Maybe it’s time to move away from that beat-up old Chevy that’s rusted over, or maybe you’re making your first move into the world of pickup trucks. Well, we’re here to help you find the perfect pickup for cheap.
Truck prices these days can be through the roof, but with our help, you can find the truck that’s right for you for under $10,000. Don’t believe me? Well, keep reading! I’m going to tell you why you should buy these 7 great trucks for less than $10,000!
2007 Ford F-250 Super Duty – American Workhorse
Let’s start this list off right with a powerful American pickup for the working man: the 2007 Ford F-250 Super Duty. Anything bearing the Super Duty name is guaranteed to be an absolute workhorse that can haul an entire construction site, and the 2007 F-250 is no different. This bald eagle has a base 300-horsepower 5.4-liter V8 engine that’s capable of towing up to 12,500 pounds, and has a carrying capacity of 3,200 pounds.
Even more powerful engines are available for a little more moolah, like a 362-horsepower V10, and a Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8. But with how impressive that base engine is, I hardly think you’ll need an upgrade. The F-250 comes in three trims: the XL which is strictly a work truck with a vinyl bench seat in the front, the XLT with a cloth-upholstered bench seat, or the Lariat, if you want some fine leather to sit on.
The only downsides to the 2007 F-250 Super Duty are that it’s not very maneuverable, it can be a little too loud, and yes, the fuel economy is pretty awful. But hey, it is a super-powerful pickup after all. This truck is a great buy for the price, like the XL trim example we found on AutoTempest with 105,000 miles for just under $10,000. And if you’re using it for a construction business or a landscaping company, the F-250 Super Duty’s going to pay for itself in no time.
Find a cheap Ford F-250 Super Duty on AutoTempest!
2007 Honda Ridgeline – Truck Bed SUV
Alright, alright, for all your pickup purists out there shouting at your screen that the Honda Ridgeline isn’t a real pickup, you can just skip this part of the article. The Ridgeline is just about the only unibody pickup on the market, meaning its body is manufactured as one whole structure, rather than several pieces on a frame like almost every other pickup, so truck enthusiasts say the Ridgeline is more of a car with a bed rather than an actual pickup.
Regardless, the Ridgeline comes in only one body style, and is built for versatility. While it’s probably not what you’re looking for if you need to haul massive amounts of raw material, the Ridgeline is reliable, spacious on the inside, and drives more like a crossover SUV than a bulky pickup. The base Ridgeline comes with a 3.5-liter single-overhead-cam V6 that puts out 245 horsepower, a five-speed automatic with a transmission cooler, and a Variable Torque Management all-wheel-drive system.
This truck is perfect as a commuter, but also has some off-road prowess if you need to bring your dirt bike out to the mountains. For just under $10,000 you can get a 2007 Honda Ridgeline RTL like the one we found on AutoTempest with under 100,000 miles. Maybe hardcore truck guys will make fun of you, but who really cares?
Find a cheap Honda Ridgeline on AutoTempest!
2012 Chevrolet Colorado – Dominant Daily
The Chevy Colorado’s been a dominant force in the compact pickup segment for years, because it’s the perfect truck for anyone who needs some modest towing capacity, but also lives in a city and needs to navigate through tight streets and fit into smaller parking spaces. The smallest pickup in Chevy’s lineup, the 2007 Colorado came in 3 different cab sizes, and with a bunch of different engine options.
The base engine offered was a 185-horsepower 2.9-liter inline-four, mated to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual. You could bump that up to a five-cylinder, but drivers have reported that the Colorado feels slower with that extra cylinder, and also has a weird vibration due to the odd cylinder count. There’s also the option to go with a 5.3-liter V8 that they pulled out of a Silverado 1500, but mating that to a four-speed automatic really just leads to less gas mileage than a bigger truck with a six-speed. Stick with that base engine and you’ll be satisfied.
Want your Colorado to handle like a sports car? Get that optional ZQ8 sport-tuned suspension and carve up your city streets. Going off-road? Upgrade to the Z71 package and tear up the mudpit. The Colorado’s fun to drive and pretty handy however you get it, and there’s a version for pretty much anyone’s needs. We found a 2012 Colorado with under 80,000 miles for a tad under $10,000 on AutoTempest. That’s a bargain and a half.
Find a cheap Chevrolet Colorado on AutoTempest!
2006 Dodge Dakota – Mid-Size Full-Ride
The 2006 Dodge Dakota is a mid-size truck with full-size personality. In fact, I’m not even sure it would be considered mid-size. In 2006, it was the largest truck in its class, and its 7,150-pound towing capacity put it on par with the big boys in the full-size class. It’s styled with a menacing front end similar to that of a Durango SUV, and it’s big enough to stand face-to-face with a full-size Dodge Ram.
