# Buying a used pickup - Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967 "2010-09-11T19:17:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pritha18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58f4c7/32.png) [@Pritha18](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Pritha18)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/1 "2010-09-11T19:17:44Z")
I am looking to buy a used pickup and have been looking at late 80’s and early 90’s short bed Toyota’s, Nissans, and Mitsubishi’s. I will be commuting and carrying smaller loads. I just want something reliable with decent gas milage. Are there years or makes that are particularly better or worse than others? What should I keep my eye out for? ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/2 "2010-09-11T20:07:20Z")
Service records, pre-purchase inspection and overall condition are more important than make, model year or miles. Buy the one in the best condition you can find. Twotone ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/3 "2010-09-11T21:06:54Z")
A 20 year old commuter vehicle is tough to find. How much can you spend? I wouldn’t spend more than a few hundred bucks for any of the trucks you mention because of age. Why would you expect a $500 vehicle to be reliable enough to commute in? ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/4 "2010-09-12T04:10:08Z")
Ford Ranger ---
**Author:** ![rodar\_y\_rodar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@rodar\_y\_rodar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rodar_y_rodar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/5 "2010-09-12T18:39:27Z")
I had a Mitsubishi Mity Max (early 90s model, I think) for a while. I really liked a lot about the truck, but the block cracked in the original engine at less than 100k miles, then the used engine I had it replaced with did the same thing. An informal “parking lot poll” of people I happened to meet with Mitsubishi vehicles seems to show that their 4 cylinder engines didn`t have a very good life expectancy. Maybe a more extensive Google search would prove otherwise. I`ve been driving a 94 Toyota PU for the last 8 years. It has 230k miles so far and still hanging in there. That`s the only modern Toyota I`ve had, so maybe a fluke. Never had a Nissan PU, but a few 80s Sentras did well for me. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/6 "2010-09-12T19:58:00Z")
Toyotas with a stick shift are best. Nissans are OK but at that age the body will develop serious rust problems. Agree that Mitsubishi trucks have other vices. A Mazda or Ford Ranger, bot stick shioft. would be a good choice as well. ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/7 "2010-09-12T21:32:23Z")
Nissans in my opinion are not as worthy of being called a truck vs the toyota, lower payload etc. is my recollection for that vintage. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/8 "2010-09-12T22:09:19Z")
If it’s that old, keep looking at Toyotas. Don’t worry about the difference in years. Buy the newest you can afford. Good luck in your search. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/buying-a-used-pickup-toyota-nissan-mitsubishi/54967/9 "2010-09-12T22:12:05Z")
Agree; but OP is mainly interested in commuting and carrying the occasional small load.