Wow - such great feedback already! This is going to be a good place to hang out and learn, I can see :)
Totally agree about the trouble with buying a midwest truck - salt is a killer! Some of the local dealers advertise vehicles as "from Texas", so will have to watch for that.
As kzspree320 said - this is totally about budget. I could stretch to $20k for a solid vehicle, but I definitely can't go $30-$40k for new/late model -- and as I've been reading in various forums and boards, you can wreck a truck in 100k miles just as easily as 200k, so mileage is just one parameter.
Esp with our cold temps this week (highs in the single digits F) - would definitely love to take a vacation to a warmer climate! Since we're still pretty early in our process, not quite prepared to do that yet, but sure sounds nice!
@ib516 - great link, will read through that! What am I looking for in engine hours? Is there a guide for what's excessive for a 195k engine?
@gritdog - Great comments! I agree - 2WD (esp on a big truck) is pretty rare here. But given the weight/payload rating on the 2500 (esp on a Megacab), I think I'd actually prefer the 2WD. Hadn't thought about using that as a negotiation tactic!
