beater mini trucks, whats best?

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Its real hard to beat a Ranger for what you want. The 2wd, 4 cyl, 5 speed trucks will pull high 20s for fuel mileage pretty easily but still have enough grunt to haul a bed full of stuff. Around here you can get a mid to late 90s 2wd ranger with less miles for the same $ that would get you an early 90s toyota with well over 150k miles. Ive had 3 Rangers and will continue to keep buying them for cheap dailys until I cant find a good one anymore. Sucks they discontinued them, my last one had over 300k on it when I finally had to retire it. The good old 2.3 4 bangers are pretty indestuctable, with the only real "weak" point being the timing belt, but being a non interferance motor thats not an issue and the belt is a cheap easy job. And like others have said, buy a 5 speed truck, the autos in these arent the strongest.

This is my current Ranger, nice basic truck that gets 28mpg highway and 24mpg in town.
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I bought an 84 Mazda brand new and drove the hell out of it.
Then I traded it for a 72 Buick GS455/4spd.
 
Isuzu Pickup, '81-'95... Best little trucks EVER!!

Isuzus cars may have fallen apart, but their trucks are bulletproof! I averaged about 28-32mpg with mine (2.0l 5-speed manual, dropped), and haven't put anything into the engine except oil, radiator flush with new coolant, air filters and oil filters. I left it out over a North Dakota winter (some of the harshest winters in the world, even rivaling the Arctic and Antarctic). I went out in January, in -60f weather, and she STILL cranked and started with the first turn, like she was fuel-injected and living in a heated garage!!

The 80's saw 2.0's, 2.3's, 2.6's (all SOHC 8v I4), some diesels that I forget the specifics on, and 2- or 4-wd, auto or 5-speed, available in extended or regular cab... If you go a bit older, you will find that the Isuzu pickup is actually the Chevy Luv, except with a better reputation for durability! :)

The 90's saw a nicer body style (pictured below, 1990 body with 1995 front end, aftermarket billet grille and clear markers), but were only available with 2.3 I4 in the 2wd version and 2.6 V6 in the 4wd version. Also, available in regular or extended cab.

Plus, if you can find a 2.0l turbo Impulse from the 80's, you can take all the turbo stuff and the ECM, and slap it onto the 2.0 in your truck!!! Yes, the swap is actually that easy.... Isuzu's 4ZC1, 4ZD1, and 4ZE1 (2.0, 2.3, 2.6l [respectively] SOHC 8-valve I4) are like the Chrysler LA engines; Most everything is interchangeable. :)

No Ferd, no Dodge Dakota, no S10, and no Mitsu/Nissan/Mazda/Toyota, can beat an Isuzu Pickup for quality, durability, efficiency, value, and in my opinion, style... Just LOOK at how beautiful my little truck is! :D

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Plus, they're the best looking dropped trucks known to humankind. :love7::love7::love7::love7:

Now I miss my 'Suzu.:crybaby:(this smiley, btw, is no exaggeration. I truly miss my little truck that much... Definitely bringing it back the next time I go on leave)...


- CK

P.s. They take to a Chevy 350 like a fish to water, in case you ever wanna get rid of the 4cyl and get gobs of power out of something that weighs nothing... :) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebeUq5B-6ZY"]isuzu 350 v8 - YouTube[/ame]
 
was is bad the cash for clunkers to alot off the road and jack the price up one the stuff still there and did not do what the goverment wanted it to
 
Okay, this is not exactly a beater truck, but if you could stretch your budget just a little, you could buy one of these cuties, drive it for as long as you want and sell it for what you paid for it. Maybe more. Try to do that with an import!
 
ceekay said:
Plus, if you can find a 2.3l turbo Impulse from the 80's, you can take all the turbo stuff and the ECM, and slap it onto the 2.0 in your truck!!! Yes, the swap is actually that easy.... Isuzu's 4ZC1, 4ZD1, and 4ZE1 (2.0, 2.3, 2.6l [respectively] SOHC 8-valve I4) are like the Chrysler LA engines; Most everything is interchangeable. :)
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Bout the only way they can maintain a head gasket...
 
