Shopping for new Shop Truck, what to get?

So, my shop truck gave up last week and will not start anymore. It has been touch and go for a while. It’s a 98 F150, white base work truck that I inherited when I started my job. It has been poorly cared for and in recent years: broken into and they tried to steal it (why), the trans was run low of fluid by a professor because they thought nothing red could have come out of the truck so they ignored it, and the body is rusting away mostly from sitting out in the elements. It has only 108k miles. But, it’s not worth fixing. My other shop truck is a 97 Ram 2500 manual 4x4 single cab with a 318. Students drive it. It’s on engine 3, trans 2, clutch 3, and front end 3. None of them can drive stick.

My question is: since almost any new truck will cost 40 to 45k, what would people suggest?

I don’t think a tacoma will cut it, as I need an 8 foot bed often, and we are starting to need towing up around the 12k lbs mark 4 or 5 times a year right now and that may be more often. We have a 14k trailer but I’m looking to get a larger goose neck trailer in the next few years to replace this beat down one we have.

I’m leaning toward the f350 single cab duel, or the gmc 3500 single cab duel, but I drive a ninja 250 or my 5lug most days so this would be out of my experience.

Some one must have some they can offer. Thanks

 

Sitting in a budget meeting now..... open to lightly used models....

 

I'd suggest USED full size 1 ton.

No sense doing new with students driving it.
Goose neck at 14k will be needing a full size 1 ton.
Plus sitting in the elements.....

Whatever you get. Pull initial service on all high mileage items, then get it on a maintenance schedule.

 

The 7.3L Ford sounds nice and, in theory, will be very reliable. However, the fuel economy isn't that great and I believe it also lacks power compared to some of the competitors which have more modern designs.

 

Fuel isn’t much of an issue as I just fill up at the motor pool pump, but I’m trying to not go with diesel. I know it’s the best was to go, and maybe I just need to get over it.

 

I'm going to have to vote GM and 3500.

 

I believe the hype in the 7.3L was modernizing an old design to improve reliability. Unfortunately, from my understanding, that's about all it accomplished.

 

I think they are referring to the new 7.3 Ford HD Gas engine

 

Yeah, I meant that I knew that I shouldn’t be limiting my search to gas only truck, but we have had that and maybe a diesel would be the way to go instead of the 7.3 engine in the Ford. Bad phrasing on my part. There is just the premium charged for the Diesel engines rather than any of the gas options that pushes all the cost up.

 

What does said shop truck do? Either 3 will do. I suppose which features you like best and how much you wanna spend. I like the dodge power wagon features myself but not sure if they come 8ft bed. Good luck with your search... keep us updated

 

Truck hauls building material, tows trailers, and the airstream sometimes. Mostly used in town, but hits the highway about 5 times a year is all. It gets driven by me and my other full time employee, professors and other staff, and students that I have hired to work for me.

It’s the shop truck for a state university Architecture and Design school.

 

Plows snow?

 

Nope, not my job. It’s only used to support the building projects for the school. We run a design/build program so we have to move stuff around to sites and between campus and our warehouse.

 

Sounds like you have some shopping to do. Have you narrowed down anything particular yet?

 

F350 regular cab duelly, gmc 3500 regular cab duelly, or the ram 3500 duelly, all gas engine with no options and work truck package interiors. All grunt, no options but towing brake controllers. They all run 43k or so..... or about the same as an adjunct professor costs....

 

Used I think you said.... I guess which ever you find in a decent condition

 

Well, looks like cuts will mean truck is probably not happening this year unless I get a grant. We got the word that cuts will be a new baseline and will get worse for 2 years due to loss of state funding. So.... looks like we will have to drag the old one along for another year or two.... maybe I can get an alumni to donate one.

I will update once I get a call one way or another.

 

Ram 3500.

I really like our 2019 Ram 2500 CTD. We're 17,000 miles in with zero issues. My Tacoma is still my daily driver but the Ram is the nicest vehicle I've ever owned. (edit; also the most expensive by a factor of 2x )

 

Besides Toyota Ive been a Ford guy since the 1970s. But I do like the GMC Duramax/Allison setup.

 

"We're giving you less money and taking away XYZ resources. And here are your additional responsibilities." Classic. I vote GM only because they've always served our family well.