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Truck shopping strategies?

5K views 47 replies 23 participants last post by  fistfulladirt 
#1 ·
I'm shopping around for a 1/2 ton truck but in a specific configuration:

- Used - 2015-2018
- 4x4
- Crew cab (not a "double cab", extended cab, or anything less than a fullsize crew)
- 6.5' bed (intent is to bed able to camp in the bed, or slide in a lightweight truck camper. I'm 6'2" so I need the length)
- Trailering/Payload Package (Chevy and Ford each call their packages something different; I want the package that gets me the max payload for the model)

They seem to be surprisingly rare. I've been using AutoTrader to try to search but I would say half of the listings are not accurate, or pics of the trucks are not clear to show the cab size and bed length. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels.

Both Ford and GM (Chevy and GMC) offered packages like these and I have seen a couple of these trucks listed, but they are either so rare that I have a battle ahead of me to find one, or I'm not searching efficiently. I'm starting to get frustrated.

Am I better off going down to a local dealer and telling them what I am looking for, so they can search within their network of dealerships? I know dealers ship cars around all the time. I might be likely to look at a truck 100 miles away, but I wouldn't if it were 500 miles.

Or are their better apps and websites with better searches? The bed length filter on AutoTrader does not seem to work at all.

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
I recently had similar needs and researched the heck out of it.

I cannot speak to all years and models, but brands. In my view, the only 2 truck brands to look at are the Ford F150 and Toyota Tundra.

New trucks are enormous and very very expensive.

I ended up with a used gen 1 Tundra and absolutely love it. About 1/4 the cost of a new one. Every bit as good or maybe better.

You might re-assess your need for the crew cab. Dunno your needs. Are you really going to be shuffling 4 adults in your 4x4 pickup truck regularly? Or would, perhaps 2 different vehicles for different needs be more suitable? For me I went with the 1.5 cab (called an Access cab) and it's plenty for my needs.

IOW, instead of 1 $50,000 overpriced pickup meeting your needs, how about a $10,000 pickup truck and a $10,000 different vehicle? Just food for thought.
 
#4 ·
I've always called the "Crew Cab" a "Double Cab", but know what you mean. Dodge made a Cab and a half that was almost a crew cab, until you saw the real crew cab.

I felt like Ford made the largest full 4 door double cab, followed by Dodge.
Don't think Dodge makes the MEGA cab anymore, but that thing was huge! It was a double cab and a half!

I would go to the website of manufacturer that you like and choose to virtually build a truck. Once you do that it usually tells you within so many miles the trucks that most match your "build" that are available.

Good luck with your search!
Sorry, I should have been more clear in my OP. I'm looking for used examples due to the cost issue.

Yes, I need the crew cab. I have kids in car seats and tried what we have in different cars, SUVs, and trucks, and it MUST be a crew cab. Each manufacturer has their cute play on words - crew cab, mega cab, double cab, etc. A Chevy/GM "Double Cab" is smaller than a crew cab, although that cab is most common with 6.5' beds in the half ton.
 
#3 ·
I've always called the "Crew Cab" a "Double Cab", but know what you mean. Dodge made a Cab and a half that was almost a crew cab, until you saw the real crew cab.

I felt like Ford made the largest full 4 door double cab, followed by Dodge.
Don't think Dodge makes the MEGA cab anymore, but that thing was huge! It was a double cab and a half!

I would go to the website of manufacturer that you like and choose to virtually build a truck. Once you do that it usually tells you within so many miles the trucks that most match your "build" that are available.

Good luck with your search!
 
#7 ·
The best Ford dealer in my area has this program where you can
tell them what you want, and when some one trades it in they will
give you a chance to buy it before it goes to auction.

Tell them you don't care if the Truck has dings in it, because those
are the ones that go to auction, the perfect ones get sold on the lots
quick and for more money.

You want to go to a Dealer with a good reputation, that has several
locations.

You can also save by buying a used Toyota at the Ford dealer and vice
versa.

It's hard to find the Truck you want because people get them for Construction.
 
#9 ·
Something you might consider. My SIL just recently purchased a 2018 Dodge 3/4 ton 6.4L with 36K miles. He had it one month and had a cam/lifter failure. Seems Dodge has been having lots of that problem since 2009. If you Google it the 5.7L motor is what mostly comes up but it does affect 5.7. 6.1 and 6.4 motors, the cam/lifter assys in those motors are interchangeable.
 
#10 ·
What @Truck Vet said.

