tita needs a new vehicle

[numbnuts240]

ok, it's my turn. now that i should be getting back to work soon, it's time to shop for another dd. pickups/suv's have been piquing my interest as of late, erring more on the side of a pickup. i've seen a couple of nice frontiers pretty close by. kind of preferring an auto. if it's a pickup, i want a crew cab, plain and simple. no wagons (ie forester/outback). 4x4 is a huge plus. 6 cyl. not looking for brand new, budget set ~10k.

[AppleBonker]

Stereotypes are fun

[numbnuts240]

knock it off. i'm super cereal.

[Encryptshun]

Gen 2 Xterra 4x4. Make sure it's already had the plugs replaced (if over 60K miles) and all the recalls taken care of (including the fuel high-level sensor in the sending unit under warrantly extension.

/thread

[Kompresshun]

The Frontier is a good choice of course, here's a few others that i'd look at though:

Chevy S10 Crew Cab - They only made them for the last couple of years of the S10, comes with the 4.3L V6 though and if taken care of it'll run forever.

Chevy Colorado Crew Cab - I really like the Colorados, i've driven a lot of them and have always liked them. Haven't heard anything good or bad about reliability but I think it's a good all around truck. Probably one of my favorite trucks out there in that price range.

Ford Explorer Sport Trac - I like these as well, but their transmissions suck most of the time. The engine is great though, good for 200,000+ miles and has pretty good power too.

Toyota 4Runner - Nothing to be said here really, just a good all around SUV IMHO if you can find one that doesn't have a million miles on it and isn't a rust bucket.

That's just a few right off, i'd say a Frontier or Colorado would be your best bets in that price range. I wouldn't go for an SUV for a DD personally, i'd rather have a bed so I can get my moneys worth.

[numbnuts240]

i'd rather have a bed so I can get my moneys worth.

i'm leaning that way for the same reason. the crew cab requirement is for easier back seat loading (s*** i don't want sliding around the bed). loading a grill in the back seat of an s14 blows d!ck. also, the dog can do what he pleases back there without annoying me in the front. anytime i need to pick up lumber of drywall, my old man has a truck with an 8' bed so the shorter bed problem is solved.

correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't the colorado just the replacement for the s10?

[Kompresshun]

Yeah, we have an SUV and I don't mind it at all but if I were buying something for myself, I would want a truck for those same reasons.

correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't the colorado just the replacement for the s10?

It was a replacement, but I would consider it a total change. It's larger than an S10, comes with a 4cyl or 5cyl engine(V8 is also an option on newer ones) and to me, it drives a lot better than an S10.

[numbnuts240]

5 cyl? what is this volvo nonsense?

[Encryptshun]

The 5th cylinder is so you have a spare.

[numbnuts240]

[TurboSauce]

Na it's to 'Have the power of a v6, but the fuel economy as a v4.'
I say it's a little thirsty. that and filling it up hurts the wallet.
butt.
the ride, is excellent.
on these horrible roads, felt as if i were riding in a limo ( honestly)
the seats are (that I have) are foam, and semi-bucket seats ( it has the contours of a bucket seat almost (crew cab, front seats only)
The rear seats are like sitting next to a wall with a cushion between you the floor and the wall.

For the 06 model years, there are wiring problems, which can cause rear brakes lights to not get any power so only one light will shine properly.

The DRL's (daytime running lights) are iffy and decide when they want to come on. the air con is pretty decent.
for the 4x4 version (06 model year)
my vehicle has had transmission problems, which lead to cutting of power, and the ecu putting the vehicle into fail safe mode ( no revving over 3200 rpms. and steering goes, (feels as if power steering is completely shut off. but it's responsive, if you fail to pay attention you'll end up doing 60 in a 35.... >.>
but by no means is it a sports car. a stock twoforty would give it a run for its money and probably beat it.

[GrilledCheese33]

Another lhd speshul edition s14 wif ka swap?

Colorado's are awful. The s10 was a much more solid truck. I vote s10 or frontier...

[numbnuts240]

that sounds like a lot of annoying issues against the colorado.

and grilledcheese, that swap was waaaay too much work to make doing another one worth it again. actually, i'm done with fanboy/boy racer cars. i need practicality in my life. i'll always miss my s14, but it's time to say goodbye.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I wouldn't wish a Colorado on my enemies. The I5 was a stupid decision and GM's excuses don't change that. The rest of the truck is mediocre at best.

Exploder Sport Trac is a good truck, but the Cologne 4.0 drinks gas like a V8 despite being COMPLETELY gutless. Get it with the 4.6 or buy something else.
The same goes for the Ranger, except you can't get a 4.6 in it.

Basically, if you're looking for a V6 truck, count Ford out.

As far as SUVs go, the third gen Pathy and 2nd gen Xterra are great trucks, but the VQ40 is really thirsty. The Trailblazer found Colorado's missing cylinder (gets a 4.2 I6) and is probably my favorite midsize SUV ever. I honestly wouldn't even bother with anything else unless it's a 90s 4Runner.

