Any full size regular cab 6.5 bed trucks?

[dan8152]

Hello all, Well I once again moved to a cool area to be able to explore daily and I no longer have a cool rig (used to have an FJ cruiser for over 10 years and subie outback)
I have a 2014 Silverado Work truck regular cab and 6.5 bed that we bought almost new with 7k miles on it years ago. Stock except some hankook All terrains. I now live in the heart of the Arkansas ozark.

Problem is I retired really early so money is extra tight. Truck is well maintained with 75k miles on it and I moved from Wisconsin so it's got some rust on the frame and I did an ok job with fluid film so no visible body rust YET.

I have a cap on it and foam mattress to sleep in back.

Sell it while it has low miles and invest a little for something better OR upgrade it a bit? if I trade in I will maybe get $10K? (mine has hand crank windows)
Only upgrade I can think of is a larger screen radio, skid plates, better suspension, and maybe better tires for the area. Paint under it with POR so it last a little longer.
The truck rides super rough and makes my old FJ feel like a Cadillac!


My wife is still working and talked about trading it in and getting a new Bronco (love it as it's like my FJ but 4 doors) but the cost is so expensive or getting a new last V6 4 runner.
She does not trust used vehicles with over 10k miles as we have had bad luck with them.

Not many new vehicles that we like.
We want to be able to sleep in the back, 4x4, probably body on frame, simple, and for it to be reliable and last.

I liked the broncos that you can order with just Sasquatch package or trims with locker.

 

[Ozarker]

Generally, your truck won't be worth more than it is today.

Lipstick on a pig might make your life happier but not so for others.

Retiring living on one paycheck from the wife? And you think going into debt to buy a new Bronco is a good idea? Really?

My son has that Bronco model, for older folks, dogs or kids it's harder to get into than my F 150. It is so loud, in stock form, that rear passengers can't have a conversation with people in front! While the 4 banger is peppy, it can't tow.

My suggestion is use what you have, as is, for a couple years on that one paycheck, make those car payments to yourself for a bigger down payment when you have adjusted to your new financial position.

The new bankruptcy laws aren't forgiving.

 

[nitro_rat]

Any late model single cab short box is a “cool” rig in my opinion. Not many of them out there, most seem to want at least an extended cab if not four doors.

Maybe think about making mods that will increase the reliability of your truck like a full DOD delete. A bigger trans cooler is also a good mod. Other than a lifter failure or transmission issue that truck should be pretty bulletproof. Something newer probably won’t be any more reliable, it certainly won’t be less expensive!

Do some research on rust proof coatings. There are some good videos on YouTube (maybe “Project Farm”). POR has one of the worst value per $ of anything out there. It doesn’t really perform any better than rustoleum and has worse uv resistance…

 

[plainjaneFJC]

I’d keep what you have drive it til the wheels fall off

 

[ITTOG]

I agree with most of what has been said, "keep what you got".

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Hello all, Well I once again moved to a cool area to be able to explore daily and I no longer have a cool rig (used to have an FJ cruiser for over 10 years and subie outback)
I have a 2014 Silverado Work truck regular cab and 6.5 bed that we bought almost new with 7k miles on it years ago. Stock except some hankook All terrains. I now live in the heart of the Arkansas ozark.

Problem is I retired really early so money is extra tight. Truck is well maintained with 75k miles on it and I moved from Wisconsin so it's got some rust on the frame and I did an ok job with fluid film so no visible body rust YET.

I have a cap on it and foam mattress to sleep in back.

Sell it while it has low miles and invest a little for something better OR upgrade it a bit? if I trade in I will maybe get $10K? (mine has hand crank windows)
Only upgrade I can think of is a larger screen radio, skid plates, better suspension, and maybe better tires for the area. Paint under it with POR so it last a little longer.
The truck rides super rough and makes my old FJ feel like a Cadillac!


My wife is still working and talked about trading it in and getting a new Bronco (love it as it's like my FJ but 4 doors) but the cost is so expensive or getting a new last V6 4 runner.
She does not trust used vehicles with over 10k miles as we have had bad luck with them.

Not many new vehicles that we like.
We want to be able to sleep in the back, 4x4, probably body on frame, simple, and for it to be reliable and last.

I liked the broncos that you can order with just Sasquatch package or trims with locker.

I'd keep it and build it up. Plenty of reg cab short boxes have been built up.