You can't find what you want because it is being shipped somewhere else. Dealers specialize in one group of vehicles. As an example, you won't see a 5 yo car at a new car dealer, they sell them off and other dealers that specialize in 5yo cars buy them.

Contact some dealers and let them know what you want. They will happily sell to you if one comes in, it saves them shipping and auctioning costs.

Or find the dealers in your area that specialize in the sort of truck you want, they are there. Ask the new dealers where to find what you want. Ask owners of similar vehicles where they got theirs and where they sold their old one. Yeah, it is frustrating, but persistence works.
 
#16 ·
I can speak for Chevrolet.....because what you originally stated was the exact configuration I was looking for.

So just an FYI......Chevy/GMC and just about anything GM has the worst sales experience you can imagine......trucks are hot sellers so the sales people tend to think you are a rank moron as soon as you stroll though the door.

Most of the time you will know much more about the truck you are buying than the guy that is selling it to you.

First off you are coming up to the end of the year and the 21's will be coming on line which means that dealerships will be deeply discounting the 20's by a large amount to clear the lots. You will see discounts as deep at $8K over the price you would normally pay if you are not choosy about the exterior color.

Interestingly one of the posters above mentioned 1 tons trucks and that's true.....you you are shopping a Silverado 1500 with the option you want it may be easier to go to the 2500HD truck....which in some cases will fall below the cost of a 1500.

That being said......often times you can find a factory new truck cheaper than one that is 2 years old.

What I recommend you do...is set up your autotrader filters and shop daily withing a 200-500 mile radius......what you will find in the next couple of months will be pretty stunning.

HK
 
#20 ·
. . . First off you are coming up to the end of the year and the 21's will be coming on line which means that dealerships will be deeply discounting the 20's by a large amount to clear the lots. You will see discounts as deep at $8K over the price you would normally pay if you are not choosy about the exterior color.
Any other year, this would be true. Unfortunately, with the factories shut down for as long as they were, I'm not sure that's going to be the case. When I bought my rig a few months ago, there were commercials galore about the specials they were running. Now, not so much. If you're not in a hurry, waiting for things to settle down will probably save you some jingle.


That being said......often times you can find a factory new truck cheaper than one that is 2 years old.
This is in fact true. It will boggle your mind, but it's happened for me several times. Again, this year may be an anomaly due to lower inventory, but when model-year end discounts start showing up you can really find some swinging deals.
 
#17 ·
Well, with all that clarified, I would suggest Ford F150 or F250 or Toyota Tundra Double Cab and nothing else.

I just did mountains of research. My findings for trucks: Dodges have notoriously horrible transmissions and are otherwise poor quality. Expect endless expensive and annoying repairs. The modern Chevy's are apparently very poorly made and nothing like the high quality Chevy's of 20 years ago. The Nissans are supposedly total garbage. There really are no other serious considerations.

Agree with the idea of buying from a private party generally but sometimes dealers are desperate for sales so you can get a good deal. Pay cash for it if you can, no loans. Do a thorough inspection or hire a mechanic shop to inspect it. Pull the carfax, for about $30. Drive it, check everything in detail. I'd stick with something under 150,000 miles, ideally less miles or highway miles. Something that's been really babied. Get good service records. Check maintenance, all fluids, check the motor, transmission, electronics including every device, brakes, steering, crawl under and look for rust or leaks everywhere. I take a camera and take 50 pictures and study them from all angles. And I take a notebook and make notes of every observation.
 
#19 ·
The ride on the Chevys is far superior to that of the Ford but what a previous poster already mentioned.....the newer trucks are really bad quality and dont last......my truck 2011 Siverado to 80,000 miles and then started falling apart.....most of all little things and every single time I did the research on the issue on the Chevy forums.....the term "known issue" seemed to pop up with every single repair I had.

I traded the truck...got great resale value for it.....but as for a Chevy product.....never again and that is saying a lot because over the years I have owned a ton of GM products.

I know it's not a fair comparison but you need old drive and Audi or BMW SUV to really see how far behind the times GM has fallen.....at that is saying a lot because of how far Dodge and Ford have come up and surpassed GM.

If VW were to import the Amarok......it would kill a lot of the GM vehicles off

HK
 
#21 ·
I am glad this came up. Wife and I were just considering a switch to 4 door pickups or a sprinter two nights ago. We talked about the toyota (neighbor has one and loves it) and the ford. I had forgotten honda , until I was stopped behind one at a traffic light today. I thought the honda pickup had a good reputation. Anybody run one?
 
