Best bang for the buck or best deals out now for a truck

I'd say look for a single wheel 3500 as well depending on your state registration requirements. Same thing but bigger payload numbers.

 

I just learned that the 1500 has a NHT package that will get me 11,500lbs towing. I think I can handle that... the 1500 gassers between 11'-16' are in the low 30s. I much rather stay in that range than pay +45k for a 2500d that I'll barely drive other than during track season (drive a company car during the week and have a paid off sedan that I'll continue to drive).

I like the idea of actually using the trailer in the winter for mountain trips etc however, that's still up for discussion.

I've always wanted a lifted truck lol. I wonder how a lift affects towing?

 

Not well.

 

Found a '17 F250 gasser w/13k miles, CC, 4x4...for $29k.

 

Boo Ford! Lol

I'm personally not a fan of fords.

 

Sorry, I got you confused with the OP, for your particular case it depends on the terrain.

The new trucks and drivetrains are very capable in the 1500 lineup. The trucks can certainly tow the weights behind it in the 12K range, a 1500 today makes more power than the 1ton diesel of 10 years ago

2014+ Chevy 1500 6.2L 420 hp @ 5600 RPM 460 lb⋅ft @ 4100 RPM

2001-2003 Duramax Diesel 235 hp @ 2,700 rpm 500 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm

What you don't see is that the older truck has bigger, heavier duty brakes 14.5" vs 13" . It came with bigger axles, diff, and frame. The pitman arm, steering rack, ball joints, shocks, etc are all bigger and heavier duty. Along with that, the newer HD trucks also got bigger and badder components components from its siblings 15 years ago. Point is the HD line is was built to do this day in and day out. The 1500 will still work and do what you want it'll just be a lot harder on the truck. If you tow your 10K trailer 20 times a year then you'll be fine, the gas engine will just rev through the roof when hitting the hills and you'll have to take you time when in the mountains, but take your time and you'll get there.

If your trailer is 12K and the tow rating is 11.5K you're really stressing the limits of what you can do, you sound like you have a family which means kids and cargo. There are two ways to think about it, rated cargo capacity and axle weight rating. The simple and often thought of is cargo capacity, this is simply Gross Vehicular Weight Rating (GVWR) minus the curb weight = your rated cargo capacity. In the Chevy 1500 range you're probably looking at a crew cab with the LTZ package (mid grade) it's GVWR is 7200lb, subtract 5800lb of the truck and you've got 1400lb of cargo capacity. You have a 12K trailer with a 10% tongue weight thats 1200 of your 1400lbs. That means you have 200lbs available to account for your wife (she's a 4'11 anorexic model, right) kids, cargo, dog, luggage, etc. Even if you get a lower end model LT model you're still looking at 1700-1800lbs max of cargo capacity that means 600lbs after the trailer tongue weight.

The other option is going off of axle ratings, this is what DOT looks at when you come across a scale; Axle rating, tire rating and wheel rating, they don't give a crap what that cargo rating says. The Chevy 1500 as front and rear axle ratings of 3950 x 2 = 7900. So assuming super special weight distribution (insert laugh) you'd have an extra 700lb of cargo capacity, 350 of that on the rear. There's an RV forum somewhere where someone had the weight tickets for this setup and you can base the weights on that. So even with the higher axle formula you'd have 900ish lbs in the lower LT model to work with for family, cargo, etc. and you'd be way over the cargo capacity GVWR formula.

Now take a 2500 diesel (not needed but easier to find weights so add a few hundred pounds to the capacity for a gasser) The cargo capacity would be around 2800lbs. The axle rating capacity formula would give you over 4,000lbs of capacity. So while the 1500 can get the job done, especially if you're only using it 20ish times a year at max capacity the 2500 will be cake walk the entire time. The 25/3500 will also mean you can upgrade in the future if you need be and not have to play this numbers game again. So you have some questions to ask yourself:

Is this 12K trailer already over zealous and you can't imagine getting anything bigger? the 1500 would work
Do think you might want to go bigger in the near future or you'd want to start taking it out every weekend you can? 1500 would work but the 2500+ would be a more comfortable choice.
Do you have enough money and don't care about upgrading every few years or if you made the wrong choice? then get the 1500 and if that doesn't work you won't feel bad about losing some coin to turn around and upgrade to 2500.