 

[dan8152]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Yea we have been using it to explore since we bottomed out my wife's AWD Hyundai Kona. We got some Walmart folding cots that fit perfectly in the bed too.
Good thing (or bad thing) we have the V6 and don't need the DOD delete. I have maintained the truck well including trans filter changes.
Our biggest gripe is the suspension feels liked it's made out of rocks. Not sure if there is an affordable suspension upgrade for that.
Our Hyundai rides better on gravel roads.

Our truck tires are E rated 265/70/17 hankook ATM's. Maybe a better tire option?

Any late model single cab short box is a “cool” rig in my opinion. Not many of them out there, most seem to want at least an extended cab if not four doors.

Maybe think about making mods that will increase the reliability of your truck like a full DOD delete. A bigger trans cooler is also a good mod. Other than a lifter failure or transmission issue that truck should be pretty bulletproof. Something newer probably won’t be any more reliable, it certainly won’t be less expensive!

Do some research on rust proof coatings. There are some good videos on YouTube (maybe “Project Farm”). POR has one of the worst value per $ of anything out there. It doesn’t really perform any better than rustoleum and has worse uv resistance…

I have used POR, Eastwood, and fluid film. I now use rust oleum coated in black fluid film.
The rockers were just paint in some spots. I sent in a probe camera and could not believe all the metal was gone. I cleaned them out on the inside, sprayed in eastwood rust converter, and the filled with fluid film and put the plugs back in. I then found some rocker covers (for crew cab) and put them over the rockers so at least it won't look bad.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Yea we have been using it to explore since we bottomed out my wife's AWD Hyundai Kona. We got some Walmart folding cots that fit perfectly in the bed too.
Good thing (or bad thing) we have the V6 and don't need the DOD delete. I have maintained the truck well including trans filter changes.
Our biggest gripe is the suspension feels liked it's made out of rocks. Not sure if there is an affordable suspension upgrade for that.
Our Hyundai rides better on gravel roads.

Our truck tires are E rated 265/70/17 hankook ATM's. Maybe a better tire option?


I have used POR, Eastwood, and fluid film. I now use rust oleum coated in black fluid film.
The rockers were just paint in some spots. I sent in a probe camera and could not believe all the metal was gone. I cleaned them out on the inside, sprayed in eastwood rust converter, and the filled with fluid film and put the plugs back in. I then found some rocker covers (for crew cab) and put them over the rockers so at least it won't look bad.

The E rated might be nice for trying to prevent flats on gravel. But, I'm sure a a D or C may be fine if you're not heavily loaded or towing heavy.

Not sure what pressure you run in your tires but that could have an affect on how they ride.

I run E Rated 35x11.5R20 Toyo AT3's on my truck. E rated was the only option for that size in Toyo AT3's. But, I don't really find my truck rough riding.

 

[FreedomTraveler]

Dan,

I would also agree with the " Keep what you got " idea.

In my case, I did not want to buy some one else's problem.

I found a 30+ year old fiberglass camper body for my single cab short bed F-150. ( 6.5' ) Beefed up the leaf springs, put on E Range tires and replaced all of the parts I could think of before shipping it over to Europe.

Smaller and lighter is better. With the weight of the camper, the ride is actually pretty good with cheep Rancho shocks, no airbags!

As for rust my 03 F-150 was pretty clean. ( West coast truck. ) As I had the truck bed off to build the camper flat bed, I did pressure wash and brush the frame with a oil based black primer that you could get at any store. I did this as a preventive measure.

It's time to travel. Be safe, not scared.

 

[tirod3]

I've got an '05 F150, the standard cab that year had the small wing doors which let you pile up an immense amount of junk. I just got it back from the garage which put in a reman transmission - because, being retired, it was the least worst option and definitely the cheapest. No used ones were available for 500 miles, transmissions or trucks, for the final price. Driving it home, it's better than ever. Is it a showcase of automotive perfection, nope. My favorite ratchet - which I thought was lost, and replaced, turned up and it's finish isn't all that either. A tool with patina, tho, is often more trusted because of what you know it will do, because you have, rather than some new fangled eye candy which remains to be tested.

One could apply the same standard to SO's these days, but Im married 50 years now. She's too expensive to trade in and something new would be difficult to relearn nuances. The Silverado is a great truck and that motor is a modern classic, better than it's competitors at the time - this is a Ford guy talking - i'd stick with it for a while longer. Mine clocking 198k so far, a reman motor is on the horizon in 5-8 more years.

I'd sit pat thru the next 6 months as things appear to be getting adventuresome in terms of national solvency. I would advise no one to increase their debt load right now.