The Dakota comes in two body styles: Club Cab and Quad Cab, with the Quad Cab being better if you plan on having backseat passengers. And it comes in three trim levels: SL, SLT, and Laramie. The base engine is a 3.7-liter V6 that cranks out 210 horsepower, but here’s where it gets interesting. You can upgrade that to a 4.7-liter V8 in any of the three trims, or an even higher output V8 in the SLT and Laramie trims.
And let me tell you, the V8 is the way to go with the Dakota. The V6 feels a little bit light for the body weight, and really doesn’t have much of an advantage over the V8 in terms of fuel economy. The regular V8 puts out 230 horsepower while the High Output V8 clocks in at 260. But whichever V8 option you go with, the Dakota accelerates with thrilling readiness and an exhaust note like the first chord in a Kenny Rogers concert. We found a 2006 Dodge Dakota SLT for under $8,000 with a little over 100,000 miles on AutoTempest. Who doesn’t love a cheap V8 truck?
Find a cheap Dodge Dakota on AutoTempest!
2008 Toyota Tacoma – The Economical Option
Originally considered a compact pickup in its first generation, the second generation Tacoma that came out in 2007 got a lot bigger and better, and the 2008 model only improved up that. It’s built on the same underpinnings as the Toyota 4Runner and FJ Cruiser SUVs, so this truck is versatile enough to take through the city streets and to haul whatever payload you’ve got to pack in the bed.
It comes in three cab sizes: Regular, Access Cab and Double Cab, depending on how much interior space you need. The base engine is a 2.7-liter four-banger with 159 horsepower, but an upgrade is available to a 4-liter V6 with 236 horsepower, which is optional in the Access Cab Trim and standard on the Double Cab. While the V6 is obviously a bit more robust, the 4-cylinder offers some of the best fuel economy you can hope to get in a pickup of this size, getting up to 25 highway miles to the gallon.
We found a base 2008 Tacoma on AutoTempest for under $7,000 with under 70,000 miles on it. And this truck is going to save you a fortune in the long run, because it’s a Toyota and you’ll never need to repair it, and because of that outstanding fuel economy.
Find a cheap Toyota Tacoma on AutoTempest!
2008 Nissan Titan – God-Like Power
The name Titan kind of tells you all you need to know about this 2008 Nissan. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it dominates its class. This was Nissan’s first real attempt at building a full-size pickup, and whether or not it was beginner’s luck, they built a winner.
Hidden under the hood of this massive Japanese dragon is a 5.6-liter V8 bursting with 317 horsepower. That’s in all versions of the 2008 Titan. And with its five-speed automatic, and the fact that it sits on the same platform as the Nissan Armada SUV, this truck handles like an oversized sports car. Its steering is razor sharp, its acceleration is competitive, and its road manners are just all around delightful.
This is a fun-to-drive pickup in a segment where that’s almost unheard of. Plus, with a max towing capacity of 9,400, the Titan is ready to get to work too. For under $9,000, you could have a 2008 Nissan Titan XE King Cab like the one we found on AutoTempest. And with that kind of quality at such a low price, I bet American truck builders are biting their fingernails.
Find a cheap Nissan Titan on AutoTempest!
2010 Ford Ranger – Old But Gold
Now, don’t get it twisted, the Ford Ranger isn’t anything close to an F-450. In fact, it’s difficult to even think they’re made by the same company. The oldest truck on the market, the Ranger won’t tow unbelievable loads, it’s not powered by the world’s largest V8, and it’s not going to put the fear of God in the poor sap in the lane next to you. But what the Ranger does have going for it is versatility, affordability, and fuel economy.
The compact Ranger gets 24 highway miles to the gallon with its 2.3-liter straight-four, but if you want to sacrifice some gas mileage and boost up the straight-four’s admittedly unimpressive 143 horsepower, you could go with the V6 offering. However, I’m going to suggest that if power is what you’re looking for, it’s probably better to stay away from the Ranger altogether.
This truck was made to be a daily drive that won’t have you running to the gas pump every day. It comes with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic, it’s pretty enjoyable to drive, and if it ever breaks down on you, replacement parts are going to cost you pocket change. We found a 2010 Ranger XL with a little over 80,000 miles on AutoTempest for $9,500, a great buy for the casual pickup driver.
Find a cheap Ford Ranger on AutoTempest!
Honorable Mention: 2005 Subaru Baja – Off-Road Adventurer
Alright, so I guess technically the Subaru Baja has a truck bed on it. But let’s be honest, this isn’t a truck. It’s more like an Impreza Outback with the back chopped off. But if what you want is a tiny little bed to put your mountain bike in, along with some awesome driving dynamics, and a detuned version of the same 2.5-liter turbo four that was used in the Impreza WRX STI, a 2005 Subaru Baja is a great purchase.
Sure, it has very little towing capacity, but it’s good for off-roading, it’s peppy and fun to drive, and it’s a Subaru, so you know it’ll be fairly reliable. We found a 2005 Baja with under 100,000 miles on AutoTempest for just under $10,000. That’s an ideal deal for this sporty pseudo-pickup.
Find a cheap Subaru Baja on AutoTempest!
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