best pickup of the 90s overall

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
Mid 80's to Mid 90's. During that time frame your choices are a dodge truck that was designed in the early 70's. I do not see very many dodges on the road from this period. I will be honest I do not know nor have any first hand experience with dodges from this time.


Dodge at that time accounted for .9% of full size truck sales. So yeah, you're not going to see many.

If you go a little bit newer, I have seen more 300,000+ mile TBI GM C1500s than any other brands. The rest of the truck is in shambles but the powertrain is still going.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
When I was younger I had a Ford with the 302 and aod And it was wore out. I once pulled a Chevy silverado club cab just on the road and up hills it was on the floor . But it was pretty abused to.


It is pretty different with the 5MT, but that being said, the car engines were roller motors, the trucks were not. The cam in that old girl may have been worn down. I'm a big fan of HO swaps (did one in my '88 F-250) but that's not something somebody should have to be thinking about when buying a vehicle.

 

[MNgopher]

For $2000, I wouldn't count on anything that isn't going to have some issues. The thing with pickup trucks is that even when the body is beat up and there are issues, there are still people looking for them for work type trucks. If the thing runs, regardless of how it looks, that's at least a grand...

In the time frame you are looking at, Ford or Chevy or GMC. Dodge wasn't selling a lot from that timeframe. I'd buy on overall condition more than I would brand with these parameters. And that's from a guy whose last three trucks have been Fords...

 

[Popinski]

Ford Super Duty 7.3L International.... GOOD BYE.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
Ford Super Duty 7.3L International.... GOOD BYE.


I never knew you had a sense of humor...

a ford 7.3L turbo diesel for 2k?

hahahhahaha .


I'd save up and try to manage 3-4k$ 2k wont buy you much but a moneypit around here.

your 2k will end up being 4k by the time its fixed.

 

[jetmech1]

Quote:
Ford Super Duty 7.3L International.... GOOD BYE


Can't argue with that, but you'll most likely pay more than 2 grand for a good one.

Aside from trying to start WWIII, LOL, I'll give you what I know on Blue Oval as that is the one I know best.

First, I hate to burst your bubble, but I just don't see how you are going to get anything but a bunch of trouble for under 2 grand. Everything I've seen is pretty "goobered up" in that price range. If you are lucky enough, stay under the 1996 model year as these will be equipped with the tried and true 5.0 to 7.5 litre (302-351-460) gas engines. I won't get into the diesel here because if you don't know how to work on one, it will cost you more than you want to pay (for the whole truck) to fix it.

Prior to '95, the engine will be controlled by the OBD-I management system. Computer controls are not difficult to learn whether they be OBD-I or OBD-II. Good scan tools are not that expensive. Don't let that oversized intake plenum on the SB intimidate you nor sequential multi-port fuel injection. It is FAR superior to TBI and contrary to what some would have you beleive, (IMHO), more trouble free and cheaper to fix. The SB (5.0 & 5.8) as well as the BB (7.5) are virtually identical to the cousins of the '70's & '80's once you get past the fuel injection. The biggest pain in the *** on FI is when the pump in the tank fails and you have to drop it to replace it. These are some of the toughest engines on the planet IMO.

Now transmissions. As a previous poster indicated, you simply can't go wrong with a manual. Unless it's been horribly abused, about the worst that can happen is a clutch and throwout bearing. Concerning the automatics, here is a website you will want to study. These guys are the "defacto experts" on Blue Oval automatic transmissions. Baumann Engineering

Pay particular attention to the pre 1995 model E4OD as this model underwent a lot of "improvements" leading up to the '95 model. Also if you find one with the small block, it will be equipped with either the AOD, AOD-E, or the AOD-EW/4R70W depending on the model year. The AOD-E is much improved over the AOD and the 4R70W is nearly bullet-proof as well as the '95 and up E4OD. I have pulled a 9000+ lb trailer up five to six percent grades with my 1995 F-250 Supercab 7.5L/E4OD. This 121,000 mile truck has pulled heavy trailers all it's life and still has never had the engine or trans touched other than regular maintenance. I'm the 2nd owner. I couldn't ask anything more from a truck. It gets about 13.5 MPG empty and about 10 MPG loaded. Hope this helps concerning Blue Oval trucks......

 

[eljefino]

I had a 95 f150 4wd 6 cyl 5 speed. Great engine. Rust was getting at the body... look in the rocker panel areas. The seat belt anchors here. Had my reservations about the "mazda" 5 speed after reading some stuff online. (It's light duty and despite being the base motor the 300 is a torque monster.) The door sticker will give you a transmission and rear end ratio code; get a printout before you shop.

The newer, 97+ bubble f150s I've seen run great but are pretty junky underneath for rust and front end issues. But then I've seen chevy and dodge with the same problems.

have had a 2wd dodge dakota on CL for a month now at $1100 and the only nibble was a guy who wanted to trade a modly travel trailer for it. Going to put it back to work for a bit; inlaws are sharing 13 cord of wood with us. 2wd in winter= a good deal!

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
Now correct me if I'm wrong but aren't Fords the hardest to work on though? There fuel injection looks kinda intimidating. Is it just me ?


