Anyone else surprised/frustrated at how much you have to spend to get a good, used reliable pickup? I’m looking to buy one and build my system on the bed. Was looking at models 7 years old and newer, well maintained and with a good record reliability, allowing me to buy one w over 120k miles and still have plenty of life in all the vital parts. My budget is 15k
Any recommendations? Does one have to travel, well out of their area, to grab a good deal?
Keep looking, it takes time to come across the right deal, specially now.
As much as it hurts me to say this, Look for a chevy… I’ve been a lifetime Ford guy but my 2013 Chevy express has been trouble free! not that my fords haven’t but they seem to be a little harder to work on and parts seem to cost a little more in my experience.
This time of year is always when the dealers push trucks and the price gets pretty high up there. All you can do is keep looking and be patient
“affordable pickup”… 
Appreciate the tip. How many miles on your Chevy? Funny how they cant give away a domestic car with 175k miles while a truck w 175K is still highly sought after.
I got it with 7k and it’s about the hit the 100k mark 99,450
I will for sure buy a chevy again, no complaints here.
Definitely look out of state. Preferably a state that doesn’t put salt on the roads. I’ve flown out of state one time to buy a truck and saved about $7k. This was about 15 years ago tho. Maybe wait a little bit. Maybe the price will drop down a little since the cost of gas and oil is going through the roof. Then again, high truck prices might be part of their plan too. Better run out and buy that new electric truck.
You haven’t heard… used cars and trucks have jumped over 21%. The best recommendation is don’t buy if you don’t have to. If you do, which it sounds like you do then you are going to buy something way over priced. It sucks.
My truck cost me $650. I’ve put about $2000 into it the 3 years I’ve owned it and ut has served me well.
Yep, I’ve actually given in to the “only buy new” lobby…albeit only for company trucks, everything else I bargain hunt like crazy 
I bought my 2011 Chevy 2500WT long bed with about 115k miles on it 2 years ago for $16.8. My latest offer on mine from the Chevy dealer I bought it from is now $19k with 130k miles on it. He contacts me about once a month and goes up a little each time. Which means he thinks he can sell it for over $20k
Prices are crazy here in Florida also.
But with patience there is deals to be found. Last month I bought a GMC Duramax 2008 with utility bed 207k miles for $7500. I always check Facebook marketplace, craigslist and all the locals groups. I bought this from a company 40 miles from me.
for those who don’t read all the junk that I do, here is a little snippet:
The chips are rolling in, getting placed, and the trucks are moving out. The big hold up on trucks in the marketplace was the chips that they needed to ship them out. Well, they are here and the trucks can be found on lots again. If you were in the military you are familiar with the accordion effect, same thing happens with markets. It you have time and can be patient, in about 2 yrs I believe there will be another vehicle glut on the market. It will take time for the pent up demand to subside, the inventory to build, then the glut and price slashing will begin. Gas is going to be $4.00 a gallon in my area before long and that will also impact buying decisions, just like it always has. Besides, 60k-70k for a pickup is really insane when you step back and look at it.
Just one guys .02, who has seen this type of thing happen once or twice before. I know some of you need one now, so my advice is auctions, government auctions of old trucks. Yes, this market went up too, but not nearly as bad as the used car market. GPUs for computers are in the same boat now with all the scalpers.
Govdeal.net
Has always trucks for sale in the hundreds. If you can find one locally you can even see it before the auction.
Also copart.com if you like to fix a smash one.
I don’t like dealers at all. I made a big mistake getting a lease in 2019 on a Tacoma. Now Carvana offered me $4k over the buyout. The prices are crazy!!
Cost of insurance also went sky high with this new prices of trucks.
Good points Dirty. Buying an older truck from a private seller, then upgrading in a couple years is my new plan. If I widen my search I’m sure I can find something I’ll be happy with by the beginning of spring. In the meantime I have a 2012 Sequoia with 200K on it that appears to be worth 25K
Talk about a sellers market 
yes, federal and state agencies. Especially those states with multiple agencies working against one another. That is where the buys are. Don’t forget universities. Most major universities are state funded or partially funded through subisdies/grants etc etc, they have auctions too. Most of those work vehicles never make it over 35 mph, but have lots of miles on them.