 

Great information thank you! The 12/13k trailer to me is idea going any larger than that means a goose neck and 40k for a trailer while that are very nice I refuse to spring for that (short of winning the lotto or getting one heck of a pay raise). My goal is to get a trailer larger enough to have a separate garage on board (preferably a 10') without braking the bank, getting into goose necks, or trailers more than 25' or 30' max.

I prefer not to upgrade every few yrs as my goal is pay everything off and be done. In that sense a diesel makes sense however the maintenance is a turnoff (refilling the DEF constantly) I prefer the new looks but again I don't care to spend that type of money on something with rapid depreciation etc. I can think of far better ways to spend resources. Where I'm at there's a ton of hills and mountains so the fear of stressing a 1500 is real

I don't need a toyhauler but I so prefer one as i believe it would make trips more enjoyable. Aka if the wife is happy and please that means more TDs for me

My other option is a 16' vnose and simply trick it out and be well under 12k lbs. But is it worth it? Put 8k into a enclosed trailer to trick it out with beds etc or spend 10k and get a toyhauler with a bathroom and kitchen and be in the 12k lbs range.

Yes, I'm fully aware that there are much smaller toyhauler that way a lot less however they do not have the separate garage that I seek.

Smmmh!

How comfortable are is everyone buying a used 2500d with +100k miles? Sadly those too are nearly 30k used.

 

I would be very comfortable with it. I bought my GMC Duramax 2500hd very used, so I could spend that saved money on my kid racing. I don't think I could have afforded a new truck, as well as new toy box, as well as racing.

I spent $6500. It was around 2010 and I bought a 2002 Duramax with 220k miles. I had to replace injectors, tires two times, a driveshaft bearing and an alternator. I've put around 100k miles on it and it needs injectors again. The dash gauges messed up and I bought a used cluster from a salvage yard and put it in. No other issues, not even brakes, that I recall.

My year is know for bad injectors, but the 2004.5 and up are supposed to be good. My best friend has one and I think it has 180k miles on the original injectors.

 

Injectors are way expensive for diesel trucks...I've been adding XPD 512 to the fuel in an attempt to prolong the inevitable. So far so good but I only put 20k a year on it...all pulling a very heavy TH'er.

 

Great then I'm gonna look a little older and not let the miles scare me off!

I appreciate your feedback. Thank you!

 

About how much cost wise? Easy for a diy?

 

Depends on the engine.

 

You can find plenty of bumper pull toy haulers in the 10K range and that brings tongue down, here's an example:

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2015-Livin--Lite-QUICKSILVER-8.5X30-5002084973

That one has a GVWR of 10K and being aluminium construction I'll weight around 6K empty and allow for 4K of cargo. Not sure if you've ever had an RV before you have to remember everything adds up compared to a cargo trailer. You'll have bed sheets, dishes, clothes, etc that all add up to a few hundred pounds, maybe not relevant here to the aluminium trailer but the heavier ones make a difference.

The RVs in the 30' range will be in the 10K class, cargo around 4K, and usually have a seperate garage. The RVs below the 30' range often fall into the 7,500 range with 2Kish in cargo capacity and garages are usually the living area. I wouldn't give up on the 1500, I just want people reading to be aware of what's going on with the numbers. If you end up with a 30 footer like linked above and you don't load it to the hilt you could end up with an RV weighing around 8,000 and tongue weight in the 800ish range. so you could have 800-1200lbs remaining depending on the formula you choose.