Fords are a piece of cake to work on, as are the others. Any pickup with a traditional drivetrain is going to be easy to work on.

What do you find intimidating about the fuel injection? It's some injectors and a fuel rail. Odds are you won't ever have to do anything to it. If you do, it's still better than some cranky old carburetor. Multiport fuel injection became the standard for a reason. I've had three EFI Fords and the biggest "repair" on any has been the fuel filter.

At this point the best pickups of the 1990s are the survivors. These trucks were hardly different from a reliability/functionality standpoint when new, let alone 20 years later. I wouldn't be passing up clean, rust free trucks just because of the brand. If it made it 20 years already chances are it has been fairly reliable. If you are really serious and ready to buy, you need to spend more time jumping on trucks as soon as they hit Craigslist and less worrying about nit picky detdails from 20 years ago.

 

[addyguy]

Another vote for an early 1990's Ford F150 with a 302 V-8, or a 300 I-6.

 

[Dakota1820]

Maybe its where I live but for 2000 I can find a reliable truck. Sure it may need a thing or two but nothing major. Maybe im so used to junk that i don't know what good is

 

[meep]

both have their advantages. are you looking for just a DD or something you plan to hang on to and wrench on?

IIRC some of the years of the 302 were plagued with rear main seal leaks.... but my now it may not be original anyway.

I personally found the ford bodies and especially interiors more pleasant and comfortable, and the GMs far easier to work on since there's just nothing under the hood of one.

Also keep in mind, some of the ford I-beam front ends were notorious for their inability to keep an alignment.

I spent a good bit of time in a ford short cab 5spd '86 with the straight 6, and loved every minute of it. But when the alternator cräpped out and I popped the hood, I was terrified (it was a borrowed vehicle I had for 2-3 weeks).

Only other weakness I recall was the clutch slave cylinders that would go bad--- INSIDE the bell housing (???).

whatever you get, is going to need some work. drive them both and buy what you like. The last car I bought for under $2k... I loved... but it required weekly care and feeding until it just wasn't practical.

m

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
An F-150 with a 302 or 300 I6 and the 5spd has got to be one of the most basic, most reliable setups going.
+1

 

[jetmech1]

Quote:
Also keep in mind, some of the ford I-beam front ends were notorious for their inability to keep an alignment.


That was true until Ford started putting ball joints in the twin I-beam allowing you to adjust camber (along with caster). (I don't know when they started doing this, so someone help me out here). It's not a perfect system as the alignment technician has to be pretty savy on these alignments and it is pretty time consuming. It uses this big adjusting sleeve (shim) on the top ball joint. Once it's set right it doesn't seem to require much more attention. This corrected most of the twin I-beam problems and eliminated having to heat and bend the beams. Other than that the tow stays really good once it's set. I've only had mine aligned once in the last seven years and the front tires wear very even.

 

[VicVinegar]

I've always had a thing for the GMT400 trucks. My buddy in high school had a '94 Sierra Z71. Regular cab, short box with a nice exhaust on it. I loved that truck. He beat on it on road and off road and it kept coming back for me. I'm not sure how long he actually ended up keeping it, but eventually it became too much to deal with for him. It was well over 100k though.

 

[DavidZ28]

IMO '95 Chevy C1500. "old" motor 5.7"K" extremely reliable plus for 1995 Chevrolet upgraded the interior on the full size trucks. Best of both worlds!

 

[artificialist]

What size do you want?

4 cylinder Nissan and Toyota trucks from back the were good too, if there was no road salt.

 

[Dakota1820]

FULL SIZE definitely. I would consider a Toyota but you can't hardly find them

 

[3311]

I had a 97 GMC single wheel 3500 with a 350. Great truck! I sold it with 230,000 on it and it was still running great.
I also had a 94 Dodge Ram 1500 with 318. Worst piece of junk I've ever encountered. To this day when I see a new Dodge truck, I throw up in my mouth a little and feel bad for that poor, proud [censored] driving it.

 

[3311]

Originally Posted By: 3311
I had a 97 GMC single wheel 3500 with a 350. Great truck! I sold it with 230,000 on it and it was still running great.
I also had a 94 Dodge Ram 1500 with 318. Worst piece of junk I've ever encountered. To this day when I see a new Dodge truck, I throw up in my mouth a little and feel bad for that poor, proud [censored] driving it.
Dammit! I had successfully repressed most of my memories of that Silver TURD. I hadn't thought specifically about that POS in years.
I actually got a speeding ticket in it for 6 miles over while passing and when the trooper asked me how I liked it, I told that little twerp "best truck ever" and now looking back I'm even happier recommended it to that jerk, I hope he bought one.

Sorry for the incoherent rant but man that truck was such a piece of junk I think I have emotional scarring. It was the first new vehicle I ever owned.

Looking back I'm actually embarrassed for every single of employee of Chrysler (stupid name) their, families and even their pets. I bet the Chrysler truck assembly guys are really cat lovers who knit scarves. No self respecting man would have ever had anything to do with building that clunker.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: 3311
I actually got a speeding ticket in it for 6 miles over while passing and when the trooper asked me how I liked it, I told that little twerp "best truck ever" and now looking back I'm even happier recommended it to that jerk, I hope he bought one.

LOL!