Advice on a used truck 25-30k

[Elk botherer]

I’ve gone through a myriad of trucks and I now have a 2017 f350 crew cab long bed 6.2 gasser and it’s been a great truck. Just drinks like a fish when it comes to mpg. 10-12 running empty and 6-8 towing. I like it way better than my 2015 ram 2500 6.4 hemi that I had, that tranny drove me crazy. It was never in the right gear, I think the 2019 or 2020 and up have a transmission actually designed for the 6.4 and I have been hearing good things but I’m not sure what the longevity on the tranny is.

I’m fine paying the extra “gas tax” to be able to properly control a large profile and heavy trailer. My half tons towed the same loads just fine power wise but it was sketchy when there’s a crosswind or the road was uneven or it had a lot of curves and the trailer would push the truck around causing white knuckles on the steering wheel. I do miss the mpg of my 5.7 hemi or 5.0 coyote half tons when I’m running around without a load, but I don’t regret the change. If the truck is a daily driver factor the increased fuel consumption in your budget but counter it with safe towing. Good luck.

 

[RedGreen]

Yeah, hear you on that. I do pretty OK with the iForce at around 16.4 mpg over the last 40k miles.

If I had to buy new now it would definitely be an F250 6.2 gas. Never would get a new twin turbo tundra.

 

[Savagenut]

Yeah, hear you on that. I do pretty OK with the iForce at around 16.4 mpg over the last 40k miles.

If I had to buy new now it would definitely be an F250 6.2 gas. Never would get a new twin turbo tundra.

Any particular years on the f250


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[RedGreen]

Any particular years on the f250


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None in particular, I'd even go used back a few years. Just want the 6.2 sohv V8. Don't have any confidence in the current half tons in satisfying my requirements and desires for reliability, longevity and ease of maintenance like the 08-21 tundras did. So gotta go 3/4 ton now it seems, since the EPA squeezed everyone so hard we can't have V8s in anything but 3/4 tons and up.

 

[ddd-shooter]

If you like Chevys, stay away from anything before 18 to avoid the tranny issue.
After that. The 10 speed has been a great tranny.
The 6.2l in a Silverado would be a great investment for your example. IMO

 

[Savagenut]

If you like Chevys, stay away from anything before 18 to avoid the tranny issue.
After that. The 10 speed has been a great tranny.
The 6.2l in a Silverado would be a great investment for your example. IMO

Do you know if the transmission on the 6.2 has had issues?


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[ddd-shooter]

Do you know if the transmission on the 6.2 has had issues?


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We’ve got a couple at work that run great. But I’m no expert

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

If you shopped around you could likely find a brand new Ram Classic 5.7 for 30K after applying their current rebates.

 

[Savagenut]

If you shopped around you could likely find a brand new Ram Classic 5.7 for 30K after applying their current rebates.

How’s the reliability? I drove mine until they die.


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[Fartrell Cluggins]

How’s the reliability? I drove mine until they die.


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They seem to be as good as the others. I only have 75K on mine, but no problems at all. Just wear items. Tires, brakes and fluids.

 

[CorbLand]

They seem to be as good as the others. I only have 75K on mine, but no problems at all. Just wear items. Tires, brakes and fluids.

It’s a Dodge. Don’t you mean “just wear items. Tires, brakes, fluids, 6 quarter panels a year due to rust?”

 

[displacedtexan]

It’s a Dodge. Don’t you mean “just wear items. Tires, brakes, fluids, 6 quarter panels a year due to rust?”

And wires. Just because.

 

[Thinkingman]

Does it have to be a crew cab? Tundra extended cab is the roomiest of the 4 brands (not counting Nissan)

100K miles isn't anything for a tundra if it was maintained. Id buy one up to 220K miles if it had meticulous maintenance records, and have no reservations about it going 220k more.

A new Chevrolet or Ram is very much more likely to have engine issues, rear end issues, and wiring issues.

New Fords were reported rusting in dealer lots waiting for buyers... nuf said...

Probably a 14-21 Tundra is still your best bet. Sure it is a bit more than the other make with some mileage. That's because they largely have much longer service lives than the other trucks do. Basically, you pay now with a more expensive truck or pay later on a new truck again or in increased maintenance/repair costs.

