Daily Driver: Toyota

[BBowski82]

Alright, so I'm looking to unload my F-150 and pick up a Toyota. I've narrowed it down to the Tacoma, T100 (if I can find one), and the Tundra. I'm looking for insight -- dependability, what to look for, what years, etc. This truck isn't going to be modified so I'm not worried about IFS. Fire away....

 

[TRD270]

Well if you want a V6 you want a 96 or newer so you get the 3.4 5VZE, If you want somthing older, do not get the 3.0 V6 3VZE it's a total POS. As far as years go, Tundra is pretty much the same throughout, they just added the access cab some where along the lines, the 4.7 is a good motor, it's just not meant to stand up to a lot of heavy towing. Ohh and if your starter goes out, it's under the intake manifold As far as the tacoma goes, it's really just a matter of preference on body style. 1st gen 95-96, Second gen 97-00, 3rd gen 01-04, and then the newest body style. In 04 they started putting the new 4.0 in, my buddy is a mechanic for LHM Toyota, he says he really likes the motor, and the best part is you can get a 6 speed behind it. Still can't get a manual with a pre-runner though.

 

[Greg]

What's your price range? Will you be doing any towing and need a V8? I'd say either a Taco or a Tundra. My Tacoma is a great truck, 105k, 20 MPG and drives great. Older Taco's are pretty reasonable, price-wise. Tundras are newer & therefore more expensive. T100's aren't that great IMO, big & underpowered.

 

[KToy]

im selling my tundra for 14000. check the book its at least 800 below low book

runs awsome

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=25354

 

[Fade2Black]

As far as the tacoma goes, it's really just a matter of preference on body style. 1st gen 95-96, Second gen 97-00, 3rd gen 01-04, and then the newest body style.

First gen: '95.5-'97. Second gen: '98-'00.

In 04 they started putting the new 4.0 in

The 4.0L first went in the '03 4-Runner, which was a redesign and a shared platform with the all new Lexus GX470. The Tacoma didn't get the 4.0L until '05, at which point it was an all new platform.

 

[BBowski82]

What's your price range? Will you be doing any towing and need a V8? I'd say either a Taco or a Tundra. My Tacoma is a great truck, 105k, 20 MPG and drives great. Older Taco's are pretty reasonable, price-wise. Tundras are newer & therefore more expensive. T100's aren't that great IMO, big & underpowered.

Greg, what year is your Tacoma? Roughly, how much did you pay for it (if you don't mind me asking) If I do any towing it'll be light weight--quads or jetskis. I've had my F150 2 years now and only towed a trailer once.

What kind of durability can one expect to get out of a Tacoma? Am I safe buying one with 90,000+ miles? The though just freaks me out, being in engineering and automotive my whole life I know I'd never buy a domestic truck with 90,000 miles. But it seems commonplace with the Toyota's.

Does anyone know what kind of mileage the Tundra gets? I'm assuming similar to my F150 (which is a gas hog). Thanks.

 

[KToy]

mine gets 14 mpg or so depending. 16 on the freeway.

 

[myota]

most people easily put 200k+ on their toyotas, some even put 300k, 400k, and dare say it...500k

you could say they are reliable...

 

[laddy]

get a taco

Just lowered the price :greg:
www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?p=245784#post245784

Not the best daily driver w/ 35's but you could pick up a cheap set of 31-32 with rims and have a comuter and slap back on the 35's for the trails.

 

[Greg]

Greg, what year is your Tacoma? Roughly, how much did you pay for it (if you don't mind me asking) If I do any towing it'll be light weight--quads or jetskis. I've had my F150 2 years now and only towed a trailer once.

What kind of durability can one expect to get out of a Tacoma? Am I safe buying one with 90,000+ miles? The though just freaks me out, being in engineering and automotive my whole life I know I'd never buy a domestic truck with 90,000 miles. But it seems commonplace with the Toyota's.

Does anyone know what kind of mileage the Tundra gets? I'm assuming similar to my F150 (which is a gas hog). Thanks.

Mines a '01 and I paid $14k from a dealer a year ago. It was a trade in on a Dodge lot, but from what I found most private sellers were asking just a little less than that, they were older, had more miles, not the options I wanted, etc. I bought mine because I was in a pinch and needed a new ride... I missed 2 things on my list of options; white paint and cruise control.

If you're going to drive the hell out of it, I'd spend a little more and look with something with 60-70k. How long will you own it? If you'll have it a couple years, I think it's worth it to buy something with less miles.

I fully expect to get 250k before any big repairs need to be done and at that point, it may be a engine overhaul. Toyota's will last forever, they're hard to kill. They just loose power over a long time.

 

[Hickey]

We test drove both the Taco and the Tundra last year (both '04 models) and I would have bought the Tundra over the Taco in a heartbeat. The ride quality and added power over the Tacoma were astounding

 

[KToy]

Tundra For Sale

 

[Spork]

One thing I noticed is the Tundra only offers a manual tranny in the V6 bare bones model. For some reason they don't offer it with the V8. If you don't like an auto it's something to be aware of.

I used to work with a guy with a tundra and it was nice we would squeeze 5 of us in when we went to lunch.

