Built 2nd gen Tacoma mileage?

[Clutch]

What the heck is your friend doing to his truck that he needs to spend $2k in repairs every 18 months? I don't think that's the norm for those trucks.

He drives like a granny but he does drive a lot of miles. 20-25k annually. My brother had similar issues with his Ram work truck but that thing is heavy and gets used.

Thought that was only with the diesels? So I guess you have to rebuild the front ends on the gassers too? No one has better fix yet? I am not too familiar with the Rams. Know the Toyotas pretty damn well...since I am under the damn thing so much fixing things.

 

[Dalko43]

Yeah, you have to ring its' fricken neck to get any power of them when pulling loads...mpg's take a nose dive. Where a bigger engine just lopes a long.

While I like the Tacoma and the 4Runner, even though the shine has worn off from the brand for me...not sure if I would call them workhorses...since payload and towing is so low. Maybe ultra reliable weekend warriors?

Perhaps Toyota gets all the fan fair, but I never really hear too many complaints about the gasser engines from the big three. (or maybe I just don't pay attention???)

Well 'workhorse' is a relative term...the 4.0l v6 gets the job done. It may not be quiet or efficient doing so, but it works reliably.

The engines (both gasoline and diesel) for the 3/4 ton trucks are well made too. Toyota does tend to get all the glory for making reliable engines, which they are. But the other companies make good engines too.

 

[Clutch]

Well 'workhorse' is a relative term...the 4.0l v6 gets the job done. It may not be quiet or efficient doing so, but it works reliably.

The engines (both gasoline and diesel) for the 3/4 ton trucks are well made too. Toyota does tend to get all the glory for making reliable engines, which they are. But the other companies make good engines too.

It is a relative term.

I run mine a lot...to the tune of 25K miles a year a lot. But never worked it as hard as my old F250...we literally beat the crap out of that thing. From towing skid-steers, with bedside loaded down toolboxes and a ladder rack....that thing hauled gravel, firewood, cow manure....plowed driveways, yanked out stumps. You name it, it did it.

The Toyota...yeah sure I use it...but nothing like that. Mainly running back and forth to work, camping and hauling dirt bikes. No "real" work duty tough. Couple bags of mulch from Home Depot once year isn't work. Which I think is what the majority of Toyota owners do...they are running around town weekend warrior vehicles.

Think I have been blinded by Toyota for too long, seems like the other manufactures are just as good anymore...maybe better???

 

[tacollie]

I worked with a buddy who does construction this summer who has a DCLB taco with a ladder rack. 133k miles on it. We loaded the ladder rack with lumber regularly. We also overload his dump trailer with lumber, drywall, and rock. All things any full size would do better but the taco got the job done and is going strong.

 

[Dalko43]

It is a relative term.

I run mine a lot...to the tune of 25K miles a year a lot. But never worked it as hard as my old F250...we literally beat the crap out of that thing. From towing skid-steers, with bedside loaded down toolboxes and a ladder rack....that thing hauled gravel, firewood, cow manure....plowed driveways, yanked out stumps. You name it, it did it.

The Toyota...yeah sure I use it...but nothing like that. Mainly running back and forth to work, camping and hauling dirt bikes. No "real" work duty tough. Couple bags of mulch from Home Depot once year isn't work. Which I think is what the majority of Toyota owners do...they are running around town weekend warrior vehicles.

Think I have been blinded by Toyota for too long, seems like the other manufactures are just as good anymore...maybe better???

No, Toyota is doing what it has always done...building basic but reliable 4x4's. Their vehicles get a lot of hype, some of it deserved, but Toyota has always adhered to that central strategy. They don't build anything in North America that is intended to fill the 3/4 and 1 ton HD role and owners really don't use them for such applications. So I agree it makes no sense to compare the working durability of a weekend warrior truck to that of a true HD truck. A Tacoma, even one carrying overland gear, is not going to see the same kind of abuse as a Ram 2500 towing a car trailer or serving as a fleet truck.

 

[Clutch]

I worked with a buddy who does construction this summer who has a DCLB taco with a ladder rack. 133k miles on it. We loaded the ladder rack with lumber regularly. We also overload his dump trailer with lumber, drywall, and rock. All things any full size would do better but the taco got the job done and is going strong.

I have done the same occasionally with mine, used to do some landscaping overhauls on the side years ago... yeah it will do it, but it isn't exactly fun. Rented a walk behind trencher when I did the irrigation at my mom's house...didn't even look to see how much it weighed..man the Taco did pull it, but is was sketchy! Thankfully I didn't have to go far.


