My wife are in the market for a Northstar TC and a truck to load it in. I've had Jeeps and small import pick ups my entire life. This is my first foray into a full size truck. With that, I really know very little about them. We priced out a new 3500 WT and a F-350 and neither was realistic price wise. Our current budget is $30k for a truck. We can increase it some if the value on return also goes up but I don't need to have the latest and greatest just to have it. What we really need out of this truck is it has to be a crew cab. We have 2 car seats that'll need to go in the back and they don't fit in the extended cab models. We'd also prefer but not need the long bed. The camper we'd like to get is made for an 8' bed. It can go in a smaller if it needs to but the long bed is a preference. 4x4, auto, and cruise round out the list of must haves. Other than that the rest is just a bonus. With this in mind what would you recommend? We plan to live in the TC for upwards of a year. We don't plan on any hard wheeling at all. We're planning on boondock camping as much as possible so we will be doing lots of washboard roads and rutted up stuff. Just no sick rock crawling. I'm not the most mechanical person in the world. I can do brakes and change oil and varies filters but I don't have the skills to pull the block out in a Wal-Mart parking lot and rebuilding it so initial reliability is huge. Granted we realize when purchasing a vehicle whether new or used you can never be sure. Just some vehicles, models, or engines are well known to have issues. I'm sure we'll get lots of opinions but we need some direction from the people out there doing this kind of stuff with their trucks. Also, is there anything we're forgetting that we should include in our needs for a truck. Lastly what king of MPG's can we expect? I was on a Chevy forum and these guys were talking about 9 as their DD. I about sharted.
Ideas for a full size truck
- Thread starter Pilotamis
- Start date
98dango
Expedition Leader
If you plan to live in it and drive a lot. I say drive all of them you get a well taken care of truck I don't care the brand any more. But if you don't fit in the truck or the seat makes your legs go to sleep on a long trip then it's no good. I love my Super Duty but my cousin can't rid in it for more than an hour in return my wife can't ride in his 2008 dodge SXT hemi at all with out her tail bone hurting. So to me comfort is king. We drove so many trucks before I bought my superduty I would not trade it for any thing. But that said any of the big 3 with a diesel will do what you want and should net you in the 10-15 bracket loaded.
I also prefer to buy used trucks from private party if I can. You often get cool extras and by talking to the owner you can get a better idea of how it was taken care of.
I also prefer to buy used trucks from private party if I can. You often get cool extras and by talking to the owner you can get a better idea of how it was taken care of.
AFBronco235
Crew Chief
My experience with primarily with older Fords, betwee 1980 and 1998, so my recommendation would be any early to mid 90's F350. Why an older model? They're cheaper for one and EXTREMELY easy to work on compared to newer trucks. Yes, they may be a little worn, but in good condition, plus your budget, you shouldn't have any trouble getting it to where you want to go, even with your minimal mechanical skills.
For the most part, the only things you'd need to do to make it safe for a years worth of travel is replace all the wheel bearings, inspect the differentials for any damage (probably have a shop do that), flush the coolant and probably install a newer radiator if the original is still in there. Maybe work on the steering linkages if they're sloppy, but that's really it. That generation of F series trucks is especially tough. You may want to consider adding additional leaf springs with the camper and a more robust bump stop on the rear axle as far as upgrades go, simply because you'll be putting on a lot of additional weight and keeping it on for a long while. Parts are easy to find and cheap. You can literally find them anywhere in the US.
Most people do prefer to 5 speed transmission to the automatics of that period, but the auto's should do fine for you, provided you have a good transmission intercooler added. The engines came as either gas or diesel, but I'd avoid any "swapped" engines, simply because there are bugs that can come out of swapping between diesel and gas, if its not done right.
As far as comfort seating, if you're not comfortable with the seats in the truck, any decent shop with a welder can put in just about any seat you'd want. I see all kinds of seat's being added to that era trucks, everything from original bench seats to fully powered, heated models with lumbar support. And again, it would be well within your budget.
If you plan on doing anything off road at all, you should consider adding a winch to you dream sheet. The older style F series I recommended can have them mounted easily. Also, some tow points for when you have a buddy there to pull you out. Both front and rear.
I can't think of anything else at the moment, but I'll let you know.
