I've been using Veeky Forums for years but I never go on this board. I need advice on buying a truck. I'm planning on living on the road for a while, and I'd like to do it in a truck with a slide in camper (like pic related) I was trying to get advice from a friend who suggested buying a first generation tacoma, but after doing some research, even though those look like solid trucks, they don't seem capable of carrying one of these campers, so now I need more options. I'm hoping to buy something used for under $7k. I'd like something reliable and easy to fix, with hopefully decent gas milage.
Christopher Robinson
Chevy/GMC 2500/3500 5.7l
Parker Fisher
Any years better than others?
Camden Sanchez
You could get a square body F250 with the 7.3L. Those things are indestructible.
Carter Gomez
96+ for the Vortec. More power.
Hunter Mitchell
Sounds kindof like what I plan on doing, although i think im just going to buy a cheap late 90s ford e series van, get some sort of bed/futon, an expensive cooler, and some form of solar set-up
Jeremiah Cox
Lol . Diesels of any nature need fine tuning and maintenance of a specific nature. When they do fail they are pricey. The pros of a bit better mpgs and longevity are often out weighed by initial over cost and long term cost of ownership. Plus trying to find one that isn't molested with some shitty chip or crap turbo is difficult.
Also the 6.0 vortec chevy is a dog.
Either find something older and spend the extra money throwing parts at it, while keeping extra funds for road repairs (you will need it)
Chevy / Ford / Dodge are the best for finding parts everywhere.
I did a lot of traveling in a Land rover years ago and finding an alternator and misc electrical parts traveling around was very difficult.
Brayden Carter
This is a cheaper and simpler way of doing it. Trying to get back on the road myself and I've been eye balling those Dodge/Mercedes sprinter vans for the height. Older vans would be nice too so long as you save money for repairs.
Gabriel Campbell
You may want to consider a camper trailer, instead of a slide in like that.
Those slide ins generally don't have showers, so you're going to find yourself looking for a place to get a shower every couple of days.
Your options will be either a truck stop, or a motel room.
You won't have that problem with a camper trailer, as they usually have showers built in.
Julian Stewart
I would get a van , much better for stealth camping which you end up doing when on long trips
Aiden Foster
>a slide in camper They are great for campgrounds, but terrible for camping elsewhere unless you like to be hassled.
Juan Jones
>6.0 vortex chevy is a dog
Unless your only experience with that engine is in a hummer that engine is awesome, except for the mpg
Wyatt Gonzalez
There are plenty of slide ins with showers. I didn't want a trailer because I want to hike a lot and want to park it at a trailhead without finding a place to store my trailer. I like the idea of a van, but I love cooking so much that I want a fridge , stove, and oven with me. Plus storage to keep supplies to make goods to sell while I'm out there. (I'm a jeweler)
Sebastian Campbell
Why's that? You can park an rv at Walmart, why not a truck?
Julian Kelly
>(I'm a jeweler)
Caleb Cooper
>Also the 6.0 vortec chevy is a dog. Nigga wat? That engine is designed to last like 200k miles in fleet usage without a rebuild. It's extremely reliable. The only problem people have with it is its gas thirst.
Mason Hill
Whoa. Where did you find that spot on illustration of my hands? Mind if I save it?
Logan Russell
It's all yours friend
Jose Morgan
> 6.0 Chevy is a dog > 300hp-300 ft/lb torque > Dog No
Ryder Anderson
> Slide camper off > Drive truck somewhere > Return > Someone slid your camper on and stole it
> Sleep in camper at night > Gust of wind blows the truck on it's suspension, the camper acting as a sail > Gust stops, suspension rebounds > Gust of wind blows truck > Suspension rebounds Repeat until you learn to park into the wind
> Rains overnight > Get out of bed > Step outside > Sink into mud
Mobile home living is shit. Especially in europe, because you have to put up with either families with small kids, or lifestylers who are pretty much universally over-50 divorced single males complaining about the immigrants while living in spain and the south of france. Or the fucking pikeys trying to steal your home or your car, or the police being called on you if you stop at a supermarket on the way to somewhere, because they think you're planning to stay and shit all over the car park and steal shit.