Just--whatever you do--don't get a fargon Dakota. Both engine options are resoundingly pathetic, the truck is fugly, and it just isn't a very good truck.
Fun fact: Chrysler's 4.7 liter V8 makes less torque than Nissan's 4.0 V6, all while offering crappier fuel economy.

[miamiheat3332]

get a 01-04 r50 pathfinder or 01-03 qx4, the reliability on these cars is untouchable, my path hit 120k this week. If you do all the maintenance change fluids when they need to be, it will run forever. For me mine just gets better every year cause i put in new upgrades, this year its gonna get a full custom exhaust.

[Mr1der]

go get an old carb'd V8 truck.

you'll not miss those extra 4-6mpg when you have to get in there and work on it.

[Kompresshun]

I wouldn't wish a Colorado on my enemies. The I5 was a stupid decision and GM's excuses don't change that. The rest of the truck is mediocre at best.

I take back what I said about the Colorado then, I didn't realize they were that bad. I never have known anybody that has owned one, I just know that I liked the ones I drove in the past.

I'd go for the Frontier personally if you want a Crew Cab truck or maybe a Sport Trac if the transmission is in good working order. I've had a couple of friends that have burnt through a couple of transmissions in them(they drive like idiots though), if you treat it well though you shouldn't have a problem.

Exploder Sport Trac is a good truck, but the Cologne 4.0 drinks gas like a V8 despite being COMPLETELY gutless. Get it with the 4.6 or buy something else.

Just--whatever you do--don't get a fargon Dakota. Both engine options are resoundingly pathetic, the truck is fugly, and it just isn't a very good truck.
Fun fact: Chrysler's 4.7 liter V8 makes less torque than Nissan's 4.0 V6, all while offering crappier fuel economy.

He's looking to spend $10k or less, he isn't going to be able to pick up a 2nd gen Sport Trac for that kind of money and the 1st gen Sport Trac didn't offer the 4.6L V8. Honestly, the 4.0L V6 isn't that bad on power, yeah there's more powerful stuff out there but it has 210hp, which isn't that bad compared to the other options in that price range. The only way you'd really get considerably more HP is going with a full size truck, like a Silverado or F-Series.

Yes, by all means stay FAR away from the Dakotas. It looks like a good idea and they're cheap, but you'll regret it, I promise.

Another fun fact: The 3.7L V6 in my Commander only produces slightly less HP than the 4.7L V8 offered, but the 4.7 gets nearly identical fuel mileage

[Jesda]

I don't care for how the Frontier drives, at least the current iteration of it. Unless you get the Nismo version, its like a Buick with a truck bed.

[Bubba1]

I don't care for how the Frontier drives, at least the current iteration of it. Unless you get the Nismo version, its like a Buick with a truck bed.

?
Perhaps a used extended cab Toyota Tacoma. Essentially a 4Runner with a pickup body...

[sbird1]

You should be super redneck and grab a second-to-last gen Bronco with the removable top. I believe they had an optional 4.9L V6. I know the last gen did. Take the top off to use the "bed", neck around town the rest of the time. 4WD, V6, Bed, meets all the criteria!

[numbnuts240]

You should be super redneck

brown people's necks don't get red, just more brown.

[krimsonviper]

I didn't read the preliminaries.

MS3. Do eet...

[AZ89two4Tsx]

I wouldn't wish a Colorado on my enemies. The I5 was a stupid decision and GM's excuses don't change that. The rest of the truck is mediocre at best.

Exploder Sport Trac is a good truck, but the Cologne 4.0 drinks gas like a V8 despite being COMPLETELY gutless. Get it with the 4.6 or buy something else.
The same goes for the Ranger, except you can't get a 4.6 in it.

Basically, if you're looking for a V6 truck, count Ford out.

As far as SUVs go, the third gen Pathy and 2nd gen Xterra are great trucks, but the VQ40 is really thirsty. The Trailblazer found Colorado's missing cylinder (gets a 4.2 I6) and is probably my favorite midsize SUV ever. I honestly wouldn't even bother with anything else unless it's a 90s 4Runner.

Just--whatever you do--don't get a fargon Dakota. Both engine options are resoundingly pathetic, the truck is fugly, and it just isn't a very good truck.
Fun fact: Chrysler's 4.7 liter V8 makes less torque than Nissan's 4.0 V6, all while offering crappier fuel economy.

This guy knows his s***.

The V6 in the first gen Sport Trac is in fact, worthless. They do have nice interiors though, and a nifty automatic rear window. Really nice design actually, and a great compromise between truck/suv.

My suggestion though, is by far, Toyota. They have the the market in small trucks/SUVs within your price range, in my opinion. Only recently have other brands started to catch up. The earlier Tacomas and 4-Runners are pretty much dead nuts reliable. They are pretty pricey though as they've held their value very well.

Or as stated above, be a redneck. Get/build one of these, a Suburban with a K5 removable top. AWESOME and CHEAP.

