Looking at buying a Tacoma, or...?

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DiscoveredLC

DiscoveredLC

Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Threads
85
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1,126
Location
in the NV desert
I'm looking at selling my VW for a Toyota pickup as my DD. Now that Im working up in Winnemucca half the week, i'd like a 4wd daily driver. The VW only gets 26-27mpg on Premium fuel only. I could get a taco that gets low 20's on regular, and have 4wd. The VW also cost me $70 a month in oil changes cause I have to take it in to the shop each time.

Being able to do my own maintanance and using less expensive gas should help out with the small drop in mpgs.

So, I'm looking into a small ext cab tacoma. Any recommendations? I dont know much about Tacomas, but I was thinking maybe the 2.7 4cylinder with a 5spd would be my most economical route.

What year, engine, trans would you guys recommend I keep an eye out for?
 
For the commute I'd get a front wheel drive econ box. 4WD is highly over rated on the highway, AKAIK the only thing 4WD helps with is getting your car out of the ditch after you spin out. A front wheel drive will go wherever you point the the wheels, eventually.:grinpimp:

When I commuted to Tahoe and Carson City I passed a lot of stuck 4WD's in my Civic.

You need a big set of cajones to drive with all the asshats in SUV's though. When they start playing bumper cars it gets scary.
 
I like my Tacoma.
19-21 mpg around town typically 22-24 hwy and its surprisingly a good wheeler despite how car like it is.
The mph is actually worse in the winter. I suspect warming the vehicle and constant heater running to be the culprit.
 
What Rusty said. FWD with low COG and snow tires is my favorite winter car, and I own a 4WD and an AWD.

Keith - I've noticed the same on my Cherokee, and it started happening after I put in the bigger radiator. Once the outside temperature drops, the engine temp starts dipping about 10 degrees every time the thermostat opens. I'm not sure if this should affect mileage, but I lose about 2MPG in the winter now and it doesn't matter if I use the snow tires or not.

rusty_tlc said:
For the commute I'd get a front wheel drive econ box. 4WD is highly over rated on the highway, AKAIK the only thing 4WD helps with is getting your car out of the ditch after you spin out. A front wheel drive will go wherever you point the the wheels, eventually.:grinpimp:

When I commuted to Tahoe and Carson City I passed a lot of stuck 4WD's in my Civic.

You need a big set of cajones to drive with all the asshats in SUV's though. When they start playing bumper cars it gets scary.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the input guys. I might of been a little confusing, but I'm looking for a truck so I can have a nice daily driver, but also go up in the hills whenever I want while I'm up in Winnemucca. I'm not to worried driving the VW on the freeway in bad weather, its the fact that I cant do much with it except drive around town.

If I have to stay up there for overtime and I have a day off in between, I can just take the Tacoma out and play. If that happens with the VW, i'm stuck in town watching TV all day long... ( what else is there to do up there!:rolleyes:)

I've always liked the little Tacomas, and now I think one will suit my needs better than the VW.

So looks like I'm going to try and find an early 2000's 3.4 V6 with 4.10 gears and a rear locker. Hopefully in white (or lighter colors like Tan.)

Jereme (24HRSOFNEVADA) sent me a really cool search engine when i was looking for my Cruiser. I wish I knew what it was.... I think you could search all sorts of car websites at once? I cant remember... but craigslist isnt going to well and I'm not finding anything.
 
AutoTempest.com - Find your next car... Faster!

also, dont know what year/style your Vdub is, but you could also end up saving dough on insurance. i had a 2.7L taco for 8 years and loved every bit of it. IMO the 3.4 is not necessary unless you plan to tow. the 2.7 is cheaper to buy, maintain, insure. plenty of power for everything but towing.

PS, I see lower winter mileage on our vehicles due to methanol in the gasoline. at least 1 mpg lower until springtime :(
 
The search engine was "Jaxed.". They got a cease letter from the eBay/Craigslist lawyers and dropped a major portion of their content. It's a shadow of its former self.

eBay/Craig's came up with "AllofCraigs.". Its weak, but all we really have now.


I'd go with a reg. cab, 4 cylinder. You won't have any of the head gasket issues of that vintage 6 cylinders and the mpg should be good. They're hard to find though.
 
X2 on the methanol and the mpg's.
 
You can't go wrong with either engine in the first gen tacoma's. The 2.7 and 3.4 are both really solid engines. The auto/v6 gets about 1 mpg better on the highway than the 5 spd. The manual is rated at 19 mpg highway and the auto is rated at 20 mpg. 19 is what my v6/5spd got. Didn't seem to matter what speed, in fact Will experienced the same thing with his v6/5spd tacoma 70-90 = 19 mpg (wierd). Clutch pedal effort is high in most every truck based manual toyota I have driven/owned, so that gets old after all day on the trail.

Not sure what the 4 cyl gets for highway.

