Double Cab Taco 4x4 MPG

[landtoy80]

I am thinkin of getting rid of the 94 FZJ80 and getting a Taco.
I average about 13mpg with the 94.
What would a Double Cab 4x4 with ARB front bumper, Slee sliders, topper, 285 mud tires etc get for MPG?
What I mean is how does all that extra weight affect the Taco mpg?

I was thinking that the saving in gas (if any) would make the extra payment I would have.

[bkg]

Originally Posted by landtoy80

I am thinkin of getting rid of the 94 FZJ80 and getting a Taco.
I average about 13mpg with the 94.
What would a Double Cab 4x4 with ARB front bumper, Slee sliders, topper, 285 mud tires etc get for MPG?
What I mean is how does all that extra weight affect the Taco mpg?

I was thinking that the saving in gas (if any) would make the extra payment I would have.

Nobody will be able to tell you that... Sorry. You're adding pieces to an already incomplete equation: temp, fuel quality, altitude, driving patterns, year of the Taco, weight of right foot, etc.

I have '04 d-cab (soon to be for sale) and get between 14.9 (worst to date) and 20.5. It's completely stock.

No - you will not save enough on gas to make the payment. Assume, for a moment, that you get 18mpg with the taco (slight stretch if you do city driving) and put on 24K miles per year. At $2.50/gallon gas (random number), you'll be putting about $3340/annually into the gas tank. With the mileage you supplied above (13), you'll be spending about $4615 on fuel for the 80 per year.

That's just over $1250/year difference, or $100/month. That doesn't even count for the $4K in add-on's you've already mentioned above that must be considered.

Wanna save on fuel? Keep the 80, buy a $1K Honda and drive it until it's dead.

[landtoy80]

I was adding other factors like motor rebuild and other $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ parts that the old 80 will someday need. It has 250,000mi.
The wife won't drive a TuRD like I would. She drives the 80. In winter it gets 11mpg.
If gas gets goes over $2.50 I might have to sell it.
We can't afford a second good vehicle. Its either have her drive the 80 or sell it.
Thats why I am thinking of a Taco. I have owned 5 HiLux 4x4 but quit buying them when I had kids.
Now that the price of a used Taco is getting in my price range I might get one.

Wife wants a 4Runner, I want a truck. The Taco is both.

That $100 a month will make the paymet as I still make payments on the 80.

[SizzleChest]

assuming this is with a V6, correct? Your 94 should be somewhere between 15-18 MPG unless you drive it like you stole it.

[landtoy80]

I got 18mpg only once. On the first full tank of gas I put in it.
It went to 13 mpg average after I put on LT285/75/16 mug tires, ARB front bumper. It had 275/70/16 passanger tires on it.
I have a light foot, wife has a heavy foot. I get 14 mpg, she gets 13 mpg.

[bkg]

Originally Posted by landtoy80

I got 18mpg only once. On the first full tank of gas I put in it.
It went to 13 mpg average after I put on LT285/75/16 mug tires, ARB front bumper. It had 275/70/16 passanger tires on it.
I have a light foot, wife has a heavy foot. I get 14 mpg, she gets 13 mpg.

Are you compensating for the tire size when doing your mileage calculations?

[bkg]

Originally Posted by landtoy80

Now that the price of a used Taco is getting in my price range I might get one.

Wife wants a 4Runner, I want a truck. The Taco is both.

That $100 a month will make the paymet as I still make payments on the 80.

Makes sense, sort of. Depends on what you want long term, I guess. I'm going to sell the Taco and buy a gen2 xcab/gen3 reg ca, most likely, so I can afford to get back and forth to work. Aside from just the gas and payments, look into the costs of insurance and maint as well (sounds like you've considered this).

Either way, you're going to be spending the same $$/monthly, so I'm not sure what you are gaining.

[landtoy80]

I have the correct speedo gear for my tires.
I checked it via a GPS and its right on the money.

What will I gain??
Well, I quit buying new HiLux's for a several reasons.
1) The kids got to big to fit in the X-Cab
2) I couldn't buy a new X-Cab 4x4 for under $15000
3) Couldn't get the 22RE
4) Didn't like the Taco, I an a HiLux guy


I do like the Double cab Taco.
We need more storage room. The cargo area is getting smaller and smaller as the kids get bigger.
A topper on the short box of the Double cab should hold more crap.


The only down fall is I don't know about the V6 motor.
Is it as good as the LC's 1FZ or the 22RE motor? Will it go 300,000+mi?

[bkg]

Originally Posted by landtoy80

The only down fall is I don't know about the V6 motor.
Is it as good as the LC's 1FZ or the 22RE motor? Will it go 300,000+mi?

IMHO, no V6 is as good as a venerable I-series engine. But they are not a bad engine - I know a few people with 250+ K on their 3.4's w/ no problem...

[calamaridog]

The 3.4 V6 is a great motor and should prove very reliable with standard maintenance. 250,000 mi. should be no problem on a maintained engine.

"What would a Double Cab 4x4 with ARB front bumper, Slee sliders, topper, 285 mud tires etc get for MPG?".

The mileage will end up being slightly better than the Cruiser even when you weigh it down with all that extra stuff. Sure, you'll do better, but not tons better. Not enough to justify the purchase based upon fuel savings.

The stock suspension will not support the bumper, sliders, topper, etc. and will need to be replaced. 2.5" is the most you can go without using a drop bracket lift. With 2.5" of lift, you will need Bushwacker cut-outs or you will rub those 285's and you will need to regear as well...

BTW:

Topper $1200
Suspension $1050 (OME complete suspension)
Gearing $1200
Tires $1000+ (5 MTR's mounted and balanced)
Flares $350

The Tacoma is a well built and reliable small truck.

[dealmaker]

Originally Posted by landtoy80

I got 18mpg only once. On the first full tank of gas I put in it.
It went to 13 mpg average after I put on LT285/75/16 mug tires, ARB front bumper. It had 275/70/16 passanger tires on it.
I have a light foot, wife has a heavy foot. I get 14 mpg, she gets 13 mpg.

Ouch! I have 265/70/17's (32") on my V8 Runner and avg. better mileage then that. Have you rechecked the avg. mileage on a full tank recently?

[landtoy80]

I log every tank a gas. The average is over the 3 yrs I have drove it.
I have a running file in the computer that I update once in a while that show the average mpg.
I bet with this winters gas usage my average is even lower

[expeditionswest]

On the highway only, I typically get 17mpg with my current modifications and the truck at near GVW. But, I dont drive faster than 70mph and am running a tall, skinny tire, which has less resistance.

But then again, with the 40.5 gallons of fuel I can carry, the fill-up cost is shocking!