For the most part, the only things you'd need to do to make it safe for a years worth of travel is replace all the wheel bearings, inspect the differentials for any damage (probably have a shop do that), flush the coolant and probably install a newer radiator if the original is still in there. Maybe work on the steering linkages if they're sloppy, but that's really it. That generation of F series trucks is especially tough. You may want to consider adding additional leaf springs with the camper and a more robust bump stop on the rear axle as far as upgrades go, simply because you'll be putting on a lot of additional weight and keeping it on for a long while. Parts are easy to find and cheap. You can literally find them anywhere in the US.
Most people do prefer to 5 speed transmission to the automatics of that period, but the auto's should do fine for you, provided you have a good transmission intercooler added. The engines came as either gas or diesel, but I'd avoid any "swapped" engines, simply because there are bugs that can come out of swapping between diesel and gas, if its not done right.
As far as comfort seating, if you're not comfortable with the seats in the truck, any decent shop with a welder can put in just about any seat you'd want. I see all kinds of seat's being added to that era trucks, everything from original bench seats to fully powered, heated models with lumbar support. And again, it would be well within your budget.
If you plan on doing anything off road at all, you should consider adding a winch to you dream sheet. The older style F series I recommended can have them mounted easily. Also, some tow points for when you have a buddy there to pull you out. Both front and rear.
I can't think of anything else at the moment, but I'll let you know.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
I'll have to look up that camper, no idea what it is. But a Longbed is a must have! And it's nice having campers with showers. No shower is the same as tent camping IMO.
I'd recommend a 2008-2012 Ford F350. A DRW 7.3L diesel or 6.8L V10. (rebuild the transmission no matter what with older 7.3L fords. $2300 tops.) Add airbags over the rear springs. CC, LB, 4x4. The 6.8L V10, 5.4L, or 6.2L gas engines are good choices if you can get by with a SRW truck. Need a newer, but used diesel? Get the Dodge. IMO the Dodges are junkier overall, but I'd avoid 6.0 and 6.4L diesel Fords. Some of the 6.4's are OK though, but they might be on the used car lot for a reason.
If all you need is SRW, then look at gas Fords for sure. Manual hubs and transfer case are also good things to look for. Throw some decent tires at it, and you're good to go. Avoid lifts and huge tires with heavier slide in campers. I've spent plenty of time with 10 foot campers and SRW trucks. With the right mods, that was fine, but a DRW is better still. An F350 DRW can haul campers that are motor home sized. While a 6.8L will guzzle gas, that engine is overall cheaper to run than any diesel in our fleet.
For $30k you should be able to find a used truck perfect for you. That's an easy price range. Easy.
Every time I plan a trip lately, I have to weigh the fuel cost. 15mpg for the Superduty, or 30mpg for the Mach1. Often the car would save me $300 in fuel for a weekend race. But the 8 foot bed and 4 wheel drive are worth the added cost. Not to mention my legs won't get severed in a wreck. Since I only vacation travel about 1000-1500 miles max per year, the added fuel cost is a non issue. And having my DRZ or Ducati along with me for trips into town while camping is major fun.
I'd recommend a 2008-2012 Ford F350. A DRW 7.3L diesel or 6.8L V10. (rebuild the transmission no matter what with older 7.3L fords. $2300 tops.) Add airbags over the rear springs. CC, LB, 4x4. The 6.8L V10, 5.4L, or 6.2L gas engines are good choices if you can get by with a SRW truck. Need a newer, but used diesel? Get the Dodge. IMO the Dodges are junkier overall, but I'd avoid 6.0 and 6.4L diesel Fords. Some of the 6.4's are OK though, but they might be on the used car lot for a reason.
If all you need is SRW, then look at gas Fords for sure. Manual hubs and transfer case are also good things to look for. Throw some decent tires at it, and you're good to go. Avoid lifts and huge tires with heavier slide in campers. I've spent plenty of time with 10 foot campers and SRW trucks. With the right mods, that was fine, but a DRW is better still. An F350 DRW can haul campers that are motor home sized. While a 6.8L will guzzle gas, that engine is overall cheaper to run than any diesel in our fleet.
For $30k you should be able to find a used truck perfect for you. That's an easy price range. Easy.
Every time I plan a trip lately, I have to weigh the fuel cost. 15mpg for the Superduty, or 30mpg for the Mach1. Often the car would save me $300 in fuel for a weekend race. But the 8 foot bed and 4 wheel drive are worth the added cost. Not to mention my legs won't get severed in a wreck. Since I only vacation travel about 1000-1500 miles max per year, the added fuel cost is a non issue. And having my DRZ or Ducati along with me for trips into town while camping is major fun.
