5 Cheap Trucks That Will Last Forever (5 That Will Bring You To Your Knees)

2022-09-24 11:47:20 By : Ms. NANCY MA

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Pickup trucks don't have to be expensive to last a lifetime, but choosing the wrong one will result in countless repair bills.

A pickup truck is primarily an investment to cater to your hauling and hauling needs while offering a decent amount of comfort, power, and reliability. Some trucks are built with reliability and longevity in mind and the best part is they don’t cost an arm and a leg to own. On the flip side, you may spend more time with your mechanic than on the road when you get some very unreliable trucks.

To arrive at our list of long-lasting trucks, we took a look at the study by the automotive search engine iSeeCars.com. Many of these reliable trucks can last up to 400,000 miles, while the unreliable ones can barely manage 100,000 miles before falling apart completely. Keep scrolling for the five cheap trucks that are built like a tank and five that crumble just after a few miles.

Related: 10 Old Beaters That'll Last Forever (And 10 New Cars Built To Crumble)

The Toyota Tundra is a full-size truck that needs no introduction. In terms of build quality and reliability, the Tundra is one of the best trucks out there, so its healthy sales figures don’t come as a surprise.

According to iSeeCars.com, over 4% of the total Tundras in the United States have more than 200,000 miles on the odometer. Some Tundras have at least 300,000 miles, and you may come across a few with over 500,000 miles.

Let’s face it, when you think of a truck, Suzuki doesn’t come to mind, even though the Japanese automaker has been making vehicles since the 1980s. The midsize pickup is not for those who desire a trouble-free ownership experience.

The worst issues plaguing the Suzuki Equator have to do with the engine, airbag sensor, random squeaky noise, and electrical parts. The 2009 and 2011 model years come with the most troubles, so you should avoid them.

The Toyota Tacoma has been around since 1994, with sales figures soaring year after year. The Tacoma is built with longevity in mind, so with minimal maintenance, the truck can last 300,000-400,000 miles.

Over 2.8% of the total Tacomas have more than 200,000 miles on them, per iSeeCars.com. The best part is that you don’t have to break the bank to keep your Tacoma in shape, as about $6,420 can cover the maintenance and repair costs for over a decade according to CarEdge.

Related: Here Are The Best Features Of The Toyota Tacoma

The Chevy SSR was introduced during the retro craze of the early 2000s. Its unique form as a blend of a pickup truck and a sports car might be tempting to explore, but with the reliability problems it faces, that wouldn’t be the best investment.

Owners of a Chevy SSR would likely experience overheating and electrical issues, especially with the 2004 model year, which seems to be the worst year. Issues with the engine, transmission, and exhaust system also pop up regularly.

With its lightweight, car-based design, the Honda Ridgeline is for those who want the practicality of a truck and the performance of a car. If you drive with caution and maintain your Ridgeline, it should last up to 300,000 miles.

With minimal repairs, your Ridgeline can stick around for over 20 years. iSeeCars reports that 3.7% of the Ridgelines on the road have over 200,000 miles. Going by mileage reports of owners, new Ridgelines work quite fine until 250,000-300,000 miles.

You might spend more time with your mechanic than on the road by owning a Mazda B3000. From the inside to the outside brings you one problem or another. If you are not cautious, rust may eat away the whole frame of the B3000. Also, because of the plastic construction, the door handles tend to break easily.

It’s not uncommon for the ignition coils of the B3000 to go bad before 100,000 miles. Also, expect the clutch slave cylinder to fail a lot, making the clutch feel loose. The plastic heater control valves are prone to leaks due to overheating and this results in coolant leaks.

The Nissan Titan has integrated smoothly into the American market, thanks to its reliable standard 5.6L V8 engine and rugged look. Achieving 200,000 miles is no problem for Nissan, as over 2.6% of the total Titans go beyond this milestone.

Like every other truck, the Titan lasts longer with proper care. Thankfully, maintenance and repair costs aren’t that steep. Keeping the Nissan Titan in good shape over 10 years sets you back about $8,645, per CarEdge.

Related: The Perfect Pickup: The Nissan Titan GT-R

The Lincoln Blackwood is Ford’s attempt at blending the capability of a truck with the comfort amenities of a Lincoln sedan. Despite sharing the same chassis and structure as the bestselling Ford F-150, the Blackwood was a total flop, selling only 3,356 units.

The reasons for the Blackwood failure are not far-fetched, as it lacks utility and off-road capability. You also have to grapple with the engine problems and the tacky fake wood on the truck bed.

As the bestselling truck in America for more than 40 years, the Ford F-150 is the go-to pickup for many people who desire comfort, reliability, practicality, and ruggedness. Roughly 2.4% of the F-150 full-size trucks have over 200,000 miles.

Automotive listing platforms like Car Gurus have Ford F-150 trucks with 400,000 miles on the odometer and they are still going strong. But maintenance isn’t exactly the most affordable. It would cost you roughly $10,245 to fix the F-150 during its first 10 years on the road.

You probably won’t find many Subaru Bajas on the road today because the model was short-lived and problematic. With production running from 2003-2006, the Baja was rugged and off-pavement ready. However, as a ute with less hauling and towing capabilities than traditional small trucks, the Baja struggled to survive.

Owners of the 2006 Baja are likely to experience a loss of power while on the road. Also, the Baja’s engine feels rough at idle, while the steering feels loose. If there’s a particular year you should avoid, it’s the 2005 Baja, which seems to register the most problems going by what’s obtainable from many Subaru forums.

Peter Akpejeluh is a content writer with years of experience in the automotive industry. His love for cars makes crafting colorful stories around them quite effortless. When Peter is not developing automotive content, you can find him taking one of his favorite cars for a spin.