gm crate motor are only 3110...(plus install of 16000)... 3 year 100,000 warranty...lol,,,,,,,,bummer

Dave! Who charges 16K to install a motor????????

I'll do it for 1/2 that, and pay my own way out there!

ps-Can I wait till the steelhead run?

Speaking of new trucks, my son wants a new vehicle, preferably a pick-up. Let's have some opinions, especially about gas mileage.

Paul he needs a Toyota. Reliable and good on gas!

type oooo,,,, 1600.......

The new dodge ram is now best in class for gas mpg that's what the ad says

New Tacoma. Will out live all others. Very dependable. Low to mid 20 mpg. Best features and options of all trucks i have looked at. 110 volt outlet in the bed.

Is that for the truck you got recently?

Do the Tacomas fuel mileage drop significantly after putting on a ladder rack, ladders, cap if you use one, all the equipmen, etc...?

Good question Tyson, I've been looking at the Tacomas. ( They come the closest to my 26MPG in my Transit Connect )

In my experience all vehicles loose mileage with excess weight and add ons.

Yes, I'm aware they drop when weight is added, significantly was the key word there. I have a 2011 Gmc sierra half ton 4 door that used to get about 19-21 HIGHWAY mpg. After the cap, ladder rack, 4 ladders, tools, traps, misc items, etc...I now get around 17 highway. My overall average went from 16.8 down to 14.6. Not all that bad when all factors are taken into consideration.

Paul. We have 2 Dodge 2011/2012, 1500, 4 door, 4x4's and a 2011, 2500, 4 door 4x4. Loaded with equip. , ladder racks, caps with 32' and 16' on each we get around 15 city and 17 highway. The 2500 is a diesel.

Tacoma is what I've narrowed my search down to. I wish they would make a small truck with at least a 7 foot bed. A bunch of 3 foot coon cages takes up a lot of room and I've had my Ranger stacked on the roof and a bumper carrier with cages. It kind of looked like THE GRAPES OF WRATH all I needed was a crate of chickens on top and Ma Jode sitting next to me. It still bothers me that I'm thinking about a rice burner truck, it's almost as bad as joining PETA.

I'm driving a 2010 Tacoma 4D, 4WD, 6' bed. With topper, ladder rack/ladders, tools/materials/traps it averages 15-16 mpg.

My 1999 F250 7.3 diesel has been extremely dependable. It has 418,000 miles and still has the original transmission (I probably just cursed myself). My F150 before that (gas)had 365,000 when I sold it. I have a 99 GMC Sonoma (3 tarannies), 2010 F150 that we like, and a 2010 Chevy Silverado. The guys don't like the Chevy, it rides too smooth and they each have got tickets driving it!!!!

Don't bash the Toyota as a foreign job though. It has the most domestic parts of any truck and is built in the US.

Tom Walters, thanks for your honesty.

John, we have a 2010 F150 with 4WD and I tried the 4 wheel drive once to see if it worked. I can't imagine buying another one to travel on plowed and salted roads. ( Although I guess if you had a rough winter in Nashville, you 4WD guys might be the only ones on the road )

Dirk, nobody up here pushes diesel but since you've had a pretty good variety of almost everything, what would you buy in the line of pickups? ( Price is no option, gas mileage is )

It still says 'yota on it and all the profits go back to Jap-land, I guess that's what bothers me.

Paul as far as 4WD here it's mandatory, I probably use/need mine at least once a month even during the summer. We did a deck exclusion last week that was 5 miles up a jeep trail and it rained while we were up there. We camped on sight for two days, if we had tried to leave it would have been a 4WD only slide out of the mountains. Who's this Walters guy?

Dave, I don't know this for a fact, but I'm willing to wager that a decent amount of those profits go to intelligent people who invested in Toyota and are Americans. Even if I'm wrong, the amount that goes to the people running and working at the Toyota plants is far greater than the profits.

I guess a good example would be our own company. Out of every dollar made comes employee wages ( the largest amount ) then come expenses ( insurance, gas, repairs, vacations, etc. ) then comes overhead, secretarial, management, business supplies; after all of this, what's left is profit. If you're a one-man show, the percentage of profits will be much higher because you will watch every penny. Employees don't care, even if they get profit sharing. I know because I was one.

P.S. Tom Walters is hvtrapper and he was honest about is gas mileage. ( One of our guys puts $100 in his tank every other day )

Sorry Tom didn't read the fine print. I was hoping for better than 15mph that's about what I get with my Ranger unless the canoe is on top or the trailer is behind than I'm lucky for 12mph.