 

[BBowski82]

One of my friends has a '98 Tacoma with a Dana 44 under the front, Supercharger, 37s, dual lockers, yada yada yada and the rig is running strong at over 200,000 miles.

Many, many Tacoma owners are eclipsing 100,000 and 200,000+ miles. If you maintain the vehicle (any vehicle for that matter) properly it will last a long time.

Before my Tacoma (90,000+ miles with no major mechanical failures despite regular beatings) I had a '97 Silverado 2500. It had 110,000 miles on the clock when I ended up with it (father put all those miles on it) and I drove it another 10K before selling it for $10,500. It was maintained meticulously and only had one failure; an idler pulley before 100K.

If you are so intimately familiar with the automotive world, why are you reluctant to purchase a vehicle with high mileage? You for one should know that a vehicle's reliability is a subjective matter which is attributed in great deal to its maintenance.

http://autos.msn.com/home/reliability_ratings.aspx

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0411/09/b01-328882.htm

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/car-guide-2004/domestic-import1.asp

Are you serious? I'm not even going to reply to the majority of this post...I'm just curious as to what type of life guys are getting out of their tacoma's...

P.S. I worked on Chevy's for 4+years, and I wouldn't buy a C/K truck with over 100,000 miles unless I personally new the owner.

 

[BBowski82]

We test drove both the Taco and the Tundra last year (both '04 models) and I would have bought the Tundra over the Taco in a heartbeat. The ride quality and added power over the Tacoma were astounding

Yeah, I'm just not too crazy about the Tundra's mileage. Who knows, I may still end up with one...

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I'm not shy about my love of Tacomas...

I have put 100k on mine... she is sitting at ~150k and running strong.

Things I have replaced since it had ~ 50k on it:

Front output seal on the Tcase (started to drip @ 110k) $5
Timing belt/water pump @ 100k ~$200
Needs a new CV boot (most likely from the lift) $50

Go with the V6, 5VZE

 

[BBowski82]

I'm not shy about my love of Tacomas...

I have put 100k on mine... she is sitting at ~150k and running strong.

Things I have replaced since it had ~ 50k on it:

Front output seal on the Tcase (started to drip @ 110k) $5
Timing belt/water pump @ 100k ~$200
Needs a new CV boot (most likely from the lift) $50

Go with the V6, 5VZE

Yeah, I've heard really good things about the 5VZE, you ever do any towing or anything with yours?

 

[solidfrontaxle]

My friend's brother has a V6 Taco with a supercharger. He can tow his boat doing 80 up hills. Those engines are awesome.
A guy at my work claims to get 24mpg in his tundra (but hes old and drives slow).

 

[BBowski82]

Of course I'm serious. My point was that many Tacoma owners have surpassed the 100K and 200K mile mark without major problems and despite modifying and wheeling their trucks.

I'm sorry you don't look at reliability the same way I do, but it's unrealistic not to factor in maintenance when looking at vehicle life.

I had a 1983 Sierra diesel that was meticulously maintained. It had 200,000 miles on the clock when I got it, and I experienced very few problems with it. All of the problems I did see were with componets that had not been replaced by the original owner (read they were original parts that were over a decade old). I did all of the regular maintenance on the truck, and had professional shops replace the failed components on those few instances.

My dad had the identical truck years earlier, and he bought it new. He never had any problems with it because he performed regular maintenance. I helped him maintain his '97 Chevy until I ended up with and then I did all the maintenance, so you could say I have about three or four years working on those vehicles.

You're in the auto program at Weber State? I surely hope you weren't taught the narrow-minded approach to vehicles, as the instructors I have had are far more intelligent than that.

Sorry for wasting your time

Alright, if you want me to go there....

First and foremost, I'm not in Weber's Auto program--I am, however, an alumni of their BS auto program. I have my AAS through GM's ASEP program (Glendale Community College if you're curious) and will be finishing my MBA in August. I'm an engineer for Ford Motor Company; working with the super duty/excursion and powerstroke diesel platform.

Now that you have my resume, at what point did I say maintenance shouldn't be considered or would not have an affect on the durability of a vehicle? That right, I didn't.

I've never owned a Toyota, let alone a Tacoma. Hence my question regarding durability....are there common components that fail??? Regardless of maintenance every vehicle has at least one component which does/did not reach design intent:
-5.7L intake gaskets/fuel pumps
-6.2/6.5L injection pumps
-6.0L injectors/turbos
-2.2L head gaskets
-etc., etc.

As you see, no amount of maintenance will cause these components to not fail. Fortunately, aside from your ass-like responses, I have gotten good information from others in regard to the Tacoma.

 

[Caleb]

I wouldn't rule out the Tacoma on size...get in an 05 Double Cab...thats got some nice room and the 4.0L has some awesome power. I have been looking patiently for a Double cab (01 or later) and have yet to find what I want. I don't want a truck as big as the tundra and I don't want a V8 so that leaves me with the Taco. As for experience, my work purchased an 04 Taco last year brand new, it now has about 60K miles (yes, in a single year ) and besides oil changes and tire rotations its not been in a shop at all. I drove it for about the first 35K of those miles.