There’s an old saying: “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” That makes some sense, but taken to its extreme, it leads to hoarding. And in terms of trucks, it leads to everyone driving the three-quarter-ton, four-door behemoths we see everywhere today. Is it better to just buy what you need for most of the time, or go ahead and get the big one just in case? That’s what we’re investigating today.
Yesterday we looked at a couple of ugly characters, and I am not the least bit surprised that the Jeep Cherokee took a huge win. There were too many questions about that Mercedes, and it’s likely to be the more frail and expensive to repair of the two even if it were in perfect shape. And as many of you pointed out: driving a scruffy Jeep is kind of respectable; driving a scruffy Mercedes isn’t.
I’d definitely prefer the Jeep here. I’ve always liked the old square Cherokees, and I like the idea of a basic Sport model with a stickshift. But if I’m honest, I’d much rather have an old Isuzu Trooper. (Sorry, David.)
Some people, when the idea of keeping a cheap truck around for doing truck things when you need to comes up, are all for it. Others figure there’s no point when you can just go rent a truck when you need to. Myself, I am in favor of keeping a truck around; I don’t want to go to the hassle of renting a truck or van just to go grab some mulch or potting soil, or haul home that antique desk we found on Marketplace. But my truck isn’t a particularly heavy hauler; it’s a basic half-ton truck, though it is full-size. The way I figure it is that anything that can’t be done with my truck, I don’t want to do anyway, and I’ll gladly pay someone else to do it.
Today, we’re going to look at a truck ther size of mine, only capable of hauling a lot more weight, and a smaller truck that can do ninety percent of what mine can do, and use half the gas doing it. Which is a better way to go? That will be up to you.
1988 Ford F-250 Custom – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 460 cubic inch OHV V8, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Goldendale, WA
Odometer reading: 193,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives fine, but burns oil
If you walk into a Ford dealership today and inquire about trucks, you’ll be asked if you want to look at an F-150, or a Super Duty. They’re now completely different truck lines. not sharing much at all except some interior parts. But it wasn’t always that way. Back when this F-250 was built, all Ford light- and medium-duty trucks used the same cab, and until you got up to the really big boys, the same fenders and bed as well. Underneath, this F-250 is very different from an F-150 of the same age, but it looks just like it.
Stepping up to the F-250 got you some much beefier engine choices, including the 460 V8 that this truck has. It gets terrible mileage, but it pulls like a train engine. It’s backed by a five-speed manual transmission built by ZF, in place of the Mazda-derived five-speed used in the F-150. This transmission has a “granny” first gear, and an overdrive fifth gear, so it’s ready to pull stumps and then haul them away at freeway speeds. It’s been used as a farm truck for years, and the seller says it runs well, but it has burned some oil for decades. They just keep it topped up. The front fuel tank also leaks, so they only use the rear one. Some stuff is just too much hassle to fix on an old workhorse like this.
As far as I can tell, it’s a plain-Jane “Custom” model, with vinyl upholstery, no trim, and no options. Someone put an aftermarket stereo in it, and I assume it’s been tuned to the same country station since it was installed. The interior is decent for a truck like this, with just a couple of rips in the seat and some splits in the rubber floor mats.
The outside is faded, but rust-free, and not beat up, which is nice. Brown suits it well, too. It’s always a little shocking to see base-model trucks like this, with none of the chrome trim or two-tone paint that came on fancier models; it hardly looks like the same truck. Personally, I prefer it, though.
1992 Mitsubishi Mighty Max – $1,950
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Riverside, CA
Odometer reading: 189,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Mitsubishi didn’t start selling its own cars in the US until 1982. Before that, several Mistubishi models were available as captive imports through Chrysler dealerships, and those captive imports remained available even after the Japanese firm set up its own dealer network. You could, for example, buy a Dodge Colt, a Plymouth Colt, an Eagle Summit, or a Mitsubishi Mirage, and they were all exactly the same car except for the badges. It was weird. This little truck, known by various names around the world, could be purchased in the US as either a Dodge Ram 50, or what might be the greatest truck name ever: the Mitsubishi Mighty Max.
Various Mitsubishi four-cylinder engines were used in the Mighty Max over the years. By 1992, the standard engine was a 2.4-liter fuel-injected unit making 116 horsepower, a respectable output for a small truck like this. It drives the rear axle through a five-speed manual transmission. This one is said to be “very dependable,” but its registration ran out last April. It will need a smog test if it’s staying in California, and it could probably use a bit of an Italian tuneup before you take it in for the test.
This truck is nice and basic inside as well, but the seller says it does have air conditioning, which is a nice little bonus. It’ll help keep you from sticking to that blue vinyl bench seat on hot days. I always got a kick out of the little cutout that trucks like this have in the bench seat to clear the shifter. And believe it or not, that’s a seat – this is considered a three-across bench. Pity the poor soul who has to ride in the middle position.
