You've probably heard the name before, but what's a pickup? The pickup has different names across the world. In the United States, it's referred to as the "pickup truck." In Australia, they call it "Ute," which is a short form for utility. A pickup is a light-duty truck with an enclosed cab and an open cargo space at the rear of the vehicle with tailgates to provide an enclosure. In the beginning, the pickups were manufactured primarily for functional reasons. It wasn't until the '60s that people started buying pickup trucks for comfort and lifestyle purposes.
Updated April 2022: The 2000s saw the explosion of pickup popularity. We've taken the time to update this list to include more pickups that are likely to break down on you, and others that are worth every dollar!
The first-ever pickup to be built in America was the Model TT from Ford, which is still one of the most commercially successful vehicles from the company. It's the 8th most sold vehicle model of all time despite the fact that it was produced in the early 1900s. The popularity of the pickup truck has been growing over the years. The State of Wyoming has the highest concentration of pickups with an estimated total of 37.2%. It's followed by Montana at 34.6%. There are amazing pickups that were engineered to last for a long time. There are also those with a history of breaking down. Here are 12 pickups from the 2000s that'll break down and 10 that are worth every dollar.
22 Will Break Down: Lincoln Blackwood
The Blackwood was Lincoln's answer to the heavy demand for trucks that began in earnest in the 1990s. Unfortunately, the Blackwood was good at everything, except being a truck, and that's why it'll break down on you in no time. As a luxury vehicle, the interior promises elegance, but you get cheap materials instead.
Further, the inability to take it on off-road trails didn't help its case much. The Blackwood, much like the SUT was an SUV manufacturer's attempt at creating a truck, but without actually making a worthy truck.
21
Will Break Down: Mitsubishi L200
Mitsubishi's L200 was in its third generation in the 2000s, but it's a good thing American drivers never had the opportunity to drive this hunk of junk. The L200 came in a variety of names, and the model still exists today, but the one sold in the 2000s was abysmal.
Owners often complained the L200 was underpowered and failed to prevent rust, resulting in large parts of the L200 being vulnerable to corrosion. We certainly hope that the third-generation L200 was a lesson for the JDM company.
20 Will Break Down: Hummer H2 SUT
The Hummer H2 was a controversial vehicle during its time, and things only got worse when they introduced the H2 SUT. The H2 SUT was a terrible design for a pickup truck, but people still went ahead and bought it because of the celebrity obsession with the car in the 2000s.
It had a small bed and couldn't pull weight. There was an incident in the year 2003 when an environmental warrior burned down 20 of Hummers at a dealership in California. There's also a website that's dedicated to shaming the H2 SUT, which is really mean, but a good pickup truck would never go through such a predicament. You can get a second-hand SUT for less than $10,000, which is an indication of just how people don't like the Hummer, supposedly a pickup truck.
19 Will Break Down: Dodge Ram Daytona
The Dodge Ram Daytona is among the most useless trucks ever built. There's a myriad of reasons why it could be so, but one just has to look at the rear of the vehicle to confirm the assertions. It has a rear wing spoiler that's functionless and gets in the way of the bed.
You can't haul a fridge or a sofa unless you use the side, which will take a lot of energy and effort. This isn't a truck you want to buy if you're looking for functionality. You're better off buying a sedan than the Daytona. Pickup-truck makers usually prioritize functionality, but it's hard to understand what happened to the Dodge Ram Daytona in 2005.
18 Dodge Dakota
This one is likely to elicit some mixed feelings, but the Dodge Dakota that was produced in the early 2000s was simply unreliable. There were a lot of common reports of loss of oil pressure because of sludge buildup. There were also a couple of reported issues with the braking, which was a major safety concern for a pickup truck.
The brake problems were consistent for 2 years even though Dodge dismissed the claims as not a general problem. In 2004, there was a problem with irregular shifting among the newer model Dodge Dakotas. These problems, coupled up with the engine-sludge problem and the braking, make for one ugly scenario. Such complaints were enough reason not to buy the Dodge Dakota.
17 Will Break Down: Chevrolet Avalanche
The Chevrolet Avalanche wasn't a truck that you'd buy if you were looking for big towing figures. The first models had issues with cladding, but GM was quick to address the problem. Another major problem with the Chevrolet Avalanche was the malfunctioning of the speedometer. You wouldn't want to be in a scenario where you don't know how fast you're going and where you're breaking the law due to speeding.
The years 2005 and 2006 saw an avalanche of complaints about transmission failures. There's nothing as bad as a transmission failure to a car owner. The year 2007 was all about excessive engine-oil consumption. Such successive complaints affected the sales of the Chevrolet Avalanche. The cracking-prone dash only made things worse for this Chevrolet model.
