Looking for used truck buying advice

[NDT]

Like most have said, plan ahead when possible. I ended up with duramax as my needs grew. Half ton with a tent and towed the 14 ft tinny. Then the first daughter arrived... one cold night in July at 5500ft in a tent and my wife said no more. Next was the 2500 6L gasser with a small truck camper, upgraded the boat to a 2156 trophy. That was a great set up. The my boy came along, kept the same setup... then my 2nd daughter arrived. Extended cab 2500 had to go. Small truck camper was no longer big enough... ended up with a crew cab long box duramax with a much larger truck camper. I always buy second hand, it’s more my price point.
I suspect I will stay diesel for a very long time.
I did learn my lesson though, 3 kids is enough haha.

 

[brutus]

Over 5k he should have had brakes on the trailer.. ?

He did have electric brakes, not to sure if he knows how to engage them lol, he sold the trailer too and bought a 38ft fifth wheel.the towing ratings on those 1/2 ton are way over what they should be IMO, the ratings on my 2011 2500hd diesel is like 10000lbs, his f150 was like 14. I tow quit a bit with my truck, and at 10000lbs it’s starts to feel on the heavy side

 

[tubber]

That seems like a big load for an ecodiesel. the ecodiesel up to 2018 can tow up to about 9500lbs. I have a 22' seasport that I tow short distances with my 2005 F150 5.4.. and it struggles up big hills. the seasport weight approx 4200lbs (no engine), volvo penta and leg is another 1000lbs, trailer is another 1,000lbs. add gas, gear and people and I figure my load is around 7,000 - 7500 lbs. seems like I am near the. comfortable max for both my F150 and an ecodiesel? I ask because I need a new truck too but dont want a full size diesel (it's just too much for a daily commuter) and I love the ecodiesel but not sure if it's enough??

He's done Ukee and Nootka from Comox so some highway and a few hills in the Ram ecodiesel. New boat came with a triple axle Tuff trailer. I'm not recommending, mostly because I don't know the specifics, just saying he does it. The F150 3.5 ecoboost would pull your boat. My F150 5.0 might. Brake setup needs to work well, obviously.

 

[Thunder21]

Here’s a nice diesel in your price range. Probably sell in a day so hurry

 

[zurk]

just roll down the rear window and mount the plate in the rear cargo area...a unibody SUV should hold up great for that

Safety Towing Systems, Inc.

Now Manufacturing the Automated Safety Hitch System.

www.safetytowingsystems.com

 

[Baxter]

I think this is a tough question to get a real answer for. Dodge guys will say Dodge. Ford will say ford. Toyota will say Toyota. Etc.

For me, I would say Toyota. I love my Tundra. But limited by a half ton with Toyotas.

I did have an F250 for a while. Gave me nothing but problems. I loved the truck in a lot of ways, but did NOT love the towing bills and repair costs. My Tundra has had zero issues. BUT I am certain you will find a Ford guy who had issues with Toyotas and his Ford is perfect. So not sure you will ever get a solid answer on what brand is really the best. Maybe if you check Consumer Reports you'll find something un-biased.

If you need 3/4 or 1 tonne, Toyota is not your brand though.

 

[sly_karma]

I've owned GM, Ford, Chev, Toyota and Honda. Each was the right choice for me or the family at the time. Every time I look for a vehicle my needs and wants have changed. Why be locked into one brand loyalty and overlook a better choice?

 

[happy hooker]

This was just posted, only 106,000 kms

 

[profisher]

The used full size diesel truck market is tough in Canada right now because anything decent is heading south. The dollar exchange difference means that dealers and wholesalers can quickly and easily sell them into the US market and get US dollars for them. I would do the same thing right now if I was selling a decent diesel unit. Sites like BAT (Bring A Trailer) gives you easy access to a huge buying market and in most cases after a 7 day online auction you have a sale and US dollars in your pocket. Same thing for good US built boats...sell them back into that market.

 

[Fish_whistle_express]

So I grew up in a no boat/trailer family with all automatics. Have never driven standard and only towed things with other peoples trucks a few times in my life. My wife has a 2007 Tacoma that is standard and does all the boat trailering. I’m gonna sell my 09 Accord and get a truck, as I can’t stand not being able to launch my boat. Hoping for something with more towing capacity then the Tacoma but will largely be used sparingly as I cycle to work.
Saw this on used Victoria.

