Thinking of getting a Titan. Discuss please.

[DesertJK]

I have been shopping for a full size 1/2 ton truck. I has to be four wheel drive because I live in the Northwest and I travel where it snows. It will not be an overland rig, I have a JK Unlimited that works quite well for that. I need to tow various trailers, all weighing 1/2 or less that the Nissans capacity. I will do one of the leveling kits, some quality shocks (Bilstiens) and maybe a slightly more aggressive tire, and and ARB bumper, because deer love to commit suicide in front of me.

I have considered the Ram 1500, but it just doesn't do it for me. I am not into the Ford F150, and non of the GM products interest me.
I looked at Toyota Tundra's, but just am not really into them either. What I want to know is, why is the Titan the forgotten truck? There are 100's of road test that either skip it, or rate it last. But, when I do find a test from a car enthusiast magazine like Road and Track or Motor Trend, they love it.
Whats up with that?

 

[JHa6av8r]

I don't know about the road tests, but I had 2000 SE Crew Cab until last November and loved that truck. Well thought out interior that was roomy with lots of places to store stuff. It had good power and handled well even loaded. The only drawback for me was payload was only 1,300 lbs. Sold it because we were getting pop-up truck camper that weighed 1,450 lbs dry and needed more caring capacity.

 

[duckhunter71]

I don't know about the road tests, but I had 2000 SE Crew Cab until last November and loved that truck. Well thought out interior that was roomy with lots of places to store stuff. It had good power and handled well even loaded. The only drawback for me was payload was only 1,300 lbs. Sold it because we were getting pop-up truck camper that weighed 1,450 lbs dry and needed more caring capacity.

Are you sure you're talking about a Titan? They weren't introduced until 2004.

I've known people that have had them and liked them, but they all complained about the fuel economy. 13-14 was typically the best anyone ever got out of them and I grew up in a relatively flat area with an elevation of only 300 feet above sea level. I think they're pretty tough and comfortable, so if fuel economy or the need for a large payload is not terribly important, I think they're a great value for the money.

 

[Golf286]

I had a 2009 Titan PRO 4x Crew Cab Short Bed for a little over 2 years, I absolutely loved the truck and its capabilities.. It had plenty of room(interior cabin) power and it towed fantastic, in my opinion the only thing I would've of changed is the bed it was a little small(loaded up with the bikes and camping gear) at times but nothing to get excited about.. The only reason I got rid if the truck was due to the fact that i needed a vehicle with better gas mileage, and a Title branding issue(long story) I purchased as a certified pre-owned with 15K miles, traded it in with 50K and made money.. Long story short I've always owned GM's and honestly doubt that I'll ever own another one, Nissan has impressed me with there reliability as well as durability. I will be buying another Titan within the coming year!!!

 

[DesertJK]

Thanks, some great replies so far. JHa6av8r, I know the bed capacity is less than others, but it does seem maybe your talking about the Frontier. I actually like Frontiers and almost traded my Jeep in on one after driving an Extera from Bend Or, to Monterrey Ca with a 14 foot trailer and 2 bikes.

Duckhunter71, 13 to 14 is the listed fuel mileage for in town. My Jeep JK gets 14 in town, and I have heard from GM 5.3 truck owners, as well as Dodge Hemi 5.7 owners that they do worse than 13 most of the time.

I think I am on the right track by looking at Titans. My wife is shopping now for a very fuel efficient car because she sell real estate and puts tons of mile on, combined with constant short trips. The JKUR is close to paid for, and just hit 86,000 miles because we have traveled in it a lot since we bought it, and have also shared it (one car, several motorcycles)
I ride a motorcycle at least 9 months out of the year, and because of a move, and job change, I will be able to ride a bicycle most of the time now.

The Titan will be used to haul our Livin' lite VRV toy hauler. It weights about 2000 empty. The JK tows it OK. It will also make a lot of trips between Yakima and Seattle, and lots of trips with a flat bed trailer to building supply places.

What I am after more than anything is to get a truck that handles awesome on Northwest highways and passes. Has modern safety and traction features for winter, and has passing power, as well as being comfortable with a 75 mph cruise speed. I think the Titan will do it.

Golf286, Titan branding issue? I would love to hear that story. Product branding is something I became very familiar with in my last career, and is a big part of my new job.

David

 

[Mack4]

Some thoughts after having mine for a little over a year.

I replaced my '03 Tundra with a '10 Pro4X Titan last year and have put about 45,000 miles on it. I work in the oilfield and many of those miles where on chewed up "roads", with the bed, cab and rack loaded down with heavy equipment. This truck actually works and it works pretty dang hard!

