|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
I have been thinking about getting a new vehicle for quite awhile. Since my Ranger has decided to start dying in traffic for no particular reason (without leaving a code behind) it's time to buy a new truck. For me the perfect truck would be small, reliable, and diesel (or at least get great mileage). Unfortunately nobody makes such a beast so I'm leaning towards a 4 cylinder 5 sp. 4WD Tacoma. I rarely have a need to tow or haul heavy loads and figure on those occasions other arrangements can be made. Anyone have any reason why this would be a bad choice? A purchase is probably two months away since I want to sell a couple of other vehicles first so I'll have a hefty down payment.
|
|
 Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
I do need a truck around here for hauling larger items. Does any manufacturer sell "green" trucks here in the states? I'd love to have the Tacoma V6 but after running the numbers just can't seem to justify it. The V6 would cost an extra $2k up front and another $500/year for gas over the I4. As seldom as the extra power would be needed doesn't seem worth it.
When shopping for a new car for my wife we looked at the diesel Liberty. The dealer said they were disappointed with the mileage it was delivering (low-mid 20's).
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
The 4 cyl. Tacoma is rated for about 21-23 mpg. The six is more like 16-19. As the Tacoma has bloated the mileage has dropped considerably. I wish it were the smaller size that it was back in the mid 90s since I like driving a smaller truck. Easier to park and they fit in the garage with room to spare. I won't buy another Ford or GM due to bad previous experiences. A Dodge Cummins would be great but it's $10k more and larger than I'd like to drive. The power/weight ratio of the 4 cyl. Tacoma is about the same as my Ranger which seems sufficient. I'd actually like an auto tranny (easier on the back) but the 4 is probably too gutless for it and the six takes too big a mileage hit.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
The Ranger I am driving now is basically a Mazda.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
Blueman, diesel engine technology has come a long way in the last 20 years. My brother worked in the transportation department at a major utility company. Years ago they used to joke that diesel engines were an excellent way to turn perfectly good diesel fuel into smoke and noise. They don't joke about that much anymore.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
Randy, even though it's out of the budget I went to Edmunds dot com to look at the Dodge 2500. What's with the body styles? It looks like they don't even offer an extended cab anymore, only a regular cab and a quad cab (and something called a mega-cab which looks like a quad cab to me unless edmunds screwed up the pics).
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
The size of that quad cab is way bigger than I want, which pretty much leaves Dodge out. If the Tacoma is bigger than I want any full size would be too big. I'm curious to know how many 4 cylinder Tacoma owners wish they had opted for the six. Another advantage of the four is that it has a timing chain, not belt, so no 60k timing belt changes will be needed.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
KT, the Mitsubishi is basically the same truck as a Dodge Dakota. Since the local Mitsubishi dealer went belly-up a year or two ago I'd go with Dodge for that truck, but it gets pretty poor mileage and mediocre consumer ratings. The Mazda is the same as a Ford Ranger (which is what I'm getting rid of).
Yooper, that's not a factory supercharger is it? I didn't see that on the option sheets. I know what you mean about interiors. Our Toyota Highlander has non-intuitive funky controls and terrible seats. The seats are so bad that I'm looking at aftermarket replacements, but that's hard because of the built-in side airbags. Tacoma's seats are much better (I wonder if those would fit into the Highlander? Hmmm.)
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
The whining sound from the supercharger can probably be interpreted as either noise or music to your ears. After I turbocharged my VW Scirocco in 1980 the sound of the turbo spooling up really got the adrenaline going.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
Interesting that toyota makes those available for the tuner crowd. Not something I'd want to do these days but 25 years ago I would have been all over it if I wasn't into German cars. If given the choice I'd still be driving a German car - those things are usually just plain fun to drive. With tight handling the driver becomes "one with the road".
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
|
06 07 4 Cyl 4WD Tacoma opinions wanted
I went to the dealer today and drove a few Tacomas. The 4 cyl 4x4 was surprisingly peppy and if I had purchased before Christmas I probably would have bought one. But after vacationing in Phoenix over the holidays, and trying to merge onto freeways with my brothers slow, slow, slow 6 cyl 3.0L Ranger, I decided that losing 1-2 mpg in exchanage for more power was a worthwhile trade. Also couldn't decide between a six-speed manual or auto tranny but it seems Toyota has some major clutch problems with recent Tacomas so the auto won out. Toyota's quality and customer service seems to be in decline these days. Anyway, they're bringing it in from another dealer so it should be here in the next day or two. Too bad my last two Rangers have been so poor in quality - the Ranger package is really better for my wants and needs than the Tacoma. Oh well.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
|
|
Gas Generator Weather Protecti
12-11-2006, 17:46 
Digg It 
Del.icio.us