Need advice choosing a truck.

[rexload]

I am starting to get very stressed out... driving my Integra in the snow on curvy roads and hills.
Seems like every other vehicle on the road is an SUV... Also seems like every other driver is on their cellphone.
Just today on the news... somebody was killed in a head-on collision - car vs SUV.
I am tired of dodging deer and being afraid for my life every time I drive.

I think I need something big. I started looking at trucks.
I want:
-big AND safe
-manual trans only
-drivable on ice/snow
-not slow
-reliable

Idk what my price range is.. Can't really put a price on my safety and sanity... Maybe 5,000 - 25,000. I want the best bang for my buck. Doesn't have to be new.. as long as it is a reliable truck.

Any ideas?

[buckysaccord93]

Chevy is always a reliable choice. But I actually prefer a new Ford over all. It's not as easy to find new trucks in manual in less you go diesel. Well atleast it seems that way. I have never been a dodge fan at all.

Also look into a toyota pick-up. Their smaller, 4x4's, better gas mileage, and easy to get in manuals.

Ninja edit: i know the toyota doesnt fit your big.. but just because its big.. does not make it safer.

[wed3k]

why dont you just get a subaru and learn how to drive? i hate big honking trucks and the drivers feel the need to push other drivers around because they have a big truck.

ill fucking smash into your piece of shit ford.

[fatboy1185]

Hahhaha.

[rexload]

why dont you just get a subaru and learn how to drive?

That is definitely not what I meant! I never have any problems driving in the snow. It's not my driving I am worried about.. it is the idiot drivers...

Chevy is always a reliable choice. But I actually prefer a new Ford over all. It's not as easy to find new trucks in manual in less you go diesel. Well atleast it seems that way. I have never been a dodge fan at all.

Also look into a toyota pick-up. Their smaller, 4x4's, better gas mileage, and easy to get in manuals.

Ninja edit: i know the toyota doesnt fit your big.. but just because its big.. does not make it safer.

You are correct... almost everything is automatic... what is this world coming to?
The Tundras are nice and safe... but all automatic.. I think

[wed3k]

you do realize that ALL of us have to deal with idiot drivers? i live in the land of immigrants, how are you supposed to drive when they can't comprehend english?

you have to drive defensively...if you're dodging deer then i think you are doing pretty well. id rather smash into them.

[Nurega]

I'm going to have to agree with wed3k. Subaru has been known to make safe cars, and their reputation in snowy states is very high. A bigger vehicle does not necessarily mean a safer vehicle.

Finding used Outback wagons or Foresters with 5-speed manuals is not too daunting of a task. The 2003-2005 Forester 2.5XT with the manual was quite a rocket.

If you must have a truck, a 2001+ Toyota SUV should more than satisfy your need for size and feeling safe. My mother drives a first-gen RX300 (Toyota Highlander); it's based on the Camry, but feels damn solid in snow and ice without snow tires. Then again, finding newer Toyota manuals may not be easy.

2nd-gen Xterra 6-speed, perhaps? It has a genuine truck platform.

[choogee3]

3rd gen 4runner. I just bought one, best 6000 dollars i ever spent.

[Leung]

I've only owned two trucks and they were a 97 Dodge Dakota with a four banger and a 98 Ford Ranger also with a four cylinder.

Of the two trucks, i would love to get back into a Dakota because it was definitly roomier than the Ranger and also it felt like a tank driving on snow and ice. The Ranger felt like a gust of wind could pick it up and throw it off the road but i think that was because the bed was made of fiberglass. Also the Ranger got stuck in a parking lot covered in snow regardless how many bags of sand i put in the back.

[AccordWarrior]

You're in PA...so pretty much every 95.5-up Tacoma is out of the question for you.

The 95.5-00 models were recalled and bought back at 150% of KBB Retail. The 01-04 models have had their frames replaced, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but a lot hinges on how well the work was done. The 05-up models area already having reports of more than usual amounts of surface rust on the frame for the age of the truck.

The 89-95 models are still out there, but they're few and far between. I spent a solid 6 months looking daily to find mine, and mine's pretty rough for what I paid, although the frame was solid, which was more important for me. Of course with the 22RE, it's a total dog.

I'd say the Xterra isn't a bad option, but remember it's still a standard 4x4, so it's gonna be crappy unless you've got 4wd engaged and then when you hit a patch of ice, physics aren't your friend.

If you're looking for something good in snow, Subaru is the way to go. If you're looking for something big on the road, check out the Xterra.

[foamypirate]

[wed3k]

xterras are cheap but are gas hogs. they actually look pretty decent and the interior wasnt half bad (girl i know had one).

i dont live in a snowy area but i just put the wrx rear sway bar on my forester and i cannot get the thing to lose traction in the rain. it used to push/plow pretty hard.

[ChIoVnIdCa]

Dont buy a Japanese truck...(IMO)
1) Toyotas are all rotted out
2) Mid-sized to small trucks get about the same mileage as a full size
3) overpriced


Around here you can buy a 5 year old American truck for the same price people want for a 10-15 year old rotted out Japanese truck

If you want a manual then it pretty common to find a f150s and rams that are standard... I cant remember working on any current GMs manual... Of course alot of the Toyotas are 5 speed.... New ones 6 speed along with the Nissans.





If your looking for a suv... Car based get a Toyota, Honda, Nissan ... Truck based go American

[deevergote]

All trucks are going to be gas hogs compared to small cars. 20mpg is about as good as you could hope for from any truck, especially one that has enough power to qualify as "not slow".

Trucks are, or at least were, rated differently in safety tests. Many trucks are NOT as safe as cars. Many of them are actually quite bad in a crash. They're tall, and can roll. The body-on-frame design is not exactly the pinnacle of handling performance.

Many newer trucks today are being made as true unibody vehicles. That makes for a more rigid frame, which aids in handling and crash safety.


The XTerra has been mentioned already, and is definitely one of the best options. There's the supercharged version out there if you want one that's pretty quick. Of all trucks in your price range, with your requirements, that are at least reasonably safe and reliable... the XTerra ranks top in my mind as well.
The Honda Pilot is another one, though I'm not sure if they were ever made with a manual transmission.

American trucks are hit or miss. Most American trucks that I know of are crappy sheet metal and an even more crappy interiot slapped on a decent drivetrain. American trucks have a reputation for running forever, but rotting out around the drivetrain. And, like most American vehicles, people generally don't treat them as well as imports that are reputed to hold their value better.

[JDM_CB7_TX]

I'd say the Xterra for sure man. My bro has one with a 6 inch lift on 35' Tires. Ride is great and gas is ehhh.... Other then that I would possibly say the Chevy Silverdo.