I made the short bed work for me, but if you go out and look they actually made a Titan with a 7' Bed (or was it 8'?) in the Pro4x package that had a extended fuel tank (doesn't solve the mileage problem, but helps with the range!). I didn't realize this until after I made my purchase, a double cab being one of my requirements!

We also use this truck as our "overland" off road camping platform and that rear locker is pretty amazing. Go see Greg at Prgproducts.com when you're ready to change out some suspension components, his kits really improve the on road and off road performance of these vehicles. Great vendor to work with, helped me out with some used parts I purchased on Titantalk.com.

Actually, other than the price tag, which can be almost 10k cheaper than a F-150, the rear locker is what pushed me over the edge. I didn't have one on my old truck and the LSD would leave me stranded quite frequently.

I purchased mine used and due to the previous owners neglect had to replace the long block right after I purchased it. Luckily, it was under warranty and I got a free (to me) 2013 engine out of the deal. The truck also had an over heating problem before the engine swap that hasn't resurfaced yet.

The big problem with the early model Titans (as I understand it) was the Rear Differential, they under built it and people had a lot of problems, they seemed to have cleared up this issue with the '08+ year trucks. They also have a weird deal where sometimes the axles aren't seated exactly in the middle of the frame, so one rear tire is closer to the bumpstop than the other, they actually ship this way from the factory. You won't notice this 1-1.25 inch difference until you try to stuff 12.5" Toyo MTRs under there and then it becomes a issue!

All in all, really like the truck, it stands out in the sea of Ford products. The mileage isn't great, but the '03 Tundra was boasting 9 mpg at the end of its life, so for me, 15 mpg is a big upgrade! The bulk of my mileage is billed out as well which also helps soften the yearly fuel cost. These trucks can be less expensive than other offerings and you get a lot of features you would expect in a more expensive vehicle, without the high price tag and glitzy interior. Pro4x is their best package by far IMHO, can't go wrong there!

Good luck with your search!

-Mack

 

[JHa6av8r]

Are you sure you're talking about a Titan? They weren't introduced until 2004.

I've known people that have had them and liked them, but they all complained about the fuel economy. 13-14 was typically the best anyone ever got out of them and I grew up in a relatively flat area with an elevation of only 300 feet above sea level. I think they're pretty tough and comfortable, so if fuel economy or the need for a large payload is not terribly important, I think they're a great value for the money.

Getting my years mixed up. Got it the first year it came out, 2004. The fuel economy wasn't great. I get be better mileage with my 1 ton loaded with the camper in mixed hwy/city than I did with the Titan on the freeway.

 

[Golf286]

Some thoughts after having mine for a little over a year.

I replaced my '03 Tundra with a '10 Pro4X Titan last year and have put about 45,000 miles on it. I work in the oilfield and many of those miles where on chewed up "roads", with the bed, cab and rack loaded down with heavy equipment. This truck actually works and it works pretty dang hard!

I made the short bed work for me, but if you go out and look they actually made a Titan with a 7' Bed (or was it 8'?) in the Pro4x package that had a extended fuel tank (doesn't solve the mileage problem, but helps with the range!). I didn't realize this until after I made my purchase, a double cab being one of my requirements!

We also use this truck as our "overland" off road camping platform and that rear locker is pretty amazing. Go see Greg at Prgproducts.com when you're ready to change out some suspension components, his kits really improve the on road and off road performance of these vehicles. Great vendor to work with, helped me out with some used parts I purchased on Titantalk.com.

Actually, other than the price tag, which can be almost 10k cheaper than a F-150, the rear locker is what pushed me over the edge. I didn't have one on my old truck and the LSD would leave me stranded quite frequently.

I purchased mine used and due to the previous owners neglect had to replace the long block right after I purchased it. Luckily, it was under warranty and I got a free (to me) 2013 engine out of the deal. The truck also had an over heating problem before the engine swap that hasn't resurfaced yet.

The big problem with the early model Titans (as I understand it) was the Rear Differential, they under built it and people had a lot of problems, they seemed to have cleared up this issue with the '08+ year trucks. They also have a weird deal where sometimes the axles aren't seated exactly in the middle of the frame, so one rear tire is closer to the bumpstop than the other, they actually ship this way from the factory. You won't notice this 1-1.25 inch difference until you try to stuff 12.5" Toyo MTRs under there and then it becomes a issue!