The other complaint about the both my 4runner and tacoma, the seats SUCK!! Especially for anyone larger than Darcie. My '88 4runner had the multi adjustable seats and I hated them, very uncomfortable. My '02 tacoma was no better. Bad, bad seats.

Also on tacoma's, once they get around 100k expect to have to replace the front inner tie rods on the steering rack, starter and possibly the alternator. Other than that, there aren't any other real problems.

Jack
 
FWIW: A full size Chevy 1/2ton with the Active Fuel Management and the 5.3L will get an honest to God 20mpg going 75mph all day long. I know this because I've gone hunting with my buddy and his...and I buy the gas. And his doesn't have a camper shell on it! The 20mpg included rolling north from Winnemucca to Denio area, doing a little dirt time/4x4 chasing birds and then back to Winnemucca. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

Comfortable, quiet, safe, roomy, V8 power, etc. And I could never feel when it cut fuel to certain cylinders...its that smooth.

I know it isn't a Toyota but that'd be what I would get...

Just my $.02 and maybe all its worth ;)
 
And Spresso brings up a good point and why in 1999, I bought a 1/2t GMC over a same year Tacoma, looked at and drove/debated on both. Much more truck for at the time a minimal hit on mileage and that was before the new 6spd auto/cyl deactivation in the newer trucks.

Jack
 
two of the guys at work have the newer chevys 4 door half ton 4x4's and love them, not that great towing heavy( they are half tons....), but they get 20+ on the highway and are reliable except for the power windows and normal chevy stuff. they are real comfortable, nice seats and ride really well..

another one to look at but they are more $$ is a dodge with a cummins, even the new ones if you clean all the egr and exhaust crap off get 20+, if you can find one a 03-04 250hp is great..my friend Roy gets 23-24 consistantly with his even towing his old ford on a trailer he can get 20 but he is 62 and drives like it...

heck my wore out 400k mile 92 cummins 4x4 with the nasty injectors and big turbo still gets over 20mpg on the highway.. if you keep it under 65..

just food for thought...good luck...

BTW I missed something why are you in winn.. get a new job????? I hope..
 
My 2010 Chevrolet 2500 HD gets between 9-12 mpg with a Caravan camper and a bed full of crap. It obviously doesn't have the active fuel management.
 
I have to say that my 93 Nissan Pathfinder actually doesnt get that bad of gas mileage, can do 17-19mpg during the winter and a little more in the summer. Fortunately, for the last 3 yrs I have worked and lived in Carson so I can pretty much ride my bike or walk to work. Usually only gets use when it is cold out or need the occasional grocery run. Looks like I might have a cruiser to pick up soon so we will see how the runs and eventually I plan to drop either a Toyota Diesel in it or do an Isuzu 4BD1T swap. Once I grab her I will have to hook up with everyone here.

Back on subject, do a lot of research and you can find some small things out there that will be good in 4x4 and still get some good gas mileage. My pathy has the VG30e 3.0L V6 in it.
 
RAYJON said:
two of the guys at work have the newer chevys 4 door half ton 4x4's and love them, not that great towing heavy( they are half tons....), but they get 20+ on the highway and are reliable except for the power windows and normal chevy stuff. they are real comfortable, nice seats and ride really well..

another one to look at but they are more $$ is a dodge with a cummins, even the new ones if you clean all the egr and exhaust crap off get 20+, if you can find one a 03-04 250hp is great..my friend Roy gets 23-24 consistantly with his even towing his old ford on a trailer he can get 20 but he is 62 and drives like it...

heck my wore out 400k mile 92 cummins 4x4 with the nasty injectors and big turbo still gets over 20mpg on the highway.. if you keep it under 65..

just food for thought...good luck...

BTW I missed something why are you in winn.. get a new job????? I hope..
Click to expand...

I'd like to stay with a small Tacoma since it will fit my needs better, and not to mention a larger diesel would be $$$

and yup, got a new job. No more retail or Sportsmans!
 
oh and if anyone by chance sees one, i'm looking for a 02-04 auto Tacoma TRD 4 door in WHITE.

I dont know if I can be that picky, but I love the white Tacomas just like the 80's :D
 
Good choice. I think you will like it.

Jack
 
chicago said:
I like my Tacoma.
19-21 mpg around town typically 22-24 hwy and its surprisingly a good wheeler despite how car like it is.
The mph is actually worse in the winter. I suspect warming the vehicle and constant heater running to be the culprit.
Click to expand...

Keith, what year is your tacoma? Its a 2nd gen right?
 
DiscoveredLC said:
Keith, what year is your tacoma? Its a 2nd gen right?
Click to expand...

Naw... Mines an 06', new body style.
I too was looking for an 04', but this one popped up w/ 13k on the odo and a great price.
For stock gearing, the thing goes pretty low.
 
Is it the 4.0 V6 with the 3.73 R&P? Manual or Auto?

I'm actually looking at a few around 06 -07. I heard the auto's get the best mpg cause the manuals cant shift as accurately and efficiently.

I hate searching for a new car... too many darn choices!
 
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