crcr,
I fully understand your pain in looking for a used truck as:
1. you really never know for sure how it was cared for or treated
2. if you buy from an individual, if it falls apart on the way home, its yours, sometimes a reputable dealership will help you out.
I bought my old dodge 2005 from a new car dealership, am sure I paid more, but it was clean, had low miles and the dealership has been in the community for years with good report.
also they told me who had it and why it was traded in.
as that is the first question you ask when you can find a older dodge diesel (with few epa requirements)and low miles, the poor old man died and his daughter traded it in for a little puddle jumper of some kind.
sorry he died, but that is about the only way you can get a low mileage used dodge diesel truck, someone has to die.
all the newer diesel trucks are great trucks, but most do not get the good mpg that some of the older ones did and most in good condition will be over your price range.
per you statement: maybe a gaser is in your best interest as most of the time you will not be pulling the trailer, also your money is a problem as used diesels are top selling trucks,
I guess I would stick to a heavy duty 1500 or 2500 gaser and just bite the bullet on mpg.
However, that is the reason I traded my 2500 chevy gas truck for the diesel, it was a ok truck, but it never met a gas pump it did not fall in love with and full was not as high back then.
pulling about 6-7 mpg and around town 12 mpg on a good day
just do your homework and take your time, there are plenty of good used trucks out there, your problem is just finding one that will do all you want and be in good condition for that money.
good luck,
