Question for mechanic's on best older truck

[Iron Cowboy]

Guys, looking for a winter type beater. needs to be 4x4. Will only be used as a back up and tow/snow rig so only a few thousand miles a year. I dont want to spend much but also dont want to buy a money pit. In the past I had a 1997 F150 and a 1996 chev tahoe both were junk and broke down more than running....not to mention tranny's going out and not cheap to replace so any of the 1990's big three are not really an option unless you know of a time span when the quality was better?

mechanics on here can you give me an idea of the best year models of certain rigs? or anyone else that has been around and had good trucks in the past..what would you get if it was you?

[CAMAN]

I'm not a trained mechanic by any means but I owned an '87 GMC Sierra (same as Chevy Silverado). It was a great truck and very easy to work on and find parts for if you need them. Owned it for three years while in high school and only needed to replace plugs/wires, brake pads, water-pump and the exhaust pipes behind the Cat-converter that rusted out. I sold it with 200,000 miles on it and it was running like the day it came off the assembly line. I'm wishing I never sold it, would be a fun project truck or great winter beater.

[Iron Cowboy]

Thanks caman, thats what im talking about, trucks a guy wishes he still had. do you know if that had the 400 or 700 turbo trans (or something like that)? I think those are whats in a lot of the old plow trucks that seem bullet proof.

[CAMAN]

I'm not sure, don't really pay attention to that kind of stuff, but it held up to the abuses a 16 year old will put it through...

[Scott K]

I can tell you as a little about the Fords. I wouldn't put a plow on a 97 f150, they are not intended for the extra heat on the trannies. Get yourself a 01-03 F350 with a tranny cooler, you would be a lot better off then a light duty truck. Any used truck is only as good as it was taken care of. It doesn't matter the brand, if it wasn't maintained, or it was beat on, it will be a pos. If it was maintained well, you will have a better chance at it lasting a long time.

[BoxMN]

Not a mechanic, but still driving my 98 k1500 with 350. 175k miles and still daily driver, but I don't drive it for anything but fishing/hunting/trips to cabin anymore (work form home).

Not sure where you got the fix it more than not idea from, but it is the end of the old body style and 350, so they pretty much had most stuff worked out by then. I would not hesitate to get just like it. Only bad gig was the intake gasket, had that done once.

But if just for plowing, I think I might go for an old 3/4 or 1 ton with manual locking hubs. But if just a winter backup I would get exactly what I still have - a 98 k1500 with 350. Good luck.

[Iron Cowboy]

not looking to plow, besides 01 to 03 is too new for the price I am willing to pay. more just wondering when/what years the quality at g.m etc really went down hill.

[sidescrollin]

What kind of setup was the Tahoe?? what kind of care did you/previous owner take of it??

I had a 96 tahoe and never had a problem with it, it was great. Only problem was from things the previous owner had done. Example Air didn't blow very well because their was gum and cat hair in the condenser along with leaves and pine straw.

That truck ran great, and if you get a vortech IE NOT TBI 350 then it makes respectable power too.

The older Cks (80s) tend to not make much power but be really reliable. There was one down my street that had the odometer rolled over on it. the 97 era fords are [PoorWordUsage] imo. go back one generation and get a 351w and you are golden. the 80s ford trucks are dogs as well (80s emissions, Fuel injection, you know the deal) but they last pretty long.

Anything older than late 70s and you are gonna have to put some money into it at first. I would also highly recomend early to mid 90s Jeep Cherokees and Grand cherokees. The V8 in the Zjs is awesome and the inline 6 in any of them are bulletproof. Get the right setup and you get some nice Danas and a early luxury interior too.

All of thoses are fairly cheap. If I had to narrow it down for me it would be 92-96 Fords, 95-99 Chevys and Gms, 91-99 Jeep and I would just avoid Dodges because although they can be great its sometimes iffy and Mopar stuff is expensive sometimes...

If you wanna save money and lose power go with a 80s Ford or GM. The plus side is if you find a carbureted one you can upgrade it real easily.

[crappiebuster]

Too bad they dont make Studebakers yet. They made a good truck.

[Esox_Magnum]

Dad has a 97 and 98 Chevy and GMC trucks both over 200K on them and he takes both all over the country. He had a 96 before those that I borrwed for a year 5.7 Vortec 180K on it more power than I ever needed and 17-19 MPG to boot. Toying with getting another old Suburban just for ice fishing, it was nice when I had one before but would go with the mid to late 90's versions. I own a 01 GMC and love it but I still wish I had dads old 96 back.. Other than my first truck, 79 GMC I miss that one most of all. I have owned 2 fords one a 1970 it was a tank the other a 88 POS. Wont own another.

[MaskedMallard]

I'm not sure if you'd consider a Jeep a truck, or if it could tow what you need. But the I-6 with an Auto trans & 4x4 has been a good combination. I quite often see them going 200k plus.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I had an 83 chev silverado that I really wish I still had. At around 200K I put in a timing chain and besides oil changes and tires that's pretty much all the maintenance it got. I sold it in 98 (I think it was 98) to a friend of mine and it's still running strong. He's a carpenter and he uses it as a work truck and plows with it in the winter.

If I were in the market for a winter work horse I'd be looking at the 82-86 Chev line up.