Best big 3 full size pickup under $10,000, no diesels

I really like my 2000 4wd Silverado with the 4.8/NV3500. 

I almost never see a 5.4 that doesn't need cam phaser or timing chain work, and we see some lifter/cam failures in the LS trucks, plus the well documented DoD oil burning and lifter failures. All those problems could be solved if the original owner had used better oil, and changed it before the oil life monitor had yelled at them for a month or two.  The original owner trucks with too many oil changes don't seem to show those problems.

Any of the big three will occasionally need exhaust manifold bolts removed from the head, and maybe new manifolds.

What is DoD? I don't see how the Department of Defense applies here.

Displacement on Demand.  They are the ones that drop four cylinders at cruise.

In reply to ddavidv :

Toyotas bring insane money where I live.

Nissans I just have no love for. Having worked in a body shop that serviced both Toyota and Nissan the latter is nowhere near the quality. Plus, didn't they have exploding rear differentials?

@Blaise has pretty much the truck that would do it for me though nowadays I'd spring some extra for the extended cab. The worst part about the GM truck would be all the crow I'd have to eat from my GM fanboi friends having been a Ford guy all these years, lol.

I tow an open trailer. 6.0 to me would be overkill as would the Ford V10 though I'd certainly not turn one down if priced right. My Lightning has around 250hp which seems like a lot to a guy who never had a truck with more than about 180hp in his past.

No love for Dodges? Mopar engines seemed to always have gobs of power...at a mpg cost.

I agree with the Nissan quality being below the Toyota, hence the big bucks for the Tundras. But I'd rate it above the GM's and Dodges of the era, maybe a bit behind the Ford. Problem areas are crappy paint in the darker colors, and not the best interior materials (though the layout is excellent.) I'd call it poor by today's standards, but ahead of the GM's and Dodge at the time. The diff issues were a bit overblown, pun  intended. Most of the failures were with the locking diffs, which were pretty rare on 2WD trucks. 

The engine/transmission combo is terrific. The GM 5.3 or Ford 5.4 can't hold a candle to it as delivered from the factory. LS's are great for swaps and modding, but were pretty far down the ladder as far as a stock truck engines went back then. The Hemi is a good engine, but under delivers from it's stats IMO. The HP advantage over the Nissan disappears in the real world, and behind the wheel the trucks feel like they have the opposite engines from advertised. The pushrod Hemi has a lack of low end but gets stronger as revs climb, while the quad cam Nissan has tons of torque throughout the rev range. The Titan also has a better tranny. 

I agree about the clamshell doors. I'd rather have a crew cab with four real doors. The Nissan and Ford crew cabs had short beds (the Nissan was available later with a crew cab and longer bed, but those are hard to find.) The Ram is a good compromise with a smaller crew cab  and 6 foot bed. At least with the Titan, the rear clamshell doors open all the way flat against the bed so you are less likely to get trapped. Not sure about the others. 

Count this another vote the Titan.  I had an '05 2wd extended cab, it was the best truck for doing truck stuff, used it daily while a construction superintendent.  Ran well, plenty of power, owned it for 90k miles over about 2.5 years and never had to do anything to it but gas, tires and oil.  The rear doors also opened about 165-degrees, which was pretty handy in the parking lots, so long as the jack wagon next to you didn't park right on top of you.

Pick one and don't worry.

GMs have the intake leak and AFM failure.  Fords have ignition issues with plugs that either blow out of the head or get stuck in the head and passenger side exhaust manifolds that warp.  Add 25% more cost and likelihood of failure if its the V10 because they are just a 5.4L with two extra cylinders.

Neither the 4.6L or 5.4L will win any races but they have enough torque to tow.  Same goes for the 5.3L, but the 6.0L is the clear winner on the oomph hunt here.  You'll pay for it at the pump, but it makes far more impressive numbers.

Both will have relatively good transmissions that don't take much abuse but they're good enough if you treat them right.  I strongly prefer the Ford for quality of materials and fit/finish, but I prefer the GMs for ergonomics and comfort.  Just be prepared for the crayon material they use on radio buttons to start falling off on your hands and seats to fall apart where your butt cheeks slide in and out.

The only reason I didn't get a Tundra when I bought my F150-7700 was that the Tundras in my price range typically had twice the mileage for the same price.  Still probably a bargain, but my price range was more like $4500.  I got an F150 with 90k instead of a Tundra with 175k.

Its also the same reason I didn't get a diesel.  I much prefer diesel, but to get one for $5000 I was looking at some really crappy trucks.

In reply to Curtis :

Going cloth on the GM's made the seats last a LOT longer. Like.... leather seats were good for 5 years at best. Cloth are good for 15. 

I was driving a Ferd F-teen Thousand King Ranch the other day, and was wondering how much it would take to swap a 6.0 LS in place of the slow, thirsty, rattling 5.4.  They are a really nice truck, other than the engine.

Only advice I'd give is to hold out for the 5.3 GM instead of the 4.8.  Although they're the same and I've seen crazy power made with a 4.8, it my Tahoe it struggled towing a 6x12 trailer at about 3000 lbs.  The 5.3 I have now barely makes it feel like it's there.

-Rob

If it was my money itd be a gm or mopar.

I have a 03 4.7 dodge. Over 300k miles, stock engine, stock ac system, stock trans, stock rear (well that one shouldnt count cause it is currently whining its ass off). It is routinely hooked to a trailer, it tows fine but a little gutless.

