TubeNet

I'm in the market for a small pickup truck. Here's the criteria:

- less than 100,000 miles
- V-6
- automatic transmission
- heater and air (of course)
- capable of pulling a light trailer (band equipment)
- not more than 10 years old
- 2 wheel drive
- $6,000 or less
- standard cab is OK

Power windows, locks, etc. would be nice but lack of wouldn't be a deal breaker

Am I dreamin'? If not... what make/model would be good options.

For what it's worth, from my experience, steer clear of auto transmissions if you're towing. I imagine this advice is unnecessary, but FYI. I inherited a '93 Ranger with a tow hitch, so I thought "wouldn't have a tow hitch if it wasn't suited to towing." It's fine now, after expensive replacement of seals.

Dodges of that mileage are notorious for transmission problems, in my experiences.

The best trucks in the world are Chevys!

Are you kidding, I wouldn't be caught dead in a Chevy! Ford is by far the best.

You're both nuts - gotta have a hemi or nothing.

You guys don't know anything. Nothing beats a Toyota.

. . .

TubaTinker wrote:I'm in the market for a small pickup truck. Here's the criteria:

- less than 100,000 miles
- V-6
- automatic transmission
- heater and air (of course)
- capable of pulling a light trailer (band equipment)
- not more than 10 years old
- 2 wheel drive
- $6,000 or less
- standard cab is OK

Power windows, locks, etc. would be nice but lack of wouldn't be a deal breaker

Am I dreamin'? If not... what make/model would be good options.

Dan,I think one of the original military Hummers would best fit your needs carrying that Jumbo around

bloke wrote:.... the only "real" trucks have 8 cyl. engines.

Joe... I don't want a 'real' truck. A 'fake' truck would do nicely. I don't want something I have to climb up in to or fall down out of. No plans to haul horseshit, either. For my particular purposes... I could get by with another Olds Cutlass Ciera like the one I'm retiring... except in better condition.

I just considering a truck this time because I've only owned two trucks in my lifetime... a '57 Chevy chopped 'project' that never got completed and a '59 El Poncho. Let me explain the 'El Poncho'. Sometime around 1970 or so... I spotted a '59 Pontiac two-door hardtop that was beat all to hell and had all the windows smashed out except the windshield and door windows. I inquired about it and bought it from a railroad bum for $15. Best running 389 4-barrel I ever had. I cut the top behind the front seat and removed the back seat, trunk lid and metal between the two and created a Pontiac version of an El Camino. I drove the beast for almost four years!

I'm sure you can easily find a Chevy 1500 of the 2000-2007 model years that would fit your budget, they are very abundant around this area so I imagine it would be the same around you. I drove a 2004 2500HD for a few years and enjoyed it, if you find somebody selling a "plow truck" more than likely turn around and walk away. My 04 was a plow truck and even though it was "HD" it still had some issues as a result of usage with the weight of a plow and stress of slamming into snow banks (specifically shitty U-joints and drive shaft). Give it a test drive and if you hear any odd noises there's probably something better, the 1500's are easy to find and worth being picky. If you want to go Heavy duty like bloke try to find a 2000 or earlier Ford F-250 Diesel with the North-star engine, my grandfather has one and it's a champ, it will haul just about anything. He hauls a 1916 7 passenger car in a massive enclosed car hauling trailer and has had no problems in power or reliability.

bloke wrote:I could pull a heavy trailer from here across the Rockies to Seattle if I wanted to...

Make sure to phone before you come.

I did compromise on a couple of counts. Today... I purchased a 1998 Chevy S10 Blazer with 67,000 miles, a Vortex V-6, and automatic transmission. It's a 4WD but has the electronic transfer case which allows normal 2WD driving with 'on demand' 4WD in hi or lo range.

I made an offer on a 2004 'club cab' Ford 'Ranger' with 110,000 miles yesterday. The dealership came within 200 bucks of my offer before I finally walked away. Later last night... I decided against a small truck so my tubas could travel better protected.

The Blazer seemed like a good choice. Hope I can get five or six years out of it without much trouble.

TubaTinker wrote: Best running 389 4-barrel I ever had. I cut the top behind the front seat and removed the back seat, trunk lid and metal between the two and created a Pontiac version of an El Camino. I drove the beast for almost four years!

Keep doin' stuff like this and we'll start calling you "Tom Joad"!

bloke wrote: I could pull a heavy trailer from here across the Rockies to Seattle if I wanted to...

What makes you think the border guards would let you in?

Jeff "Yes, I'm a little territorial" Benedict

bloke wrote:Why not a "real" (V8) truck? If you're thinking you're going to save gas with a 6 cyl., why not a 4 cyl. truck? (You know good-and-well why not.) A trailer full of band instruments might weigh more than you think, and if you have a "real" truck, you will ALSO have the option of towing "real" stuff (in you have the opportunity). 4WD is also an option that you may find handy (as trucks tend to be driven on turf W-A-Y more often that cars or vans). Even with my HD 350, my (highly-respected) mechanic recommends not pulling trailers in "overdrive".

That's because of the weakness of the overdrive gear as much as anything. But it's always good to keep the engine at 2000 RPMs or higher when making lots of power.

(edited out remainder of post because Dan already made a choice.)

