Hey guys I am going to be in the market for a small pickup in a good while and would like to narrow down my list.
I know foreign is going to be more expensive to fix but I work part time for a transmission shop (they used to do everything) and can work on my truck and have them help me with everything so labor wise it doesn't matter just parts.
Also I want to keep it a 4 cylinder because of MPG and I just dont need the power because my dad has a 7.3l f350 super duty..
I have no problem buying a stick and would actually prefer it. I Dont care if its 2wd or 4x4 but it will be my winter driver also so it will need to be good in snow.
So I made a list of the ones I know.
* Toyota Tacoma
* Chevy Colorado
* Checy S-10
* GMC Canyon
* Nissan
* Ford Ranger
* Dodge dakota
* Mazda
* Toyota prerunner ( I if thats another name for the tacoma or diffrent truck)

So let the debating begin.
*Note the truck will have to have under 125,000 miles on it and it will have to be pre 2000 because anything newer than that seems to be out of my price range. ($2,500)
Thanks !

Also if you post one please state the city/highway gas mileage, the years that have the same parts/body style, and any other info you can provide.

price range of $ 2,500 ? good luck with that. pile of junk is about all that will buy. mid 2000's (2004 and earlier) tacoma 4x4 trd would be my top choice for used vehicle but your looking around $15G for nice one with low miles. only downside ive had with that truck is you get cramped easy on long drives. ford ranger, hahah you couldnt give me one for free. if your looking at the nissan, might as well just go with the toyota. not sure about the new dakotas but the old ones aint too bad but you need to go back to about 1995 to find one for $2500 and it will probly be a worn out pile in need of more reapir than its worth and the auto tranny version was crap so find a manual trans. your gonna be very limited on selection if your dead set on a 4cyl eng. 6cyl youll be lucky if you get close to 20mph on the highway. 15-18mph is probly realistic from any 4x4 6cyl depending on the year and truck. unless you reside in the south tip of florida i would never consider a 4x2 but hey thats just me

harryhandshake, on 26 June 2012 - 07:33 PM, said:

Buddy I dont know what area your in and Im mean no disrespect but thats a load of shit. I've seen many small pickups on craigslist going for $3000 and yes they were nice and had 125,000 miles or less on them with minimal rust on em. I have read MANY great reviews on the ford ranger and have rode in many and they are great machine to me. I dont know who Im trying to persuade now, me or you? But I appreciate your info on the specific truck details but othr than that you are no help, sorry. I want a 4 cyl. for gas mileage and 4x2 to help out the gas mileage even more soo... Also I dont mind driving or even flying down and driving back to pick up the right deal.
I mainly posted this for your actual experience with the truck and what years will best be in my needs for each specific truck and I would like to compare gas mileage too.
Please do other people post in this thread and tell me your opinions.
Again I mean no disrespect harryhandshake.

ive got the tacoma and dakota. gave a honest opinion. good luck my friend. if i see you stuck in the ditch with your 4x2 ford ranger ill be sure to wave as i drive by  

I loved my Colorado

harryhandshake, on 26 June 2012 - 07:55 PM, said:

OK lil buddy I'll be sure if your broke down somewhere I wont bring the trusty flatbed to come winch you out or haul you home.

Edited by Dangerouspower, 27 June 2012 - 04:14 AM.

ryno625, on 26 June 2012 - 10:17 PM, said:

What kind was it 6 cyl. or 4 cyl. ? 4x4 or 4x2 ? Auto or manual ? Year ?

harryhandshake, on 26 June 2012 - 07:55 PM, said:

What years and what model as I just posted above ?

2004 tacoma ext cab v6 4x4 trd 5sp and 1996 dakota ext cab v6 5spd 4x4. neither are very good on gas but i only do 5K miles a year so its not a concearn. if you dont haul that much stuff maybe go with a subaru with all wheel drive. should be decent on gas and 4x4. i have dirtbikes and need the bed but if i didnt i would have a subaru. not sure what to tell ya on a $2500 budget. be tough to get into anything newer for that price but ya ive seen mid 1990's 4x2 rangers in your price range

Edited by harryhandshake, 27 June 2012 - 05:02 AM.

80's Toyota with a 22r and 5 spd.
Bulletproof rigs.
Mileage is relative to maintenance.

harryhandshake, on 27 June 2012 - 04:49 AM, said:

Thats what Im saying. 2000 and older is the only thing thats going to be in my budget and be in good shape.
I posted this up on Dirtbikeaddicts too and have now narrowed it down to toyota hilux, ford ranger, chevy s10. hichever one I get it will definitly be 4 cyl,manual trans, and would like to keep it under 125,000 miles but would go a couple higher for the right deal.
I will be hauling dirtbike/quad and possibly a small trailer every weekend to ride so I need a truck and Im getting a truck.  After I save up some money again I will be getting something like a 2 door honda accord or dodge neon.

