looking for the impossible. non-Valk

[da prez]

  My current truck has 290000 miles on it. I have had it for 18 years. I love it. It's a 2001 GMC.
 I am trying to replace it with a newer version.  I want (will not settle for less) a two door cab , short bed V-8 engine. Two or four wheel drive. The more basic the better.
  I have contacted dealers and they show me four door , quad cabs , everything I am not looking for.
  I have done a lot of research. I would like another GMC , 2017 to 2019. I found one ,but I do not like white or black. (I may have to lower my expectations). I found a 2008 in black ,137000 miles ,but $16500.00 was way overpriced.  I may try other brands , but will research before buying.
 If anyone has any Insite , please contact me.

                                                                 da prez

                                                               

[Jess from VA]

I'm no help Ross.

But are you saying your current beloved truck is beyond (soundly economical) repair?

My wife (now separated 15 years) and I paid cash (50/50) for a new Dodge Dakota extended cab for her in 2004.

It now has about a quarter million miles on it and is costing her an arm and a leg to keep it going (and she gets taken advantage of as a girl).  She has a cherry collector low miles Mercury Marquis in perfect condition she only drives on occasion.  She just retired (on small money) and I've tried to get her to dump the Dodge money pit, but she won't do it.

"I love my truck and I'm keeping it."   

[Serk]

Wish I had a useful suggestion, but in a similar situation...

My 2006 Acura MDX is coming up on a quarter million miles. It still gets me where I wanna go most of the time, but I wouldn't trust it for a road trip.

Starting to peek around a bit for a possible replacement but meh...

On the flip side, I can pay for a whole lot of repairs instead of a car note (Or the equivalent financial hit it'd take to buy a newer one cash.)

[Jess from VA]

I've only owned one new car (my current truck, and technically it was a dealer loaner with 600 miles) my whole life.  And one new bike (not a Valk). 

As my income improved, I just moved up to newer/better used cars.

My theory has always been it's cheaper to fix them then buy them.  But eventually there comes a time when repairs cost more than the value of the car repaired (and usually at that point, more repairs are coming shortly), and that's happened to me several times (mostly long ago).

My other theory is... all cars are junk, so don't get attached to them.      

[f6john]

Two door short beds all bring premium money around here regardless of equipment or color. I’m hoping the replacement bug doesn’t hit me again anytime soon. My 20 year old Nissan Titan has accumulated 212,000 miles, still looks presentable, no body or frame damage or rust and runs like a scalded dog! I’ve had to spend some money on maintenance this year but it was all for parts as YouTube and I handled the labor. I thank Jesus everyday for keeping me in operating condition too! Spare parts for me are expensive and rare.

Good luck in your search!

[John Schmidt]

I saw a 2-door sitting in a local Chevy dealer's lot, was a light color but don't recall it being white. Dealers around here close on weekends so folks can drive through and look without being bothered so if you like, I can check it out a little closer rather a drive by. It's true, that cab is hard to find. Everything seems to be quad or extended cab types which wouldn't want either.

[da prez]

Thank you John. The help is needed. Sales people who try to tell me what I need are dropped fast.

  I KNOW WHAT I WANT.

                                                     da prez

[luftkoph]

The cabs keep getting bigger and the beds smaller, soon there will be a triple cab and a 2 foot bed.

[Robert]

Tundra, or any Toyota pick up but be prepared to spend. Nissan is Ok.

[scooperhsd]

The cabs keep getting bigger and the beds smaller, soon there will be a triple cab and a 2 foot bed.

You nailed it on that one 

[Hook#3287]

I found one ,but I do not like white or black. (I may have to lower my expectations).

I like white, except for bikes, all my vehicles purchased since around 1996 have been white. 

Doesn't show the dirt as much, reducing time spent washing.

Other light colors are probably the same.

[Jess from VA]

I found one ,but I do not like white or black. (I may have to lower my expectations).