All in all, really like the truck, it stands out in the sea of Ford products. The mileage isn't great, but the '03 Tundra was boasting 9 mpg at the end of its life, so for me, 15 mpg is a big upgrade! The bulk of my mileage is billed out as well which also helps soften the yearly fuel cost. These trucks can be less expensive than other offerings and you get a lot of features you would expect in a more expensive vehicle, without the high price tag and glitzy interior. Pro4x is their best package by far IMHO, can't go wrong there!

Good luck with your search!

-Mack

Nice Truck Mack!!! I completely agree with you that the Pro 4X is the best package. There's also speculation that on the new body style they'll have a Diesel option.. I know it's been talked about for awhile but they've been developing something with Cummins I believe..

 

[DesertJK]

Thanks Mack4. That was exactly the review I was looking for on these trucks.

I am going to buy used, but am trying to stay in the under 50K mileage range. I will end up driving a lot of beat up roads, some gravel, most paved.
I am not sure if I need the long bed, but the extended fuel tank has me interested in it now. I was thinking the shorter the better for when I end up taking shopping trips to Seattle. I will put a canopy on it. I want a color matched fiberglass with no windows and side access doors, maybe storage boxes on one side.
I do a lot of field repair on aircraft right now, and a canopy set up with side access and tool storage would be great. The new job I am starting probably won't leave me with the time for side work, and I may be prohibited from doing it anyways. Have not quite worked that out with them yet, but I would understand if they felt it created liability issues for them.

I plan on doing a leveling kit, but don't think I want or need much bigger tires. I actually picture it with slightly taller, narrow, all terrains.

David

 

[DesertJK]

Minus the chrome, and with all black wheels, this is exactly what I want. Has to be silver, I have developed this thing about all my 4 wheeled vehicles being the same color.

 

[duckhunter71]

I like that a lot. I grabbed some supper on the way home from church while ago and a guy was there in a black 2013 Pro-4X crew cab short bed. That thing looked amazing! I'm very anxious to see what the redesign brings in a few years as I plan to pick up a full-size truck and relegate my Frontier to hunting and camping and exploring.

I'd say a Titan would be a great choice for you. My Frontier impresses me every time I get in it.

In regards to fuel economy - I previously owned a 2008 Silverado 5.3 4x4 and a 2010 F150 5.4 4x4. The Chevrolet got 20 mpg on the highway while the Ford got about 18. They both would average 16-17 around town. For the money you'll be saving by going with a Titan, you will still come out ahead. Also, for what it is worth, I've grown up with Chevrolets my entire life and the current truck is a far inferior product to the Ford!

We will need pics of your truck and your progress once you get started, okay? Okay!

 

[drbandkgb]

IF your buying new you may wait about 6 months.... The next Gen is due to start popping pix by then... And a Diesel is coming...

 

[Mack4]

Nitto 295/75/18 is the tall narrow tire you'd be looking for. That's what I ended up running on mine. With a leveling kit they should clear, if you do the PWM (Pinch Weld Mod).

If you want to go with 17" rims, to give you more tire options, you need to look at the American Racing Mojave Teflons or GMC Police Interceptor rims for a Tahoe. The larger rotors on the 08+ make clearance issues for most 17" rim sizes.

Also, Rocky Road Outfitters makes Sliders, Diff gaurds and other armor for Titans. I would be leery of TAG Bumpers (formally know as: Kennesaw Mountain, Blue Lake offroad), their lead time and delivery can take several months and some folks have had serious complaints about them. They built my bumper and the bumper you have pictured above.

-Mack

 

[Golf286]

IF your buying new you may wait about 6 months.... The next Gen is due to start popping pix by then... And a Diesel is coming...

If heard that the new body style is being pushed back until after the 1st of the year.. Supposedly the Diesel will be a Cummins? What have you heard?

 

[DesertJK]

Nitto 295/75/18 is the tall narrow tire you'd be looking for. That's what I ended up running on mine. With a leveling kit they should clear, if you do the PWM (Pinch Weld Mod).

If you want to go with 17" rims, to give you more tire options, you need to look at the American Racing Mojave Teflons or GMC Police Interceptor rims for a Tahoe. The larger rotors on the 08+ make clearance issues for most 17" rim sizes.

Also, Rocky Road Outfitters makes Sliders, Diff gaurds and other armor for Titans. I would be leery of TAG Bumpers (formally know as: Kennesaw Mountain, Blue Lake offroad), their lead time and delivery can take several months and some folks have had serious complaints about them. They built my bumper and the bumper you have pictured above.

-Mack

Do you just cut, or do you need to reweld the seam afterwards?