Score a Deal and Stick to Your Budget With These Top Used Trucks
A compact pickup that is known for its reliability
Opt for the two-wheel-drive, short bed, single cab if you want something maneuverable and light.
Otherwise, the larger option — the extended or double cab of the second-gen models — with 4WD should satisfy all your weekend outing needs.
Though this compact truck didn’t have all the bells and whistles, it was durable and utilitarian.
And good news for your wallet — if you need any parts down the road, you won’t need to look far or pay a fortune. Ford made a generous supply of parts for the Ranger, making this an affordable truck to repair.
If you like to go off-road, you’ll even find that this is one of the more capable 4×4 trucks, often optioned with Chevy’s off-road package.
For more than two decades, Chevrolet has offered the midsize 1500 which has proven itself time and time again to be a well-built option for the American driver.
Chevy has sold about 400,000 Silverados annually since the end of the 1990s.
Even the older versions of this truck have exceptional payload capacity and ample power. What Ram does differently, though, is add a little more style than some of the other used truck options on the market.
In your search for a used truck under $10,000, most of the Dodge Ram 1500s available will have high mileage — definitely north of 150,000 miles with some used models clocking in around 200,000 miles — though you should be able to snag a slightly newer model year from the truck’s second or third generation, in the range of 2011-2014.
The Ford F-150 has long been one of America’s favorite trucks and for good reason.
If you aren’t worried about a truck with high mileage, you should have no trouble finding an eleventh-generation F-150 (2004-2008) in your price range. If you have a little extra money to spare, go for the twelfth generation (2009-2014) instead.
The Silverado and Sierra are twins, except the GMC version of this truck is a little more classy and upscale.
Put in other terms, the Silverado 1500 was made to be a work truck, while the Sierra 1500 is a great family hauler or daily driver with a few extra creature comforts.
And it is plenty durable to do some heavy-duty hauling too if that’s what you have in mind.
If you want a truck that rides like an SUV, you’ll be thrilled with the Honda Ridgeline. It shares the same underpinnings as the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot.
This unibody pickup also has the fuel economy of a compact pickup to save you some cash at the pump.
The Ridgeline is more suited to a commuter lifestyle than that of a heavy-duty hauler.
For under $10,000, you’ll be shopping the first-generation Ridgeline which was in production from 2006-2015.
This mid-gate makes the truck extremely versatile, depending on what type of gear you want to haul.
This generation also featured some great crash test scores, making it a great family vehicle.
The Avalanche also had a more refined, SUV-like ride and the standard V8 engine gives it plenty of punch.
The second-gen Avalanche was available in three trim levels as well.
Because of its many generations and long production run, you should feel confident that the Toyota Tundra is one of the more reliable used trucks under $10,000 that you can find.
In terms of a Tundra under $10,000, you’ll likely be looking at a higher mileage model from the early to mid- 2000s, but thanks to Toyota’s renowned reliability, if you can find an older truck that’s been well-maintained, a Tundra can definitely be a reliable, budget-friendly option.
This midsize truck was capable and dependable in its own right and is worth a look when you’re shopping for used trucks under $10,000.
Many of the two-wheel-drive models have relatively low mileage (compared to other used trucks under $10,000 on the market).
It’s even possible to score an off-road Nismo with a supercharged V6 if you’re willing to go for a higher mileage model.