Cameron Howard
> Slid your camper off and stole it > Unhitch camper > Someone hitched it and stole The only point that wasn't valid, the rest is pretty spot on
William Green
>Walmart My local Walmart has banned all over-nighters because of too many fights and law enforcement calls.. So check around.
Nathaniel Martin
Generally, you can't do that anymore period. But the difference is that an RV is generally more expensive than a truck+camper, so the camper trucks that show up get cast in a "this is just a hobo" light.
William Smith
>sink into mud >parking lot
>swaying in the wind >not buying a 1 ton dually and installing a rear sway bar from an SUV
Christopher Bennett
OP you faggot just buy and live in a civic you can race and live in your car its fucking perfect
Ayden Turner
Anyone else want to find the flaws in my plan? If I get a relatively small camper, do you think I'd be able to bring it out to trails and stuff alright? Then I'd just sleep in parking lots, truck stops, and nice people's driveways.
Anthony Clark
What kind of fine tuning do diesels need that a gasoline engine doesn't? More frequent fuel filter changes? That's about it. And don't try and say they need a $2k set of injectors every other year, you and I both know thats not true.
Jonathan Hernandez
Get a dually if you're not going to use the truck as a DD. They're much better for hauling slide in campers and will be more stable in the wind.
Also they all leak so avoid buying a slide in camper that has been stored outside for long periods of time. Look extra carefully for water damage, especially in the bed area above the cab. They love to leak around the windows and clearance lights.
Good luck finding one that isn't beaten completely to shit and isn't insanely overpriced for what it is.
This guy gets it, just too hard to find clean unmolested diesel trucks that weren't hacked up and abused by Bubba. Also diesel trucks love to eat up front suspension parts due to the heavier weight. If you're not using it as a DD, just buy a gas truck.
Diesels require the following:
> 2 sets of batteries vs 1 for a gas truck
> oil changes cost about double what they are for a gas-powered truck
> for the price of injectors + turbo on a diesel you could buy a brand fucking new gasoline engine and even enough left over for installation
Tyler Baker
>parking lots You haven't revealed your method of deterring niggers, homeless, or cops.
Blake Hill
I'd look into either a GM truck with the 8.1L V8 or a Ford Super Duty with the V10.
Both can easily be had for under $7K, especially if it's a dually and/or 2WD.
Don't even bother looking for a diesel in your price range.
Jack Morris
Walmart parking lot.
Well lit, patrolled by security, open 24 hours, and they don't seem to mind overnight RV parking from what I've seen.
Michael Fisher
>Walmart Depends on the store
Eli Morgan
>Diesels require the following: > >> 2 sets of batteries vs 1 for a gas truck No they don't. >> oil changes cost about double what they are for a gas-powered truck Also not true >> for the price of injectors + turbo on a diesel you could buy a brand fucking new gasoline engine and even enough left over for installation
Injectors and turbo should last well over 400,000 miles, Which is longer than your gasoline engine would last in a heavy duty application and by the time it's reached that milage it will have easily earned enough money to justify the cost of those repairs.
Wyatt Lewis
>last well over 400,000 miles >longer than your gasoline engine would last >at that mileage it will have easily earned enough money to justify the cost So diesel doesn't make sense for anyone but long haul truckers?
Aaron Clark
I remember years ago this shitty board was mostly "wat car gud??" threads. It went away for awhile in exchange for various flavors of shitposting but just today I've seen like 5 "wat truck gud" threads.
Fuck you people.
Noah Perry
There is always a stronger wind. It's a lesson I learned from seeing a 3.5ton campervan swaying in the wind. Next morning it had moved. In a regular towed caravan in the same place in the same conditions, sway was minimal due to lowered stabilisers. Still had to level shit out in the morning, though.
Really, the main lesson I've learned about living in a mobile home is 'don't;.
Jason Cox
my gas engine has over 300k on it and doesnt even burn oil fuccboi
Jack Young
A lot of slide ins have stabilizers too...
James Ortiz
You can find a mid 2000's Silverado with a 5.3 in your budget no problem. If you plan on staying on road you can save money and get a 2WD. Toss a 100$ pair of air shocks in it and you are good to go.
