I Need A Cheap And Sturdy Truck To Haul Furniture! What Should I Buy?

Ford

Steven lives successful Massachusetts; he and his woman person 2 Ford Focus hatchbacks. While nan mini cars person been making do, it's clip to upgrade 1 of them to a pickup for location projects. Ideally, a inexpensive one, but he tin beryllium convinced to walk a spot more. What car should he buy?

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Here is nan scenario:

My woman and I ain 2 Ford Focus hatchbacks. Hers is older and will spell successful nan adjacent twelvemonth aliases two. Mine is simply a 2016 that I bought caller and expect to past different 5 aliases truthful years. We precocious bought our first location and are ever moving connected different projects to make nan spot our ain (putting successful a occurrence pit, remodeling a bathroom). After spending nan past twelvemonth cramming much into a Focus hatchback than should beryllium allowed, we realized that our lives would beryllium a batch amended if we had a motortruck truthful that we could propulsion building materials and leafage bags successful nan furniture without worrying astir messing up nan interior. .

I'd for illustration a inexpensive but sturdy motortruck that I tin usage to move furniture, lumber, and upland bikes easily. I besides request it to beryllium reliable because it will bring maine nan 2.5 miles to activity erstwhile I can't return my bicycle. Gas mileage isn't really an rumor because we will only thrust it short distances aliases erstwhile we request to haul. This conveyance is each astir utility, nary points for looks. Bonus points if it tin tow a jetski aliases two.

If it really came down to it I could walk up to $30k...but I would beryllium overmuch happier spending nether $10k.

Quick Facts:

Budget: Can walk $30,000, but doesn't want to...cheaper nan better

Location: Northboro, MA

Daily Driver: Yes

Wants: Cheap, reliable, tin tow

Doesn't want: Something pinch excessively old

Autotrader.com

Steven, I can't ideate a 2 car family pinch copy Ford Focuses. You folks must really beryllium surviving connected nan edge. But pinch nan remodel looming it's surely clip for a rig that tin grip nan occupation a spot better. As you already cognize nan trucks connected nan cheaper extremity are going to beryllium higher miles pinch constricted life near successful them, particularly ones that person lived done respective New England winters.

Since nan privilege is moving things, not people, I would propose looking for nan long-bed/shorter cab configurations arsenic they thin not to beryllium arsenic celebrated truthful you are apt to get a amended worth people compared to nan afloat cab trucks. The downside is that these are a spot harder to find. Also, forgoing immoderate animal comforts and targeting a activity aliases "fleet" style motortruck will apt springiness you a amended ratio of value to mileage. 

For example, present is simply a 2022 Colorado LT pinch "Fleet Safety Package"; it only has 43,000 miles for nether $17,000. The downsides are that you only get a 4cyl motor, but that tin tow a respectable 3500 lbs, and 2WD, but it doesn't look for illustration you request this to navigate bad weather. I will besides authorities that this value seems a tad suspicious and it's being sold astatine a Mitsubishi dealer, truthful proceed pinch caution.

Buddy, congrats connected moving connected from having 2 Ford Focuses. No 1 should person 2 Ford Focuses. To commemorate this occasion, I've sewage a very typical conveyance picked retired for you. Sure, location are plentifulness of mini and midsize trucks to prime from, but who wants that trash? If you're going to bargain a truck, you request nan truckiest motortruck location is: you request a dually pinch a monolithic diesel engine.

Is six wheels, an eight-foot bed, and heavy-duty suspension overkill if you're conscionable moving furniture, lumber, upland bikes, and commuting to activity overkill? Maybe, but Steve, this is America. If you're not doing overkill, you're not doing it. With a rig like this 2016 Ram 3500 Tradesman dually, you tin tow a batch much than a pitchy skis aliases two. I mean, this point – fitted pinch a 5th instrumentality hitch — tin tow complete 31,000 pounds. Buddy, that's for illustration 6 cardinal pitchy skis.

I'm a really bully guy, truthful I recovered you a cleanable example: this feline correct present is full "Twisters" spec. It's vanished disconnected pinch a very cleanable maroon overgarment occupation complete a grey interior. It moreover has other goodies for illustration marker lights connected nan compartment and integrative fender covers to springiness it a tougher look. Under nan hood, you'll find a monolithic 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel centrifugal that'll propulsion down much powerfulness than you'll cognize what to do with. Is its substance system awful? Sure, but who nan hellhole cares? Steve, make nan dumb (read: correct) choice. Buy a dually. It's nan American way.

So Steve, you request a motortruck that tin haul immoderate worldly each now and past and get you to nan agency connected occasion. I'd beryllium consenting to stake erstwhile you first started reasoning astir it, nan Toyota Tacoma instantly came to mind. Obviously, you didn't instantly spell retired and bargain one, aliases you wouldn't person written successful asking for buying advice, but you astatine slightest thought astir it.

I'd besides beryllium consenting to stake you assumed you wouldn't beryllium capable to find 1 for little than $10,000 unless it had been driven to nan satellite and backmost astatine slightest 7 times. Considering nan estimation Tacomas have, that's understandable. And yet, erstwhile I started looking astatine utilized trucks successful Massachusetts that fresh your budget, I recovered this 2006 Toyota Tacoma pinch a manual transmission and only 50,950 miles connected it for a specified $8,995.

Sure, it's a four-cylinder and not nan V6, but it's a truck, and it should beryllium reliable. Plus, it's a manual, and shockingly, according to nan CarFax, it has a cleanable title. Since it's a Tacoma, you should beryllium capable to waste it for astir what you bought it for. It's a boring pick, but you don't sound for illustration you attraction overmuch astir really absorbing thing that's "all astir utility" and gets "no points for looks" is. Just get nan Tacoma, and beryllium done pinch it.

Steve, you don't request our thief to get a pickup truck. They're everywhere, immoderate 1 of them will do what you request — we're redundant here. Unless, of course, you're asking america because you're looking to get into thing a small much absorbing than your mean F-150 aliases Tacoma. If that's nan case, you've travel to nan correct website, because I person a genuinely Jalop prime for you: A brownish 1979 El Camino.

Pickup bed? Check. Room for furniture, lumber, and upland bikes? Absolute check, truthful agelong arsenic you don't mind immoderate of those 2x4s sticking complete nan tile aliases past nan extremity of your furniture (both of which are communal connected full-sized pickups too). Towing? El Camino owners declare that, depending connected nan spec, you tin get up to 5,000 pounds retired of this setup. You'll person to cheque nan rear gearing yourself, and possibly propulsion a transmission cooler on, but it'll beryllium worthy it to person nan coolest tow conveyance successful nan vessel motorboat parking lot.

This El Camino is V8-powered, located correct successful Springfield, and did I mention it's brown? It has a bench seat, Steve, travel on. All that for conscionable $9,500! Don't beryllium different lumbering pickup connected nan roads, get thing a small much Jalopnik for your inferior vehicle. You merit it