Thoughts on purchasing a new truck

Coon · June 22, 2009, 08:38:46 PM

You might as well call that little ranger Puff The Yellow Dragon cuz it's smokin' a little bit much don't ya think?

beenthere · June 22, 2009, 10:03:14 PM

Why do you want it? 'cause it is a coal burner??

ScottAR · June 23, 2009, 03:39:29 AM

Probably a 3.9.... That thing may be putting out 300hp or more...
HP sometimes makes smoke...

The first company to bring a small diesel truck back will have
my full attention.

moonhill · June 23, 2009, 06:51:47 AM

ScottAR, here is an option. They do nice work I have heard, I would jump at it if the money was available. Bump around the site, for nothing else but a dreamy few moments.

http://www.dieseltoyz.com/Toyota_diesel_conversions.html

Tim

thedeeredude · June 23, 2009, 05:19:33 PM

I would love to have a small diesel engine in a compact truck. Fuel mileage and torque in one package.

Bill · June 23, 2009, 06:37:33 PM

Quote from: thedeeredude on June 23, 2009, 05:19:33 PM
I would love to have a small diesel engine in a compact truck. Fuel mileage and torque in one package.

My 'lil 92 toy ( w/v6-5sp ) gets about 17/22mpg but boy would I like a 'lil oil burner in it - I'm guessing 22/30 or better . . .

Course I keep an eye on the rust thing - so far its just on the bottom ;D

SPIKER · June 23, 2009, 08:16:40 PM

Quote from: thedeeredude on June 23, 2009, 05:19:33 PM
I would love to have a small diesel engine in a compact truck. Fuel mileage and torque in one package.

FORD is supposed to be having some more of these shortly. as in late 09 early 10 years. all with direct Fuel Injection & turbos. Not sure if it will be in ranger or starting in the 150? someone said something about a F100 sub-full size truck with higher towing and 30+MPG on a different site a while back, though this was rumor at this point I have not checked any of the mileage hype people have stated though have checked that they have some new direct injection stuff in both gas & diesel.

Mark

brendonv · June 23, 2009, 08:40:48 PM

I wont drive anything but Toyota as a DD. Currently have a '93 4 banger, good little truck. I know of plenty with over 200-250k, my buddy has one with 400k+. That truck was used hard and put away wet too.

My bro has an 05' Taco with over 100k. He beats the hell out of that truck. Oil change, and tires. Regularly has 2500lbs toted in the back with his driving style :

.

Captain · June 24, 2009, 03:45:12 PM

The price of diesels in the age of mandatory particulate filtering in the exhaust system has some manufacturers balking at the decision to put small diesels in cars and small trucks.....the fear is the cost is too great for the market to bear.

Captain

ScottAR · June 25, 2009, 01:02:05 AM

... but we can dream... One of my customers has a diesel
liberty... Gets low to mid 30's mpg...

A truck the size of an early 80's F100 with a diesel would do nicely.

breederman · June 25, 2009, 06:16:13 AM

I read a couple of days ago that Mahindra is going to start selling a small diesel pickup here by December. 140 h.p., 71/2 foot bed and 2600 lb pay load. it will sell in the low 20's. Might fill a nich?

wesdor · June 25, 2009, 09:18:42 AM

I've been researching that one. If my memory is correct it has been available in Australia for a year or more. From photos I would have to say it is one ugly truck - but beauty isn't what I'm looking for (smile).

I've read that it will sell more in the mid 20's. This one is on my radar, but probably won't be available before we make a purchase.

Chico · June 25, 2009, 10:23:47 PM

Doesn't matter what brand it is if the oil and filter is changed every 2500 300 and the other maint is pulled they'll all last I had a pos Toy had a Ranger ran over 300000 had a 73 datsun that I don't even know how many miles it had the odometer had turned when I got and I drove it all over the SE for about 7 yrs loaded to the hilt with about 1500 lbs of tools There are good trucks and bad trucks of all makes jmo Just for Thought Volkswagen made a deisel truck l and it was a flop

rebocardo · June 25, 2009, 10:37:12 PM

> Thoght Volkswagen made a deisel truck l and it was a flop

Because there is a difference between a car diesel put into a truck and a diesel designed for a truck. Ford put a 2.0L into the Ranger for two years, it was a flop too. Mopeds could beat it 0-40 empty and if you stuffed 1,000 pounds into the bed, it was probably quicker walking :D

If you put a diesel into a truck it should at least have a lot of torque and gearing and be able to carry something.

fishpharmer · June 26, 2009, 04:15:00 AM

Wesdor, I don't think you can go wrong with a Toyota truck. I have had good service with my fords as well, all 3/4 ton or larger though.

New EPA mileage standards in 2010 should produce a whole new crop of vehicles. This could present a good buying opportunity for dealers wanting to move the 09 inventory. But on the flip side some cool new trucks will arrive soon. Personally, I won't buy a first year model of a new truck model with major changes (engines, trans etc.). I like the looks of the new Mahindra diesel truck, looks like a good basic truck with decent mileage.

Definitely wait for the "cash for clunkers" to become available. You will need to save all the money you can to pay your future tax bill.

Ironwood · June 26, 2009, 10:30:55 PM

The new diesel emissions issues (as stated previously) will be an issue. I hear of urea filter on the exhaust side, and blah blah, makes me think it will cost $$$ to maintian these things.