16 Will Break Down: Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado looks like the perfect lifestyle pickup truck you'd want to get if you're not so much into towing. It looks good, and it's relatively affordable. There were a lot of problems with the A/C when it first launched, problems which can make driving a car unbearable. This was followed by engine start failures which were reported as a common problem.
Some owners complained of water leaks in the cabin even for a brand-new Colorados. There was an electrical malfunction, which resulted in overheating. There was a recall for all 2004-2011 models, which had a problem with child seats and faulty brake lights, which were disasters waiting to happen. Sluggish gear shifting has also been reported. The Chevrolet Colorado is not a second vehicle you want to be buying.
15 Will Break Down: Ford F-250
The Ford F-150 was a great pickup truck, but the same can't be said for the F-250. They were meant to take over from the 150, but they haven't done a great job as far as performance and reliability are concerned. The F-250 had similar faults in the same year because of the same underlying technology.
The suspension became shaky for the truck. There was also an incessant engine problem, which was consistent up to 2008. A pickup truck with an engine problem is definitely a liability. The F 250 problems went further into unintended acceleration and premature braking, which is a death trap waiting to happen. The problems continued with the death-wobble suspension and its faults that people are complaining about up to now.
14 Will Break Down: Subaru Baja
This is one of the vehicles that Subaru doesn't like talking about. It was a failure in terms of sales. There were only 30,000 units sold in a period of 4 years from 2000 to 2006. A lot might've contributed to the failure, but one of them was that the Baja wasn't designed with reliability in mind.
The car had a 2.5-liter engine, which was below par compared to other pickup trucks at that time. It had a small bed and an even smaller pass-through, which defeats the purpose of a pickup truck. Owners had a big problem with fuel consumption, and the problem was highlighted in a 2003 episode of the popular motor show Top Gear. The Baja is the only bad thing that has ever happened to the Subaru name.
13 Will Break Down: Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier was considered a game-changer when it made its debut in 1997. The second generation might put you off because of the dated exterior styling. The 2005 models were plagued with transmission issues, and the problem seems to have affected lots of pickup-truck manufacturers. The transmission problems with the Frontier have everything to do with the radiator, which has a design flaw.
The problems don't end there because the flaw makes the radiator more susceptible to cracking when under pressure. As reliable as it might be, the Nissan Frontier will always have a problem with the transmission because of the design weakness of the radiator. Don't buy a second-hand Nissan Frontier if you don't want to spend a fortune on changing the transmission from time to time.
12 Will Break Down: GMC Envoy XUV
Not a lot of people can remember this truck, but it came at a time when GM was experimenting with so many verticals as financial insolvency was looming around the corner. The GMC Envoy XUV was supposed to be a Pickup-SUV combo. Automobile historians could consider it among the lowest points in America's automotive history.
GM had set a target of 30,000 units annually, but it never even managed to reach a third of it. The car was finally discontinued in 2006 shortly before the company was declared insolvent. It seems the car was being produced to make up the numbers, and it was never about the quality. There are rumors that GM wants to revive the nameplate, but car enthusiasts aren't particularly interested.
11 Will Break Down: Chevrolet Silverado
Some people would argue that the Chevrolet Silverado was a good pickup if they choose to ignore its massive shortcomings. Chevrolet has produced some amazing pickups, but it's hard to build a case for the Silverado. Buying a second-hand Silverado is highly discouraged because you're likely to experience rusted brake lines. This can cost you a lot of money when it comes to replacements.
There's also a problem with the steering wheel for the 2005 and 2006 models. The clunking noise is all too common for Chevrolet trucks. Another common problem for the Chevrolet Silverado is fuel and oil consumption. The 2007 model is a major culprit when it comes to oil changes. Some owners have complained about having to use 2 quarts of oil after just 1,000 miles.
10 Worth Every Dollar: 2004 Toyota Tundra
Toyota's vehicles are engineered with reliability in mind. They're willing to forgo all the comfort to make sure that the car is as reliable as it possibly can be. The Toyota Tundra has been a major force to reckon with ever since it was launched in 1999. It ushered in the new millennium in style and has been in production ever since.
The Toyota Tundra has a base 3.4-liter V6 engine, which was used in the first-generation models. If you're looking for the best model from the 2000s, the ideal choice would be one that was manufactured in 2004. This is because there was a safety recall with the ones manufactured from 2000 to 2003. The complaint was the rusting of the rear cross member. This problem also affected some Toyota Tacoma models.