I would just pick a Ford Ranger, 2x4 with the little 4 banger. It also has the largest box of all the other trucks listed.

Buying a 4x4 is useless unless you really do a lot of 4x4ing. I have drivin over 17000 miles in the last 3 months and touched the 4x4 button maybe 3 times. The only reason I have a 4x4 is because I pull a big trailer every now and then. If I had it my way, a 2 wheel drive pickup would be the way I would go.

Edited by originalmonk, 27 June 2012 - 07:09 AM.

whether its trucks or bikes or anything else in life, what you think is best is just a matter of opinion. some guys like the 125cc bikes but i would consider it a ladies machine, personally all my stuff is 500cc but its all preference. you couldnt give me a free 4x2 truck but original monk is the opposite and thats fine, again its all preference.  regardless if i use the 4x4 once a week or once every 15years its well worth it to me rather than be in a ditch on the side of the road in a blizzard. one option i considered a few years ago was a small enclosed or open trailer for 2 bikes and a 4x4 subaru to pull it with. decent gas milage, 4x4 capabilities and i can still get my bikes where i need to go. most cars can pull a small trailer with 2 bikes

dezracerE, on 27 June 2012 - 06:48 AM, said:

i can gurantee this my 86 has 302k n goin strong haulin bikes all day

harryhandshake, on 27 June 2012 - 02:47 PM, said:

TT might not have enough room for your ego!

toyota truck for sure

harryhandshake, on 27 June 2012 - 02:47 PM, said:

I dont know how  clear I can be but I am getting small truck just wondering what some of the best ones were. This isnt my time to look for a car not yet at least.

I've owned 2 vehicles in my life, a '91 Ford Ranger 3.0L V6, Auto, RWD with the extended cab, and now an '08 Tacoma 2.7L I4, Auto, RWD with the access cab.

The ford ranger was cheap when I bought it and ran like a champ for years. I drove that truck hard all since I was 16 and it lasted until I was 22. Hardly needed any repairs, handled great for a small truck, and had enough punch in power to surprise a lot of people who look to get a jump on you and take your lane.  You could get an amazing Ranger with the amount of money you are looking to spend, nothing special, but mechanically sound and take you everywhere you need to go without issue. My ranger is still perfectly drivable, but the window is cracked, tires are bald, parking brake cable is seized and the exhaust could use a little work. I just didn't like pulling up beside a cop and knowing they could take my plates for an unfit vehicle.

A lot of people will tell you you need 4x4 and so on, but mine never stranded me in snow, ice, or what have you. I live on top of a hill, and one night the entire hill was sheer ice except for where the sewer grates were. I essentially spun my tires till I got a jump on the grates and made it up the hill passed Jeeps, trucks, cars in the ditch. Other peoples mileage will vary regarding this topic, but if you are smart with 2wd, you will be fine.

The Toyota I've owned for a couple months now, and it is in every way a better truck than the Ranger. It has way more power, consumes half the gas, is bigger, handles better, and is a much higher quality machine. The seats aren't like mush which I really loved about the Ranger, but that's minor. Can't say much about reliability, but the 6,000km I've put on it have been flawless. The 4 banger makes more power everywhere over the 3.0L V6 in the Ranger which is awesome, but the Tacoma is definitely a heavier truck. Also spent way more money on it, but

I'm notorious for tracking my mileage, and recently I've been using a website called fuelly, so you can check what sort of mileage you can expect from both the trucks I owned.

http://www.fuelly.co.../steve13/ranger
http://www.fuelly.co.../steve13/tacoma

To summarize best I ever got in the Ranger is 21.5MPG and averaged 17.5MPG over 60,000km. Mileage suffers horribly in the winter months, and 21.5MPG was only possible on all country driving essentially holding 80-90km/h for an entire tank. Near the end of it's life I could only get 18-19mpg.

So far the best I have gotten in the Tacoma is 28.6MPG and I am averaging 26.7MPG over 6,000km. If I were to go on an all country road drive to the cottage or something, I'd expect low 30's for MPG. I am using an Ultragauge in the Tacoma to track my mileage as I drive as well, so you are more likely to get the 20-25mpg the EPA quotes with a heavy foot.

Older Toyota Tacoma's are bullet proof..... If you have seen Top Gear UK you can see they are literally unstoppable

Dangerouspower, on 27 June 2012 - 05:46 PM, said:

theres only one best one. told you it was the toyota right from the beginning. still i dont see $2500 buying much but good luck