I like white, except for bikes, all my vehicles purchased since around 1996 have been white. 

Doesn't show the dirt as much, reducing time spent washing.

Other light colors are probably the same.

I had one white car (a very used Arizona State Police car; Plymouth Fury 383ci, that hauled ass  ).

And my current white Ram Promaster 2500.  Nearly all of them are white, as they are a service type vehicle, and I think white is considered the safest color (hard to miss).

I was never crazy about white, but now I'm completely sold on it.  If you can't see that 8.5 foot tall white whale, you are blind.  It will also haul ass (285 horse big 6cy), but I've cut down on that kind of driving in my old age, mostly. 

[Robert]

How about just putting an engine and or tranny in it?

On my 91 with 200k on the odometer I did just that. Cheaper than a new truck and I still have my 8' bed and low insurance since its 30 years old. AC, heat, seat covers, and still in great condition.

No rust, body has thicker metal, suspension easy and cheap to repair. Parts are about a 10th of the newer truck parts and so much aftermarket parts are available. Even grills and lights, seats.

No advantage to me to go new for 40k or more and get less.

Go for a used engine and trans out of a good low mileage truck or below is the connect and cruise package from Chevy. Buy engine, trans or both with computers or go performance engine.

https://www.chevrolet.com/performance-parts/crate-engines/engine-transmission-packages

[Alien]

I'm still driving my 1964 F250.  I can't imagine paying what they're asking for a new car or truck (or motorcycle) these days.

[Jersey mike]

I’ve been watching (on/off) truck prices for quite awhile, all makes and models are way overpriced.

Good luck. Be patient if you can. A private sale may be your best bet.

[Jack B]

Ford sells a lot of F150 short bed with a V8. Some put a supercharger on top of that if you’re looking for a 700 hp short bed
A friend of mine bought a new short bed Chevy. You can only get that with the turbo charge four-cylinder good luck I know they’re hard to find and bring good money

[Serk]

We're drifting off the impossible goal set by OP so I'll add to it...

Just took delivery two days ago of my first big pickup.

It was, sadly, an inheritance from a young cousin that passed away 11 years ago.

My mom's twin sister (My aunt) had it maintained but otherwise left it as my cousin parked it 11 years ago. She finally decided it was time for it to move on.



2004 Chevy Silverado 4x4 Z71. It's got suicide rear doors. I have no idea if that counts as a short bed or what but it feels like a monster to me driving it around but I'll get used to it.

Without some sort of extended cab I don't fit in a pickup, curious why someone would want a truck without that feature? Does it always come at the expense of bed length?

(My last pickup was a 1984 Toyota that was also a hand me down, and I don't follow pickup trends really, so sorry if that's an obvious query.)

[f6john]

Not what you’re looking for, but sure is a sweet looking ride.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1554460689310359/?ref=product_details&referral_code=marketplace_general&referral_story_type=general_listing&tracking=%7B%22qid%22%3A%22-7983948237608901405%22%2C%22mf_story_key%22%3A%228715977341545889227%22%2C%22top_level_post_id%22%3A%228715977341545889227%22%2C%22commerce_rank_obj%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22target_id%5C%22%3A8715977341545889227%2C%5C%22target_type%5C%22%3A6%2C%5C%22primary_position%5C%22%3A15%2C%5C%22ranking_signature%5C%22%3A4949470551206549832%2C%5C%22ranking_request_id%5C%22%3A5769315410900551169%2C%5C%22commerce_channel%5C%22%3A501%2C%5C%22value%5C%22%3A0.00087225831705381%2C%5C%22upsell_type%5C%22%3A129%2C%5C%22candidate_retrieval_source_map%5C%22%3A%7B%5C%2225279470081682472%5C%22%3A3528%2C%5C%2224392045853781472%5C%22%3A3528%7D%2C%5C%22grouping_info%5C%22%3Anull%7D%22%7D