9 Worth Every Dollar: 2007 Nissan Titan
The Nissan Titan is one of the most powerful pickup trucks ever to be manufactured in the United States. The conceptualization and development started as early as 1999, and it wasn't until 2004 that the first model went to mass market. The Titan used Nissan's F-Alpha platform. All the models came standard with a 5.6-liter engine with 32 valves and could produce up to 317 hp.
The early generations weren't only reliable but also came with a ton of tech and luxury features that you wouldn't have found in other pickup trucks at that time. The Nissan Titan had a hands-free Bluetooth stereo, a DVD player with screen, leather seats, sunroof traction control, and side airbags. The second generation continues with the same consistent level of performance.
8 Worth Every Dollar: 2006 RAM 1500
This pickup needs no introduction. The Ram 1500 has been on the assembly line since 1989 but is the second generation that's of particular interest. It came out in 2002. There was a major facelift on the RAM 1500, as it featured a new powertrain, interior, sheet metal, suspension, and frame.
The RAM 1500 has won Motor Trend's 'Truck of The Year' two times, which goes to show the reliability of the truck. There was also a major update on the 2006 model of the Dodge RAM 1500. The pickup truck had an 8.3-liter V10 Viper engine, which could produce up to 350 hp. This was a lot of power for a pickup truck at that time. The RAM 1500 is still revered, and you can expect to pay a lot more than for other trucks that were produced within the same period.
7 Worth Every Dollar: 2007 GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC line has been around since 1999, and they specifically focus on producing trucks. The 1500 nameplate is used for the lightweight trucks from General Motors. The first generation GMC Sierra 1500 had a 6.0-liter V8 engine, which could produce up to 325 hp pulling 370 lb-ft. In 2002, the name was changed to "Sierra Denali."
The 2007 model saw an increase in power. It had a 6.2-liter V8 engine, which could output 403 hp. The name "Sierra 1500" has stuck with the model up to now. There has been a new model coming out almost every year with greater power and design, but it's the trucks from the 2000s that set the standards for the GMC Sierra 1500.
6 Worth Every Dollar: 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
The Ford Explorer Sport Trac was in production from 2000 to 2010. It was mainly targeted at the North American market. It was produced to compete with the Honda Ridgeline. There was a 3-month waiting list when it first launched, as people were eager to own it even without seeing it or going for a test drive.
The car had a 4.0-liter Cologne V6 engine, which could produce up to 210 hp, and came with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The year 2002 saw major changes to the vehicle. The Explorer badge was omitted from the doors. The rear brake system was also changed to disc from drums. The fuel capacity was also increased by 2 gallons. The 2007 model featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine with independent 4-wheel suspension. The 2008 model is the best year as it brings updates while being more reliable.
5 Worth Every Dollar: 2005 Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma has been on the assembly line since 1995 and is specifically produced for the North American market. The first generation was produced between 1995 and 2004. The year 2000 saw the introduction of the S-RUNNER, which had a 3.4-liter V6 engine, which came with a manual 6-speed transmission. The second generation also saw a couple of facelifts, which included revised grilles.
The Tacoma has been the face of Toyota when it comes to reliable and high-performance pickup trucks. The partnership with GM highly improved the quality of the vehicles, but the 2008 financial crisis made the two companies break ties. The Toyota Tacoma is still in production up to today, and it's because the pickup truck has proved to be a success in terms of performance and reliability.
4 Worth Every Dollar: 2006 Ford Ranger
The nameplate "Ford Ranger" has been used on 3 different trucks from the company. It was first introduced to the market in 1983 and was seen as the natural successor to the Ford Courier. In the 29 years, the car was in production, Ford used the same chassis design.
The company seems to have found something that truly worked, and all they had to do was improve on it. The third generation (from 2006) was the final facelift the Ford Ranger received, and it saw a big difference in exterior design. The truck featured a 4.0-liter V6 engine, which could produce up to 143 hp. The truck has received minor updates over the years, but reliability under the hood has remained a constant.
3 Worth Every Dollar: 2009 Ford F-150
This Ford shouldn't be confused with the F-150 Raptor, although they share a lot of similarities. The F-150 still remains a yardstick upon which other pickup trucks are measured. The 2009 model saw a major departure in terms of performance. It featured a super-duty-sized grille, which made for a beautiful exterior.
It was also the first time in a long time that Ford was giving customers a wide array of choices when it came to cab size and engine type. The F-150 was designed to meet just about any needs whether it's for daily driving or for work. It came with a 3.7-liter V6 engine.