped from 16-17 to 12-13. At the same time I moved to an enclosed trailer for the jeep. Still towed good. But, since I only tow once in a while as compared to driving it every day and alot of out of town business trips, I thought it was not practical.

I went to a 2007 1/2 ton with the Chevy Vortec Max 6.0 & 4.10 gears. Now I have what I consider a perfect tow rig. It still has the power that the HD had but the ride like a 1/2 ton should. It still has a great ride, a 10,000 towing capacity and FAR BETTER BRAKES than the earlier 1/2 ton has. Note, I never am putting any payload in it so I don't need the stiffer springs. The brakes will stop my 20ft enclosed trailer with the jeep in it exceedingly well, even with the trailer brakes turned off. I had an instance while going to the mounds a couple weeks ago where a guy suddenly decided to turn left in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and the antilocks did their job allowing me to swerve around him totally under control. I am a firm believer in equalizer hitches and will always use one. If you've never tried one, you should. It's worth the money.

RE the pic above showing a flipped trailer. Who says it has anything to do with it being a half ton? Was the trailer balanced properly? Equalizer hitch? Electric brake failure? There are a dozen reasons why it may have flipped & none of them have anything to do with the rating of the truck.

Here's a pic of my 2500HD off the road with my trailer. Shit..... maybe it would have saved me if I had a 1 ton dually with a diesel.:poke:
 
#45 ·
Here's a pic of my 2500HD off the road with my trailer. Shit..... maybe it would have saved me if I had a 1 ton dually with a diesel.:poke:
That sux.
Sometimes you do everything right and "bad" just happens.
Other times you do everthing wrong and it works like it shouldn't.
Rolling the dice.
The only thing I've seen work 100/100 on ice is studs or chains.

But this has gone way off topic....
 
#61 ·
bullcrap. that thing has big disk brakes, those don't work as good as the drum brakes on older 3/4 tons. they only feel better.:poke:
 
#60 ·
I answered my own question, I got the truck of my dreams, i love the 7.3 Diesel:) 100% stock now, wont be at the end of the month:sonicjay:
 
#68 ·
In the essence of continuing the cheerios pissing match... :sonicjay:


Naw seriously though, yes half tons are different trucks now than way back when. When I think of what makes a good tow rig, two of the most important factors are strong tranny and wheelbase.

You can have all the power in the world, but if the tranny ain't up to par, you'll smoke it in a short amount of time. And you can have all the power and a bullet proof trans, but if you've mounted it in a Wrangler's wheelbase the trailer is gonna drive YOU.

As a general rule, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have usually been built with stronger trans and built at a good wheelbase over the years. Of course 1/2 tons can fit into those same demensions. But that's where my generalization comes from.

I've towed with 93" and 107" wheelbases and been pushed all over the road. Towed with a reg cab short bed Dawdge and although better, still wasn't anywhere near either of my ext cab long bed duallies. I'll take trans and length anyday in any configuration over short and weak.

Now back to the show :popcorn:
 
#80 ·
To the question at hand, we probably should know what the 10% towing would consist of. Hauling a pop-up camper or short travel trailer, or something like a 26 ft enclosed or a 27+ fifth wheel trailer? I've owned a 00 1/2 ton Ram 5.9L extended shortbed, K&N filter and Flowmaster 2.5" exhaust, and although it lacked power for heavy loads, it rode decent for a truck, had a good amount of creature comforts, was reliable, stopped well, hauled decent, and I was getting about 18 on the e-way @75 mph, 10-12 in the city. Hauling mileage dropped to about 10 mpg.

My dad has an 04 3/4 ton Ram, with the 5.7L, Quad Cab LB 4x4, 5spd auto. He has no problem hauling a 27ft fifth wheel trailer with a Towbar Jeep behind at 70-75 mph. He gets about 9-10 mpg, depending on terrain, sometimes up to 14. Completely stock minus K&N filter. Unloaded it can be a little bumpy, mainly due to E rated tires at 80 psi, but not too bad overall. It hauls like a mule, 3,300 lbs of gravel in the bed can vouch for that. Unloaded, I've seen 19 mpg if you keep your foot out of it at 60mph.

If hindsight was 20/20, I would have saved my money to get a new Dodge Cummins, instead of my ex-Dodge and current Grand Am GT. Fuel costs more, but you can run Biodiesel, fuel mileage is more stable, I've heard of chipping engines and getting 25-28 mpg in eco-mode, and overall the drivetrain components last much longer.
 
#81 ·
I've owned a 00 1/2 ton Ram 5.9L extended shortbed, K&N filter and Flowmaster 2.5" exhaust, and although it lacked power for heavy loads, it rode decent for a truck, had a good amount of creature comforts, was reliable, stopped well, hauled decent, and I was getting about 18 on the e-way @75 mph, 10-12 in the city. Hauling mileage dropped to about 10 mpg.

M


That would be a dream come true, i have the same truck... I get about 10miles to the gallon combining city/hw. Towing a trailor w/jeep, and some camping gear in the back of the truck, the best ive ever seen towing is 4.9mpg and that was because i was forced to drive 40mph part of the way, other then that its been about 4.5mpg.

Id like to know what you did to get that, i wouldnt even be concerned about getting rid of my truck for a newer one with cummins.
 
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