In short, I'm following Dave Ramseys advice to get out of debt. My commute to work is 9 miles each way. I don't need a truck that I financed. The only real upside is that its a reliable vehicle to take on weekend roadtrips, but I can get by. I'm looking at picking up a well used truck for 3-4k. Don't need a fullsize, just need 4wd capability and reliability.  I've been peeking at older pre tacoma toyotas, I also have been thinking about maybe even a jeep Cherokee. Just need a truck or small SUV for hunting and pulling a medium size boat around and getting to work. Anyone got any suggestions on what to look for or stay away from?

Mid 90's Nissan hardbody.


buk

Watch out for rust on older trucks. Boat ramps do a lot of them in, road salt the rest.

I like TBI Chevy full size trucks 88-95. Barn door engineering at its finest. S-10 with a 4.3 is the same thing but smaller and with shitty ball joints.

Get you an '89-'98 Chevy C/K1500 4X4. Good examples with less than 200K can be had for less than five grand. Parts are more than plentiful, the damn things run forever, parts can be found anywhere, they're good lookin' trucks, and did I mention that parts damn near grow on trees for those things?

Beater trucks are not that expensive.

Used to have a Nice 89 F150, all jacked up, nice brown and pinstriping. Too bad some drunk pillock had to cross the highway when I was going straight through.

T boned a dumptruck at 60mph, Not a single mark was on me.

Looked just like this one, minus the mud

Jeep XJs are pretty unstoppable.  Get at 96-00 one and don't look back.