So which compact pickup would you choose to do work around the farm, to drive around and overall be the truck you would choose out of Chevy S10, Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota, or Toyota Tacoma? I'm not asking because I want to buy one, but just to get opinions from other members. I have my own opinion and will eventually let it out I have experiences with all these trucks and can tell you which I would choose hands down.
Compact pickups (Ranger, S10, Dakota, Tacoma)
- Thread starter DitchBank
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bigbull338
Well-known member
i know this isnt an option.but none of the above.because to me they are to small.id go with the F150 because you have the room to haul feed an fencing supplies.an pull a trailer if you need to.
Dun that is a tough question. I have a 1996 GMC Sonoma 4cyl efi, 5 sp manual. I bought new for daily commuting. It was great for that. Best mileage on premium fuel. Plenty of power to pull itself with a five hundred pound cargo. It has 105,000 miles on it with no major problems. I use it for short trips to the feed store. I would not use it for heavy farm chores.. My son bought a 1997 Dodge Dakota 4cyl, 5sp. It loved gas, no mileage, or power, Cab designed tight but handled well on the freeway.Not good for farm use. It has been parked for eight years. My Daughter had a Tacoma 4x4, She liked it but it was her toy and she finally grew up and sold it. Now my son Tom, bought a new Toyota 4cyl, 5 sp 4x4 and drove the hell out of it. He went mud boggin, hill climbing, you name it, he tried it. He could not kill it. Overall I would have to agree with Bigbull338. I'm sorry for the long winded story, the subject just brought back memories. Have a good day. Tom :cboy:
john250
Well-known member
I had an '84 Ranger and worked the bejeebers out of it. Daughter has an 04 Ranger, and they are still very good trucks with noisy engines.
No experience with the others. I doubt you could go far wrong in this category of vehicles. They are all simple machines with years of production to work out the bugs.
No experience with the others. I doubt you could go far wrong in this category of vehicles. They are all simple machines with years of production to work out the bugs.
ALX.
Well-known member
Had a little 84 Ranger with the 4 cyl, paid 3400 for it and drove it for 7 years, mostly commuting but quite a few light loads, mostly construction materials.
Only problem I had was the hydraulic clutch went when I was in a large city 300 miles from home.
By that time I was so familiar with that little transmission it was no trouble getting home without the clutch. :lol:
Only problem I had was the hydraulic clutch went when I was in a large city 300 miles from home.
By that time I was so familiar with that little transmission it was no trouble getting home without the clutch. :lol:
I had a stick shift, 6 cylinder 1986 model Ranger that I bought new. It had a 2.94 litre engine, I believe, and I worked it like my '02 250 Powerstroke. I hauled crossties, posts, wire, hogs, hog exhibitors, pulled a trailer loaded with hogs, fertilizer, hay, etc. That little truck just wouldn't give up. Little Red was a good truck and was replaced by Big Red, a '94 F-150. Finally sold Little Red for $600.00 and there was still a fire in his boiler.
DiamondSCattleCo
Well-known member
I've owned an S10, a Ranger and a Dakota. The Dakota is far and away the best of the three. More payload, better power, good fuel economy. I would be tempted to check out a Tacoma though, just for curiosity sake.
Rod
Rod
newrancher
Well-known member
I prefer the s-10, w/v6, A friend has a Tacoma and it seems to be working out for her. I had an 83 ranger w/4cyl, itt was a good truck if you werent in any kind of hurry.
The Ranger with the bigger V6 and 4wd is a much better truck then the the 4 banger or the little V6. Tey get about the same fuel mileage but the bigger engine actaully get's a couple of tenths a mile better.
mac
Member
The statute of limitations may have run out for this story, but in 1997 I was involved in a marketing focus group here in Houston. Nissan was doing it prior to releasing their new Frontier for 1998. We took turns driving a fleet of Toyota Tacomas, Chevy S10s, Ford Rangers and Frontiers. My opinion then was that the Ranger was buzzy and weak, the S10 was sluggish and heavy, the Tacoma was peppy and nimble and the Frontier was strong and comfortable. I have to admit I was partial to the new Frontier as I owned a 1995 Nissan Hardbody at the time, but I was equally impressed by the Tacoma. That was eleven years ago.
In the meantime, I have 138,000 miles on my Hardbody. It lives in Houston and does not do much at my Dad's ranch in East Texas, but has hauled 1,500 pounds in the bed with the aid of Gabriel Hi-Jackers. It's just a plain, white, standard cab, four-cylinder, two-wheel drive, but people have left notes on my truck and even come up and rung my doorbell to ask me if I want to sell it.
Nissan made the Hardbody pickup from 1986 to 1997. There are quite a few of them running around in the Crockett/Palestine area, which is particularly unusual I think, because there are no Nissan dealers in the vicinity. One rancher I talked to there got his Hardbody from his son in California and uses it all the time instead of his big pickup.
The Hardbodies had 14" wheels. He has oversize street tires on his and I put fat Kumho mud tires on mine to help with the deep sand there but mostly because I liked the 4X4 look. Yes, I am a poseur. If you drive a Nissan pickup or SUV, there is a huge forum at nissanoffroad.net
In the meantime, I have 138,000 miles on my Hardbody. It lives in Houston and does not do much at my Dad's ranch in East Texas, but has hauled 1,500 pounds in the bed with the aid of Gabriel Hi-Jackers. It's just a plain, white, standard cab, four-cylinder, two-wheel drive, but people have left notes on my truck and even come up and rung my doorbell to ask me if I want to sell it.
Nissan made the Hardbody pickup from 1986 to 1997. There are quite a few of them running around in the Crockett/Palestine area, which is particularly unusual I think, because there are no Nissan dealers in the vicinity. One rancher I talked to there got his Hardbody from his son in California and uses it all the time instead of his big pickup.
The Hardbodies had 14" wheels. He has oversize street tires on his and I put fat Kumho mud tires on mine to help with the deep sand there but mostly because I liked the 4X4 look. Yes, I am a poseur. If you drive a Nissan pickup or SUV, there is a huge forum at nissanoffroad.net
BTRANCH
Well-known member
We have a '96 Ranger with over 240,000 miles on it. All three kids learned to drive a stick in it and I have learned only recently so did all their friends. It is a miracle the transmission has lasted this long. I finally replaced the clutch last year but that was no big deal. We have done good routine maintenance and only replaced the fuel pump and an alternator in all the years.
We also have a '93 F150 with over 275,000 on it, an '02 F350 with over 177,000 miles on it.
We also have a '93 F150 with over 275,000 on it, an '02 F350 with over 177,000 miles on it.
oscar p
Well-known member
Used toyota's are hard to find and hard to beat.. The Mexican have bought them all up. When the Mexican first came here, they were buying up 3/4 ton trucks. The last couple years their buying up all the toyota 4x4"s they can find. They will pay for them. The used car dealers mark the trucks up so high on account of the Mexican,the americans wont buy them because they know their getting ripped.
Well, I am not mexican, but I bought a used Toyota Tacoma 4x4 and I love it. Its tough, durable, and will go anywhere around this rough terrain I have around here. I haul my small loads in it, with good gas mileage. Its a very dependable 4 cylinder they made in that truck, with lots of power. I have even used it to haul my trailor when I need to take a bull or cow/calf somewhere.
Use my bigger 1 ton diesel Chevy for bigger loads.
Use my bigger 1 ton diesel Chevy for bigger loads.