Used.ca | Classifieds for Jobs, Rentals, Cars, Furniture and Free Stuff

Buy & sell your used stuff for free in undefined. Your local, family-friendly online classifieds site for cars, furniture, jobs, real estate & more

www.usedvictoria.com

Looking in the 20K range, thoughts? Have a 18.5 ft K&C, likely will have a 22 ft boat in 5yrs or so.

 

[scott craven]

That GM Sierra would be a great truck and a good price
The V8 will be harder on gas, but it's a trade off.

 

[tubber]

That's low km. It wouldn't be the first time another member buys something someone else asks about, so hurry if you like it.

 

[profisher]

I always look for low k's when shopping for any used vehicle. The older and lower the k's the better because those are usually where the best deals happen.

 

[zurk]

i tow my 18 footer with an old minivan. just get a minivan with 80k on it which is 20 years old like a mazda MPV and it will tow the boat and cost you $3K. plus it will be hugely reliable and minivans are never worked hard. they come with tow hitches standard and are usually never abused.
it will tow upto a 20 footer easily. mine did it to okanagan lake from van and ive driven it back and forth to seattle a ton of times with no breakdowns.

 

[sly_karma]

But surely 20 ft is the crossover point where you NEED 3/4 or 1 ton diesel? Mustn't be found not to be of appropriately heavy duty mindset.

 

[Fish_whistle_express]

Ended up with a local Victoria owned 2013 GMC Sierra 1500 super clean and will meet all my needs and some!

 

[Rain City]

That's low km. It wouldn't be the first time another member buys something someone else asks about, so hurry if you like it.

Is there a story here? Maybe I should go to bed.

 

[Fish_whistle_express]

Un-like those crab traps that were pulled out and seized, no poaching took place that I know of. Very happy with the new truck!

 

[Rockfish]

I have a '07 2500HD with a 6.0 L gas and it pulls 10000 lb loads over the Coquihalla well, about 335000 km now.

I have a 2001 Silverado 2500HD, 160,000. km, 4x4, 6.0 gas, manual 5 speed overdrive transmission, an actual transfer case, and an extended cab with a full 8 foot box, duel batteries and a huge factory internal fuel tank. It is a good work and camper truck (8 foot box and there seems to less and less of those available) and a very reliable bush truck. It can seat 6 people as it has a fold up cheater seat under the front center console.

What makes it a great bush truck compared to modern trucks is that it is not loaded up with all sorts of crap that can fail in the field and is easy to repair in the field. It does not have a couple of hundred computer sensors and other than power steering and brakes, everything is mechanical and far more failure resistant. No keyless entry power door locks or power seats, windows etc. to fail. Modern complex, hyper expensive, auto transmissions with integrated electronic controlled 4x4 systems are not something I want to put my faith in a 100 miles deep in the bush up a 16 mile 4x4 trail. Give me a mechanical manual shift transfer case any day.
What it does have is a 10,000 lb Warn winch on a heavy huge welded steel walk on bush guard bumper with rap under skid plate to protect the radiator and front end and underside skid plates to protect things like the transfer case. That bumper gives you lots of places to use your Jack-All on, if needed. It is to bad they do not make heavy, basic, reliable trucks like this any more. City drivers like the luxury status features on the modern trucks and I know the dealers like them as they make a small fortune running codes and fixing all those complex systems. My older gas Silverado may not get great fuel economy but its over all operating and repair costs are still low without all the ultra expensive crap built into it to service and repair. Should my 7000lb truck with heavy bush guard, heavy HD frame all steel truck meet one of those new half aluminum light weight (for better fuel economy) trucks in an unfortunate way, they will lose.

I have also noticed trucks like this especially, body rust free, with low mileage seem to be in demand, hold their value and a few weeks ago someone left a note on the windshield with their info asking If I want to sell it. Which I expect I will sometime in the next couple of years.

 

[leaseman]

Unfortunately most of the buying public wants all or many of the bells and whistles.....

For the basic truck, you need to look at the W/T (work truck) in GM or the Ford XL. Basic trucks are still available, but not many buy them!