All
We are considering getting a pickup for my 22 year old son. He works for the corporation and it would be a company/personal vechile. He lives at home and is single, with an active lifestyle (fishing, rock climbing, snowboarding, visiting college friends ect.) Good kid and hard worker.
We already work with 2 E-250 vans that have most of the tools and the racks for ladders. He now drives a 85 F-150 and we have an old grain truck for demoltion and general landfill needs. We will probably keep the F-150 for hauling and loaning to friends. (It’s a pretty popular truck.)
He would need to carry some tools but not extensively. He almost always works with myself or his brother.
We are considering a 2005 Tacoma crew cab or an 2005 Sierra Crew cab.
I know we will pay more for the Tacoma and it will get slightly better gas milage.
The cab of the Sierra is bigger and the bed is slightly bigger, but not that much.
The Tacoma will get slightly better gas milage Sierra 16-17 MPG vs Tacoma 19-20MPG. Is it worth it?
I would appreciate any comments that you have on the two trucks. And what kind of gas mileage you really get.
We are in no hurry to buy it (he is) but seriously we want to save 1/2 the money before we seriously look for a truck (maybe 6 months).
Rich
Replies
I have a 2006 Tacoma (extended cab, not crew cab) and love it. I get about 18 MPG in city driving around Pittsburgh (a pretty hilly place), and a bit more on the highway. It has plenty of power and is great to drive. I bought it for the composite bed -- I was sick of beds getting bashed up & rusting out. But, that may be a negative as well as a positive -- I'm aware of no racks that can be mounted on this truck due to the composite bed.
The newer Tacomas are very different from the older ones (I had one years ago -- forget the year.) The old ones were like compact cars -- the newer ones are midsize trucks.
Never owned/drove a Sierra, so I can't comment on that one.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Mike
Thanks for the reply.
I don't know anything about the composite bed. 1st I have heard about it.
18 mpg city is pretty good. All the reviews on the Tacoma are excellent.
doing legal work you don't need a ladder rack.
I am in the office today because it is supposed to rain (still waiting for it) and we have a roof to tear off. Bottom layer of asphalt is double nailed and like glued on. Not a faster tearoff.
That is why I have time to BT.
Rich
"doing legal work you don't need a ladder rack."
Yeah, but I spend about 1/4 of my time on "real" work! LOL.
I'd love a rack for plumbing, ladders, anything over 10'.
The composite beds, standard in Tacomas, are really nice -- check them out. The other feature I really like on mine is that is has 110v outlets built in to the side of the bed that run off the battery and a converter. Not much power, but enough for something like a drill or a radio.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
PS: As another poster said, the width between the wheelwells in the bed is just under 4'. However, there are recesses in the bed liner that hold a 2X6 in front of the wheelwells, high enough that you can rest the sheets on it instead of the bed or wells in the front, and on the tailgate in the back, so they ride above the wells. Never been a problem for me.
Edited 5/27/2008 1:28 pm ET by MikeHennessy
I have an 06 Sierra, and I have no complaints whatsoever.
I will say however, that if you're quoting those gas #'s ,you must be looking at the 5.3 liter, not the 6.0. I have the 6.0, and while I find it as ballsy as my old Ford diesel pulling the trailer, it gulpsfuel like nobody's biz, around 10.5-11 mpg.
Bing
Bing
Thanks for the reply. Thanks for the realistic MPG. Most everyone inflates what they get for MPG.
Yeah we are looking at the 5.3. We don't do much heavy hauling.
We have a 16' Lund fishing boat with a 40 hp. So we would probably use the new pickup for fishing trips. My personal van E150 gets about 9 mpg pulling the boat.
Our vans get 12 MPH, down hill with a tail wind.
Never really check them. Most of our work is in town and we usually have a ladder on the top and weighted down with every tool and 2x4 we can get in them.
My son will do plenty of highway driving in his personal use.
Rich
Check the width between the wheel wells in the Tacoma. If you plan on hauling sheet goods at all, go with the Sierra / Silverado to make life easier.
The tailgate on Colorados and Canyons can be set in two positions to haul plywood by moving the tailgate cable anchor points and adding 2 2x6s across the bed. Only takes a couple of minutes to set up. The Tacoma doesn't have that ability.
http://www.chevrolet.com/pop/colorado/2008/tailgate_en.jsp
boiler
I like the Colorado, my son kind of has his eye on the Tacoma.
I like that feature. Thanks for the link.
Do you have a Colorado? If so, what do you think of it.
GMs are easier to find than Toyotas in our area.
Rich
the Tacoma has it all over the Sierria.....
there must be a reason GM's are easy to find....
look to see how many units of each are sold new...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Imerc
We are in farm country.
You have to go to the city to get a Toyota.
They must be good, because there are not alot of used ones around.
Sierra/ sliverados are pretty common in farm country.
Rich
the GM's don't do well in the hard work/ranching mountain enviroment....
they don't seem to be able to cut the mustard and in about two years (avg)they're done for...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
All
I would like to reply to all but i am going to tear off this afternoon.
