Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

[POINTER94]

I am selling my bronco as it no longer fits what I bought it for. I bought it to tow my 18ft larson open bow, but I sold that boat and bought a larger boat, and then got married a bought an expedition to tow the new boat and for the wife to use. The bronco is basically just sitting around and taking up space. I do make trips to the building supply, and to the dump and messing around in the country. The bronco has little room to haul things so I am thinking of replacing the bronco with a nice cheap pickup. I will only put maybe 2500 miles a year. Tops. Trailering isn't important as the expedition can handle any job that would come up. But a pickup would make some of those trips to the building supply, to the woods to hunt, messing around with the dog, going fishing at the river. etc. <br /><br />Please without getting into the one brand is better than others, what would you get. I am looking at getting 3500 for the bronco and spending maybe 5500 for the truck. I am looking at the dodge dakota, the six cylinder would be fine but is it dependable? I am 6'4" tall so an extended cab seems to be the only way I can fit into one of those smaller pickups. I can't find a toyota for the dollars I am willing to spend. And I don't see any reason for another 4wd. 2wd should do everything I need to get done.<br /><br />Any ideas or suggestions on vehicles that you have had good luck with or bad.

 

[Pony]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

I love the 6 I have in my Dakota. 100,000 miles with no issues so far......They are very dependable. It isnt uncommon to see one of those engines with 250,000 pplus and still running fine.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

I really am most interested in the dependability factor. Comfort would be a real plus. As I grow older I turn into more of a wuss!<br /><br />How is the power on her pony? Does she get up and going on the highway? I am tall but mostly legs so legroom is key?

 

[Pony]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

225 ft/lbs of torque, Not sure on the HP, the newer ones like yours would be might have more but its roughly 200. I havent had any issues pulling anything so far. The boat I have now is light, but I used to haul a heavy fiberglass tri-hull......it gets up and goes on the highway fairly well in my opinion. Not as well as a V8 does, but its not bad

 

[Pony]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

http://www.dodgedakotas.com/ <br /><br />lots of info on here from guys who own all different types. I have found a lot of good info on that site just by searching it

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

thanks pony

 

[eeboater]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

Hey Pointer... I hate that I am saying this, but the new Yota pickups are looking really nice... and, as everyone knows, anything Japanese seems to last forever. <br /><br />Plus, they are safe. My Dad has an '04 Tundra Double Cab that he ended up rolling down the highway 4 times. Someone crossed the middle lane and clipped his rear end. Real messy, yet he still walked away.<br /><br />Sean

 

[stevens]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

Pointer - I bought a prop on ebay from a guy in Missouri that mostly sells trucks. His feedback was superb and he (David Uzzell) was a really nice guy to deal with. It might then be interesting for your to check out ebay dealer "zautogroupnet" or see his website www.zautogroup.net

 

[one more cast]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

If I were in the market for a $5500 Truck the brand would be the least of my concerns. I would just be looking for a truck that looked,sounded,and drove the best.

 

[treedancer]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

Pointer how about getting yourself a utility trailer if you have the room and keeping the bronco?

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

Keeping it is plan B. It needs some work, as the tailgate like all bronco tailgates is completely rusted out and rust is starting to poke through on the rear quarter panels. It needs a complete brake job all around, and my first dog Hanna trashed the interior. Wife won't drive it. I kind of figured about 2500 to get her back into shape. Engine and drivetrain, electrical, and a/c are all perfect. Thought I would sell her while it still had some value. It is a somewhat unique vehicle with the removable top that doesn't leak and it still looks kind of ok. I also have no place to store the trailer either.....<br /><br />127K on the 351w isn't all that much for a 94'.<br /><br />Besides, variety is the spice of life.

 

[MYTJC]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

I have a 1996 Dakota 198K so far and i only had to replace the battery once and 1 water pump. I tune it and change the oil myslef and its been a blessing......

 

[Ron G]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

At 6' plus i would think you really need a full size to be really comfortable.as far as dependable its just like boats if you take care of them and do maintence they'll last a long time my 95 gmc 1500 has almost 200,000 going strong.

 

[alumistar]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

pointer, i'm 6'2 280 and i roll around in a 95 gmc jimmy 4door 4.3vortech. i don't know much about dodge, i've heard good and bad. but, my experience with gmc is: if you can get your fingers on a s-15 extra cab or 4door pickup, as long as it has a muli-port 4.3l vortec, you won't have many problems at all. my jimmy has 256,000 miles on it(original motor and tranny). it has never left me stranded, ever! since 1995, when i got it. but, like you said, it's not the make, it's the dependability that counts. i just wish i had photon torpedos and a tractor beam on mine

 

[wannagofishin]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

I wish your Bronco was a '78 or '79. I'd take it off your hands.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

Its too bad your Bronco is in bad shape, I would consider a straight trade or a trade w/cash, as my 95 F150 w/351 is basically in near perfect shape, and I have always liked the Broncos. Good luck though...

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

She isn't in rough shape just needs more love than I am willing to give a truck I only use about twice a month. But I wouldn't sell her to anyone here, just old school mentality. It will make some high school kid really popular for a year or two, for not a lot of bucks. Convertible in the summer and snowmobile in the winter. Most of the steering components have been replaced in the past couple of years, and she runs like a dream. Safe truck, until driven unsafely. I bought her for the same reason you probably would, it is a unique truck and fun. I got it after my divorce as one of those things I couldn't afford in college and didn't need after. Well no rush, I will throw and ad in the newspaper and wait. In the meantime I can get those truck trader magazines to go with the boating magazines in the bathroom....

 

[11 footer]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

How about posting a pict of the Bronco?<br /><br />I have a '96 W/351 and really love it, I've yet to have a problem hauling things either. Although my dad has a Dodge pickup I can use if needed, i haven't needed it yet. I just pull a trailer with the bronco, We've got a homemade pickup bed trailer W/ladder racks, and a landscaping trailer, so its like the best of both worlds. Works well for someone who doesn't need a pickup all the time.<br /><br />In terms of a tow vehicle, for anything substantial the Bronco isn't the best. It has the power to pull it, and the weight to stop it, but the short wheel base isn't the best for towing. I pull a Boston Whaler Montauk and wouldn't want to tow anything a while lot bigger then that. <br /><br />BTW,<br />This isn’t a old pict, when was the last time you say a Bronco with no rust?<br />

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

Ryan,<br /><br />For some reason I don't actually have one saved anywhere. When I get home this weekend I will try to remember to take one. It is no way as nice as the pic of the one you have. I thought I remember you saying you got a soft top for yours, where did you get it? The mfg'rs I know only make them for broncos through 91'.<br /><br />Yours is in great shape, if mine looked like that I would keep it. Also, you can pull almost anything that uses a trailer ball if you have the right rear axle ratio. Getting the trailer set up is the key. Boats are tough because the weight changes from launch to retrieve (gas burned 6lbs per gallon) moving the cg and making things interesting. I used mine to haul a 24ft cabin cruiser (6000lbs) for a season all around the midwest. It was so much fun, I bought a new expedition.<br /><br />BTW, the last time a saw a bronco without rust is when they sold them new in the dealerships.

 

[Pony]

Re: Selling my bronco, buying a truck.

IMHO, I'd shy away from the first Vortech engines. In all of my expirience being around them all of them developed leaky oil seals. They smoked like crazy at start-up and were a little rough.