Selling my VW for a Tacoma as my DD?

[DiscoveredLC]

I have a job outside of town that requires me to commute 160miles twice a week. I would like to have a 4wd daily driver instead of my 2wd VW.

I'm looking at selling the VW for a Toyota pickup as my DD. Right now I have a VW passat with a V6, and it 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?

 

[Jacket]

You can get 20mpg's with the 3.4 V6, and get some power along with it. The 4cyl might give you 2-3 more mpg's but from what I've heard you'll be hard pressed to do much better than that.

Unless you enjoy the novelty of the 4 cyl mini, I'd try for a V6 Tacoma. What's your budget? You could probably get an early 2000's Tacoma with the timing belt service done and have years and years of fun with it.

 

[40Habits]

x2

I have had both a 4cyl ext cab and v6 dbl cab and I would keep the v6 any day. The 4cyl is fun in town but can be a dog on the hiway and I got the same mpg's. I would go with a manual since the auto is a 4 speed and you can tell it is missing that extra gear. Good luck with the hunt!

 

[Haggis]

I say go for it. My Tacoma gets around 21mpg and is more dependable than any VW and it can haul a sofa.

 

[DiscoveredLC]

Thanks guys. I'm hoping to get something for under $10,000.

Seems to me from what Ive seen on the net, the ideal truck would be an early 2000's white Taco with the V6. If I can find a 4 cylinder and a v6 to test drive that would be great so I can compare them.

Ive read about different models having different gear ratios? Is there a link with what VIN has what ratio?

thanks!

 

[Jacket]

There is a link in this thread:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/95-gen-toyota-trucks/521302-tacoma-gear-ratio.html

but I guess the data on TTORA is not 100% reliable-YMMV.

 

[ERG80]

DiscoveredLC, I'm also looing for a tacoma. I started this thread to help my search: https://forum.ih8mud.com/95-gen-toyota-trucks/484624-1st-gen-tacoma-buyers-guide.html

 

[DiscoveredLC]

Thanks for the info guys!

I'd say my best bet would be a '01-'02 3.4L V6 xtracab. with the 4.10 gears. How hard is it to find the 4.10 models? I was alos thinkin the 5spd would be best, but still cant quite decide. MPG's is important so if the extra 5th gear helps Ill go that route.

Hopefully i'm not picking a tacoma thats impossible to come by these days!

 

[ERG80]

Thanks for the info guys!

I'd say my best bet would be a '01-'02 3.4L V6 xtracab. with the 4.10 gears. How hard is it to find the 4.10 models? I was alos thinkin the 5spd would be best, but still cant quite decide. MPG's is important so if the extra 5th gear helps Ill go that route.

Hopefully i'm not picking a tacoma thats impossible to come by these days!

I've rear that automatic TRD's came with 4.10's but im not sure if they're the only ones with that ratio.

 

[Jeremy9A]

I think the truck you want is the most common one I've seen. Unless you are really particular about the gear ratio for some reason, It's really not gonna make any difference for fuel economy (not in that close of ratios anyways).

I think the trucks with the smaller stock wheels came with the higher ratios. So your gonna spin around the same RPM's either way if I'm not mistaken.

I get 20MPG combined city/highway with my 3.4 5 speed

 

[Brake Weight]

I've got a '99 Taco with 2.7 and a 5-speed as well as an '04 GLI with a 1.8t. Both paid for and I roll either one as a DD. My mileage with 33s and a camper run about 18 on the highway. The tuned 1.8t gets about 33 mpg on the highway. They both have pluses and minuses.

 

[ERG80]

I've got a '99 Taco with 2.7 and a 5-speed as well as an '04 GLI with a 1.8t. Both paid for and I roll either one as a DD. My mileage with 33s and a camper run about 18 on the highway. The tuned 1.8t gets about 33 mpg on the highway. They both have pluses and minuses.

How do you like the 2.7 5spd? Ive been back and forth between it or the v6.

And cool avatar.

 

[Brake Weight]

It's underpowered, but tuff. I worked with a guy that had a v6 '01 and the same stock wheels back then and his had better mileage and power. I would recommend the v6.

 

[ERG80]

It's underpowered, but tuff. I worked with a guy that had a v6 '01 and the same stock wheels back then and his had better mileage and power. I would recommend the v6.

That's what I was wondering. Thanks.

 

[Haggis]

Mine has the 4:11 ratio. A 2000 ex-cab 4wd TRD 5spd

 

[srogers]

I have an '01 3.4L 4wd extracab SR5, daily driver (between 40 and 200 miles per day). 120k miles. 5 speed. Not sure of the axle ratio. Bought it new.

I'm in rural NE Oregon, so almost all miles are on a rural 2 lane highway or the freeway for the longer drives. I have a canopy and sand bags in the bed for winters, plus a decent sized gear box (tow straps, tools, axe, fire ext, flashlight, jug of water, etc) and chains so probably 300 to 400 lbs of gear in the back.

I'll average almost like clockwork 18.5 mpg; I could probably eek out another 0.5 to 1 MPG if I lightened the load, but it's amazing how frequently I need half that stuff back there...rarely do I get mileage too far one way or the other, unless I am towing. MPG's then will drop down to the upper 14's/low 15's for longer trips with the raft trailer and beer coolers.

I think that it's the perfect daily driver, every time I think of replacing it with something else (i.e. a newer model Tundra) my mind wanders to the exact same set up I have now, just with a car payment!

 

[Haggis]

I could not agree more srogers, why I can't part with mine either!

 

[Duane]

I'll throw out an idea for debate as I think a 4Runner gets better mileage than a tacoma possibly and are usually less money.
I bought a 5X10 utility trailer for when I need to haul things too big for the runner or too dirty.

What speed do you drive at for this 160 mile trip?

Our 3.4's get better regular highway mileage than our 2.7 does. All are automatics though.

I think the 2.7 is the least maintenance of the two engines.

 

[srogers]

A friend of mine here in NE OR has a 97 or 98 4runner, AT with the 3.4, and he's slightly better gas mileage than I am (19'ish). We both drive the same roads between 50 and 70, depending on weather. We were actually just discussing this morning his rig, as he's got 228k miles and has had zero maintenance issues (although he's WAY past due for some maintenance!).

If I keep my Tacoma at 60'ish I'll get 19's for MPG but I can't drive that slow most of the time!

 

[Jeremy9A]

We actually bought our 4runner because the tacomas were a little out of our price range at the time. The 4runner stock did get better mileage. Usually around 21 combined driving, 23-24 all highway