Buying a pickup truck (used)

[SJ_GTI]

Going to buy a used 2002 dodge ram. Its just for errands so its a 2 seater, V6, and 2WD. Looks good and interior is very clean though, so it won't be a "chore" to drive it.

Got a good deal on it. My pop works in a mechanics shop (owner of the shop is a life long friend) and the owner bought the truck from a customer who didn't want to spend any money to fix it up after the engine blew. Owner rebuilt the engine but hasn't had any "bites" on it the last couple of weeks. I have been borrowing my brother's truck a lot lately so figured I'd buy this for running errands that need to have the hauling space.

[Soup DeVille]

No-nonsense single cab pickups are getting hard to find. I trust you got a good deal?

[Mustangfan2003]

I'm kinda looking for looking for a used truck myself.  Ideally a compact 4 cylinder truck for less than $5k.  Looking online a lot of full size V6 trucks are around the same price.  I'm not really needing a full sizer since I'll only carry something like an ATV or lawn more on occasion. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Harbor freight trailer

[SJ_GTI]

No-nonsense single cab pickups are getting hard to find. I trust you got a good deal?

I think so. $500 for the truck and about ~3k to rebuild the engine.

[MX793]

If the V6 is the same 3.9L that came in the Dakotas of that time period, forget rebuilding the motor and spend the $3K on a V8.  You'll get more performance without any real fuel economy penalty.

[Mustangfan2003]

If the V6 is the same 3.9L that came in the Dakotas of that time period, forget rebuilding the motor and spend the $3K on a V8.  You'll get more performance without any real fuel economy penalty.

Yeah pretty much all Dodge trucks from that era got shitty fuel economy.   What transmission is in it? 

[Eye of the Tiger]

2wd trucks are fairly useless vehicles most of the time. The beds are empty 94.7% of the time, and for that you give up so much ride/handling/refinement/efficiency/etc. At least a 4wd won't get stuck on wet leaves.

[TurboDan]

2wd trucks are fairly useless vehicles most of the time. The beds are empty 94.7% of the time, and for that you give up so much ride/handling/refinement/efficiency/etc. At least a 4wd won't get stuck on wet leaves.

Yeah, but if he's never going to drive off-road, who cares? He likely won't be hauling shit on a rainy, miserable day, anyway.

FWIW, I agree with the utility trailer idea from earlier, though. My dad bought one a couple years ago and it's come in handy a ton of times since. I just borrowed it to help some friends move and hooked it behind my car. Pretty much got their entire last condo into the thing and drove it across town to their new place.

[Byteme]

I'm kinda looking for looking for a used truck myself.  Ideally a compact 4 cylinder truck for less than $5k.  Looking online a lot of full size V6 trucks are around the same price.  I'm not really needing a full sizer since I'll only carry something like an ATV or lawn more on occasion.

We considered that but went with a Ford F150 XL with a conventional cab and 8 foot bed.  V6 and 5 speed manual about 18-20 MPG. and it's pretty much bullet proof.  5,000 lb tow capacity.  Much more utility than a smaller truck.  Better to have the extra bed capacity and not need it than to need it and not have it.  Choose right and it will givr years of reliable service.  We didn't get 4WD because the roads to Lowes, Home Depot and the dump are paved.

[Byteme]

2wd trucks are fairly useless vehicles most of the time.

Sure a lot of them on the road being used as trucks were meant to be used every day.

The beds are empty 94.7% of the time,

Isn't that true of 4WD drive trucks as well?

and for that you give up so much ride/handling/refinement/efficiency/etc. At least a 4wd won't get stuck on wet leaves.

4WD trucks are more refined, ride better and are more efficient than 2WD?  I've never been stuck in wet leaves, and heaven knows we have a lot of leaves here, along with steep drives.

[3.0L V6]

If the V6 is the same 3.9L that came in the Dakotas of that time period, forget rebuilding the motor and spend the $3K on a V8.  You'll get more performance without any real fuel economy penalty.

I think by '02 they were using the more modern 3.7L SOHC engine. IIRC, it had around 210hp or so.

[CJ]

I think by '02 they were using the more modern 3.7L SOHC engine. IIRC, it had around 210hp or so.

And it's still shit. Head gaskets are a common thing.

[SJ_GTI]

2wd trucks are fairly useless vehicles most of the time. The beds are empty 94.7% of the time, and for that you give up so much ride/handling/refinement/efficiency/etc. At least a 4wd won't get stuck on wet leaves.

Its not replacing my car, just getting it as a side vehicle (trips to the dump, yard supplies, etc...). Have been borrowing my brothers truck a lot and this seemed like a cheap alternative to mooching off of him.

[Byteme]

Its not replacing my car, just getting it as a side vehicle (trips to the dump, yard supplies, etc...). Have been borrowing my brothers truck a lot and this seemed like a cheap alternative to mooching off of him.

Exactly what we are using ours for and 2WD works just fine for that.  If fact tomorrow I'm going for railroad ties and lumber for a pergola.  Smart idea to get your own.  Get it for the right price and  a year or two from now if you sell iot you will get all your money back.  Save your brother for fasvors where you need another strong back.   

[Morris Minor]

Trucks seem to engender love from their owners that almost no other vehicle type does.  I have a friend who has a 12-year-old F150. It's been his faithful friend through all kinds of life's tribulations. Bad news now is that Massachusetts winters and road salt have chewed through the chassis. He's had it welded up, but he's worried its mortally ill.