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pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Lots of good advice here. I bought a 92 F350 4x4 CC Gas 5-speed because I wanted something sturdy that was easy to work on. The truck already had a warn winch and bumper on front. I knew after driving it for 10 minutes it was a solid, well cared for truck. I still love the way it drives after many mods, tight and right! I paid a fraction of the budget you have, take your time and get a solid truck to start with.
Superduty11
Observer
I love my 2011 6.2L crew cab Super Duty. It has good power plenty of room (I'm 6'6"). I've taken it some it some very tricky places and it performed very well for a large truck.
WILLD420
Observer
If you aren't going to put more than 150K miles on it, then stick with the gas engine. The Ford V10 has a huge following for a reason. The 6.0 Chevy V8 will do anything you want to do, and be very reliable, even if it gets the same MPG as the V10, it will outrun one any day of the week if the truck is unloaded. Stay away from the 5.7 hemi unless you like to rev the engine to the moon on every hill. They get good MPG, and they will run hard at 5500 rpm, but anything below 3800 rpm, they are pretty weak.
If you are dead set on a camper, then look hard at the truck you want. Not all of them like having a big heavy camper up high on their back. Stick shift or auto is a moot point in anything 2010 or newer. It's almost impossible to find a stick shift in the newer trucks. Too many people prefer the easy life.
Don't get hung up on the Dually thing not working off road. It's all in the trails you will be taking. If you are a dirt road kind of person, a Dually will go anywhere you want to go. The power companies have been running them all over the hills for 40 years, since Dual wheels became available in 4x4. If you are looking at Jeep type trails where you are going to need that 4 wheel drive, then stick to a single rear wheel and realize that anytime the weather is rotten, or the wind is blowing, you will have to slow down, if you are running a non pop-up type camper that is fully loaded. If you are going with anything bigger than a 8.5 foot camper, just buy the Dually and live with the off road limitations. Anything heavier than 3K lbs in the bed and 11 foot in the air is going to suck in a cross wind, with a SRW truck and after having driven several different types of trucks over years, there is no comparison when you have dual rear wheels vs single, and you throw a big top heavy load in the bed.
One thing I didn't consider when I first started out doing this stuff. What happens when the mother in law has to drive because you are injured or sick? What about the wife, or your inexperienced teen driver. If you have to white knuckle the thing every time you pass a big rig, or if you have to monitor the guages like a hawk because you bought something that is under-designed for the loads or conditions, you are taking a lot of the fun out of traveling.
Don't rule out a change in your perspective. I used to hate motorhomes. Now I am beginning to see the advantages. I can usually find a diesel pusher in the 10K$ range a couple times a year, that will pull anything you want to put behind it and has medium or heavy duty truck running gear under it. If built right, and somewhat maintained, they will outlast any truck you can buy from the big 3 and still be worth about what you paid for them when you are done. Just don't forget to factor in the registration costs. Around here, they charge by MSRP, not market value. I have a neighbor who practically gave his away after he realized the registration was going to be 1/4 of what he paid for the rig.
If you are dead set on a camper, then look hard at the truck you want. Not all of them like having a big heavy camper up high on their back. Stick shift or auto is a moot point in anything 2010 or newer. It's almost impossible to find a stick shift in the newer trucks. Too many people prefer the easy life.
Don't get hung up on the Dually thing not working off road. It's all in the trails you will be taking. If you are a dirt road kind of person, a Dually will go anywhere you want to go. The power companies have been running them all over the hills for 40 years, since Dual wheels became available in 4x4. If you are looking at Jeep type trails where you are going to need that 4 wheel drive, then stick to a single rear wheel and realize that anytime the weather is rotten, or the wind is blowing, you will have to slow down, if you are running a non pop-up type camper that is fully loaded. If you are going with anything bigger than a 8.5 foot camper, just buy the Dually and live with the off road limitations. Anything heavier than 3K lbs in the bed and 11 foot in the air is going to suck in a cross wind, with a SRW truck and after having driven several different types of trucks over years, there is no comparison when you have dual rear wheels vs single, and you throw a big top heavy load in the bed.
