10:42 14-12-2025

Affordable used pickups for towing: options from $5k to $20k

Looking for a budget tow rig? Our used-truck guide covers F-150, Ram, Tundra, towing capacity, price ranges from $5k–$20k, plus inspection tips and more.

A new pickup these days often means taking on a hefty loan, and serious pulling power almost always arrives with a serious price tag. Which raises a practical question: what should you buy if you need to tow but the budget is tight? The straightforward play is to look at full-size pickups on the used market and accept some compromises on age and mileage—especially in the U.S.

On the strictest budget, around $5,000, it’s realistic to find workable options like a late-2000s Ford F-150 with a rated maximum tow capacity of up to 2,300 kg. For those set on a Hemi, a Dodge Ram 1500 of a similar vintage is an alternative, though its top figures hinge on the specific V8 and configuration.

Around $10,000, the field widens: a 2009 Nissan Titan with a V8 and up to 4,300 kg of towing, or a 2008 Toyota Tundra where the 5.7 V8 can be rated up to 4,600 kg. If you need heavy artillery, a Ford F-250 from the early 2010s sometimes appears in this money with a very high tow rating, but its condition deserves extra scrutiny.

At around $15,000, HD trucks start showing up: GMC Sierra 2500HD or Ram 2500, as well as newer F-150 and Silverado 1500 models with towering tow figures. Push to roughly $20,000, and there’s a chance to find trucks from the 2020s with modern amenities and often up to 150,000 km on the clock, including Ram 1500, F-150, and Silverado 1500.

One more thing: maximum towing depends on engine, cab, wheelbase, and drivetrain, so with any used truck you need to verify the exact specification and schedule a proper inspection.