The Tundra or Tacoma?
I need some experienced input please. I typically keep my vehicles a LONG time.
Right now::
For the work commute I have a 97 Nissan 4 cyl, 5 speed, 2x4, extra cab, 22 mpg+ average, 275,000+ miles. Ready to let it go to a good home.
For the weekend towing of the boat I have a full size Ford van, 5.8L, 17 mpg+/- with 165,000+ miles. Ready to let it go also.
I would like to get only one truck. For the work commute I NEED the best mileage possible. Sometimes round trips can be over 100 miles a day. For boat towing. Most is 20 miles one way. sometimes I have gone to Lake Erie, 400 miles one way through the mountains. Would still like to be able to go back.
If Tacoma- Must haves- 4.0L, automatic, double cab, long bed (140.6" wheel base for stability and I have a rack that will fit the bed that I use a lot)
Not sure if about Pre Runner or or 4x4. Will go 4x4 if it doesn't hurt the commute MPG too much. Pros- OK for commuting, my rack will fit, enough room inside and bed, easy to park, Possible $4500 "Cash For Clunker" rebate on the van. Price maybe as much as 8- 10,000 less then Tundra. Cons- Not sure if it is enough to do the towing (and stopping), very important!
If Tundra- Must haves- 5.7, automatic, double cab (not crew max) 6.5" bed, .
Leaning heavily towards the 2x4. Again I need the best MPG for the daily commute. Pros- Tundra will have NO problem doing the towing, more than enough room inside and bed. Cons- Daily driving MPG not so good, No rack for the bed (another expense), not as easy to park but not that big a deal, all the threads I have read the Tacoma owners were 99.9 % satisfied and the Tundra owners, the % was less. No "Cash For clunker" rebate.
Both are great trucks and I would be happy with either one.
What I don't want to happen is to find the Tacoma is having trouble when towing, hard on the engine and breaking especially when towing long distances. I may need the 4x4 at some ramps if they are slippery.
On the Tundra, I need good gas mileage! Towing, no problem but the daily commute, parking, hauling (not towing) thing is important also.
Sorry this was so long but I may be pulling the trigger soon. On my boating forums they think the Tacoma is not enough to tow (and stop) with.
I have one trailer axle with surge dics breaks. Not sure if or how an inside cab, break controller could or would work.
Thank you for your time and input, I appreciate it.
Jeff
I am towing a Triton 240LTS. Overall weight 4500 - 5000 lbs
I currently tow with this 96 Ford full size van, 5.8L.
The Tundra or Tacoma?
I need some experienced input please. I typically keep my vehicles a LONG time.
Right now::
For the work commute I have a 97 Nissan 4 cyl, 5 speed, 2x4, extra cab, 22 mpg+ average, 275,000+ miles. Ready to let it go to a good home.
For the weekend towing of the boat I have a full size Ford van, 5.8L, 17 mpg+/- with 165,000+ miles. Ready to let it go also.
I would like to get only one truck. For the work commute I NEED the best mileage possible. Sometimes round trips can be over 100 miles a day. For boat towing. Most is 20 miles one way. sometimes I have gone to Lake Erie, 400 miles one way through the mountains. Would still like to be able to go back.
If Tacoma- Must haves- 4.0L, automatic, double cab, long bed (140.6" wheel base for stability and I have a rack that will fit the bed that I use a lot)
Not sure if about Pre Runner or or 4x4. Will go 4x4 if it doesn't hurt the commute MPG too much. Pros- OK for commuting, my rack will fit, enough room inside and bed, easy to park, Possible $4500 "Cash For Clunker" rebate on the van. Price maybe as much as 8- 10,000 less then Tundra. Cons- Not sure if it is enough to do the towing (and stopping), very important!
If Tundra- Must haves- 5.7, automatic, double cab (not crew max) 6.5" bed, .
Leaning heavily towards the 2x4. Again I need the best MPG for the daily commute. Pros- Tundra will have NO problem doing the towing, more than enough room inside and bed. Cons- Daily driving MPG not so good, No rack for the bed (another expense), not as easy to park but not that big a deal, all the threads I have read the Tacoma owners were 99.9 % satisfied and the Tundra owners, the % was less. No "Cash For clunker" rebate.
Both are great trucks and I would be happy with either one.
What I don't want to happen is to find the Tacoma is having trouble when towing, hard on the engine and breaking especially when towing long distances. I may need the 4x4 at some ramps if they are slippery.
On the Tundra, I need good gas mileage! Towing, no problem but the daily commute, parking, hauling (not towing) thing is important also.
Sorry this was so long but I may be pulling the trigger soon. On my boating forums they think the Tacoma is not enough to tow (and stop) with.
I have one trailer axle with surge dics breaks. Not sure if or how an inside cab, break controller could or would work.
Thank you for your time and input, I appreciate it.
Jeff
I am towing a Triton 240LTS. Overall weight 4500 - 5000 lbs
I currently tow with this 96 Ford full size van, 5.8L.
I've towed a 21' TT back and forth across the US with a 05 Tacoma DC 4x4 and that's over some of the worst grades out there. If it will handle a 21' TT it will handle your boat just fine. Towing I get between 9 and 13 per mile. Not towing have got as good as 26 hwy when kept below 65 and city is around 21 but city milage is tuff to really calculate.
Drool,
Are you saying a with a Tee Top? What boat make and model? Surge brakes on the trailer?
Did you have the tow package on your 05?
Sorry for so many questions, just want to be clear.
