Tips on Buying Cars: Buying a 4 wheel drive, shift on the fly, costly repairs

Question
We have a new place in the mountains and need to buy a used 4 wheel drive truck. We are interested in a King cab. We can't afford more than $15,000 and want to know which makes to look at and what to watch for with 4x4's. Front ends etc. Thanks

Answer
Daniel:Thanks for the question.Because of your budget,I think Ford 4x4s offer the best bang for the buck.And some Chevys too.I recommend full size because,the reason your driving off road.Most 4x4s offer shift on the fly feature.Which means you can go into 4 wheel low for off road and  4 wheel high on the road.And my suggestion stay with automatic transmission.Also most trucks have limited slip rear ends,to avoid slipping in the mud,look for a locking rear end found on older Chevys.One more thing,because of your budget,if you find a truck that works for you;have it checked out for the transmission.That could lead you to costly repairs in the future.For that reason,I suggest perhaps raising your budget.