If you're looking for a 2500, gas would still work and you should be able to find a decent one. 30K is a pretty low floor, especially when you try to get the higher trims for the family features. but they can be had if you wait.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=485232201

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=486980656

Now if you can bring your expectation of a 12K toy hauler down to 10K and get creative with loading more in the RV than in the truck you can certainly make the 1500 work. A 10K gross trailer only loaded to 9K is 900lb tongue weight at 10%. If you can move 200lbs of coolers and luggage from the bed/cab of the truck into the trailer you're now looking at only 10% of that weight being added to the tongue/cargo capacity.

Since you need both a truck and trailer setup start with the trailer and go from there. If you want to stay with a 1500 then start looking at the trailer and what you want to load into it.

2 bikes 900
pit bike/scooter 250
generator 150
5 fuel cans 150
gear 100
tools 250
spares 150
canopy, tables etc 200
food 100
dishes, leien, hygiene 200
clothes 100
propane 80
60gal fresh water 500

Total 3,130 - can you fill the water tank at the track or campground? that's 500lbs you don't have to lug around. Fill the gas cans just before getting to the track that's 150lbs, now your cargo is at 2,480 for the majority of the trip. Take the gas cans out of the bed and put them in the garage and you've gained all that cargo capacity back from the truck. 30' 5900# trailer with 2480 or 3130 in cargo is 8380# and 9030# well within the ranges of the 1500. Now if you need a bigger, better optioned 8K trailer and every bit of its 4K cargo, that 12K total is where you might want to look at the 2500.

So, go through the garage and add up every thing you take to the track. Then sit down at the table and add up every household item you want to put in there, once you have that figure look for a trailer that fits your cargo and budget needs. If the total trailer/cargo weight ends up being 8-10K then get the 1500. But get the weights before looking at a truck.

 

I was in the same predicament as you are. I just put a built BTS tranny in my late 99 f350 and a set of 200/70 injectors with a 38r turbo and an adrenaline HPOP. Also put on a new truck bed, did the rockers and cab corners, got the entire tuck rust proofed, and heavy duty bumpers front and rear. Now I need to get it painted which will be another 5-8k. In the end I’ll have a stupid reliable truck that is paid for and doesn’t have any of the epa emissions stuff and won’t have any problem passing an emissions inspection. I was looking at buying a new truck but then you have to delete them to get them reliable and then it may not pass an emissions inspection depending on what county you live in in PA. Your resale value will also suffer if it cannot be sold to someone outside of your county. All said and done I’m happy with putting $25k into my late 99 f350 with a 7.3. Beats the hell out of a truck payment.

 

Why not get an RV and a trailer?

 

As in a class C?

 

How much are you planning to spend all in?

I also had a Super C with a 14 foot garage, CAT diesel, 12k genset, etc. I really wanted to stay with that setup. I bought it to get my son home when he was injured in 2013 and since we didn't really start racing again, I kept it for three years before I finally sold it. Those run from 50-100k. If you go with a smaller garage and gas setup, I've seen them from $12-40k.

A RV is a great way to travel because your family can walk around and go get food and everything while you're driving. While slightly risky you can even switch drivers while you're going down the road, if you get a Class A setup.

Back East it may not matter, but one of the benefits out here in California with the funmover set up (combined RV and Garage) is you can go faster than 55. Since it is one vehicle without a trailer, you can go into the fast lanes and you don't get limited to the right-most lanes.

In California you are supposed to stay in the two rightmost lanes, and they will ticket you.

 

As bacon mentioned it depends. My design is bad it was before they realized they had a problem and you actually have to pull the heads and manifold, etc. If you take it to the dealer they want about 4 grand to do it.

The 2004 .5 and above, they changed the design and if I remember correctly you can pull the injectors without pulling anything else, right through the valve cover. Plus that newer design doesn't mess up nearly as often.

 

My budget truly depends on the set up. I thought about a class c/a hate the idea of spending for that 10k for a set up I really cannot drive as a Dd if the need really arose.

Ideally 35k or cheaper for a truck and 15k on a toyhauler... so 50k all in.

 

$50k budget? $25k for a used Class A or Class C, $5k for a 7x14 trailer, $20k or less for a car (bonus points if it’s flat towable do you can take it with you on non-motorcycle camper trips).