New gal with truck whoas! :)
 

Hi there! New to the forum and HOPING to get some good information. I am the driver and hauler in the family (my hubby is pretty darn good at driving the rig forward though...hehehe).

We recently bought a really beat up 2000 Silverado 1500 Z71 4x4. I am not joking beat up. Farmer owned it - most likely didn't clean it ever once in it's ownership. Dents, just a mess. We put about $1500 into it to get it "sound" and realized after just a few camping hauls how fantastic it was to have a truck. So - instead of having 3 vehicles (2 daily drivers and a beater) we have decided to sell the beater, trade in a daily and get a truck that can do it all.

Insert many frustrations...we are typically Chevy people. We just love how they drive. That said - I, as the lady, love the sexy Dodge Rams with all that lovely chrome. Ahhhh. And the Fords seem great at times as well. We almost bought an F250 6.0 Diesel and then discovered repair costs to be too much. We were going to look at a Chevy 2500 HD but now realize the gas mileage is horrid.

So.....help me out truck people. We have 3 kids and 2 dogs that have to fit into this truck. Crew cab would be best obviously. Our camper weighs 5000 now but that isn't to say we wouldn't upgrade in the next 5 years.

It seems every time we find a truck we feel is in our budget and search requirements - we discover after the fact that it has some strange issue, gets horrid gas mileage or ends up having major issues. I'd love to hear all your input - good and bad. :)

-Rachael

Id recommend a dodge with the 5.9L cummins. Those engines will run easily to 400,000 miles and theyre an inline 6 cylinder, so youll get better gas mileage. They make crew cab style, so you should be golden with the kids and dogs.

I'm gonna have to say that I'm kind of a Toyota trucks junky. The Tacoma has a V6 tow package that's pretty nice. The Tundra packs some of that flash you're after, but both are good reliable trucks. I would just check out the different packages to get exactly what you want.

It's an issue that is very common - I need a truck that will haul a bunch of weight, but I want good mileage and I don't want to spend a fortune. There is no perfect truck to fit this bill. I have gone through MANY and have settled on a couple to suit my needs. The wife drives an 03 Tahoe that is our "going out" truck. We have a 96 Suburban 2500 454 4X4 that we use for a hauler (we paid $3500 for it and have put about $800 in repairs). It's a beast and has hauled everything we have thrown at it with ease. I have a couple 1/2 ton trucks that are my daily drivers/projects that I have found cheap and am slowly making them nice.
As far as a crew cab pick-up that will haul the family and a trailer the best answer is going to be a diesel of your favorite brand. Cummins are probably the best as far as their rep, but have trans issues. I have many friends with Duramax trucks and they swear by them. Ford is still trying to figure out their replacement for the ole reliable 7.3 Powerstroke, but there are many used 7.3's out there. The problem with diesels is they are expensive - to buy, maintain, and not everybody wants to work on them. Your trailer is relatively light and a 1/2 ton will tote it, but if you are pulling it far, a lot, or through the mountains I would highly recommend a 3/4 ton.
Bottom line is they all have their little issues, so find the one you like the best and check it as much as you can before buying. They will all need repairs sooner or later.

I would get a 2006 or later Silverado. They have the sturdiness and hauling power you need plus the room you also need. You can get an extended cab and it's like driving around in an apartment building. I am also a Chevy guy and the newer Silverados handle so well it's mind blowing how big they are. I would also go for a 2008 Tahoe. Plenty of room AND hauling power AND a covered end with a lot of space.

Get a duramax, 06 or newer preferably. Better mpgs than the 1500s and way more power. It's a no brainer.

Duramax
 

I have to agree on the 06.5' or newer duramax. I have been helping a buddy for the past 2 mo's look for a truck and he bout a 6.0 gaser and sold it a week later because of the gas mileage. He pulls a 38 ft. 15000 pound camper with ease. It has plenty of space for the kids. The reason i say 06.5' or newer is because they have the LBZ motor which is an upgrade from the LLY and the 6 spd Allison transmission which helps keep the RPMS lower, less work on the engine, and better gas mileage. We drove around 9 hrs the other day and his avg. fuel economy was 16.5 mpg. He will be purchasing a chip though that can get you around 20 mpg. Also those 6.6 turbos will last forever. The only downside is they are a little pricey. Hope this helped a little