How do I know? This is my 2001. I have had it for 10 years and it now has 220,000 miles on it. I have BEAT this thing off road and hauling stuff. I used it to pull my 5,500 lb boat no problem.
I just replaced it with a 2017 Silverado. I only retired it because of rust. The drive train is still going strong. I kept it to use as a donkey at camp because it wont die.
Ethan Campbell
The Silverados together. Not a Chevy fan boy but if my new one is as good as my old one was I will be very happy for a long time.
Brody Harris
I actually heard rwd trucks were better for carrying those slide in campers. Can anyone confirm this?
Chase Reyes
I don't think that. They are lighter so the drive train may not have to work as hard but depending on where you live and how you plan to use the truck I prefer 4WD. Now I live in New England and go in the wood a lot so for me 2WD is not an option. If you can afford it get 4WD.
Dylan Parker
Payments - term?
Angel Thompson
Was 50k before rebates and dealing. Payments are about $550 a month. But I am making double payments to get it paid off fast.
Isaiah Sanders
Unless you already own a truck, I wouldn't bother with a tiny camper like that.
Just get a van. Mercedes/Dodge Sprinter will have more space, and better fuel economy than a truck with a cuckshed on the back
Landon Gutierrez
Most modern diesel trucks have two batteries
The fuel filters alone are like 75 bucks, and the motor oil itself usually costs more.
> injectors and turbo should last well over 400,000 miles
Top kek. 200,000 miles tops. Diesel engines require replacement/rebuild of those big ticket items at some point. 400K is just an arbitrary number that you pulled out of your ass to prove your point.
You're a fucking retard that has no idea how diesel engines work in the real world. Don't try to deny that they're cheaper than gas motors in the long run.
Not necessarily, but 2WD trucks have a better turning radius and front end components are a little cheaper and don't wear out as fast. Also slightly better MPG.
Liam Adams
No, what kind of idiot are you? I'm saying that injectors and turbos will normally last the lifetime if the vehicle, not that 400k is some kind if magical target that you must hit if you own a diesel.
William Gray
>You're a fucking retard that has no idea how diesel engines work in the real world. Don't try to deny that they're cheaper than gas motors in the long run.
I'm a diesel mechanic you fucking retard of course I know how diesel engines work in the real world, a lot better than you do obviously.
Also, what fuel filter is costing you $75? A 33358 that fits basically everything? They are $8. Fleetguard filters for an ISBe are $35. Hino filters for an NO4C are $39. And those are expensive filters. You may be paying the schmucks price for your filtration, but that doesn't mean everyone is.
Noah James
Also faggot, your 200,000 mile injectors and turbos are a result of oil starvation or over spooling and fuel contamination. There is not much else that would make them fuck out like that. I work on a fleet of over 1000 diesel vehicles, some of them 25+ years old. I can't remember the last time I had to change a turbo that hadn't either been starved of oil or driven around with a massive boost leak and started pushing oil out it's shaft seals. Same with injectors, they don't just fuck out (unless you have a cat C7) they get grit/dirt/water in them and it fucks up the seats in them. Clearly your $75 fuel filters aren't working out for you, have you tried wix filters?
Carter Ward
That's not really a tiny camper. I'd like to have a shower, a fridge, and something better than a shitty camp stove to cook on. Also more storage because I'd like to take a decent amount of supplies with me. If you see a way to make this work with a van, I'm all ears.
Xavier Adams
Okay so I'm looking at older model (2000-2005) silverado 2500s. Most have around 150-200,000 miles on them, but ads say they're in good shape. Would you trust one of these on the road? I'll have some money saved for repairs but I don't want it to be a disaster waiting to happen either.
Jose Williams
Thanks Lori
Charles Baker
This. The Walmart by my house bans overnighters but some are cool with it. Depends on the management I think.
Hunter Gomez
Litterly the only issue I ever had with one is I rekt my transfer case trying to do a awd burnout.
You will more than likely need rear helper bags, and a bigger trans cooler if your going up hills slot. Other then that I've put over 180k on my 2004 with only minor maitence stuff being replaced. She's now at 328k miles and was a fleet hot shot truck for oil companys that towed trailers all day.