Like our old F250 Pickup and F350 dumps would pull the Bobcats "ok"...but nothing like our Chevy C70 Dump, wouldn't even notice the Bobcat back there. While I do kinda live by the "Less is More" attitude...however there is something to be said for having too much truck.

 

[tacollie]

I have done the same occasionally with mine, used to do some landscaping overhauls on the side years ago... yeah it will do it, but it isn't exactly fun. Rented a walk behind trencher when I did the irrigation at my mom's house...didn't even look to see how much it weighed..man the Taco did pull it, but is was sketchy! Thankfully I didn't have to go far.


Like our old F250 Pickup and F350 dumps would pull the Bobcats "ok"...but nothing like our Chevy C70 Dump, wouldn't even notice the Bobcat back there. While I do kinda live by the "Less is More" attitude...however there is something to be said for having too much truck.

Second gens do better with a trailer than first gens. Everytime I hooked a trailer up to my 02 I felt like I was just along for the ride!

 

[Clutch]

Second gens do better with a trailer than first gens. Everytime I hooked a trailer up to my 02 I felt like I was just along for the ride!

That is true, my buddy's 2nd gen does seem to do a little better. I get a yard of compost for the garden every spring....damn glad the place I get it at is only a couple miles down the road, wouldn't want to go too far. Might be at the point in life, just pay an extra 20 bucks and have it delivered.

I don't know why the Tacomas keep on selling like they do, as you get so much more for your money with a 1/2 Ton...heck even a 3/4 Ton. I can find F250's for the same price as a Tacoma, if you're gonna load the crap out of them and get 10 mpg, might was well get a 3/4 Ton. You could hang bumpers, winches, sliders, squeeze 37" tires with only minor mods, and a popup camper and wouldn't even know it is on there.

 

[Dalko43]

I don't know why the Tacomas keep on selling like they do, as you get so much more for your money with a 1/2 Ton...heck even a 3/4 Ton. I can find F250's for the same price as a Tacoma, if you're gonna load the crap out of them and get 10 mpg, might was well get a 3/4 Ton. You could hang bumpers, winches, sliders, squeeze 37" tires with only minor mods, and a popup camper and wouldn't even know it is on there.

I share those thoughts regarding the Tacoma. I think it really does well if the build is kept close to stock or moderate. But when you really load it up, you have a vehicle with a nearly maxed out payload and an engine that gets about the same mpg's as bigger, more capable trucks. Maybe the newer Tacoma's 3.5l v6 is a little bit more efficient, but it still has similar payload restrictions.

Some offroad instructional groups have transitioned over to 3/4 and 1/2 ton trucks for the bigger engines and better payload characteristics: AEV Recruit and AEV Power Wagon.

Now, an overland-built Tacoma definitely has cache and sex appeal, and is still a downright capable platform despite its limitations. But I also totally understand why someone would switch over to a Tundra, F-150 or even a Ram 2500/3500 for overlanding.

 

[tacollie]

That is true, my buddy's 2nd gen does seem to do a little better. I get a yard of compost for the garden every spring....damn glad the place I get it at is only a couple miles down the road, wouldn't want to go too far. Might be at the point in life, just pay an extra 20 bucks and have it delivered.

I don't know why the Tacomas keep on selling like they do, as you get so much more for your money with a 1/2 Ton...heck even a 3/4 Ton. I can find F250's for the same price as a Tacoma, if you're gonna load the crap out of them and get 10 mpg, might was well get a 3/4 Ton. You could hang bumpers, winches, sliders, squeeze 37" tires with only minor mods, and a popup camper and wouldn't even know it is on there.

I think landscape stuff delivered just to save time. My business takes enough of my time that I will happily by some when I can!

I bought a taco because I thought it was more fun to drive than a full size. My girlfriend didn't want to drive a full-size into the parking garage at her work. I couldn't find a good used frontier so we ended up with a taco.

 

[Clutch]

I think landscape stuff delivered just to save time. My business takes enough of my time that I will happily by some when I can!

I bought a taco because I thought it was more fun to drive than a full size. My girlfriend didn't want to drive a full-size into the parking garage at her work. I couldn't find a good used frontier so we ended up with a taco.

Think it is some weird pride thing with me, since I grew up out in the country and we had a construction business...is probably why I still do it.

Speaking of gas mileage, there used to be a clear advantage of the Toyotas over a fullsize, why I started buying them 25+ years ago...not so much the case anymore. Unsure if the size argument matters much anymore since they have gotten so big. There was a DCSB 3rd gen sitting on 35's next to a lifted CCSB F150 at work the other week. Size wasn't all that much different. Guessing the F150 was cheaper to buy and gets better gas milage too.