I can't make my mind up on which one to buy. My brother has an 05 2500 long bed crew cab that is nice. Now after 4 months of buying my tacoma I hate it and want a real truck so I went looking. I have finally found 2 that I like and need some help trying to decide which to get. Both have thier ups and downs. Here are my choices:

05 crew cab short bed ctd 4x4
4" tough country lift
18" wheels discover tires
owned by a 25yo guy who used it to get to work at rock corries. It has dust every where even after the dealership cleaned it. It was a work truck in my eyes.
42k miles on it
6 speed manual tranny
runs and drives good no abnormal noises or feeling driving
has pocket flairs, subs mounted, and some spray in bed liner I dont care for.
overall it is a nice looking truck
grey paint
$35k

or

03 3500 crew cab ctd long bed 4x4
Really clean and only flaw I found was a spot the size of a quarter on the head liner.
Automatic not sure if it is a 48 or not
pretty much bone stock and looks almost new
42k miles aswell
$31k
Going to take it for a test drive tomorrow to see. Grey / silver paint
no clue on the old owner but it looked well taken care of.

Now I know there is a power difference between the 2 of them and I plan to upgrade it over the future to a state my bank wont allow. I want opinions on the ups and downs of both. The bed length plays part as I have my raptor 660 in the bed all the time but I have always had it in a short bed. So what else should I look at to help determine between the 2. I know I could always roll my tires and lift into the loan if I got the 03 so Im not worried much besides I know the tough country lifts aren't the best. I don't know alot about the main differences between the 2 trucks and just want some more input before I get the wrong one.

 

Sure is a LOT of money for USED! Eaither one.Bet NEW is not much more with some dealing.

 

I would NOT buy either of them! The price of a new truck is cheaper then both those trucks.

last week I was quoted this on a new truck....

2006 3500 SRW
long bed
bighorn ed
6 speed 4x4
12 miles
with employee price it was 32,432.50

I too am in the market for a truck but found out I can get a new mega cab for the price of a used quad cab to me it's a no brainier

 

AGRRED HOLY COW! get the price down, it can be done.

Now in my eyes there are only two difference. Do you want a long bed or short bed, and do you want a manual or auto?

Yea there are some power differences, is the 03 a SO or a HO? either or, the power can be changed pretty easy, but biggest thing to look for if the auto is the 47re or the 48re. FYI they started putting the 48re in ALL trucks SO and HO after Jan 1, 2003. check the build date on the data plate.

 

Up here they are asking $48-55k for new and hell thier employee discount only brings them down to around $40-48k but then again washington state sucks for buying vehicles at.

 

You can get a brand new 06' 3500 DRW QC for $34,000, and same truck that is a 4x4 for $35,000. Thought about trading mine in for a 4x4 DRW 3500 6 speed Laramie and changed my mind. Only wanted to give me $25,000 for trade. No thanks, I'll pass. for an 03' you should pay around $25,000 to $29,000 pending on the condition and mileage.

 

I think this is where I will go when I do get my new truck.



somebody should hurry and buy my truck!! I want a mega before the 07.5 come out and I want employee price before the end of the month

 

[QUOTE=53 ******]I think this is where I will go when I do get my new truck.

Thats where I got mine. Dave Smiths is great. They sell such volume, that there usually no haggling involved. They just give you their non-negotiable, lowest they'll go and your done. Got my SLT SO new in 03 for $29k and change. The nearest I found the same optioned truck was 35k.

 

Oh, and I agree with the above: Both are way overpriced.

 

I bought my 05 new on autotrader. Ebay has a lot of new trucks as well. It is very easy to buy a truck out of state. I bought mine over the phone in a day and had it here (1000 miles away) in 3 days.

 

you can buy new with worranty not far off from those prices. It may take a rode trip but will be alot of fun on the way home. Those trucks are too high!

 

Well I ended up with the 05. Several factors I left out which was part of why I didn't get a new one. The main reason was my "old" tacoma was only 4 months old and the negative equity was about $10k after payoff on it with the car I traded in for it. I got it for my ex wife at the time before she ran off with another guy. Well I ended up paying $40k totally financed up here in washington state so I ended up getting the truck at $28k which for up here and the fact I wasn't going to travel more then 200 miles for a rig better then what most pay. Miracles can occur when you tell them you dont want it and walk away. I can't believe how clean they got it and I talked to the old owner and he only drove it on logging roads and babied it.