What does Oppo think of this?

"Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
08/21/2015 at 16:16 • Filed to: NPoCP

I won’t be getting my permit for a Couple more years, but when I do get it, I’ll need a cheap car to learn stick on, as my parents don’t have any manual vehicles. So, I went on Autotrader to look for cheap, manual transmission trucks and found this less than two hours away from me:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

It’s a 2003 Ford F-150 regular cab 4x4 with 196,000 miles for less than $3,000. I think it would be an awesome first vehicle because 1) it’s a truck, so it’s safe, 2) it’s a regular cab, short bed, so it’ll be decently manuverable, 3) it’s only a V6, so it’ll get out of it own way, but won’t be quick enough to kill anyone, 4) it’s 4x4, so it can handle snow, 5) it’s manual. For less than 3 grand.

This seems like an awesome deal to me. What do you think? Nice Price or Crack Pipe?

DISCUSSION (67)

bob and john > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:19

truck = safe ,.....

yyeeeeeaaaaaaa, dont think so.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > bob and john
08/21/2015 at 16:20

I was making a general statement. Also, would you rather be in a subcompact or a pickup in a crash?

OPPOsaurus WRX > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:20

Check the mpg. Sometimes the 6 has to work so hard it equals out to an 8. Watch for rust. Fords seem to love to rust. It will be fun in the snow. It’s great being able to choose 2 or 4wd. Even in the rain you will be able to spin the tires (and spin out never mind snow) I used to shovel snow in the bed for some wieght

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:20

These are the farthest thing from safe you can get, actually.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/21/2015 at 16:22

Someone else just mentioned that as well...

bob and john > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:22

pends on the subcompact. between a smart and that F150? id choose the smart any day of week. (they are actually REALLY fucking safe)

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > bob and john
08/21/2015 at 16:22

Well that was terrifying

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > OPPOsaurus WRX
08/21/2015 at 16:23

I guess that makes sense, but I’m not actually buying this truck. I was just saying it would hypothetically be a good first car for me.

However, I do agree this thing would be awesome for some snow hooning.

bob and john > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/21/2015 at 16:24

great minds think alike :D

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:24

On top of that the 217 horsepower V6 won’t be able to get the truck out of its own way. I also don’t know if I’d want to learn stick on a truck gearbox because truck manuals are generally vague and shitty.

If I were you I’d forgo a fullsize and get something like a Ranger or S10.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > bob and john
08/21/2015 at 16:25

Not every crash is a small frontal overlap crash. I do agree that Smarts do seem pretty safe, but in a head on collision, I’d honestly choose the truck. However, did you see how the Smart was basically thrown to the side, potentially into other traffic?

Berang > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:25

Most trucks are not really good general use vehicles in the first place, let alone a good first vehicle. Also if it rains or snows where you are: truck =/= safe. Pickups are more likely to get into accidents than other vehicles.

Even if you’re going to be hauling stuff around all the time - I’d still avoid a pickup for learning. Learn in a car, then go to a truck.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > bob and john
08/21/2015 at 16:25

First thing that popped into my head was “Isn’t this the gen of F150 that basically disintegrates when it hits something?”

RallyWrench > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:25

Better the V6 than the Triton V8, those things are a pain in the ass.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > bob and john
08/21/2015 at 16:26

I’m glad I saw the crash test of the extended cab Silverado after my dad sold his.

moetop > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:28

Parts are DAM cheap on trucks useusualy (so many made), and they are also are relatively easy to work on.. I bought my son a 2000 2wd Chevy Silverado with as stick. He was a bit worried at first, but he is really happy he has learned to drive one, and loves it. Without me prompting he said, he feels like he has more feel for the vehicle driving a stick. He notices things a lot more.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/21/2015 at 16:28

I'd love to, but I'm tall so I don't know about fit. Also, 217 horsepower isn't exactly nothing, is it?

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > moetop
08/21/2015 at 16:29

Thanks for sharing! This was basically my line of thinking.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Berang
08/21/2015 at 16:30

I'm tall, so I generally don't fit in cars too well.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/21/2015 at 16:31

I also recommend a smaller vehicle for your first. Ford Rangers / Mazda B-Series trucks are hard to beat for a first vehicle. Just make sure that ANY truck you buy has anti-lock brakes at least on the back. You haven’t lived until you’ve stomped on the brakes in a truck and had it swap ends immediately .

