Tundra vs Fronteer vs Ridgline ?????

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450 DUDE

450 DUDE

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Location
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OK, Im looking for a used truck.
This will be a work vechicle / service vechicle.
Things Im looking for:

Easy to drive (comfort)
Reasonable on fuel (for what it is)
4x4
Crew or extra cab ( will also double as the long distance fam truckster )
Able to tow 5000#

And also needs to last forever...


I think I have narrowed it down to :

Nisaan Fronteer , Gen 1 Tundra , Honda Ridgeline


What you think, or know.. Let me have it!

Thanks,
ken
 
04+ Tundra Double cab. The frontier is fairly small and a gas hog, and the Ridgeline is a nice family car, but if your frequently towing and using for work I think the tundra is the obvious choice.
 
Frontier only has a 4.0 V6 engine and has one of the worst crash ratings.

The Honda transmission is not rated to tow anything, despite what the owner's manual says. Do a search on Ridgeline towing and get ready to read transmission failures.

My vote goes to Tundra with a V8.

My DD/worktruck is a 2002 SR5 V8 AccessCab 2WD with LSD.
 
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I think Honda makes great vehicles .. for highway and passenger use.
In addition to transmissions I am aware of one test report where the reviewers were very disappointed that the new Pilot they took off a paved road onto what they described as a fairly standard gravel secondary road needed front end suspension repairs as a result.

Honda doesn't make a utility work vehicle just yet...although the Civic (and Corolla of course) are on my shortlist for a DD
 
1.5 gen (facelifted 1st gen) Tundra, double cab. My neighbor has one, it will tow anything he has.
 
Thanks guys I guess I could have figured the response.

Are the changes they made with the Tundra through gen one just cosmetic?


Thanks again,

ken
 
No....in 05 they increased the power output close to 40 ponies. That was my only regret getting my 04, BUT it was such a steal I couldnt resist. Other than that it was mostly cosmetic. Your a days drive away from me, but I can get you great deals on used Tundras....just PM me when your ready.
 
450 DUDE said:
Nisaan Fronteer , Gen 1 Tundra , Honda Ridgeline
Click to expand...

Why do you hate American vehicles? :D

Seriously how about a Dodge Cummins, Chevy Duramax, or something like a crew cab chevy 2500 HD with a crisp gaser?
 
Im just not feeling it + those are all actuall full size units.
I would like to get something just a little bit smaller, other wise it would be a new Tundra comming to live with me.


ken






Dave-T said:
Why do you hate American vehicles? :D

Seriously how about a Dodge Cummins, Chevy Duramax, or something like a crew cab chevy 2500 HD with a crisp gaser?
Click to expand...
 
Tundra

Buddy of mine has a 2000 Tundra Limited 4x4. Before he moved, he was driving it 100 miles a day in Chicago traffic and averaging 16.5 miles to the gallon, and he moves down the highway at 80 plus when he can. Never any problems, except for the rear brakes (drums), not setting themselves correctly. He had 160,000 miles or more on it a couple of month's ago. He called it his Lexus. Oh, he also pulled a couple of snowmobiles with an enclosed trailer up in into Wisconsin with no issues.
 
SPDSHFT said:
No....in 05 they increased the power output close to 40 ponies. That was my only regret getting my 04, BUT it was such a steal I couldnt resist. Other than that it was mostly cosmetic. Your a days drive away from me, but I can get you great deals on used Tundras....just PM me when your ready.
Click to expand...

I think they added the 5-speed auto and the LED tail lights in 05, also. I looked at the Tundras, but bought a v8 4Runner since it's easier to maneuver in the airport parking lot. The back seats fold flat, so I can fit as much in it as a pick-up.
 
tundra for sure. my second choice would be the frontier.

the ridgeline is nothing more then a accord with a truck body. the thing sucks.

the newer frontiers are nice and pretty damn quick. i almost got the frontier instead of my tacoma and test drove the frontier and it was pretty nice. since your wanting a crew cab your only going to get about 4 ft of bed space which isnt very enough space for a work truck. but if your going to get a frontier why not just get a tacoma?

since your using it for a work truck tundra is the best choice. you will get a ton more bed space and cab space with the crew cab then you would with a mid-size truck with the crew cab.
 
out of all of ur choices id say tundra but as a work truck id say diesel. chevy, ford, dodge. I work at a company that sells big rig tires. we have to haul tons of tire around in service trucks. all our gassers do "ok" the highest mileage original engine for a gasser is a gmc with 241k. but all our diesels have at least 320k + our 96 dodge has 420 k and feels brand new
 
The ridgeline has a towing capacity of 3500lbs. my tundra tows the hell out of anything ('05 double cab) i love the truck. i would never buy another piece of crap american truck again. the only thing good about american trucks: 1) cummins (2nd generation easiest to get more HP out of) 2) Duramax (newer ones). other than that, Navstar (powerstroke) is junk, and the quality of american made trucks sucks.

i would not even considder the nissan with a v-6.

my vote would be tundra, and if toyota ever decides to put a diesel in it..........man.....
 
personally for a service truck u can get a ford dodge chevy for almost half the price. at around 200k on our tundra and f150 at work the both have weathered about the same
 
Ok I finally got around to buying a "truck"

In a perfect world I would have purchased the Tundra but I went with the truck everyone disliked.









Yes I have a Ridgeline....... As I thought about it over and over for what I really needed/wanted wasnt a big truck.
Its rated to tow 5k which is plenty for what I tow @ work.
Im really diggin the bed system with the in floor trunk.
I can stache most of my tools in there and still have a full bed.
The thing handles very well and is nice and quiet inside.

No,its not a full on truck but Im cool with that, Im looking forward to making a custom rack system (because no one makes one) and other tweeks to make it a true worker

Thanks for the comments and help,

ken
 
Ken, maybe I missed it but why didn't you consider the Tacoma. The new ones will two 6500lbs. and its built on a truck frame.
 
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