One thing I didn't consider when I first started out doing this stuff. What happens when the mother in law has to drive because you are injured or sick? What about the wife, or your inexperienced teen driver. If you have to white knuckle the thing every time you pass a big rig, or if you have to monitor the guages like a hawk because you bought something that is under-designed for the loads or conditions, you are taking a lot of the fun out of traveling.
Don't rule out a change in your perspective. I used to hate motorhomes. Now I am beginning to see the advantages. I can usually find a diesel pusher in the 10K$ range a couple times a year, that will pull anything you want to put behind it and has medium or heavy duty truck running gear under it. If built right, and somewhat maintained, they will outlast any truck you can buy from the big 3 and still be worth about what you paid for them when you are done. Just don't forget to factor in the registration costs. Around here, they charge by MSRP, not market value. I have a neighbor who practically gave his away after he realized the registration was going to be 1/4 of what he paid for the rig.
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Kottonwood
Adventurer
I did a quick search.
Buy something like this and don't look back, most reliable truck you will ever own. Not bad on fuel either.. tons of power
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F-350-...3981ec565&item=221595485541&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
Buy something like this and don't look back, most reliable truck you will ever own. Not bad on fuel either.. tons of power
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F-350-...3981ec565&item=221595485541&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
Seabass
Idiot
Wow! Lots of great advice. I took the rout of some of the other guys that have posted here. I had a "newer" cummins powered dodge. It was a great truck but there was so much that I couldn't do to it in the way of mechanics. There was so much computer controlled stuff that if anything more than a low tire happened -it had to go to the shop to be "hooked up" to the shop computer for diagnosis. Everything on that truck had a computer that ran it. My dad has a 6.4 ford- crap! It's even worse, and he had to spend $3k getting all the egr and other stuff deleted just to make it more dependable. It's a great running great looking truck but I can't begin to work on it. We farm- so turning wrenches is in our blood. Big tractors and combines and other equipment have sharpened my mechanical skills all my life. Last December I snapped. I sold my new truck and bought a like new 1997 F-350 crew cab 4x4 Power Stroke. Yes, it's a computer controlled engine- but it's more like comparing an old pac man Atari game to an x-box! It's so simple and much easier to work on. I can swing by an auto parts house and get them to scan it if it acts up and they can get me nearly any part for it. Most of those parts I can put on in the parking lot. I did all the regular upgrades- belts hoses brake lines etc...anything age had hurt. Today it's a great truck and I trust it to go anywhere. If it breaks I can most likely fix it- to me it's worth the price of a new one. You just need to sit in a bunch of trucks and see what fits you. Decide how much wrenching you'd actually be willing to take on out on the road (that will help you determine how old you want to go- older is simpler and newer is nicer) And get one. Brand doesn't really matter. The big three have been making good trucks for several years now. Good luck!
Thanks for all the advice. Really torn between a diesel or gas right now. Leaning hard towards the gas though. They seem much simpler. Problem I'm having is that I have a 2015 JKU I need to trade against the vehicle. Everyone has offered me what I owe but if I sell it outright then buy the truck I have to pay tax on the total new price. If I trade it in I only pay tax on the difference. Also anything older then 6-8 years is going to have a serious case of crotch rot. New York is not a nice place for older vehicles.
AFBronco235
Crew Chief
Just hit up the craigslist ads and see what you have available. Some of that "crotch rot" may not be as bad. Find an old farm truck and you shouldn't have too much of it. With the budget you've got, you can easily get a small amount of rot repaired.
Your current problem is exactly why I never buy new vehicles. It just isn't worth it in the long run unless you actually keep the vehicle for the long run. Am I right to assume some, if not most, of your budget includes the trade in value on the JKU?
Hope you find a solution that works for you.
Your current problem is exactly why I never buy new vehicles. It just isn't worth it in the long run unless you actually keep the vehicle for the long run. Am I right to assume some, if not most, of your budget includes the trade in value on the JKU?
Hope you find a solution that works for you.
Kottonwood
Adventurer
rot is not really repairable. You can repair panels, sand and paint frame... or weld... but you will never fix it all... and you'll never get all the bolts out without a torch. Shipping is cheap. Check uship.com. The trade in will be tough though. If you go this route you may be able to make enough extra on jeep to cover the cost of the extra taxes. Or buy the truck from a low tax area and register it there... not really sure about the legalities of that.
totally agree on the new vehicle thing.. I never have and likely never will buy a new one.
totally agree on the new vehicle thing.. I never have and likely never will buy a new one.