Well, the VW as a bust. Pretty cool little beater but the motor was covered in oil and permatex gasket ooze everywhere. No muffler, suprisingly quick for a diesel, paint was put on by a roller. Interior looked new, nicest thing on the truck. Still wanted 3100 bones, Not for that. I dont care if it did get 48 mpg (almost didnt care...) So old *** 2.0 carbed Ford Courier or this 90 Toyo that the guy has to text me back on. 6cyl to boot..kinda want this one...Wiil keep you posted. Isuzu P'up Diesel was another one I was looking for, rare birds out here.
 
i've had three toyota trucks and was extremely pleased with all of them... 86 reg cab turbo 4x4, 04 reg cab, 08 reg cab prerunner. all 5 spd 4 bangers.

wish i had the 86 turbo still... damn that was a fun truck.

i actually got the 04 as a loss leader from hamer toyota... drove it for 44k miles then traded it in with bald tires and a cracked windshield for 200$ less than i paid for it!

i don't think i need to tell you what i suggest.
 
I have had quite a few good little trucks. Mits Mighty Max with a 2.4 was a tough truck but a tad hard to locate parts for in the salvages. Ford Ranger as long as you stay away from the 2.9 engine. Many of those little trucks were made so there is a good selection of reasonable priced used parts.
 
MoparDaddy said:
Bout the only way they can maintain a head gasket...
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Incorrect!! I've put well over 100k miles collectively on Isuzu pickups over the years (including a roughly 1200mi round-trip [2400 total] driven straight-through to and from Seattle [to, then from, not all at once], AND pulling a friend's Cadillac Sedan DeVille about 15 miles to a repair shop), without any head gasket problems. The 2.0 and 2.3 (no experience with the 2.6 I4) and 2.6 V6 in the 4x4's were notoriously bulletproof. :)

Every so often, though, you'll find one that someone beat the hell out of and blew up the head gasket on (ALL vehicles, though, will suffer from idiot drivers)... A simple fix, and if you do it right and not drive like an idiot all the time, will last forever. :)


- CK
 
ceekay said:
Incorrect!! I've put well over 100k miles collectively on Isuzu pickups over the years (including a roughly 1200mi round-trip [2400 total] driven straight-through to and from Seattle [to, then from, not all at once], AND pulling a friend's Cadillac Sedan DeVille about 15 miles to a repair shop), without any head gasket problems. The 2.0 and 2.3 (no experience with the 2.6 I4) and 2.6 V6 in the 4x4's were notoriously bulletproof. :)

Every so often, though, you'll find one that someone beat the hell out of and blew up the head gasket on (ALL vehicles, though, will suffer from idiot drivers)... A simple fix, and if you do it right and not drive like an idiot all the time, will last forever. :)

- CK
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Congrats. My friend maintains his vehicles religiously and went through 3. I like the looks of the Isuzu trucks, but spent 2yrs looking for one and never found one that didn't need a head job.
 
pishta said:
Well, the VW as a bust. Pretty cool little beater but the motor was covered in oil and permatex gasket ooze everywhere. No muffler, suprisingly quick for a diesel, paint was put on by a roller. Interior looked new, nicest thing on the truck. Still wanted 3100 bones, Not for that. I dont care if it did get 48 mpg (almost didnt care...) So old *** 2.0 carbed Ford Courier or this 90 Toyo that the guy has to text me back on. 6cyl to boot..kinda want this one...Wiil keep you posted. Isuzu P'up Diesel was another one I was looking for, rare birds out here.
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That 2.0 is a good little motor no powerhouse but they run forever. Now that toyota V6, if its a 3.0 Id run screaming from it, they love to warp heads, blow headgaskets, and eat timing sets.
 
im picking up a 91 toyota 2wd here soon for 1600. 127,000 mile 22RE 5 speed. current owner, whos a very close friend, is pulling 29-31 mpg highway. He drives 60 miles daily to work. he also has a USDM 2JZ-GTE for 1800, with R154 trans, ecu, and wiring harness. If things pan out i may swap it all in, if not, ill leave it the way it is.
 

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Ken_B said:
That 2.0 is a good little motor no powerhouse but they run forever. Now that toyota V6, if its a 3.0 Id run screaming from it, they love to warp heads, blow headgaskets, and eat timing sets.
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I've seen many of those replaced myself
 
Ya, for some reason the 3.0 V6 from Toyota was notorious for being a problem child.