Paul I would check his receipts, down at the bottom it will say Twinkies,Doritos maybe a 5 Hour Energy and if he stops late in the day maybe an
Old Milwaukee 24 ouncer.

Dave, I would but the last time I filled up the F150 it cost more $120. I had to put the card in three times! I nearly had a stroke. My Transit Connect holds 13 gallons.

I really liked the gas mileage on the two Ford Rangers we had. They just didn't hold up. The Sonoma has been babied for the last couple of years, my guy doing Canada Geese drives it, so no heavy day to day hauling. I am not sure what I would buy. Factors are, gas milaeage, capacity for traps and equipment, AC and automatic transmission, towing ability (we pull alot of trailers to cleanout jobs).

Ideally, it would be a small truck with at least a seven foot bed, 3/4 ton, with good towing, 30 mpg. I might as well dream!!! The only truck that fits this description is not available in the good old USA.

Dirk, a 30mpg 3/4 ton? that is a dream. I'm from the era when getting 18mpg was an economy vehicle. I like your A/C and automatic requirement, me too, but I also have to have cruise control. My C/C is on constantly, that's probably why I don't have any tickets. I know the title here is "brand new truck" but I only buy prescratched trucks now, my biggest problem is finding a Tacoma with low miles for $20K or less, I don't think it's going to happen. Also the market here has a very limited supply almost everything I find is 400-500 miles away and I just don't have the time for that much traveling.

Dave, you and I are probably the only guys on here that use cruise control. ( I hear a lot of guys in the background saying " That figures " )

Bill came to 6 grand,,,...

Buy a Chevy and trade it in at 65,000 miles....... Just ask any Hutterite.........

Toyota Hilux is sold everywhere but in the
USA in a diesel. Perfect truck for my business.

Me, too, CC on every job out of town.

4WD is for winter fur trapping and boat launch ramps that often have less than perfect traction surfaces. I don't need it all the time either, but when you do.....you do.

Who am I? Excellent question!

Are you saying you have a Hilux?
If so I am very jealous. I have looked into buying a (Tacoma, Hilux) diesel. Seems like the American government will not let them be imported. A 4X4 4 door 6' bed silver diesel Tacoma would be my favorite truck of all time.

That's because most of them make their multi 6 figure income within 5 miles of the office, they probably never even get into high gear. I regularly have 150-190 mile round trips. One warning:Don't use cruise control on gravel roads or icy roads unless you can drive like the Dukes of Hazard.

292 miles yesterday=15.2mpg
32' & 24' ladders on the rack w/truck full of tools and materials.

D Upchurch:

No I don't have a Hilux, see them advertised on Craigslist in Vancouver B.C. The only model advertised is a
Hilux Surf (4Runner) with Diesel and these are older ones.

OK I did it, 2010 Tacoma, Toyota Certified lots of warrenty left. Now I need to send my application into PETA and HSUS I feel like a traitor dumping my Fords. Well I still have 'ol Blue '88 Ranger 205K, she's my backup. Now to order a contractors topper and looks likes 'da proofesnal I is.

Nice choose,,,,,, Bad thing about some of the trucks is they hold there value,,,,,, I have been looking for a Toyota for my son for 7 months,,,,

I usually start shopping about this far ahead,,,,,so I do not have to pay full price,..........

2.75 years ago I paid 6800 for a 2005 chevy that was county maintained.....it had 124,000 .......it would "book" for 10+++ today,,,,

There are advantages to new truck purchases for corporations that can afford it,,,


Now you have one clue as to How I can live "like" a billionaire,,....

(Oh ya,,,,,,, don't forget to use you air miles,,,,,,,,,,)

Good choice Dave!

Vinke, sounds like you found a lucky "investment", usually vehicles are a loss.
I purchased my 2004 Tacoma used ~5 years ago for 17000. Now it books for 15500.
Not bad IMO for an 8 year old.

Gotta drive a domestic in the midwest...even if Toyota is built here.

You guys are kidding, right? Toyota is as domestic as you're going to get! Look it up. They're so domestic that they're even having recalls.

