My homie @PiousTusks is in the market for a newish pickup, so I thought I would drop some shopping tips.

When it comes to pickups a full-size is always better, going smaller won't get you better fuel economy or more capability.

For general use the answer is always half ton.

The modern naturally aspirated V8 is a mechanical miracle. With basic maintenance they can last well over 200k miles, get decent economy, and do everything you ask if them.

Trucks from the big 3 are all good, but each have their quirks, find the one that's most comfy to you and you like the way it looks.

To find the best deal you have two decent options, person to person will always be the best deal, but it takes time and can be a gamble.

The second best option is to get a used fleet truck from someone like Fastenal, work trucks may not be fancy, but they were maintained and they still have plenty of life in em. If you want more toys and features, used rentals are a pretty good deal with only slightly more risk.

Rentals and fleet trucks get a lot of stigma, but they aren't any more of a risk than buying from a person, and fleets and rentals are guaranteed to actually have had their maintenance and recalls done.

If you can't find what you want in a 4wd, don't be afraid of a 2wd. Your grandad drove on snowy mountains with two wheel drive with retread tires. Don't drive like an idiot and and get the right tires and you can go almost everywhere, you just have to go slower.