Also, you usually only see the Isuzu P'ups that need a head gasket because they're such strong runners that nobody ever wants to give them up!! Couple that with the fact that Isuzu wasn't a huge name in the American market, and you'll understand why finding a good one is very VERY hard to do... I spent two years looking for my current one and WILL NOT give that one up, come hell or high water! Got down here a few years ago, and that was the first vehicle I started looking for... Couldn't find one that had a title and did not need major mechanical work (of the two I found)... So, I got a Harley. When winter hit, I tried again, to no avail. Found a '76 Duster, though, and here I am. :p

Also also, I'd look into your friend's P'up to make sure he or a previous owner didn't warp a head, used a cheapy gasket, installed it correctly, or something else... It's very uncommon for them to blow through THREE head gaskets...


- CK
 
66durgederp said:
im picking up a 91 toyota 2wd here soon for 1600. 127,000 mile 22RE 5 speed. current owner, whos a very close friend, is pulling 29-31 mpg highway. He drives 60 miles daily to work. he also has a USDM 2JZ-GTE for 1800, with R154 trans, ecu, and wiring harness. If things pan out i may swap it all in, if not, ill leave it the way it is.
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That would be so much fun!
 
challengergary said:
My younger brother had a late 90's Ranger for about 10 years. He was terrible at doing maintenance but still ended up putting over 200K miles on the thing before he killed it
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Funny you say this :D I have a nephew that drives one every day and does the same and it has a bit over 200K on it..

toolmanmike said:
I found a nice 96 Dakota 3.9 2wd. for around $1500. I checked mileage on a 2 hour highway trip and got 19.2 driving 55 with the cruise set. Nice truck. I like
it better than my 2000 for comfort. tmm
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Perfect :D Memikie Likie :cheers: Very nice :glasses7:
 
Had an '89 'yota 4runner with the 22RE engine and 5 speed manual. Pretty gutless but got good mileage. With the throttle at the floorboard, I was lucky to get over the hills here at 45-50 mph.

I put almost a 100K miles on that POS before someone finally hit it while parked and totaled it. The vehicle wound up on my front lawn, lol. I had a few issues with it, watch for these with the early injected 22RE engine.

1. Throttle position sensor... I'd be motoring along on the highway and all of a sudden I'd lose power and the temp gauge would skyrocket. Computer kept pulling out timing due to faulty signal from the TPS.
2. Fuel Injector Harness Short. Yep, the insulation on the harness rubbed though and the #1 injector misfire due to the harness shorting out on the fuel rail.
3. Burned a valve due to the injector harness shorting out, off comes the head.
4. Timing Chain. When the timing chain gets loose on these they cut into the timing cover/water pump cover and whammo.....instant crankcase milkshake.

I still liked that little truck though. Damn that thing was reliable for the most part.
 
Any 22RE injected 90's toyota pickups. Prices are found in the range your looking for. I have had mine for 8 years and it has 150K on it. Keeps on going... have only had to keep up maintenance and a new timing chain guide set. Still gets 28 mpg and goes down the road just fine.

-RPM
 
I have had my 94 ranger for four years now. I have put 35,000 miles on it since I got it and it still is getting 25 MPG on the highway and I drive it back and fourth to school at least once a month...500 mile round trip. It is the 4.0 v6 with a manual and has no problem with the light stuff. Only repair I have had to do was a new clutch. I drive it like a teenager and it takes the beating time and time again.
 
Toyo was a 3.0, bad clutch on its last inch, the throttle was the same, last inch?? Fat 80's 12" wide minitruck tires were dangerous bald and bubbled alignment was toast, body by shotgun. I aint big (5'9 but I cant get these standard cab seats back enough? I need an extra cab or something. Meanwhile the Breeze is rolling smooth now that I fixed the shorted CPS wires that were welded onto the EGR tube, causing it to limp home. And a quart of ATF+4, good as new.....ITs nice to have a working car while you are looking, allows you to choose a little smarter.
 
Another vote for a Ranger, I have had three; 90 2.9V6 5 speed man. 99 3.0V6 auto and an 03 4.0V6 auto. The 90 and 03 were better than the 99, the 4.0 gets about the same mileage as the 3.0, lots more power. If you are looking for good mileage get a regular cab 4 cylinder. Never had to do anything other than regular maintenance for the 20 years I drove those three.
 
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