[frapjap]

You should be super redneck and grab a second-to-last gen Bronco with the removable top. I believe they had an optional 4.9L V6. I know the last gen did. Take the top off to use the "bed", neck around town the rest of the time. 4WD, V6, Bed, meets all the criteria!

LOVE this suggestion. When I was in CO I rode in a '96 with a v8. Even with salt and 250k miles, it was an impressive machine that is the epitome of American engineering (when done right): take care of it and it'll take care of you.

It was an excellent ride. Could hold 5 adults and a dog comfortably, had stadium style seating for the rear, and had PLENTY of 4WD power. I wish they still made vehicles like this....

[GrilledCheese33]

that sounds like a lot of annoying issues against the colorado.

and grilledcheese, that swap was waaaay too much work to make doing another one worth it again. actually, i'm done with fanboy/boy racer cars. i need practicality in my life. i'll always miss my s14, but it's time to say goodbye.

I know dude, I did the swap in mine and I would NEVER do it again . But yea Chevrolet failed on the colorado big time. They took what was a solid, reliable truck that didn't give many headaches (S10) and turned it into a lame, recall infested oddball cylinder POS. Stay far away lol. As everyone else is saying though, you can't go wrong with a Japanese truck such as a tacoma or frontier. I realized you live in snow and need 4wd, so the S10 can go away too since the 4wd versions have a lot of problems as well. The 2wd ones were tanks that never quit, but the 4wd ones give drivetrain problems. Know from experience in my family with them.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Get a diesel... now before you go and say that diesel is more expensive than reg gas let me just say my .02 cents. Diesel is more expensive, but it also has the most durability and flexibility. By saying that what I mean is that diesel engines are the toughest, longest lasting engines on the planet and they are more forgiving when it comes to alternative fuel than a gas engine is. You can invest $1200 - $1500 dollars on a bio-diesel kit and with an agreement to buy the used cooking oil from your local pizza or chinese take out you can make your own fuel for literally pennies on the dollar. Home made bio-diesel is cheap, legal, and green so you will be able to save the planet and pull tree stumps at the same time.

Diesel trucks are more reliable than gas trucks (at least engine wise), produce more torque per square foot than gassers, can make stupid amounts of power with minor modifications (intake exhaust, and a tuning chip) Diesels run cleaner and get better mpg's with the inclusion of propane, cng, and/or water-methanol systems. Their is a reason why most construction companies, cities, states, and the military use diesel engines in their work trucks and that is because they last significantly longer that standard gas engines do. Hell, I've seen trucks that were practically rusted away before their engines died. I will say this though, due to the amount of torque that diesel engines are capable of producing the transmissions some times can't handle it and explode or eat themselves.

You can pick up an older Dodge Cummins or Ford Powerstroke for relatively decent prices, but if a 4x4 SUV is what you are after you can't beat an old Chevy K5 Blazer with the 6.5L diesel in it. They are monsters off road and you could probably snag one from your local National Guard auction for dirt cheap.

[nissangirl74]

2005 Frontier. 4x4. Crew cab. 6MT. 18 mpg all day long unless you are hauling a 2500 pound Datsun up a huge hill. It will drop to about ~14 then and you have to downshift into 5th. [I have no idea what mileage the automatic gets or its driving capabilities.] I have had ZERO ISSUES with this truck. They need oil, fuel, and tires. That's it. I honestly think mine is pretty comfortable but that's a personal opinion. Go test drive one. You'll drive it home.

[PEZi]

[Urabus GodofTraction]

You should be super redneck and grab a second-to-last gen Bronco with the removable top. I believe they had an optional 4.9L V6. I know the last gen did. Take the top off to use the "bed", neck around town the rest of the time. 4WD, V6, Bed, meets all the criteria!

The 4.9L "300" engine is an inline 6. Great engine. Don't expect to go anywhere quickly.

Might I suggest an F-150 with the 4.2L V6? You're looking at nearly no mpg penalty compared to a "compact" pickup (mine got 16mpg mixed), and you're getting a fullsized truck out of it.

Unless I absolutely needed the smaller size, or was looking into 4-cylinder options, I'd pass on the compact pickup with a V6... the gains in efficiency aren't matched to the loss in utility. Example: A V6 03 Frontier or Tacoma is rated at 5,000lb for towing. The V6 F-150 can do 5200/5700 depending on gearing (all examples are 4x2). That little bit makes a HUGE difference in towing even below the limit... you just can't compare a fullsized to a mid-sized/compact. The new Tacoma/Frontier can do more, but you're paying for newer at that point. And there's still something nice about having a fullsized truck doing fullsized tasks, versus a roided up compact.

That or a Tacoma. But you're paying a premium for those.

But yeah. 4.2L F-150. Inexpensive, easy to find, and a whole lot more truck for your money than you'll find anywhere else.

[nissangirl74]

If you want a domestic...

But yeah. 4.2L F-150. Inexpensive, easy to find, and a whole lot more truck for your money than you'll find anywhere else.