What new Toyota to buy??

[Caster]

I currently have a 2007 FJ that is paid for and under 70K miles. Trade in/resale would be pretty good.

As much as I LOVE this thing, it doesn't suit the day to day needs of me and the missus. We need a truck. Hauling plywood or a new couch sucks with the FJ. LOL

Anyway, if ya'll were gonna buy a new Toyota truck, what would you buy and why? I really like the 5.7L Tundra but mileage sucks (like the FJ). Man, almost 400 HP sure is awesome though.

Thanks for any input, and thanks for having me here. This place is incredible.

 

[Flagster]

Well you only have two choices for a toyota pickup...if you are talking new...
Personally the new tundras (2007 on) are just too huge for my liking...I feel like I am driving a motorboat...just kinda wallowing around...
I have had my 2005 tacoma since new...almost 100K miles and I haven't had to do anything but fluids and tires...still on the original brakes
The truck has been stone cold reliable. Mileage isn't great but what truck real world loaded and hauling (which is why you get a truck) gets over 20mpg...not a damn one
The crew cab leaves not much room in the bed but for minor weekend hauling it does fine...I have a one ton 8ft bed for the big stuff
If I was to get a tundra I would look for the 1st gen double cabs...I think they still had a 6 ft bed...
I don't know much about the 5.7l vs the 4.7l but if it is half as reliable it will be a great engine...I have two buddies who both have close to 300K on the UZ motors and they spin like new

 

[Caster]

I hear you on the Tundra. It's a land yacht. I ain't against a couple years old, lightly used. I'm liking the Tacoma the more I look at it. My FJ gets 15mpg city or highway so, it shouldn't be hard to improve that.

 

[austintaco]

I would buy a trailer and a bicycle. You will never get stellar mileage on something Toyota makes in the US that is capable off road and can haul large items. At least at the moment. Buy a trailer for a couple hundred bucks for the big stuff, and ride your bike for the small stuff.
I know this sounds like I am being an ***, but I am being serious, or at least an option to consider. $300-$500 of car payment can buy alot of gas.

 

[Jay H]

Paid for! In my book there is no better feature a vehicle can have and its not even 10years old yet and with that low milage its got its got years of life left. Hah If I were in the market for an fj I would be giving the opposite advise.


Trailer is not that crazy as it may well work for you and get around the age old problem of having a truck - constantly being asked to help others move.

I would buy a trailer and a bicycle. You will never get stellar mileage on something Toyota makes in the US that is capable off road and can haul large items. At least at the moment. Buy a trailer for a couple hundred bucks for the big stuff, and ride your bike for the small stuff.
I know this sounds like I am being an ***, but I am being serious, or at least an option to consider. $300-$500 of car payment can buy alot of gas.

 

[DCGibbs]

Paid for! In my book there is no better feature a vehicle can have and its not even 10years old yet and with that low milage its got its got years of life left. Hah If I were in the market for an fj I would be giving the opposite advise.


Trailer is not that crazy as it may well work for you and get around the age old problem of having a truck - constantly being asked to help others move.

I too concur. While I have Tundra fever really bad. The FJ62 Series is paid for, and the Subaru Forrester gets 30mpg for everything else. DCG

 

[tanglefoot]

A trailer is a great way to go. In Europe, just about everyone drives little cars and they have a utility trailer leaned up against the shed wall they hitch up for cargo runs. It makes a lot of sense from a practicality standpoint. Having a trailer still means you'll be asked to help people move, though...maybe even more often than having a truck.

I like bicycle errand runs as well. I use a bike trailer frame or a kid bike trailer for just about everything.

 

[Caster]

Yeah, I've thought about the trailer too. I have an M-416 trailer that I'm about to start modifying when I finish my M151A2 build. The biggest reason I thought of trading was the color. Yeah, my wife got a steal of a deal when she bought the FJ, but it's that godawful yellow. Nothing to do about painting it. It'd have to tore down to bare bones to do it right. I thought of doing an OD green body wrap but the yellow door jams and trim would just look dumb as hell.

 

[p nut]

I've always been a Tacoma fan, but if I had to buy right now, I don't think it would be a Toyota. When Ford and Dodge are getting 20+ MPG, it's hard to stay loyal. Reliability and resale issues are worth taking note, though.

But if I had to buy now and buy a Toyota, I've got 2 kids and possibly #3 in the near future, so I would go for the Tundra for the interior space. Pulling a trailer up mountain passes in the Tundra is also much more pleasant. MPG sucks, but Tacoma isn't that stellar, either. If you don't need hardcore offroad capabilities, Tundra makes more sense.

 

[Ramjet]

Well, I wouldn't buy a domestic vehicle. Screw the mpg you might save, but in two years it won't be worth much and you will basically lose all of your money in the long run. I would stay with the FJ, and buy a trailer. One, the FJ is PAID FOR. That right there is huge. Why would you want to spend another 5 plus years paying 30k for a vehicle. I know you can sell the FJ and put down a few bucks, but you are still going to be making payments. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Just my 2 cents. Cheers

 

[AKmoney]

You can rent a pickup from Home Depot or Lowe's for $19.95 if you ever need to haul a couch or a sheet of plywood.

 

[daveyboy]

The 2nd gen Tundra isn't any bigger on the outside than the later 1st gen--and not that much bigger than a DC Tacoma with a useful box size... . :sombrero:

But has way more power.

 

[Jeremy m.]

You will not save on gas with a Tacoma, may even do worse than the FJ.

 

[84scrambler]

i vote for the trailer to i have two 4runners a 97 for the kids and a 93 i dd and beat the heck out of, and all though it suck to go 55 i use my 10' utility trailer all the time, and it is so easy to load cause it is only 12" off the ground unlike the new tundra, for me it is a lot better and if i scratch it oh well it is not a 40k truck i have to worry about or pay reg and insurance and smog it and do the maintenance on

 

[ebg18t]

I also vote for a trailer. If you not going to use it much get a cheap one from harbor freight. I dragged one of those back and forth the country with loads and the thing held up well. Best $300 I ever spent. I opted to install better wheel bearing when I build it (comes in 3boxes). But never had any issue. Sold it to a neighbor for almost what I paid for it.