I'm in the market for a used 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck/SUV that needs to be able to haul a car on a trailer on a weekly basis, it must be reliable and have no major problems for the first few years of use, I have some needed options below for the job it will be doing. Spending price is around $5k give or take.
1. Must be a 4x4, as I will be using the back roads on occasion
2. Must be within the years of 1995 and 1965, as anything newer than 1995 I don't know how to work on, and I fear anything older than 1965 may not be reliable enough (With the exemption of restomods).
3. Must be a gas engine, as I don't know how to work diesels.
4. Must be very comfortable to sit in, as I maybe sitting inside it for an hour at times.
5. Must have a tow hitch, of course.
These are some preferred options I would like:
1. Crew cab for more space
2. Big block for more torque and less engine strain.
3. Little to no rust, I've already had to deal with rust on one of my other cars.
4. Low milage and/or well taken care of.
5. Good tires, I'm tired of having to buy new tires right after I buy a vehicle.
I know that most of you are probably just going to tell me to buy a diesel, but again I don't know how to work on them and most of them are out of my price range anyways, and yes I know they get better milage but I've already accepted that I'm going to get good milage in a old truck anyway. The vehicles I've been interested in the most have been 1960s-1970s International Harvester 1210 pickups and late 1980s to early 1990s GM big block trucks and suburbans, I haven't really been too invested looking at any fords from the 1980s and newer as I've heard the later 460s have exhaust manifold issues like crazy, but if any of you know of some trucks or SUVs that you would recommend for this type of tow work, please let me know.
You might want to consider slightly newer. A 1996+ truck will support OBD2 diagnostics which can be very beneficial in diagnosing problems. (It will also be helpful if you do need to go to a mechanic for something - many won't work on pre-OBD2 vehicles.)
For GM trucks 1992+ you could pick up a Chinese clone Tech2 for diagnostic purposes.
For your specs and budget, I don't think there is a lot of benefit in asking for recommendations. There are a lot of trucks that fit your specs but not budget, and trucks that fit your budget but are at end-of-life. You are talking about a 1-in-a-hundred, if not 1-in-a-thousand kind of find. You will need to take what you get.
Maybe you can find a government surplus auction vehicle. (Search "Dirt every day" YouTube channel; that guy had a truck a few years ago that more or less fits what you're looking for.) Otherwise, it's gonna take a lot of patience and leg work to find a private party sale. Be prepared to pay for an inspection on a few rigs before you make a purchase.
Well, you're asking for an awful lot for a tiny amount of money these days. And you're talking about older trucks are probably all worn out that you'd have to put a bunch of money into. But just a general base. If you can find a V8 F-150 that is not worn out, those are fine for towing
anything newer than 1995 I don't know how to work on
It's never too late to learn.
As you can see, there are plenty of resources on the internet to help you.
2500 Silverado Suburban or Yukon
F350 with the 6.8 V10
