Ok so I've been looking for a while now for a truck. My budget is 3500 and has to be a ford of course, extended cab or quad and has to have 8 ft box. I'd prefer 5speed but if it has a good trans( let me know the good ones please) I'd go for that too. Oh and has to be 4x4.
Now I live in upstate New York so I have some hills to climb. I will only be using the truck on weekends and use it for mostly running to town and to my property to haul firewood and make garbage runs and scrap runs. Everything on average is far( 10 miles to 30 miles. 10 miles to small town 30 to larger city) and the going speed would be 60 mph. I also camp quite a bite and would like to get a small popup or camper in the future. So as far as towing I would be towing that maybe and also I tow demo derby cars every summer and I have a dump trailer for firewood and hauling fill. Once in a whole in the winter because of my 100 mile commute I might have to take the truck to work because of snow and sometimes use it to pick up larger stuff from work to take home. But that's about as good of an explanation as I can get of what I need a truck for. I am also a family man which explains the extra cab.


So far I found on a sweet deal. 96 f250 ext cab 8 ft box 7.5l 5speed 4x4 with 38000 original miles (farm truck) for 2800. Has some rot on wheel wells and bumpers but that's no big deal to me but my main concern is mpg on it. I understand that no matter what I get I have to deal with that but as far as comparing this to another truck (if and when I find one ) with a 5.8 which one would suite me better. Now I would also consider a 150 maybe with a 5.4 if it's in the budget.