[MX793]

2WD isn't that bad on slick surfaces, either.  I remember riding with my dad in his last F150 shortly after a heavy snowfall and that thing had no issues driving through 4-5 inches of snow and slush with the transfer case set to 2WD.  Hardly even any wheelspin.  I was shocked at how well that truck hooked up when taking off from a stop.  I think the only time he ever used 4WD on that truck was when trying to pull a trailer on a muddy/grassy hill.

[AutobahnSHO]

2WD isn't that bad on slick surfaces, either.  I remember riding with my dad in his last F150 shortly after a heavy snowfall and that thing had no issues driving through 4-5 inches of snow and slush with the transfer case set to 2WD.  Hardly even any wheelspin.  I was shocked at how well that truck hooked up when taking off from a stop.  I think the only time he ever used 4WD on that truck was when trying to pull a trailer on a muddy/grassy hill.

(smart) Pickup drivers in WY leave it in 2WD until they get stuck- just used the 4wd to get unstuck.

[Mustangfan2003]

Considering we usually only see snow or ice down here twice a year at the most I'm not worried that much about needing 4wd. 

[TurboDan]

(smart) Pickup drivers in WY leave it in 2WD until they get stuck- just used the 4wd to get unstuck.

Air down the tires a little in a pinch and almost anything will cruise through snow.

FWIW, SJ_GTI lives in southern NJ. There are many winters where there isn't any accumulating snow at all in the southern portion of New Jersey. Way different from the northern half of the state. We're far from the snow belt here in this part of NJ. Snow capability is not really a huge consideration in vehicles choices among people here.

There's a "snow" setting in the TerrainResponse system on the LR that I've never even used. 

[SJ_GTI]

Air down the tires a little in a pinch and almost anything will cruise through snow.

FWIW, SJ_GTI lives in southern NJ. There are many winters where there isn't any accumulating snow at all in the southern portion of New Jersey. Way different from the northern half of the state. We're far from the snow belt here in this part of NJ. Snow capability is not really a huge consideration in vehicles choices among people here.

There's a "snow" setting in the TerrainResponse system on the LR that I've never even used. 

This is very true. Only once in a blue moon do we get true snow conditions, and even then it is usually cleared out within a day or two (if it doesn't melt on its own in the mean time). This area is strangely lucky when it comes to extreme weather. Even the "superstorm sandy" was just a rainy/windy day in this area. No flooding and none of the surrounding towns lost power to any signficant portion of there homes.

[Morris Minor]

I recall using the 4WD setting on my Pilot once in the 10 years I had it. The rest of the time the complex drive mechanism was just dead weight. Being a tarted-up front-drive minivan, it had 97% of the traction capabilities anyone's going to need while in 2WD mode.

[Soup DeVille]

I recall using the 4WD setting on my Pilot once in the 10 years I had it. The rest of the time the complex drive mechanism was just dead weight. Being a tarted-up front-drive minivan, it had 97% of the traction capabilities anyone's going to need while in 2WD mode.

It was never off, it was just in automatic. You can't turn it off, you can only lock it in (in second gear or lower at fifteen MPH or less).

[Soup DeVille]

Air down the tires a little in a pinch and almost anything will cruise through snow.

FWIW, SJ_GTI lives in southern NJ. There are many winters where there isn't any accumulating snow at all in the southern portion of New Jersey. Way different from the northern half of the state. We're far from the snow belt here in this part of NJ. Snow capability is not really a huge consideration in vehicles choices among people here.

There's a "snow" setting in the TerrainResponse system on the LR that I've never even used. 

You air down the tires for sand. You want them fully inflated for snow.

[TurboDan]

You air down the tires for sand. You want them fully inflated for snow.

I drive in sand every few days and always air down. I was told airing down in snow is helpful as well. Wouldn't the "digging" of high pressure tires be detrimental in certain snow conditions, the same way it is in sand?

[Soup DeVille]

I drive in sand every few days and always air down. I was told airing down in snow is helpful as well. Wouldn't the "digging" of high pressure tires be detrimental in certain snow conditions, the same way it is in sand?

In most cases, you want the tires to dig in and bite into the snow. You're never going to air the tires down far enough to float on snow the way it works on sand with anything like normal sized tires, and to be honest, if the snow is deep enough that you have to , you'd best just stay home.

Yes, if the snow gets really, really deep, big wide soft tires will help you, just like they will on sand, but that's you're running wide 44 inchers or something else insane at that point.

Look at the tires that snow rally cars run: they're sometimes comically small, just to dig down and get hold of something solid.

[TurboDan]

In most cases, you want the tires to dig in and bite into the snow. You're never going to air the tires down far enough to float on snow the way it works on sand with anything like normal sized tires, and to be honest, if the snow is deep enough that you have to , you'd best just stay home.

Yes, if the snow gets really, really deep, big wide soft tires will help you, just like they will on sand, but that's you're running wide 44 inchers or something else insane at that point.

Look at the tires that snow rally cars run: they're sometimes comically small, just to dig down and get hold of something solid.

Okay cool, this all makes a lot of sense. Seems I've been given some wrong (or, at least, misguided) information. Thanks!

Airing down in sand is a miracle cure for avoiding getting bogged down, though.