10 Cheap Trucks That Will Keep You Busy And Make You A Great Mechanic

These cheap trucks might be a nightmare to keep running, but at least there's an upside to owning one.

With the number of trucks leaving dealerships each year, it is obvious that Americans love their trucks. This is not surprising in the least when you consider how pickup trucks have evolved over the decades. What started about a century ago as basic transportation for farmers and tradespeople is now the personal transportation of millions of Americans.

Doubling as workhorses and family haulers, trucks now feature more luxury/tech features while retaining decent off-road capability for the occasional adventure. Understanding the need for reliability, most manufacturers build solid trucks that are dependable and affordable. Unfortunately, despite their best intentions, some really bad models still manage to roll off the lines from time to time. For instance, these 10 cheap trucks will keep you busy and make you a great mechanic.

Even when it was still under Dodge, Ram knew how to build half-ton pickup trucks with outstanding qualities. However, the 2001 Ram 1500 is not one of them. Although it offers surprising agility for a truck, the 2001 Ram 1500 has so many build quality issues.

The engine had several issues including stalling while driving, a sudden drop in oil pressure, and oil leaking from the rear main seal. Furthermore, it suffered from rear differential failure, transmission failure, and transmission shifting out of gear. This is one Ram you should keep clear of.

The 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a versatile truck that offers powerful engine options and excellent towing and hauling capabilities. It balances these features with great fuel economy, a handsome interior, and user-friendly tech features. Unfortunately, despite seeming like such a great truck, this one will turn you to a mechanic, thanks to its many reliability issues.

It has a long list of transmission problems like surges, jerks, hesitation, hard shift, and total failure. In addition to the bad transmission, there were also complaints about brake failure and excessive oil consumption.

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The Chevrolet Avalanche is a full-size pickup truck that offers a flexible midgate-based body configuration and a comfortable ride. Riding the GM GMT900 platform, the 2007 Avalanche offers buyers a choice of two engines - a 5.3-liter V8 and a 366-hp 6-liter V8.

Chevrolet hooks both engines to a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with overdrive. Sadly, this truck has a bad reputation and more than a fair share of engine problems. Some of them are excessive oil consumption, engine failure, and misfiring. There have also been cases of transmission failure.

America's beloved Ford F-150 is a workhorse that pulls and hauls more weight than other half-ton trucks. Thanks to this and other good qualities, it is a consistent best-selling model. But somehow, Ford missed the mark with the 2004 model. This model stands out with serious reliability issues that involve the engine.

Apart from engine failure, it shakes severely when accelerating and stalls when coming to a stop. The worst problems are the spark plugs that break off in the head or pop out of the head.

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The 2005 Frontier is a strong workhorse that shares the Nissan F-Alpha platform with the first generation Titan. In addition to an optional V6 engine that lays down 265 hp and 284 lb-ft, it also features advanced off-road systems. However, this great truck can also leave you stranded and frustrated, thanks to severe mechanical problems.

Apart from timing chain and tensioner failure, the engine may die on you while driving. Top on the list of its problems is transmission failure caused by a ruptured radiator that leaks coolant into the transmission.

When it arrived, the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado impressed with a range of brawny engines, smooth ride, and excellent towing capacity. Sadly, it also came with a set of build quality issues that are severe enough to earn it a spot on this list. The transmission is notorious for not shifting properly, hesitation, and shaking while driving.

Also, the Colorado's engine tends to run rough and stall. Furthermore, some owners also reported cases of power steering failure. If you add the problems with interior accessories, you will get a clearer picture of why the 2016 Colorado shouldn't be on your wish list.

All new for 2022, the Hyundai Santa Cruz is a stylish compact pickup truck with a versatile cargo bed and lots of sophisticated technology. Thanks to unibody construction, it rides and handles like a car while its relatively shorter body makes it more maneuverable around town.

Sadly, it is guilty of transmission failure and is fond of losing power where it matters most. With issues like these, it is just possible that the most fun you can get from the Santa Cruz is frustration and dirty hands.

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Ford's smallest pickup truck, the all-new Maverick shares the unibody Ford C2 platform with the Bronco Sport. It gets power from an economical hybrid powertrain or an optional 2-liter turbo-4 engine that lays down 250 hp. However, the little Ford also comes with some frustrating issues.

Apart from complaints about loss of power, users also complain about unresponsive brakes when driving at low speeds. Moreover, it has five NHTSA recalls under its belt already. That can't be a good thing in a truck that is still in its inaugural model year.

From the solid V6 engine to the upscale interior with easy-to-use tech features, there are many things to love about the 2017 Tacoma. It also offers a refined ride and possibly the most impressive off-road chops in the segment. Unfortunately, it also has mechanical problems like engine surging and leaking timing chain cover.

There have also been complaints about the transmission not shifting properly and a howling sound from the rear differential. That said, be careful with this one, as it can leave you stuck when you least expect.

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The 2015 GMC Canyon debuted in January 2014 as a fully redesigned model with an upscale interior, powerful engines, and class-leading towing capacity. Although it stacks up admirably to rivals, its poor reliability rating is difficult to ignore. It has a lengthy list of build quality issues, earning it eight NHTSA recalls already.

While most owners complain that the transmission does not shift properly, there have also been reports of moving in park and transmission failure. Throw in the power steering failure, squealing brakes, and stalling engine, and you see why CarComplaints.com names it the worst GMC Canyon model.

Jay Moren is a car enthusiast who loves everything with an engine. When he's not writing about cars, he plays the saxophone and keyboard. He also plays as a goalkeeper for a non-league side in his native Nigeria