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Most reliable used mid-sized truck?

Posted on 10/20/25 at 10:32 am
Posted by TigerBait1971
PTC GA
Member since Oct 2014
15861 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 10:32 am
Looking to get truck for my son and hopefully not spend much more than $15k.

Tacoma?
Frontier?
Something else?
Posted by LSUballs
RayVegas LA
Member since Feb 2008
39790 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 10:49 am to
quote:

Looking to get truck for my son and hopefully not spend much more than $15k.



Good luck with that with Toyota. I've been looking at Tacomas for a year + for just a hunting truck. Even an old beater with 200k miles will be in 10k-12k. "Nicer" ones gets more expensive quickly.
Posted by notiger1997
Metairie
Member since May 2009
61227 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 10:54 am to
Trucks have been priced stupid high for at least 10 years.
Posted by SenseiBuddy
Ascension Parish
Member since Oct 2005
4737 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 11:05 am to
Reliably exceeds 15k typically

Midsize is not a big market either.

I’d look at a frontier to fit that budget. They are all over the roads.

Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30732 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 11:11 am to
I bought a 2006 Ford Ranger about 18 months ago, first Ranger I have ever owned. I got it cheap, because it had some deer damage on the passenger side.
It's a really good truck and I drive it every day. Have almost 200,000 miles on it right now.
It has the 4.0 V6/ automatic. I wish it was 5 speed but that's alright.
I imagine you could find a nice low mileage one for less than ten grand.
There are a lot of them on the road.
Posted by weadjust
Member since Aug 2012
15618 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 11:57 am to
1st generation 2000-2006 Tundra w a V8 is about the same size as current mid size trucks. Finding a good one may take a while but they are out there & in your price range. Biggest killer of 1st Gen Tundras is rusted out frames & wrecks. Mechanically they are reliable for 300,000 miles plus. Timing belt does need replacing every 100k & it cost about $1200 so factor that into the price if you find a good one.
Posted by Theduckhunter
South Louisiana
Member since May 2022
1272 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 12:08 pm to
Carvana shows a few frontiers in the neighborhood of your price range.
Posted by TigerBait1971
PTC GA
Member since Oct 2014
15861 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 12:12 pm to
Thanks all.

quote:

Carvana shows a few frontiers in the neighborhood of your price range


Speaking of, has anyone had any experience buying through Carvana. I'm curious about going that route.
Posted by subMOA
Komatipoort
Member since Jan 2010
1941 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 12:16 pm to
I bought a 250,000 mile 2nd gen Tacoma (timing chain vs. belt) and I would honestly drive it anywhere.

Previous owner was nuts about maintenance so all the ball joints and bushings had been changed.

With all that said, be prepared to pay $12,000 for one like that- 4WD, Crew, tasteful mods- Bilstein suspension, wheels, Apple car play.

Do not get a Colorado (first gen) the transmissions aren't real good. I had one and it would shake you out the seat when the converter tried to lock up. Good looking truck tho- I had a diesel ZR2 and probably was one of my favorite vehicles- until the whole transmission part. Had a buddy with the same issue and GM had a TSB out on it- so it wasn't a fluke.
Posted by Koolazzkat
Behind the Tupelo gum tree
Member since May 2021
2896 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 12:19 pm to
Bellelo’s furniture has this model for sale in front of their store in New Roads right now.
Posted by 257WBY
Member since Feb 2014
7100 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 12:55 pm to
Taco

Or equip a Lexus GX460 for off road. Their great because they’ve previously been driven by soccer moms and blue hairs.
Posted by poppa1254
Moody, AL
Member since Jan 2019
551 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 1:33 pm to
Bought my '18 Silverado through Carvana in 2022. I traded in a '15 Highlander with 42k miles. They matched my trade-in offer from Carmax. The entire buy deal was seamless and easy. Truck had some hidden body damage that they didn't disclose. I only found it the first time it rained and the back seat got wet from water coming in at the high brake light. Body shop guy said it looked like a large tree limb. He also said it appeared whoever repaired it used a rattle can for paint. Carvana refused to repair it. I'll never use them again. YMMV.
Posted by X123F45
Member since Apr 2015
29382 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:08 pm to
Frontier with the 3.3 is a tractor motor essentially. Onky issue is the knock senspr can go out and make it run weird.

Relocate knock sensor to top of intake rather than in the valley of the V.

Frontier 4.0 will run essentially forever as long as you keep clean air going into it and change the oil before it breaks completely down. (5k standard, 10k if you run 0w40). My 4.0 went 337k or so before I traded it. Good machine.
Posted by subMOA
Komatipoort
Member since Jan 2010
1941 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:13 pm to
Please explain how a 3.3L gas V6 is "essentially a tractor motor"
Posted by RobertFootball
SC
Member since Mar 2021
1889 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:22 pm to
2003-2004 Toyota Tacoma 3.4 v6 with manual. There is no other answer to this question.
Posted by bayouteche
The Beaches of Wham Brake
Member since Nov 2012
1646 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:46 pm to
This.

GX with some KO2s.
Posted by X123F45
Member since Apr 2015
29382 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 3:29 pm to
quote:

3.3L gas V6 is "essentially a tractor motor"


Cast iron block. Low compression. Peak torque barely over 2500 rpm.

Don't be snarky.

It's like a ford 300. It prefers to operate at lower rpm.

The 4.0l is the opposite, it's fine running 4-6k rpm all day long.

Posted by Jesco
Houston
Member since May 2022
257 posts
Posted on 10/20/25 at 8:30 pm to
I have a ‘12 Xterra. 190K Same 4.0 V6 and 5speed auto trans as Frontiers up to around 2020 or so. Compression is great on all cylinders, never a problem. Trans is tight too. I have a lot of good things to say about that power train. Frontier interiors are simple and dated, but the truck is sound. That’s what matters to me in a used vehicle on a budget.
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