Inexpensive 1/2 ton truck options
Hi everyone! Brand new member. Been doing some reading in this section, but it seems the vast majority of the threads are about relatively new tow vehicles. My wife and I are preparing to become fu...
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Searching autotrader for 300 miles around NE Oklahoma, I am finding quite a few 4x4 F-250s under $6000, some of them newer than 10 years old, most in the 100,000 to 200,000 mile range. Most are Supercab, which usually (but not necessarily) means the medium bed length, rather than the long bed.
Most common F-250 engine after 1997 will be the 5.4 V-8, matched to 4R100 or 4R80/85 automatics. Over these same model years, you will find a few with 6.8 V-10 and 4R100 or 5R110 automatics. Diesels range from 7.3 Powerstroke (1994-2003, E4OD or 4R100 or manual transmission) to 6.0 Powerstroke (2003-07, 5R110 automatic) to 6.4 Powerstroke (2008-10) replaced by all-Ford 6.7 in 2011.
Your price cap will likely not get you past the 2007 model year for a diesel. If I wanted a diesel for occasional towing, I would look for the 7.3, under 300,000 miles. If I didn't really care about diesel (and I generally don't) I would look for a 1992-1997 F-250 gasser, as these all had the 460 V-8, which was a torque monster as gas engines went in those days. While the 5.4 had about the same HP rating as the 460 in the early 2000's, it gets up there by keeping the its lower torque curve flat to a higher RPM.
At GM, your price cap puts you in a 6th generation K2500 (GMT400 series, 1988-97) or 1st generation Silverado/Sierra (GMT800 series,from 1998 on).
C/K engines might be the 305 V-8, 350 V-8, 454 V-8 (or the 8.1 that replaced it) or diesels: 6.2 Detroit, 6.5, or 6.5 Turbo. I've not much shopped GMT400 Chevys, but when shopping for Ford and Dodge 3/4 tons from that era I was seeing a lot more Chevy trucks with the 350 than with the 305 or the 454 big block.
With the introduction of the GMT800, the Chevy small blocks got replaced by the Vortec 4800/5300/6000. Most 3/4 tons you will find with the 6.0 V8, as one of the several tunings for that engine was base engine for the 2500HD. The 454 was replaced by Vortec 8100, a new generation of the big block, used 2000-2006, offering slightly more power than the 6.0 in a pickup, down-rated for heavier trucks. Duramax became the diesel engine with this series, matched to 5 speed or 6 speed Allison 1000 automatic. Allison was optional with Vortec 8100, manual transmissions available through 2006 (5 speed on 6.0, 6 speed on 8.1 and Duramax).
When you look into the larger market (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas) where used HD pickups tend to be either ex-construction, or ex-toys (farmers hardly ever sell a still useful truck), your price range will put you into 8-10 years old for gas with high mileage (200K) or somewhat older with moderately high mileage (100K to 150K). Diesel 3/4 tons will be even older or higher mileage before they get under $6000 here.
Lower mileage trucks will be rare, though when shopping for a travel trailer in 2005 one RV dealer offered me a 12-year old F-250 long-bed Supercab with 40,000 miles for $4500 if I bought it as package with any trailer. Low mileage because it was used only to pull somebody's fifth wheel trailer, until traded to the dealer for a motorhome. Some of these bargains are out there.
Most common F-250 engine after 1997 will be the 5.4 V-8, matched to 4R100 or 4R80/85 automatics. Over these same model years, you will find a few with 6.8 V-10 and 4R100 or 5R110 automatics. Diesels range from 7.3 Powerstroke (1994-2003, E4OD or 4R100 or manual transmission) to 6.0 Powerstroke (2003-07, 5R110 automatic) to 6.4 Powerstroke (2008-10) replaced by all-Ford 6.7 in 2011.
Your price cap will likely not get you past the 2007 model year for a diesel. If I wanted a diesel for occasional towing, I would look for the 7.3, under 300,000 miles. If I didn't really care about diesel (and I generally don't) I would look for a 1992-1997 F-250 gasser, as these all had the 460 V-8, which was a torque monster as gas engines went in those days. While the 5.4 had about the same HP rating as the 460 in the early 2000's, it gets up there by keeping the its lower torque curve flat to a higher RPM.
At GM, your price cap puts you in a 6th generation K2500 (GMT400 series, 1988-97) or 1st generation Silverado/Sierra (GMT800 series,from 1998 on).
C/K engines might be the 305 V-8, 350 V-8, 454 V-8 (or the 8.1 that replaced it) or diesels: 6.2 Detroit, 6.5, or 6.5 Turbo. I've not much shopped GMT400 Chevys, but when shopping for Ford and Dodge 3/4 tons from that era I was seeing a lot more Chevy trucks with the 350 than with the 305 or the 454 big block.
With the introduction of the GMT800, the Chevy small blocks got replaced by the Vortec 4800/5300/6000. Most 3/4 tons you will find with the 6.0 V8, as one of the several tunings for that engine was base engine for the 2500HD. The 454 was replaced by Vortec 8100, a new generation of the big block, used 2000-2006, offering slightly more power than the 6.0 in a pickup, down-rated for heavier trucks. Duramax became the diesel engine with this series, matched to 5 speed or 6 speed Allison 1000 automatic. Allison was optional with Vortec 8100, manual transmissions available through 2006 (5 speed on 6.0, 6 speed on 8.1 and Duramax).
When you look into the larger market (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas) where used HD pickups tend to be either ex-construction, or ex-toys (farmers hardly ever sell a still useful truck), your price range will put you into 8-10 years old for gas with high mileage (200K) or somewhat older with moderately high mileage (100K to 150K). Diesel 3/4 tons will be even older or higher mileage before they get under $6000 here.
Lower mileage trucks will be rare, though when shopping for a travel trailer in 2005 one RV dealer offered me a 12-year old F-250 long-bed Supercab with 40,000 miles for $4500 if I bought it as package with any trailer. Low mileage because it was used only to pull somebody's fifth wheel trailer, until traded to the dealer for a motorhome. Some of these bargains are out there.
