After 8 years in a full size, moving back to a mid-size - Recommendations?

[phsycle]

Why not get an extended cab F-150 rather than a crew cab?

Still works fine for luggage/groceries/tools out of the weather, grandkids (assuming they aren’t in the giant infant car seats or 15/16) can still fit in the back seat comfortably, no real trade offs to speak of.

Supercab F150 is exactly the same length as the Supercrew short bed.

 

[Markal]

I'm pretty sure the Tacoma, 4runner and GX all have the same seating position issues. The GX might be a little easier to deal with because the seats are more adjustable. But for sure I don't find my GX as comfortable after long drives as my Tundra was.

I'm excited for the new Land Cruiser and/or GX550 ... in 10 years when I can afford to buy one used from the investment bankers and doctors who want to pay new vehicle prices these days

Not to my butt and legs! 😂

The Tacoma seat is low to the floor and short front to back, so the support is limited. It’s like being in a low slung sports car but with crappy seats.

Been a while since I drove a gx but I remember the position being more normal. And the 4Runner is definitely better (friend has one that I ride in regularly).

 

[calicamper]

Not to my butt and legs! 😂

The Tacoma seat is low to the floor and short front to back, so the support is limited. It’s like being in a low slung sports car but with crappy seats.

Been a while since I drove a gx but I remember the position being more normal. And the 4Runner is definitely better (friend has one that I ride in regularly).

The GX typically had a higher roof line and a seat that sat higher off the floor which definitely helps the leg angle and comfort factor. Seat depth/length ie leg support I don’t recall it being much different other than better quality seat which definitely helps.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

I really like my gasser ZR2, of course it does not tow like my HD does, but its way smaller, and is a blast to drive. I find the interior seating positions are comfy. I could never seem to fit right in a taco. And im only 5ft9.
My 2019 has a 5k tow rating.
No experience with the Nissan, or ranger.

Edit: I dragged my little stock trailer around a few weeks ago, with 15 tiny goats. And it cruised at 75, about a 60 mile loop.

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I say get the Frontier. But only if you name it Liam and wrap it like this:

 

[yfarm]

Ford built a F150 supercab 5.5 box truck thru mid 2020. All were Raptors, are available on the used market, some with very low miles as are garage queens. Mine is an ‘11 with the 6.2 V8 and tows 4k in the mountains like nothing is behind it. 11.2 mpg towing in the mountains. Went up Monarch pass loafing at 65. Mine measures just under 19’ in length.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I say get the Frontier. But only if you name it Liam and wrap it like this:

View attachment 797784

Is it too early to post this?

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Is it too early to post this?

Yes.

 

[dman93]

Random thoughts:

• I have an early 3rd gen V6 automatic Tacoma, almost 100K miles. Dead reliable after a few minor new-car issues. Yes, the engine/trans combo is pretty lame but I’ve gotten used to it and without a heavy load or anything on the rack, it delivers 20-21 mpg consistently on highway trips including western mountains, with larger heavier KO2’s.
• Seat spacers have solved the seating position for me. Newer 3rd gens have height adjustment, at least on the driver’s side.
• The 4th gen (2024-) will still offer an MT but I think all 4wd versions will be automatic.
• I drove a 3rd gen V6 with 6MT for a few miles of paved and dirt road, and it was really nice. My 66 year old brain is smarter at picking the right gear than the Tacoma ECU and the foot/hand activity is just muscle memory for me. However, I do like the AT on trails.
• We also have a newer 3.5 EcoBoost Ford Transit AWD with the 10 speed. An amazing powertrain. Effortless power and flawless shifting that’s almost unnoticeable. 15 mpg in similar driving conditions to the Tacoma, though our built-out van is heavy, has a 2” lift, bigger AT tires, and a rack with solar and awning. Really, it’s a much better “overlander” than the Taco.
• The 2024 4th gen Taco with a 4 cylinder turbo or even hybrid seems like it will be a pretty good truck. It really seems like Toyota is addressing a lot of the Tacoma‘s design issues which date back to the 2nd gen nearly 20 years ago. I know everyone says avoid first year vehicles but we’ve had good luck with a few first year Toyotas. My current Tacoma was built in November 2015 and it’s been fine as I said above.
• Garage length: I went through the same concerns when I had a Rivian R1T pre-ordered (since canceled). I’d measure your new garage before buying a new truck. My usable length was actually more than the nominal floor length, due to the depth of the foundation/footing and mud sill which would let the bumper overhang a bit. Just a few inches, but enough for the Rivian to fit. Of course, the MLS length may be outside and you’ll have even less usable room.