The best truck designs are the ones that still look good with a little wear and tear, and the Mighty Max definitely passes that test. This one isn’t in bad shape at all, but it does have a few dings and wrinkles here and there, including a tweaked rear bumper, which, as far as I know, is a requirement for trucks of a certain age. It still proudly wears its stock plain steel wheels, a look that simply can’t be improved upon.
Either one of these will do for picking up some stuff from the lumber yard or hauling some stuff to the dump. You don’t need three-quarter-ton capacity or a monster V8 engine to do typical truck stuff. But the thing is, for some non-typical truck stuff, a standard truck won’t do. So I leave it up to you: do you go with the behemoth, in case you need it, or the lightweight, assuming you won’t?
No vote.
The Ford can do more, and it’s easier to get parts and service. Too big for me, I have no need, single-digit MPG.
The Mitsubishi is exactly the kind of truck I’d want, but I’d be concerned about parts and service availability.
The F250 with a 460 is probably more truck than I need and the Mitsu will take up less space in the driveway so the small one gets the win for me.
Mighty max for sure. If the Ford was a year older with the 6.9 I would probably jump on it. Good ol’ mini truck will do what you ask of it.
Mitsu for me, but then it’s pretty obvious I’m biased.
I have never attempted to put someone in that middle seat, but the belt is there just in case. It would be awkward to say the least.
Those old Fords are amazing. I had a 90 F150 that had well over 300k miles on it, and I beat the hell out of it. Even got it featured on Jalopnik twice back in the day! Tripled my money on the dang thing but I still miss it.
That Ford is a hell of a lot of truck for $2500. . . sign me up.
I want to want the Mitsu, but having been in similar trucks from this era, I’m probably too tall to fit in in very well. So I’ll go Ford.
Oh man, this is a tough one for me. On one hand, I’m looking at buying an F-150 or F-250 of that vintage for use around our property, plowing, and for various projects. On the other hand, my grandpa had a Mighty Max as his farm truck for nearly 15 years, and I have a soft spot for them. It was absolutely unkillable and always left a large cloud of oil smoke everywhere it went for years. My grandpa would just dump his used oil into it thanks to to its gaudy consumption. He passed away in 2024, and man do I have a lot of memories associated with that truck. He stopped driving it when it overheated and the head warped, but I took it out on one last drive before he parked it for good. It started right up and ran like a top, despite creating a smoke screen everywhere I went.
While I find that old F250 with the manual/460 interesting, it’s way more truck than I’d ever need. Nor would I be interested in the fuel costs associated with it… let alone one that burns a lot of oil along with burning a lot of fuel.
So the Mitsubishi gets my vote.
I’ll be the Mitsu might be a bit of fun, and it’ll certainly do any dirty job I’d ever think of doing.
I like the Mighty Max more because it’s a mini truck and that is cool, but my biggest regret about getting rid of my suburban is I lost the ability to transport sheets of plywood/drywall under cover. I want an 8×4 bed, and I would add some type of tonneau/camper shell to the Ford. That might be sacrilege to some, but every winter I find myself building a new cabinet or two and I don’t want my plywood covered in salt and road grime by the time I get them home.
I made a tarp diaper on my trailer to pick up 3 sheets of drywall recently.
Hauling full sheet of plywood is the dream.
I voted for the Ford, even though that 460 will guzzle more gas than oil.
Mitsubishi today.
Regular cab.
3 Pedals.
Hand-crank windows.
What more does a person need in a truck?
I picked the Ford. I have work to do.
If the Ford was powered by the indestructible 300, this vote would likely go differently.
God help me, I’m voting Mitsubishi.
I don’t need a truck for anything that I don’t already use my small hatchback for..
Mitsubishi it is. Easier to park, better shape, and probably a bit of fun to drive.
Though, the long farm shifter on the F250 could be cathartic to swing through the gears – I’m sure the clutch is heavyAF
The itchyp*ssy because mini-truck.
I’d love it to be the F-250 but there’s just too much wrong with it – including water in both of the footwells.
I voted for the Mitsubishi. Small trucks from the ’80s and ’90s are awesome. Didn’t the Mighty Max have a derivative of the venerable 4G63?
But the F250 is close to my heart. My dad bought a brand new 1989 F250 XLT Lariat 4wd with the 351W. That was the family rig. It towed our camper and hauled the family all over the PNW until he traded it in in 2008. It was two tone; tan over brown. Extended cab to haul my sister and I. And an 8ft bed. I practically grew up in that truck. I was kinda bummed when he traded it in as I would have gladly bought it from him.
It’s the 4G64. It was available with a 2.6 as well.
The 2.6L that was offered in pre-1990 models is a 4G54. This is from the Astron engine family that was also found in the Starion and many Chryslers from the 1st half of the ’80s including K-cars and Caravans.
The 2.4L is a 4G64 and is part of the Sirius engine family, as is the 4G63 of DSM fame. The blocks are lagely identical between the Max and a DSM and there is some other parts sharing as well.