I disagree about learning manual on a truck. The clutches on the Rangers are super user friendly and the long-throw makes the shifting slow. Perfect for new drivers.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:31

I’m 6’4 and fit in an S10 no problem with another 2-3 inches of head room. To find out if I fit I usually take the interior measurements of a car I know I fit in and compare them to whatever I wanna know if I fit in.

In a 4500lb truck, 217 horsepower ain’t shit.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:32

4Runner?

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/21/2015 at 16:33

Didn't really look, but might be a good choice. This is all kind of hypothetical though.

Spasoje > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:35

Why not a YJ Wrangler (-1995)? I taught a couple friends to learn manual on the one they had just bought - the clutch is very forgiving, the shifter is very truck-like in feel (a good thing), it’s tough, and it’s a really fun vehicle overall.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Spasoje
08/21/2015 at 16:37

Like I’ve said to a few others, I doubt I’d fit. Most of the vehicles I fit in are large SUVs and full size trucks (there are few sedans/coupes/hatches though).

Berang > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:39

Kinja'd!!!

If John Cleese could fit in one of these I think you’d be able to find a car to fit you. Although you should probably not get an Austin...

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:41

They’re pretty cheap. Lots of space under the hood to work. The 90’s ones are V6. It can be had with a 5 speed and 4wd with a locking rear diff. Visibility is excellent and it is basically a square so (as a new driver) you will know where your car “ends” for lack of a better term.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Berang
08/21/2015 at 16:41

I'm taller than Clease and have long legs. However, I'm realtively flexible, so I fit in cars better than most people my height, but still not great.

Slant6 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:42

You are automotivly novice. You make a lot of asumptions. You can’t be blamed, society spreads many ignorant car myths. Spend time on oppo and you will find truth.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Slant6
08/21/2015 at 16:45

I won't disagree with your first statement. I do spend lots of time on Oppo, and even more learning about and researching cars in general.

Justin Hughes > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:46

I spent a lot of time driving Rangers and B2300s (same truck) as a courier. I’m 6’ tall, and the standard cab was too cramped for me. I couldn’t tilt the seat back enough for my gorilla arms to be comfortable. An extended cab solves that problem - I fit very comfortably in the older B2200 I bought from the courier company.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Justin Hughes
08/21/2015 at 16:48

When I showed my dad this, his immediate reaction was, “Are you sure you’d fit in a regular cab?” I think I'd be fine, since my uncle has an SVT Lightning of this generation and it's a regular cab. I fit fine.

T5Killer > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/21/2015 at 16:50

Its not to bad. I drove my uncles company F-150 which was of this body style with a 4.2 v6 and 5speed and it was ok. Not a rocket ship but it did fine getting in freeways even loaded down with stuff in the back and on a installed roof rack.

Slant6 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:51

The more time you spend on oppo the more you find who’s full of shit and who actually knows things. With our rapid population growth in the past year we’ve atracted more of the former than ever.

Once you actually start driving and working on your own cars you will have a new understanding. You are young and still have much to learn. It’s ok because we’ve all been there.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
08/21/2015 at 16:53

Actually I find truck manuals much more forgiving. They are generally less touchy and a lot more forgiving if you dump the clutch.

Justin Hughes > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 16:54

Yes, you’ll fit fine in a standard cab full size truck.

There’s just one HUGE disadvantage of a truck that nobody else has mentioned and I think you should be aware of. All your friends will want you to help them move.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Spasoje
08/21/2015 at 16:54

YJ are unreliable pieces of shit. The 4.0 is not enough to redeem how awful they are.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Slant6
08/21/2015 at 16:58

I honestly can't wait till I get my license. I just don't understand how you can't be excited for it. I drive go karts every so often, but that's the extent of my driving history. The reason I go on Oppo so often is to learn about cars, because I know there are still a lot of things I don't know or understand yet.

Spasoje > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
08/21/2015 at 17:27

I guess we shall see...my friends got a really clean, well-maintained 4-banger w/ about 140k mi on it and so far, so good.

Spasoje > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 17:29

There’s actually a huge amount of cabin space! Not sure if it’s big and boxy enough for a 6’7” owner, but at 6’1” the seat still had lots of backwards travel left when I drove it.

That said, the door openings are smaller than most cars, though you can kinda tell from the outside anyway...

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Spasoje
08/21/2015 at 17:38

My friend’s spent most of it’s time in Alabama, yet somehow the transmission rusted internally. Then the brakes failed, most of the electronics failed, and various other things failed.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Spasoje
08/21/2015 at 17:41

I've never been great in Wranglers.

