For my primary transportation vehicle. Since I plan to do some light (1500 lbs) towing, I do want the V6 engine and 5 spd manual tranny. I will be buying an older vehicle, then getting the engine rebuilt depending on the high mileage. What are some things I should look out for ? Any persistent problems I should know about ? What year range is the most reliable ?

1997-2000 is best for towing with manual transmission. No manual transmissions in the US after 2000. Previous V6 had problems with head gaskets - poor mileage.