My pops has an 05 5.7 with the tow package (3.92 gears). It has around 430 or 450k last i checked. He got a trans around 350k miles, and the engine rebuilt a little after 400k. The tebuilder calles him and asked him why he was rebuilding it, and my dad told him, damn things got 400 thousand miles, its wore out. The builder told him the just tore it apart and everything was fine and pretty much in spec. This truck is hooked to much heavier trailers and much more often than my 03.

So obviously i love these trucks, but im a gm guy to.

A hemi with 3.92s id leave stock, they are surprisingly quick, a 5.3 or 6.0 gm id probably do some bolt ons.

'73 to '87 GM square body.  They're cooler than anything newer.  Not old enough to be big $.  Simple as a rock.  Can be made to do anything you want - including handling.  There are a number in the build threads on this site.

Nissans I just have no love for. Having worked in a body shop that serviced both Toyota and Nissan the latter is nowhere near the quality. 

I would have left that alone but you're comparing (by implication) to GMT800s and a Titan is FAR more reliable overall than an early LS hooked to a 4l60.  The rest of the truck i would just say is.. more reliable than a GMT800. 

The only Nissan Titan V8 happens to be just as powerful as the 6.0 people are saying to pick over the 5.3/4.8. Any old Nissan Titan 5.6 runs about the same in a race as a Silverado SS, for example.  Of course the GM upgrade path is easier.  

In reply to A 401 CJ :

Going older seems counter productive. Better brakes, suspension, efficiency, and creature comforts wins with trucks!

A 401 CJ said:

'73 to '87 GM square body.  They're cooler than anything newer.  Not old enough to be big $.  Simple as a rock.  Can be made to do anything you want - including handling.  There are a number in the build threads on this site.

350 with 210 hp? Yawn. I'd keep my Lightning. And this is a tow vehicle; build threads don't apply. I want a truck that I turn the key and it goes. The only 'mods' it will get are a tonneau cover and a brake controller (assuming it doesn't have one).

I'm kinda in the same boat. I have a GMT800 Tahoe with the 5.3/4L60E combo. I want something slightly bigger so it's easier to haul lumber and large household items, in addition to towing. Not really considering a Ford product due to the terrible 5.4. I've summed up what I know so far, but can people add on or correct my misinformation?

GMT800 Pros:

• Reliable as gravity
• Easily upgradable for more power/durability
• Easy to work on

GMT800 Cons:

• 4L60E suckkks
• Rockers get eaten up by rust
• Good ones are still expensive, too much for a truck that came out in '99?

3rd gen Ram Pros:

• Good 5.7L Hemi
• Good transmission
• Cheaper entry price

3rd Gen Ram Cons:

• Mopar interior quality
• Haven't seen one without rust holes on the fenders or bed

Titan Pros:

• Strong 5.6L motor
• Good transmission
• Newest designed truck
• Cheap entry price for how "new" it is, plenty at dealers around $7-8k

Titan Cons:

• Rear diff grenades itself, but later MY had that fancy finned diff cover
• Short bed lengths, the CCLB is hard to find and so are extended cab long beds 

In reply to MINIzguy :

I genuinely didn't know long bed Titans even existed. 

They're very noticeable when you see them. 

As far as blowing up rear ends, the thing is they like to have fluid in them. If you're looking at a decade old truck that had bad seals from the factory, you can be pretty sure it doesn't have the same bad seals in 2017 when it would have run dry of fluid in 2007..   

A finned diff cover is about one of the cheapest and easiest mods you could hope to do to a rear end (and fresh fluid is implied). Unless you count painting the stock cover as some people seem to do sometimes. How about yellow!?  

In reply to MINIzguy :

No v10 f250?

In reply to yupididit :

What's the benefit of the V10 F250 over a 6.0 2500HD? Not a Ford guy, so I'd much rather have the GM product, unless there are benefits to the Ford. Wasn't there an earlier post stating the V10 is just a 5.4 with 2 extra cylinders?

MINIzguy said:

4L60E suckkks

You solve that by going 3/4 ton and getting the 4L80E, or the Allison if you want the 8.1 (title specified no diesel, so Duramax is out)

codrus said:

You solve that by going 3/4 ton and getting the 4L80E, or the Allison if you want the 8.1 (title specified no diesel, so Duramax is out)

 

Realistically I think a 1500HD would be the right fit for me. Crew cab, 6.5' bed but still lower than a 2500 series. Maybe this is the ticket for the OP also?

I just can't get over that my Tahoe was $1700 and needed nothing, yet a rusty 1500 non-HD is at minimum $3500. 

In reply to MINIzguy :

It's powerful and reliable. They're generally cheaper than the 6.0 2500 and better interior.

Although I really like our 02 5.3, there is a reason I'm a diesel man. The 5.3 and 6.0 are better than the Ford's but have a plethora of small issues that you'll need to clean up. I'd go Toyota for gas or step up and do diesel. Mopar is absolute total crap. And that's being very polite!

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/d/2001-chevrolet-silverado/6451147570.html

Somebody might be interested in this one. I'm not jumping on it since I want 4WD for the occasional snow storm.

MINIzguy said:

GMT800 Cons:

• 4L60E suckkks

Why is this such a thing? I tow with my 4L60E. It's got nearly 200k miles, has no problems (original trans, btw), and even with the OE trans cooler I never break 180F.

For light towing or normal hauling (which is typical for a 1500), I don't understand all the hate.