I am a big Ford guy, f-150 and up. I have had buddies w/ rangers that went on for years and years. Personally, I like small Toyotas. I have a two wheel drive tacoma, 96 that is not currently on the road. It is too small for me to feel safe carting ANY of my kids around on the road. The frame on my Tacoma is immaculate, this is the reason I bought it. The rust recall cover my Tacoma, but you could eat off the frame (bummer), had it been bad they would have given me 1.5 times blue book $6000

for a $800 truck (it was lightly rolled, and has a factory flatbed on it, and is painted "working man's" flat black :D). Did I mention when the hood latch stopped working I put race car style hood pins drilled though the hood, they a all homemade as well adding to the "Franken" factor :

.

Ironwood

york · July 17, 2009, 05:30:56 PM

OK guys,

Update on the 2003 Tacoma that i gave to my lady friend and later we found out,it is rusted on the frame-she took it to Toyota-they said leave it and we will change out the old frame with new frame-the buy back is only up to year 2000...
thanks Bert

Handy Andy · July 17, 2009, 11:19:56 PM

My DD is a 91 Toyota xcab 4cyl 5speed. It was made in Japan. Only real problem with these thing is the rear bumper wears out and rusts out, and the drivers seat. I got a used pair of buckets out of a 95 4 runner, and took them apart and put the passengers seat cover on the drivers frame, and changed the springs while in there. The 4 runners have better grade of seats.

flip · July 18, 2009, 08:04:03 AM

Mahindra sent us info. to become a dealer for them. What I've been told is that the truck will be shipped here to the US and assembled in Ohio. Our Ford rep is Indian and he is being approached by them to defect. If what he was telling me is true I need to learn to speak Indian. The mahindra is pretty ugly but so are a lot of domestic vehicles, I think price point and quality will be keys to their success in the states. So far they are doing well in other countries.

pappy19 · July 18, 2009, 03:28:38 PM

IMHO the best most reliable work truck on the market today is the F-250 with the V-10 and new Ford Torqueshift automatic tranny. From 2005-present, if you can find one.

fishpharmer · July 18, 2009, 04:03:58 PM

Flip, let us know if you get the Mahindra trucks. I know several farmers that own and like Mahindra tractors. I like the idea of Mahindra offering a small diesel truck. No one else offers one yet.
Is there any chance of Ford superduty getting a cummins diesel? I think it would own the market.

Pappy19, what kinda mpg are you getting from that V10?

WILDSAWMILL · July 18, 2009, 07:45:37 PM

1999 f250 super duty diesel 4 door with over 500,000 miles & going strong got a new trany last year

wesdor · July 18, 2009, 10:58:36 PM

Just an update on the truck purchase.

We went to the Toyota dealer on Tuesday afternoon. The salesman had sent me an email saying they had a Tacoma being delivered August. They were offering $1,000 off sticker and Toyota offered another $1,500 incentive. Add the "cash for clunkers" $4,500 (93 Dodge Dakota to trade) to that and we thought we had a good deal. The salesman started to write everything down and I got out my checkbook. He then looked very surprised and said, "this is a 2010 - not a 2009". That led us to down an interesting path. He didn't know the actual cost of the truck, nor could he promise when it would come in. IF (emphasis added) it came in before all the "Cash for Clunkers" money was gone, they would consider letting us use that program, but wouldn't promise. But he did say they would allow us to put down a deposit on the new truck. He did point out that the $1,500 incentive would not be offered.
So given the opportunity to put down a non-refundable deposit (yes he said that unless the truck was not what they represented the deposit was not refundable) on a vehicle without a known price, we decided to pass on such an awesome deal.

We went to the Ford dealer where I had been talking with a very helpful salesman. They didn't have any Rangers on the lot, but he offered to let us drive an F-150. I must say that was an awesome truck. Lots of room, very comfortable cab and every bell and whistle you would want. I believe it retailed out at something like $32,000 and they offered it to us for only $25,000. Since it had a V8, it didn't qualify for any Cash for Clunkers money and they obviously couldn't offer us anything for our 93 Dakota. He did offer to try and locate a Ranger for us and said he would start that process next Monday. We went home Thursday evening and gave serious thought to getting the F-150, but in the end decided that was a little more than $10,000 higher than the deal we were looking at with either the Toyota or the Ranger.

Bottom line, we put getting a truck on hold and will wait and see if any small diesels come out in the next year. We did get the impression that we would have to get down on our knees and beg any of the dealers for the privilege to purchase their product. Somehow I thought it might be the other way around, but that isn't what we experienced.

fishpharmer · July 18, 2009, 11:15:10 PM

Quote from: wesdor on July 18, 2009, 10:58:36 PM
Just an update on the truck purchase.

We went to the Toyota dealer on Tuesday afternoon. The salesman had sent me an email saying they had a Tacoma being delivered August. They were offering $1,000 off sticker and Toyota offered another $1,500 incentive. Add the "cash for clunkers" $4,500 (93 Dodge Dakota to trade) to that and we thought we had a good deal. The salesman started to write everything down and I got out my checkbook. He then looked very surprised and said, "this is a 2010 - not a 2009". That led us to down an interesting path. He didn't know the actual cost of the truck, nor could he promise when it would come in. IF (emphasis added) it came in before all the "Cash for Clunkers" money was gone, they would consider letting us use that program, but wouldn't promise. But he did say they would allow us to put down a deposit on the new truck. He did point out that the $1,500 incentive would not be offered.
So given the opportunity to put down a non-refundable deposit (yes he said that unless the truck was not what they represented the deposit was not refundable) on a vehicle without a known price, we decided to pass on such an awesome deal.

I really despise a "bait and switch" salesman. >:(

beenthere · July 19, 2009, 12:27:17 AM

QuoteI really despise a "bait and switch" salesman.

And they can do it with such an innocent look of total surprise. >:( >:(

Like they didn't have it well-planned all along. It is a well-rehearsed routine.