Experienced opinions on trucks??

[DutchVDub]

So I'm definitely in the market for a new daily and I want a truck. I'll be hopefully buying one this summer.

I'm looking for a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton 4 door (crew cab) truck with a gas engine. It'll mainly be a daily driver for me (10 miles a day) and parts/lumber runner. It'll probably also serve duty as a dirt bike hauler and if needed to tow the XJ or S4, although it should only have to do that in an emergency type roll.

I like Chevy's primarily but I also like the Dodge Hemi trucks. Lately I've been looking at Nissan Frontiers and in doing so the Titan's have also really caught my eye.

I know the Chevy/GMC trucks pretty well and I'm familiar with the Dodges. I know only what I've read about the Titans.

I'd be trying to get a truck in the 5-6 year age range with right around 60,000 miles on and I'm not wanting to spend more than 15-20,000 on it.

 

[Gotlift01]

I have 3 friends that have Titans..and while they seemed fairly pleased with the truck all around, the gas mileage is pretty crappy. All 3 of them can't get much better than 13mpg. Towing anything will drop them down to around 9mpg.

The newer 2010+ Hemi's are monsters power wise. My brother has a 2010 1500 Hemi and that is a damn nice truck and pulls like a son of a b!tch. Get's great mileage around town ( high teens ), but towing drops it down to single digits but has no problem at all pulling the hills.

 

[DigJeepsBrah]

Nissans really lack balls for towing. I don't care if it's the 5.7 or whatever the big motor they're putting in the Titan's are these days is garbage. Frontiers are even worse off.

I know Ford half tons are garbage for towing too, my neighbor just traded his in for a new Dodge 3500 Diesel Heavy Duty. Not that he has any reason to own that truck but I guess he feels like he needs it for his 10 mile round trip commute. He does however like to let it sit and run for seemingly hours before he drives it anywhere. That thing is a monster though.

I don't know if 5-6 years old qualifies you for a warranty or anything or if you're going to buy from a dealership or a private seller.. That may be something to take into consideration as well..

I know if I was going to buy a full size truck for that kind of thing I'd buy a diesel. I'd hate to be one of those guys driving his 4 door diesel but the torque I feel is needed for the mountain passes here in Colorado. I think often enough even a 3/4 ton gasoline truck will struggle with the altitude, the load, and the grade. The turbo's on those big diesels make them get pretty freaking insane gas mileage too.

I had a Ford 3/4 ton and it did really well, but it was older.. It had a rebuilt 428 big block in it though, among other things. It towed like a sunova b!tch but it got about 6-8 MPG.

I hear Chevy's transmissions are complete trash but that may just be the duramax.

That's my two cents, it's probly not helpful.

 

[Caged94XJ]

I have had Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota... I would buy a Tundra and never look back. Led had a Titan and told me to go look at the Tundra. I did and traded my Dodge diesel for it and loved it. 20 MPG around town, towed a 2,350 lb trailer to CA and drove back with a 71 Chevelle on it and got 15 MPG. It had balls and then some to spare. Towed like a son of a b&%#$. It was a 07 4 door long bed with the 5.7 6 speed auto and 4.30 rearend gears. So I say Toyota Tundra 07+ all day long.

 

[DigJeepsBrah]

I have had Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota... I would buy a Tundra and never look back. Led had a Titan and told me to go look at the Tundra. I did and traded my Dodge diesel for it and loved it. 20 MPG around town, towed a 2,350 lb trailer to CA and drove back with a 71 Chevelle on it and got 15 MPG. It had balls and then some to spare. Towed like a son of a b&%#$. It was a 07 4 door long bed with the 5.7 6 speed auto and 4.30 rearend gears. So I say Toyota Tundra 07+ all day long.

It did pull a space shuttle.

Hasta

 

[in4aride]

what titans you driving??

 

[in4aride]

what titans you driving? when we got the xterra we were looking at titans as well. drove a friends for few weeks.
18 - 20 mpg and had plenty of ass.
plus I remember led racing a certain diesel out to Moab while towing with his titan....
I'd say go titan.

 

[stockli]

For what it's with I've owned all of the big three trucks and far and away I liked my ford with the power stroke the best.

IMO better trans than the dodge better motor then the Chevy. Thing towed like a beast and had a nice ride

 

[DutchVDub]

I am not in any way in the market for a diesel. With as little as I'll be towing (hopefully never really) a diesel is not worth it. My 5.3L Silverado 1/2 ton did a very respectable job towing when it had to, I wouldn't want to use it every weekend but the few times I did use it the thing definitely got the job done. Now the time or two I used a 5.4 powered F-150 I was utterly appalled by its lack of performance.

My jeep at 4500lbs (if that but let's go high) on a 1500lbs car hauler (again high) is still well within the rated towing capacity of any 1/2 ton truck. Now I am looking at 2500 gassers because of the bigger brakes and axles that are more suited for towing, but any 1/2 ton truck worth it's salt should be more than capable of towing 6000lbs safely and reliably.

I know the Tundra is supposed to be a good truck but I am not a Toyota fan for one, and for two I don't see myself finding one in my price/mileage range.

I honestly think that the current body style Ram 1500 or 2500 Hemi is the top on my list, especially if I can find one with the ram box sides. It's a matter if I can find one cheap enough. The previous Ram 03-07/8) is up there too although the cabs are a bit on the small side.

The few people I've talked to with Titans loved them but I have no personal experience with them.

Chevy's are just Chevy's and I'll always fall back on them for a gas powered truck. I grew up around them and have owned 3 of them myself. They're just good trucks. Not the best, but damn good and well rounded. I'm just willing to consider other options as they have appeal to them and I've been shedding the whole brand loyalty thing lately, instead focusing on what's going to give me the most of what I want for my money instead of a particular brand. On that not I will take a look at the Yota's because I do like that large cab they offer.

 

[DigJeepsBrah]

Those new box sides on the rams are pretty slick IMO.

Although I'm thinking about it now and being 5'9 they'd be useless to me without a step stool.

I'm talking about the gutless Titans that I used to walk on in my V8 ZJ. Maybe that was first gen hiccups?