I just purchased a 2012 Tacoma a few months ago and I love it. I toyed around with buying a so called American made truck but the tacoma just fit my needs better. Actully the newer Tacoma pick-ups are more American than Ford. Chevy and Dodge. More of their parts and such are out sourced to tawain and japan foriegn countries than the Tacoma's are. Fun little fact for you Ford, Dodge and Chevy lovers,lol

Dave, watch the TSB's (technical service bulletins)on the Tacoma you have purchased, there are a bunch of them and the dealers will not inform you about them. Most dealers will cover them if you push the issue, and are still under any type of warranty. There is a website for Tacoma owners, www.tacomaworld.com that is very informative. We found out about the bad rear leaf spring issues there,among a few others.Nothing really major, but they put a 3 leaf pack in the back end that would constantly bottom out,and there is a technical service bulletin out for it,if you experience it and complain, they will install a complete new set of 4 pack springs for no charge. Some models also have clutch issues with premature failures, they installed disks from two manufacturers,the Japanese made Aisin ones work well, the ones from Mexico are not so good. That site has a list of all the TSB's that are out,if you experience any of the issues it may save you some money. We use a 2007 4WD access cab with an A.R.E. contractor cap,couldn't be happier with it,fully loaded in town it gets right at 19-20 mpg regularly.

Heres the short list of them.

TSB List for 2005+ Toyota Tacoma

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TSB = Technical Service Bulletin

A TSB is not a recall.

AU001-05 FEB 06 Audio System - Amplifier Won't Turn OFF/Battery Drain
AU001-06 FEB 07 Audio System - Quick Reference Diagnostic Guide
BO001-06 JAN 06 Body - Front/Rear Window Runs Deformed
BO003-05 MAR 05 Body - Overfender Refinishing Process
BO004-05 APR 05 Body - Water Leaks Onto Front Floor
BO018-07 NOV 07 Body - Bent Rear Tailgate
BO022-06 NOV 06 Interior - Driver's Side Lower Dash Panel Poor Fit
EG011-07 JUL 07 Engine Controls - Intermittent No Start Condition
EG021-06 APR 06 Exhaust System - Ticking Noise Between 2,000-2,500 RPM
EG043-05 MAY 06 Fuel System - MIL ON/DTC's/No Start in Extreme Cold
EG046-06 AUG 06 Intake System - Air Intake Hose Rattle
NV003-06 MAR 06 Body - Front End Rattle/Squeak on Bumps
NV004-06 MAY 06 Interior - Front Seat Squeak Noise
NV006-07 AUG 07 Body - Windshield Wind Noise at Highway Speeds
NV007-05 JUN 05 Body - Front/Rear Popping/Knocking Noise on Rough Roads
NV007-07 JUL 07 Body - Dech Side Panel Rattle
PD039-04 SEP 04 Pre Delivery - Initial Calibration Of Compass
PD075-06 AUG 06 Pre Delivery - TPS Initialization Procedure
PG004-06 NOV 06 General - TPS Diagnostic Tips
SS002-07 APR 07 Engine Controls - ECU Flash Reprogramming Procedure
SU002-05 NOV 05 Suspension - Rear Suspension Noise
SU006-07 SEP 07 Suspension - Harsh Rear Spring Ride With Heavy Loads
TC004-06 JUN 06 M/T - Clutch Pedal Squeaking Noise
T-SB-0132-08 JUL 08 Drivetrain - Driveline Vibration Between 15 - 25 MPH
T-SB-0305-08 SEP 08 Suspension - Rear Spring Harsh Ride
T-SB-0326-08 OCT 08 Engine Mechanical - Oil Leak from Front Timing Cover
T-SB-0164-09 MAY 09 Abnnormal Sound from JBL Subwoofer
T-SB-0119-10 MAY 10 Steering Intermediate Shaft Rattle Noise
T-SB-0359-10 DEC 10 - Suspension - *Updated* Rear Spring Harsh Ride


Each TSB can be read and / or downloaded here.

In cases where a TSB has more than one revision I have uploaded the latest revision.
There are a few other TSBs that I do not have PDF files for.
If you have a TSB that is not on the list, let me know and I will add it or also PM a moderator to have it added since the OP has not been here in a while.

I know, Paul.....but perception is reality.

I've noticed that the Tacoma was the vehicle everyone talks about. What about the Tundra? If figure we need the extra space, not to mention the towing ability. Tundra or F150? My son's father-in-law is a mechanic and he says that the Toyota is the way to go. Right or wrong? I'm neutral because our Ford salesman is first rate but I sure haven't been impressed with the gas mileage on our 2010 4x4 F150!

The tundra gets bad mileage to. It is a 5.7/350.
Too bad we can't get the hilux or the ranger "world truck" that has a nice diesel or even the Colorado with a diesel.

I'm depressed, if the loan goes full term I'll be 60-60-60 years old. I'll be old-old-old. I'll be a Winkelmann!

Hey Salys, I've got news for you, Winkelmann ten years ago was a hot number. The last ten years, not so much!