Shift24 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 17:43

You want to learn manual? Get a cheap Honda. Most will agree with that. Honda has some of the smoothest and best feeling manuals in the industry. The pulling point is much more broad and much more forgiving. Even on their basic cars. I have driven a 1999 F150 5.3L Triton manual and it was one of the heaviest clutches i have driven. Mainly because its a truck but the pulling point was brutal.

Also thats a lot of miles on a 4x4. Bigger maintenance stuff is coming up, Wheel bearings, Ball joints, U joint, Torsion bars, Diff (hopefully not if it was taken care of), and more. Not saying it cant last for another 100K or the maintenance hasnt already been done but i would start looking out for those things.

I would recommend a manual CR-V (its SUV-ish), older 4runner, or a Subaru (though i am always worried about their head problems) if your looking for something for winter. If your looking for any manual, almost any Non-riced out Honda will do. The transmissions are bullet proof, 2 Accords in the family with original clutch and trans with 330K+ on each one. Both have had learners on them at 275k+

Baeromez > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 17:45

I second the 4Runner. Look into the 3rd gens, ‘95-’02. I had a Limited as my first car and it was great. They are extremely useful, versatile vehicles and you can get one with 4wd and a 5-speed. They’re also pretty quick for an SUV and excellent off-road.

Spasoje > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
08/21/2015 at 17:56

Wow! This one was garaged and taken care of by a car guy who has a giant, sixties Lincoln Continental convertible, white leather interior and all...

jkm7680 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 18:08

Good looking truck. Looks to be in nice shape also, a V8 would still be better though because reasons.

Another vote for the safety issues though.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > jkm7680
08/21/2015 at 18:09

For only $2,990, the truck is in fantastic condition. I would honestly like the V8, but it's not totally necessary.

jkm7680 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 18:11

V8s are better. Still. You must.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Shift24
08/21/2015 at 18:11

I’ve mentioned this to lots of other people, but I wouldn’t fit. I’m 6’7” and mainly fit in large trucks and SUVs (there are some exceptions, but not many).

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > jkm7680
08/21/2015 at 18:14

My search on Autotrader was for manual trucks under $5,000 within 100 miles of me. There were almost no V8s, and this was one of the few 4x4s. There were none that were both V8 and 4x4, so I'll take what I can get. Once again, I'd prefer a V8, but the V6 isn't awful.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Baeromez
08/21/2015 at 18:15

I’ll see what’s near me.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/21/2015 at 18:20

Found this:

http://autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/…

It's a manual 4Runner with 250,000 miles and only three pictures with the ad for almost $1,000 more than the truck. It was one of only two I found with a manual within 100 miles of me.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 18:22

Yeah. The manuals are hard to find.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/21/2015 at 18:24

The manual was my #1 priority in the search because this vehicle would be for me to learn how to drive a manual on.

Baeromez > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/21/2015 at 18:51

Weren’t the v6’s auto only?

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Baeromez
08/21/2015 at 19:07

I think so. My v6 has the dreary 4 speed auto.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 19:08

The Nissan Versa has a manual.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/21/2015 at 19:09

Don't fit.

Baeromez > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
08/21/2015 at 19:10

I remember tooling around in mine as a teenager and always warning my friends to “hang on, I’m putting it in overdrive!” and then laughing my ass off when they actually braced themselves and grabbed the ‘oh shit’ handles.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Baeromez
08/21/2015 at 19:16

That's the best part. There's like 2 on each door.

Shift24 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 22:11

Ah ok didnt know, Foresters are pretty decent size wise. And there is also Xterras (not sure if they are reliable), Wranglers (but over priced), Honda Element, Maybe a Taco, or a bro truck Ram 2500.

wafflesnfalafel > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/21/2015 at 22:42

is that the old 4.9 inline 6cyl? Lots of miles - but that is a pretty bullet proof motor.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > RallyWrench
08/21/2015 at 22:56

Why? I have owed a triton and know many with them and they are great engines

RallyWrench > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
08/21/2015 at 23:05

I’ve seen them do big mileage & take some abuse, but i hate working on them and they have some flaws that make them inferior to the 5.0 they replaced, in my opinion.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > Shift24
08/22/2015 at 10:12

I fit in Foresters and Xterras, don't fit in Wranglers and Tacos, and have never tried an Element.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > wafflesnfalafel
08/22/2015 at 11:19

Pretty sure it’s a 4.2l V6.

Shift24 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van
08/23/2015 at 02:07

LIES, be a man and drive out the top lol

Kinja'd!!!