I went through this whole process about 15 months ago and got a tundra with 2.5k (no, not a typo) miles for 38k. I however traveled 1500 miles to get it, and it has an 8' bed, which to my understanding is the least desirable configuration. I personally needed the bed for my use cases. An extended can standard bed tundra should be available for less than a crew cab.

Aluminum F150 rusting?
Hmmm....
At Tundra would be way outclassed towing what the OP needs to do.
Tundras aren't for work.
I would look for an F250 gasser.

 

[RedGreen]

Aluminum F150 rusting?
Hmmm....
At Tundra would be way outclassed towing what the OP needs to do.
Tundras aren't for work.
I would look for an F250 gasser.

Not so much the body, moreso the frame, suspension components, rear end, etc. The major steel components that need rust proofing.

TBH if I wanted a half ton for non-outdoorsy truck work I would absolutely take a tundra over anything else. Frame is stout, engine is well built, the rear end is massive compared to other half tons (4.30 gears, stock) and bulletproof 6 speed auto trans. Big brakes, etc. It is not a pushover half ton.

But a 2500 or heavier rated truck would absolutely be a better choice than a tundra for towing anything heavier often, or hauling tons of equipment in the bed. Given how OP stated he will only tow heavy 4 times a year, I think he could get away with a tundy just fine, as long as he was smart with his loading and driving practices.

 

[loganwayne]

so hear me out on this as i basically had the same criteria and spend about 9 months looking at trucks. The only other thing i wanted was a higher trim level truck and 2018 or newer, only looked at 1/2 options. the nissan isnt really a 1/2 ton but not a 3/4 ton either.

i ended up with a Nissan titan XD (diesel motor) with the pro4x package and full leather interior with about every option they offered.

i looked at Nissan, Toyota, dodge, ford and chevy.

Toyota - highest price per trim level and milage over all, so high i stopped even looking also worst gas mileage overall
Dodge - can be found in price range, but just seemed like cheap trucks
Chevy - could find in price range but ALWAYS had 20-30 thousand miles more than others at same price and year milage
Ford - in that price range they were base model trucks, 3-4 years older and had 20-30 thousand more miles.

 

[Bama67]

The Fords with the 6.2 last forever. In the oilfield they are run hard and have thousands upon thousands of idle hours and keep on ticking.

 

[RedGreen]

If I had to buy new now I would definitely go for an f250 with the 6.2. TBH I have hauled heavy more frequently than I thought I would have, and have found myself wanting (not really needing though) an F250 instead. Specifically an F250 crew cab 8'bed 4x4, 6.2 gas, low trim but with power windows. And white, to keep the heat down. Mileage will be worse than my tundy, yeah, but it doesn't have the engineering compromises to satisfy the EPA that the half tons all have now to take away from longevity, durability and reliability.

Re oilfields, I tend to see fords as comm vehicles most often, but that may be for reasons other than performance. Govt will often go for best deal they can get. I may be wrong, just saying, just because something is popular does not directly correlate with quality.

 

[RedGreen]

Re the titan XD, some people have had great success with them, but I have not heard of an engine with a greater track record of busting crankshafts than the 5.0 Cummins. From what I understand, Nissan pushed Cummins to increase power output beyond Cummins preferred margins of safety, so they sometimes break. Usually only in tuned trucks, but it is a thing that has happened. If I wanted a diesel I would not ever pick a 5.0. The fact they were only offered for 3 years says something too I think. They don't really offer much more than the 5.6 gas v8, which is another excellent engine.

 

[bullnose]

Another thing. All the new Ford 5.0 V8s in F150s have cylinder deactivation (2020+). Its not the same design as Chevrolet, but it still will cause issues with longevity and reliability. I took a huge deep dive on the topic. That killed any prospect of a new F150 for me.

I was under the impression cylinder deactivation started with '21 models with the Coyote engine...

 

[RedGreen]

And want to note that mileage with a tundy does not have to be bad. I have a high rise camper shell on mine which took off about 1.5 mpg overall, and I still have an all time average of 16.5 mpg. On highway I get about 17-18.5.

Edited to add:
I achieve this by not having a lifted truck, and driving at 60-65mph on highway, no faster unless safety requires it. Easy on the gas, easy on the brakes, coast when I can. Before the camper shell, I went from PA to FL and averaged 20mpg.