Hey everyone, just joined because I'm looking for some advice/opinions. I currently own a 2001 Ram 1500 as my daily, and driving 3 hours to and from where I work each week. I have several complaints with the truck that I don't think can be remedied without lots of money and work. To name a few; excessive play in the steering wheel, lack of power (318 ci), poor mileage, etc. So I've started looking at different options, and was hoping I could get ideas from you guys. I don't have anything to tow right now, but maybe (not super likely, but maybe) down the road I'd get a camper. I'm leaning towards mid-size trucks, but would consider another full size. My main 'requirements':

- $15K is the max I'd spend on something pretty new
- The year is not critical, but newer is preferred. Probably newer than say 2000
- Reliable
- 4WD
- Decent gas mileage
- Has a back seat (mainly for inside cargo rather than people)

More on reliability, I know certain trucks are prone to getting a bunch of slop in the steering boxes. That's definitely something I want to avoid, I'm pretty tired of it on my current truck. And if there's any major pitfalls, for example the automatic transmissions in the 2nd gen Dodge trucks were garbage, obviously I don't want that.

I know this is kind of nit picky but I don't know much about this particular market and wanted to see what's out there. Hopefully some of you guys own or have owned these and know what to look out for. Thanks for reading, hope to hear your thoughts.

 

Good afternoon, I advise you to the site
https://truckcoverexpert.com/. There is a lot of useful information for truck owners and the necessary technical specifications. My advice is.

 

Some trucks you can look at are mid-size or full-size. The Toyota Tacoma is a good choice. The Nissan Frontier is another one. The Honda Ridgeline has a good reputation. The Ford Ranger is also an option.

For full-size trucks, you could look for a Ford F-150. A Chevrolet Silverado 1500 or a GMC Sierra 1500 could also work. A Toyota Tundra is also a good option.

When you look for a truck, check its history. Look for service records. A truck used for hard work may have more wear. Check for rust on the body. Look under the truck too. Make sure the check engine light is not on.

You should also look at online marketplaces. Some of these sites have a feature called 360VIR Exterior Spin with Tagging. This lets you see the truck from all sides. It can show you any damage. It builds trust by being open about the truck's condition. This feature helps you see the vehicle better before you go look at it in person.