Thanks for answering,
Jeff
i agree though, the taco will handle your boat, u have surge brakes and they are fine and the later tacos are almost the size and capability of full size trucks a few years ago so no issues there. go for the taco if u want some sort of mpg. go for the tundra if you realistically want mid teens avg (some will claim higher but they are mostly high on something themselves).
PS if u wanted a brake controller you'd have to convert to electric brakes on the trailer...
but if the surge brakes are properly maintained and operating as they should, they are effecient and work just fine .
Last edited by 07DCwhiteSR5; 08-08-2009 at 04:45 PM.
Drool,
Are you saying a with a Tee Top? What boat make and model? Surge brakes on the trailer?
Did you have the tow package on your 05?
Sorry for so many questions, just want to be clear.
Thanks for answering,
Jeff
Travel Trailer. Used to tow a 18' bass boat with the taco and it was like there was nothing behind me. Yes my truck came with the tow package just had to add a brake control. Have to agree with the other poster also. Back in the 80's i towed 5ers with a one ton chevy 454 that actually had less power than my taco. trucks have come a long way since then.
Thanks 07DC,
The wheel base on the double cab, long bed is very near the WB on my van so that is a positive for handling.
Is it possible to install a controller on a trailer with surge brakes?
Pre Runner (2x4) vs the 4X4, how much difference in MPG on average?
Thanks 07DC,
Is it possible to install a controller on a trailer with surge brakes?
no.
the surge breaks have an actuator in the tongue that activates with forward movement of the trailer relative to the hitchball (or reverse movement of the tow vehicle relative to the trailer, thats why you have a wired connection to the break lamp circuit -possibly just a 5th pin on a flat plug or maybe the round plug. also why you have the manual release on the actuator assembly itself).
the controller has to have electric solenoids etc to control, and those are absent on a surge brake system. compltely different.
Didn't think so but it doesn't hurt to ask to be sure.
I rented a Home Depot piece of equipment and the trailer it was on had the controller that was put in my van, temporally.
Thanks 07, sounds like you know what your talking about.
hey, this thread just started over on the TB forum u might want to follow it, when the other boaters get off the lake/wakeup/sober up, there will be lots of good info about converting surge breaks
Do you think ALL boaters drink when on the water? Not quite sure I understood that comment.
no....just the ones that post on that forum are very similar to our people over here in OT. being drunk is the only way to explain their demeanor half the time hahahaha it was more of a joke than anything though....
I will say for daily driving my friends and my dads tacomas get lower MPG then my tundra :P and the bigger tank on tundra makes for less fillups and the 5.7 and 4.7 get about the same from what i hear...but everyone also says they only get like 14-15 in there 1st AND 2nd gen tundras and i get 19 sooooo idk :P (60 percent freeway 40percent city)
__________________
2005 Toyota Tundra Blue Steel Metallic (SR5® Access 4.7L i-Force V8 with VVT-i)
(K&N 77 Series Intake, ScanGauge II, Nokya Yellow Fogs (as DRL), Black Headlights, Tinted Side Markers, BSP Logos, Black Side Molding, Black Billet Grille, Red V8 Grill Logo, Custom Black "TRD Off Road" Graphics, Custom V8 side fender logos, 6000K HID Headlights (Halogen High Beam) Kenwood Deck, Infinity Speakers, Alpine 5-Channel Amp, 12" Infinity Sub(Custom Box)
(Future: Magnaflow 22" Single-Dual Exhaust, Electric Fan Conversion, Infinity Mono Amp For Extra Sub Power, Rims and Tires (17"))
I will say for daily driving my friends and my dads tacomas get lower MPG then my tundra :P and the bigger tank on tundra makes for less fillups and the 5.7 and 4.7 get about the same from what i hear...but everyone also says they only get like 14-15 in there 1st AND 2nd gen tundras and i get 19 sooooo idk :P (60 percent freeway 40percent city)
hahha 19 avg mpg city and hwy....
anwyay, the taco shows to have a 21 gallon tank and the tundra has a 26. the tundras tank is inexcusably small for something that does in fact average 15 or so mpg. but looking at the specs on toyota's site, the 4x4 V6 looks to be right at the same mpg as the tundra...so u have an extra 5 gallons worth of travel before fillup as stated above...
armed with that low of mpg out of a midsize truck, theres really no reason to go to the taco except for purchase price... if thats not an issue go with the Tundra and dont worry about it.
I have had 3 Tundras and 2 Tacomas since 2000. The last Tundra was a 2007 RC-LB, 5.7l, 6 Spd. Auto, 4.30 Tow Pkg..
Traded that 2007 Tundra in on a 2009 Tacoma, DC-SB, TRD, OR, Tow Pkg.
I love the size of the Tacoma ... it is perfect for me as I am retired and it is my Home Depot truck. If I need anything bigger, I rent HD's or Lowe's flatbed. And it is much easier to park that Taco in a parking deck too.
With all that said .... I miss the power of that 5.7 and 4.30 rear in that 2007 Tundra.
IF, I was going to tow (almost anything), personally, I would go for the Tundra.
Also, there is not that big of a difference in price or in MPG either. My Tundra was $5,000 (without big incentives either) cheaper than my Taco. Granted, 2 different cab styles & trim levels, but you can get both trucks to price out side by side IF you do not go for the loaded or Limited Tundra.
I picked the Tacoma for its' size ... but I really miss the power of that 5.7.
Good luck and you can't go wrong with either truck.
SOS
PS ... The suspension (rear springs) on my Taco are ... SUPER WHIMPY ... and the Tundra had much better rear suspension (while loaded) IMO.
.
Last edited by SOSHeloPilot; 08-09-2009 at 08:01 PM.
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The work comute vs weekend boat towing?
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