Another "What Truck" thread, Cheap edition

So my Ralliart is sadly about to be totaled, and I'm in the unenviable position of

1. I need a car for work because I've been borrowing for the past month.
2. School has started.
3. I have only ~$4K to drop on one at this moment.

But for some reason- possibly my Y chromosome (Y chromosome? You mean Y not chromosome?)- I'm seriously looking at a beater truck for the first time, and for some ugly, angry reason I want a manual because that's just how I roll I suppose. But I've never owned a truck, never even seriously considered one before, and only have base knowledge I've absorbed filter-feeder style from all of you.

I love the looks of the 80s-90s Dodge trucks, but I don't love their complete lack of crash protection and poor quality. I love that the S10 can be made into a ton of different things and even be fun to drive, but I don't know what year and (this is extremely petty I know) they're not very attractive. Finally, I know Fords like this one are slow but undying:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/804771837215861/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post

... but that corner rust is concerning to someone who has a welder but hasn't broken it out yet. So what should I look for, council of dads?

My preference is GMT400s but around here they are going up so I don't know if your budget will get you one where you are.

But any old truck is cool, even Fords. Find a clean one, get the nicest one you can afford and enjoy it.

At this point they are old enough that reliability between the different models isn't even worth debating, just get a good one you like.

1980's fords seem unloved, compared to OBS Chevrolets, but I love the big square headlight style.  Agreed, GMT400's seem to be big right now.  A newer GMT800 might be cheaper, though the newer you get the harder they are to find with manuals.

A dark horse is the Nissan Titan.  They're pretty decent trucks, have depreciated, and have great engines.  But I don't think they were available with manuals.  

I worked at a GM plant back in the early 2000's and drove a few S-10's off the assembly line.  The 4.3 with the 5 speed was a real rocket.  

Dodges weren't bad trucks, but parts availability for anything besides the engine is getting spotty.  I had a '92 Cummins about 15 years ago and back then some parts were NLA, requiring homebrew engineering.  

Rust on trucks is like tics on a donkey, you can't do much about it, it doesn't really hurt anything, and you pretty much accept it.  I will say, not long ago that '92 would have been a high 3 figures truck.  Even with the current insane prices, I don't see that being that valuable.  

Supply and demand.  It seems that everyone's demands for a truck these days is rear seat, V8, automatic and 4x4.  

Keeping demand down will keep the price down,  This means to find a good one for $4k your likely looking at a single cab, V6, manual trans and 2wd.  If you're happy with at least a few of those elements you might find a good one.  

Thanks for the notice to the 4.3 V6s with a 5 speed. I actually have a GM T5 with clutch parts I snagged from a JY for $150 that might be good spares for it; I've found a couple and I might get more serious about them. I'm not too worried about 4WD only because, I'd rather have the spare money to get good winter tires and wheels first which I think is the better mindset for our winters, but perhaps ya'll have diffenent opinons on that.

Good to know about that Ford likely being a little overpriced, and the Dodges having parts availability problems; sucks tho, they just look so right.

A decent looking sample asking $4,800.  It is a F150 w/ 4.6L V8 which is more reliable than the larger, optional 5.4L V8 

Original owner who looks well off enough to take care of his truck.  The black bottoms might be rust repair (or not) but if repaired, that's good.  Note the rust hiding fender flares too.  My guess is that he had body work done years ago to keep the truck looking good.  

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1254888721914974/?ref=category_feed&referral_code=undefined&referral_story_type=listing&tracking=%7B%22qid%22%3A%22-5683277950122037778%22%2C%22mf_story_key%22%3A%225697945176915709%22%2C%22commerce_rank_obj%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22target_id%5C%22%3A5697945176915709%2C%5C%22target_type%5C%22%3A0%2C%5C%22primary_position%5C%22%3A37%2C%5C%22ranking_signature%5C%22%3A6820231057560829952%2C%5C%22commerce_channel%5C%22%3A504%2C%5C%22value%5C%22%3A8.2837535354496e-5%2C%5C%22candidate_retrieval_source_map%5C%22%3A%7B%5C%225697945176915709%5C%22%3A111%7D%7D%22%2C%22ftmd_400706%22%3A%22111112l%22%7D

How do you feel about a Sport Trac?  No one goes looking for one but its an overlooked crew cab and pretty similar to what the new Ford Maverick is.

2wd Silverado 2500 w/ 6.0L 

Get on GovDeals.com and hit up the Trucks Under 1 Ton section?

In that price range I'd be looking for the best truck of any brand that I could find that appealed to me.  Condition is going to trump all else.

Mr_Asa said:

Get on GovDeals.com and hit up the Trucks Under 1 Ton section?