Good luck with the new home - and new truck if you go there.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, it's starting to look like it may be a non-issue. We did the inspection last week and found some major issues with the house - notably the roof which was 17 years old and badly damaged (our inspector even said "I've never seen a roof this old in this area. Usually they get hail damaged and repaired every 8 - 10 years.")

We immediately told the sellers we were ready to proceed with the sale as soon as they fixed all the issues. They are currently dragging their feet and if they don't give us a satisfactory response we'll let the contract lapse and look for a different house.

You can bet I'll have my 25' tape measure with me from now on.

EDITED TO ADD: I wonder what the "standard" depth for a garage is? I know it has varied over the years but I would have thought by 1994 (when this house was built) it would have been at least 20 feet. Does anyone know? Or is there even a "builders standard" for garage dimensions? Or is it something that varies by region?

 

[plainjaneFJC]

Well, it's starting to look like it may be a non-issue. We did the inspection last week and found some major issues with the house - notably the roof which was 17 years old and badly damaged (our inspector even said "I've never seen a roof this old in this area. Usually they get hail damaged and repaired every 8 - 10 years.")

We immediately told the sellers we were ready to proceed with the sale as soon as they fixed all the issues. They are currently dragging their feet and if they don't give us a satisfactory response we'll let the contract lapse and look for a different house.

You can bet I'll have my 25' tape measure with me from now on.

EDITED TO ADD: I wonder what the "standard" depth for a garage is? I know it has varied over the years but I would have thought by 1994 (when this house was built) it would have been at least 20 feet. Does anyone know? Or is there even a "builders standard" for garage dimensions? Or is it something that varies by region?

It varies by a few feet and height of garage doors can vary by a foot as well.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well, it looks like the sellers agreed to all of our most important terms so the move is back on. I'll be figuring out how to put my truck into that small garage, but the good news is that I'll have a nice wide bay to do it in.

Closing is set for two weeks from Friday. We won't be moving in until early November though.

 

[llamalander]

How much would it cost to make the garage longer?

 

[Martinjmpr]

How much would it cost to make the garage longer?

My guess is that it would be prohibitively expensive. The issue is that the garage backs up to one of the bedrooms so I can't expand backwards without doing some serious interior work (moving walls backwards.) Expanding forwards might be a possibility but I would imagine that even that would likely run over $10k and likely more than that as they'd have to extend the framing forwards, construct new exterior walls, move the garage door, etc.

Thing is, there is enough space on the property for me to build a second one-car garage to my specs and I'll bet I could do that for around $15k. So in terms of value for the money, I'd be better off building a detached 1 car garage long enough for the truck vs. trying to modify the existing garage.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Realistically, between spending $10 - $15k on building or extending the garage, it would make more sense for me to either continue to park the truck outside (not great but I could do it), remove the rear bumper of the truck to try and cut a couple of inches off the overall length, or simply go to a different vehicle.

Since we eventually want to go to a bigger camper (maybe a 22 or 24') I'd be leery of a mid-sized vehicle like a Ranger or Colorado. But I could consider an Expedition which has the same drivetrain as my F-150 but in a shorter package. Biggest drawback to the Expy is cost: They are crazy expensive! But they'd pull the trailer just fine and fit in the garage pretty easily. Even the long wheelbase "Expedition Max" has a total length of 221 inches which gives me 10 inches of clearance.

The 23 gallon tank in the Expedition would suck and the 26 gallon in the Max would be almost as bad after getting used to the 36 gallon tank in the F-150. But I could make it work.