#22 ·
The honda pickup does have a good reputation. My neighbor has had one
for years and likes his. But they are based off their minivan so its
not as heavy duty as an F150 or Ram 1500. So my neighbor bought a
Tundra to pull his Airstream yet still has his old Honda Pickup.

The problem with the Toyota Tacoma's is they are now all made
in Mexico so people don't think the quality is what it used to be.
The Toyota Tundra is a great Truck but they are not competitive
in MPGs, unless you get one of the older ones.
 
#23 ·
Used inventory is very low as well as new truck inventory.
I shopped for a used work truck for a few months but they were too expensive so I had to buy a new one. I am serious a new F-150 with Fords rebate was about the same cost as as a used truck with 10k miles.

If you buy a used truck in my state, from a dealer they charge sales tax, but if you buy from an individual you do not.

I am not sure if they even make simple work trucks anymore, the one I bought was not loaded but still has buttons everywhere and a 600 page owners manual.
 
#24 ·
You might look at an E-150 to 350 custom van as an option.
I had one and enjoyed the heck out of it. Except for the mechanical problems.
Massive room in the back. 4 big captains chairs, fold out bed, TV/VCR, etc.
Engine blew up, transmission blew up. A/C died. Ford is dead to me now, but
that was a cool van while it lasted.

Edmunds online is the best online shopping tool for new or used in my opinion.

Finding all the particulars you listed in a used truck is a tall order.

https://www.edmunds.com/inventory/s...crew-cab&bedLength=long&bodyType=Pickup&wz=39
 
#27 ·
What's the need for a separate cargo area?

I have a 02 yukon xl 2500. You would not believe the amount of stuff that will fit behind the 2nd seat much less the 2 dogs and while towing a 6klb trailer through the mountians. When I sell it il buy another a body style newer.
 
#33 ·
What's the need for a separate cargo area?
The wife has anxiety around items in the cabin where passengers are also seated. Living with the van became painful once there were kids in car seats. I could not go to the lumber yard with my son to get 2x4s without hearing about how I was going to secure the 2x4s, since they would be slid under the rear seat, therefore sharing the passenger compartment. It isn't logical but is what I'm dealing with. My thought is that if we are in such a violent accident that items in the cabin become projectiles that will lead to injury and death of the occupants, we are probably going to be dead anyway.

A truck bed solves all of that. I have a trailer, but don't really want to be a slave to having to drag that with me every time I go somewhere to pick up larger/longer items.

A truck bed also allows for a lightweight version of these: https://fourwheelcampers.com/all-models/

I recently saw a segment on Fox Business regarding the current price rise in used vehicles.

A fairly large used car dealership sad he is paying $1500-$2500 more per vehicle he purchases.

As some above said, the basic tenet of economics 101 supply & demand
at work.
I think this is what I'm seeing. People who turn-over vehicles a lot are not trading them in on the next best thing to wait this all out. I was thinking that with lots of people out of work, people would have a hard time making payments on their $40,000-50,000 trucks so we would be seeing a flood of lightly used cars and trucks on lots. Apparently that is not the case, or hasn't happened yet.
 
#35 ·
Looked around for a used truck for a while for the utility. Then I realized that a 6 cylinder car with a trailer hitch and 4WD ALSO GAVE MUCH MORE VERSITILITY AND BETTER GAS MILAGE. whoops....cost me $500 to put a real axle and real wheels with a real spare on my 4x8 harbor freight trailer. It folded before I welded it open. 20.5k total. Less than 10k miles.

Would love a truck but its just one priority among many others currently.
 
#36 ·
My company truck is a '19 Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3L, extended cab, 6.5' bed with utility cap. I have two kids that ride in the back seat (one in a car seat) and have adults back there on occasion. The truck is mine to use as I like, so we usually take it whenever we go anywhere as a family, including trips out of state that can be 300 miles or more. Never felt cramped. In fact, on the last trip (which included a 1-hour ferry ride) we also had the dog in the back seat in the middle too! The utility of a truck cannot be matched by a large SUV. I can throw whatever disgusting, rotting things I want in the back and just powerwash it out when I feel the need...Good as new. I also routinely tow UTVs and ATVs and a smaller vehicle just doesn't compare. The truck tows a 3500lb trailer at 80+mph effortlessly.

My last Silverado was a similarly equipped '09 and another guy in the company just blew the tranny at 260k. We've had several Chevy express vans (v8 AWD) that all went over 250k on original drivetrains. One went just shy of 400k. My boss's last Canyon ('15 4x4) is still in the company with 340k, original drivetrain. I whole-heartedly believe that vehicle age is just as damaging to the longevity of a vehicle as the mileage, maybe more so, at least in the northeast.