I've started, so far there's nothing much locally except for this one:
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=1389&acctid=596

APEowner said:

In that price range I'd be looking for the best truck of any brand that I could find that appealed to me.  Condition is going to trump all else.

Good to know, thanks. Do you think i'm on the money, about focusing on spending on good tires instead of 4WD?

Here in the rust belt, Rangers seem to hold up better than equivalent S10s. I rarely see any Dakotas any more.

98+ Ranger gets you rack and pinion steering (S10 still used a steering box). 01+ gets you the same base Duratec/MZR engine that came in most Ford/Mazda products from 2000-2010. An 01+ Duratec/manual trans Ranger is about as close to a miata as you're going to get in a pick up (longitudinal, DOHC, all aluminum Duratec 4 cyl. Manual trans. SLA front suspension with rack and pinion steering. ~3100lbs). Mine consistently got 30mpg on the highway and 20-25mpg in town with summer blend fuels, and 25mpg highway in the winter.

In reply to STM317 :

And what do you know, I just found one. How did yours do in winter STM? I've literally lived in this area all my life and I feel like winter tires and skill trump everything else (I've also worked EMS and all our vehicles are 2WD, though they'll easily be twice the weight) but what are your thoughts?

Here's the link, but they have no pics yet.
 

Late 90s GM 2500 (with Vortec 350), probably not with manual transmission.  2500 is always the answer with trucks, unless you need heavier; stuff is generally over built and will last forever under normal, non-psychotic usage.  You may need to travel, though . . .

I mean I drove through winters in Omaha with mustangs and snow tires for years. I would see no issue with a B2300 and good tires. 

I'll third (or fourth) the GMT400 suggestions.  Most will have automatics, though.  But the chassis is soooo common in junkyards and parts are so cheap, they wicked easy to keep on the road with minimal cost.  Because they seem to be commanding a premium, you probably will get close to what you have in it should you ever sell it.

There are a number in your area in your price range:

GMT400 near you Granted, the bed is rusted and dented (I thought it was a stepside at first!), but a bed swap is just a junkyard trip away

Here's a 4WD extended cab

Repo shop, but might be a good deal

-Rob

95 Toyota

https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van/cto/d/vancouver-1995-toyota-truck/7528052481.html

The 4500 is Canadian.

Ive never driven in snow in a 4wd anything. Lots in RWD, (my personal preference) some in fwd. Good tires and attention to detail is key. 
Several contracts in the great white north in Feb/March... most ov the vehicles I see stuck, were 4wd trucks, driven but guys, born and raised - yep - in the great white north!

In reply to Rons :

I see Toyotas with crazy high asking prices all the time. I personally do not know one single person that would pay 1/2 that. And several are driving totota trucks. 

GIRTHQUAKE said:

APEowner said:

In that price range I'd be looking for the best truck of any brand that I could find that appealed to me.  Condition is going to trump all else.

Good to know, thanks. Do you think i'm on the money, about focusing on spending on good tires instead of 4WD?

Yes.  If the experience of owning one converts you to a truck guy and your budget for your next one increases you may want 4wd but I drove 2wd trucks and vans in Upstate NY for 20 plus years. 4WD increases the types up truck things you can do but it's not a requirement for most things.

I am a ford fan, from way back, but will also recommend GMT400!

Easiest to find parts for, they are the legos of trucks, can find em for $500, to $3K all day long (mostly in same shape, in that range, but that's another subject)

Hard to find a stick  for sale, but since Lego, easy swap!

Another vote for GMT400.   Easy to find parts for, easy to work on and parts are still cheap.  When I bought mine it was cheaper than an equivalent year S10 or Ranger.  I see some clean late 90's - early 00's Rangers from time to time, but they are crackpipe priced (like 20k and up) for some reason.  

As a ford guy, I know the OBS started being used  as slang reference years ago for the 80-96 (97 250 up)

Here, in the last month, is first I've heard it for gm... what years are obs slang in gm trucks?

IIRC  OBS Chevy is the 73-87 body style, "Squarebodies"

NBS is GMT400 88-98.  

NNBS is GMT800 99-06?  

NNNBS is GMT900 etc.. 

In reply to STM317 :

That is an unexpected comparison to a miata, and I appreciate it.

In reply to 06HHR (Forum Supporter) :

I think you're one generation off.
Square bodies are square bodies

GMT400 = OBS

GMT800=NBS

GMT900=NNBS 

etc.

I'm partial to the GMT400s as well. Mine is a 2wd that I think my uncle used extensively as a winter vehicle prior to my ownership. I've  never really longed for 4wd in mine. With Nokian A/S tires and the G80 diff, it does ok in the snow, although I'm not a huge fan of trucks in general for winter driving due to the poor weight distribution.