Rick "who feels ill-equipped without at least one truck available" Denney

My family's had 3 S-10 Blazers. I had a 2 door 1986 with the 2.8, auto, and 4wd. First car, kind of a beater, liked it. Then I had a 1994 4 door with the 4.3, auto, and 4wd. I really don't need a 4 door but I loved that thing! If I ever find an "old man's special" '94 2 door 4wd I'm jumping on it. My brothers also had a 1998 or 99 4 door. They all had a little problem now and then but nowhere near the stories I've read. Those mid-sizeish 2 door SUV's are some of my favorite vehicles.
I -also- had a chance to buy a 1988 K5 with the 350 from the original owner's son (he bough a newer pickup)- 58,000 miles, beautiful shape, 3 small rust spots that would have been taken care of right away. $3000. Damnit. :d

RE the 1994, I was constantly on the look out for 1979ish F150's for axles. It's a big job, but serious- screw IFS! All I really wanted was 33's with a solid drivetrain. On the above mentioned old man's special, I'd probably just cut and crank for 30's or 31's. Now I live in the city and don't even need a bicycle.

TubaTinker wrote:I did compromise on a couple of counts. Today... I purchased a 1998 Chevy S10 Blazer with 67,000 miles, a Vortex V-6, and automatic transmission. It's a 4WD but has the electronic transfer case which allows normal 2WD driving with 'on demand' 4WD in hi or lo range.

I made an offer on a 2004 'club cab' Ford 'Ranger' with 110,000 miles yesterday. The dealership came within 200 bucks of my offer before I finally walked away. Later last night... I decided against a small truck so my tubas could travel better protected.

The Blazer seemed like a good choice. Hope I can get five or six years out of it without much trouble.

Have had a 1999 blazer since it was new--------------it now has 227000 trouble free miles on it. Just yesterday I pulled two trailer loads of firewood behind it to my house so it should be able to pull a trailer load of JUMBO CONNS.

Brown Mule wrote:.... Have had a 1999 blazer since it was new--------------it now has 227000 trouble free miles on it. Just yesterday I pulled two trailer loads of firewood behind it to my house so it should be able to pull a trailer load of JUMBO CONNS.

Heh heh... I haven't checked yet to see if the 'Jumbo' case will slip in the back! But... I'm pretty sure it will since the box was designed to go in the Kia Rondo.

Is yours a 4wd? I drove mine at Interstate speeds yesterday for the first time. When I reached 70mph or so... a 'whine' developed somewhere on the right side... maybe the right front. The 'whine' was not consistent with speed and came and went many times until I pulled off and put it in 4wd high and then back into 2wd high. The noise went away. Is there a chance that when I tried the car out last week that the 4wd did not completely disengage?

If anyone else has experience with the Chevy S-10 'Blazer' 4wd... please chime in.

bloke wrote:' really should have waited for the $6K Jinbao copy, Dan.

About twice a year I wish I owned a truck. Yesterday was one of those days...

I needed to pick up 2 pieces of 10' long galvanized drip edge. My wife and I drive Camrys. I measured inside my '09 Camry from the trunk into the passenger area with a back seat dropped down. I couldn't fit the 10' length without bending the drip edge. Then I measured inside my wife's '05 Camry and it would almost fit — but was 4" short as it hit the glove box. Wait... I opened the glove box and the 2—10' sections would fit with 3" to spare! Voila!

I don't want to own no stinking pickup truck. Not enough room in the cab and the bed is too high off the ground. I bought a 4 by 8 utility trailer new, for $600 with a drop-down back ramp. I can roll my motorcycle and riding mower easily on and off. I drive a minivan. I can keep stuff dry in the van and haul tall loads in the trailer. I can remove the tailgate to haul long lengths of lumber.
toots

bloke wrote:

tubatooter1940 wrote:I don't want to own no stinking pickup truck. Not enough room in the cab and the bed is too high off the ground. I bought a 4 by 8 utility trailer new, for $600 with a drop-down back ramp. I can roll my motorcycle and riding mower easily on and off. I drive a minivan. I can keep stuff dry in the van and haul tall loads in the trailer. I can remove the tailgate to haul long lengths of lumber.
toots

Why is it that every one of your posts - regardless of content or topic - makes me smile?

Prolly 'cause you just like to smile, Joe!

TubaTinker wrote:

Brown Mule wrote:.... Have had a 1999 blazer since it was new--------------it now has 227000 trouble free miles on it. Just yesterday I pulled two trailer loads of firewood behind it to my house so it should be able to pull a trailer load of JUMBO CONNS.

Heh heh... I haven't checked yet to see if the 'Jumbo' case will slip in the back! But... I'm pretty sure it will since the box was designed to go in the Kia Rondo.

Is yours a 4wd? I drove mine at Interstate speeds yesterday for the first time. When I reached 70mph or so... a 'whine' developed somewhere on the right side... maybe the right front. The 'whine' was not consistent with speed and came and went many times until I pulled off and put it in 4wd high and then back into 2wd high. The noise went away. Is there a chance that when I tried the car out last week that the 4wd did not completely disengage?

If anyone else has experience with the Chevy S-10 'Blazer' 4wd... please chime in.

The book says to put in 4WD every month or so to keep all parts movable and working----------------I put mine in 4WD and drive it across the grass in the yard every so often and have no trouble with it when it is required. I always try it in both low and high range. As all you old Army drivers know don't put it in 4WD on hard pavement unless you have "auto 4WD".