Whichever dd you decide on, make sure you fit in it and are comfortable. I'm 6'5" and skinny and am not real comfortable in most Japanese imports, which is a shame because I think they make some great appliance dd's.
The primary problem (been this way for years) is that the seats are way too low, my legs and **** get uncomfortable no matter how much adjusting and squirming I do.
Domestic pickups seem to fit me best, higher seats, lots of leg room, lots of head room, lots of shoulder room.
And agreed, no project dd's, get something reliable right off the bat, nothing worse then worrying whether or not your dd is going to start, or get you where you need to go when you're just trying to get through the day, much less some big adventure.
Good luck, and nice score on those pallets.