No rain yet, alittle 1st thing this morning.
80% chance though.
I'll reply this evening.
I love BT for real life answers.
Rich
i think the toyota reputation for reliability is better than GM, and i think it is a deserved reputation. it will cost you more to get into a toyota than a GM, but it will hold its resale value better. for those that know it is the more popular vehicle.
i can say nothing but good things about every toyota i ever had, (6) and i wish i still had a few of them. that first one, a 69 corona 4 door was INDESTRUCTABLE!, believe me i tried and tried and tried. all i could do was destroy the radiator's and dent the body some, running gear and mechanicals took incredible abuse. repeated violent landings without a failure. if it wasn't so nose heavy the radiator's may even have survived. the 86 tercel 2wd would go places lots of 4x4s got stuck(river crossings)and all the trucks also great, 92, 00, and now 08.
that being said, my friends chevy (GMC same thing) work truck 4.3 V6 got over 200,000 freeway miles without even changing the plugs, oil and filter changes was it for engine maintenance. if you are driving lots of freeway, and can get a good deal because there are more of them...
Edited 5/27/2008 4:51 pm ET by segundo
I had a 1983 2WD with the 22R engine - that engine would just go and go...Then I had a 1985 FourRunner with the 22RE engine - loved that truck, if I hadn't tipped it over, it'd prob still be running.Then, a 1995 Tacoma 4WD Xcab - with the 3.4 (?) V6 - man was that truck peppy! Only prob with it was something in the suspension and a wheel bearing..Can't have any tiny trucks no more, but my next truck will be one of the new Tundras - love the look of them, and seems like you can't go wrong quality-wise.Driving a 4wd Dodge 98 ram now...JT
Well someone has to bring up rust!
Toyota's rust out like nobody's business.
There even offering a special buy back program- one and a half book
value on older trucks cause the frames are breaking due to rust.
Don't get me wrong my next truck will probably be one, but it is
an issue.
Henley
How can you write posts that always look like poems?
Everytime I hit enter I get a double space.
You seem to hit enter and get single space.
Just curious.
Rich
I have know idea.
Henley
It's a Mystery to Me.
Rich
Hold the shift key when you hit the return and you get this:Single spaced. Don't hold the shift key, and you get this:
Double spaced. It's an HTML thing.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
Mike
Thanks.
Henley's posts always lookeddifferent than everyones elses.Thanks for clearing that up.
I am leaning towards the Tacoma because I think he needs a higher MPG vechiles for his personal use.
Rich
I don't hold the shift key...
Must be some setting somewhere.
It's your PC's HTML settings. Holding the shift key overrides them and is easier than messing with them.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
That only applies to the pre 05' models. The new trucks seem to have that problem resolved.
Absolutely, just wanted to be honest
about the rust issue in general.
All of their trucks have been known to turn into rust buckets. It's frustrating because other wise they kick butt.
All I can add to the discussion is that I have a '96 GMC without a speck of rust. It lived it's 1st 100K miles in northern Indiana and I've washed it three times in it's second 100K and they were all recently. Body is so good, I just put in a new engine. http://grantlogan.net/
But you all knew that. I detailed it extensively in my blog.
segundo
I two friends that had Toyota 4 doors in the mid 70's.
Those were great little cars. Both guys drove them real hard.
Rich
I have a 85 2wd xtra cab. 320k miles. a 85 4wd xtra cab 210k miles. and a 06 2wd xtra cab 72k miles as a work truck.I highly reccomend
Imerc
Most popular pickups around here are the F150 then the Silverado.
I guess we are just not as hard on them as cowboys.
Rich
high altitude...
flat is way way east of here...
3rd gear means yur driving way too fast for conditions...
if yur in 4th .. it means ya left the AO....
not many 1500's anythings to speak of...
3500's may out number the 2500's....
and pavement isn't all that common in a lot of places...
did I mention having a few more bridges would be nice....
we are know to fish from the cab....
GVWR doesn't relate to anyone or what they're doing...
sure sorts out what works or doesn't work...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Not much to offer on late model trucks, just my enthusiastic support for Toyota. I've had a '91 2WD 4cyl 2.4L 5spd Toyota pickup since new, now with about 230,000 miles on it.
Other than replacing the starter a couple of times, the OEM muffler once and the clutch at 200,000 it hasn't needed any work, just normal maintenance items.
It has plenty of power for it's size and has always gotten over 25mpg when driven at sane speeds. Even when pushing it on trips, continuous 70+mph, it still gets around 22-23mpg.
After 230K miles, the engine doesn't show any signs of wear. Burns only slightly more oil than when new, about one quart between changes.
It handles nicely in corners and rides comfortably, even when empty.
In short, there's a reason why you see so many older ones on the road, they last forever. No other small pickup compares.
Edited 5/27/2008 7:09 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Hudson
Everyone I talk to speaks hihgly of their Toyota product.
Rich