To the OP: I would strongly consider the extended cab truck if I were you. Finding the configuration that you're looking for is going to be time-consuming and costly.
 
#37 ·
For the Ford F-150, look for the Heavy Duty Payload Package (HDPP). Otherwise you need an F250 or bigger for a truck camper. The Max Tow package gets you a few things, like a higher rated Receiver & a 36 gallon tank, but no gain in Payload. If you go with a soft bed tent or a hard cap with a tent like extension, you'd have enough length using the tailgate with a 5.5' bed.
Short bed truck campers mean a 6.5' bed. Regular truck campers mean an 8' bed.
Two adults and two kids in a truck bed camping? Very crowded.
Two adults and two kids in a truck camper? Still crowded but maybe doable with an 8' bed. Likely f350 territory.
 
#38 ·
I often talk about cost per mile.

It's often true that a well purchased new vehicle (by vehicle class) is very close to the same cost per mile as a used vehicle.

It's good to remember that used vehicles need maintenance sooner, often get lower MPG and often have higher insurance+interest rates.

My 2009 F150 4x4 has nearly 150K miles, and the capital cost per mile is currently about 29 cents per mile. But it gets 13mpg, ugh. My 2011 F150 gets 17-18MPG and my 2018 F150 gets 19MPG.

Bottom line, the newer one is costing me less, and is a better truck.
 
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#40 ·
I strongly disagree.

You're going to have to put a zillion miles on a vehicle before a trivial fuel economy make up the difference in price.

A new $50,000 comes with $3-5,000 in sales tax (assuming average sales taxes), very high insurance premiums, and very high registration costs (most states base it on the value of the vehicle). A new $50,000 vehicle if driven an average amount will lose $25,000 in a couple years. Say at 50,000 miles it's sold.

A person buying that $25,000 used vehicle may have a few hundred dollars in repairs and maintenance, but won't lose as much money as fast. Then lets say that person sells it a few years later at 100,000 miles for $10,000.

Let's say the next owner buys at $10,000 with 100,000 miles. Oil changes and new belts and wear items may cost a few thousand dollars. He still has a vehicle at 75% remaining life (assuming it can last 400,000 miles) but at about 1/5th of the cost. This owner pays $500-1000 in tax, lower insurance, and lower registration. He basically gets a very good vehicle, at about 1/5th the cost of new...

No amount of minor maintenance or MPG difference is going to cost him near what the new one would have lost and cost.

Taking this out further, if a person can find a well loved 200k mile vehicle for say about $1-2000, one that won't require really expensive overhauls, these are great purchases. You're getting a vehicle at about 1/2 life, for almost nothing other than maintenance costs.
 
#39 ·
I own a 2018 F150xlt with the 5 liter V8, and a 2016 with the 3.5 V6 ( no turbo).
I just bought an extended Warranty for the 18 because the engine has no
Liners, and the Trans. is the 10 speed.

The 2016 is an XL with the 6 speed, so I trust it more and have no
warranty.

Both Trucks have been great, but have low miles due to me owning
several vehicles we rotate.

If I knew that the 2018s would have no liners I don't know if I would
have bought it. I really enjoy the Truck so now I am covered until
2026.

Different years of 5 liter V8s require a different amount of oil, plus you
need to decide which transmission you want.

Personally I think the regular V6 has plenty of power if your not towing
because the body is lighter than the others.
 
#43 ·
I don't know how things are in Michigan where the OP is, but
here in Maryland and Delaware used trucks are in high demand.

We have so many people buying new houses to escape NJ,NY, and PA
so the Hispanics that build them pay cash for trucks and vans.

Out west used Trucks may be a better deal especially since they
don't rust much in Arizona, Utah, and other places. People love
the 2015 and up F150 with the Aluminum body for that reason.

I have heard bad things about the F150 with a Turbo, but I guess
the later years they are working the bugs out of them. I doubt they
last as long as the non turbo trucks.

I know a young man on his second F250 who fell asleep and totaled the
first, he loves them. He had a Chevy between the two and it did not compare.

I also have a Neighbor with an old Tundra who loves it as much a Leadcounsel
loves his. I like the old body style better than the new ones.

Edit: Good point about a 2015 but keep in mind it was the first year for the new body
so the OP would have some research to do to figure out exactly what he was getting into.
I waited to buy my 2016 to avoid the first year, but I would hope the OP's 2015 would have
everything fixed by now.
 
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