best 4x4 4-door pickup? advice needed

[lph]

for what it is worth i have a 2004 gmc sierra 2500 crew cab and love it. does great in the snow, quiet, comfy lots and lots of room. getting 14 mpg in the mountains, which isn't terrible.

[Snow Dog]

I have a Dodge Quad cab that i'm going to keep forever. If you don't need hauling capacity then a Toyota Tacoma is a nice size. When you move up to Tundra/Dakota sized trucks then you're moving up to more fuel and might as well get a full sized truck.

[Big E]

Pleasantly surprised w/ the build quality and reliability of my Dodge ('01 2500). Had truck to dealer once for recall and had one minor problem w/ power steering, other than that nothing after 55k miles.

FYI, Cummins diesel, weight = 6700 lbs w/o a load, just under 20mpg combined (and there are more city/rush hour miles than I'd like to admit).

[einan]

I don't think you can beat a Toy. The Tacoma's are a little small, but if it's only you and your dog, girl too i suppose, It's a good rig. I rolled one a little while ago and got about the same as i paid for it. They hold their value well, and you can drive them to hell and back. I've only got 133,000 mi on mine now and it runs like she's new.

[danadog]

I have a 2004 f150 and love it! Be sure to get the 5.4.
Had a 03 f150 no issues with it either.
The 04 has a lot more room in back seat for the buds.
Good luck!

[tuffy109]

Best avatar ever...

And yes, the Titans look sweet... Was thinking of test driving one myself.

the newly re-designed (looks like a mini Titan) Frontier is coming out at the end of January.

[natty dread]

You can't go wrong with the Tacoma/Tundra--they cost more up front, but you can't beat the consistent reliability and build quality of toyotas--the big 3 just don't measure up. 3 of my coworkers have tundras that they work hard and they love them, zero issues, two guys just bought new dodges, a dakota and a hemi 1500 pick up and both have issues (paint, drivetrain) that you shouldn't have with brand new rigs. You may get a reliable/trouble-free american rig, but your chances of this are higher if you go toyota.

[DougW]

Whatever truck you get, be sure to affix a sticker of Calvin pissing on the competitor's brand emblem.

That goes without saying. I may get a truck just so I can do that. How about every competitor's brand.

[mr_gyptian]

Thinking about a new ride - currently have a '95 4Runner with 140k miles on it.

Considering a pickup w/ topper so i can put my dirty gear and crap in it. I put my bling-bling mountian bike in the back of the 4runner during the day and then ride it in the evening. I don't want to put it on a hitch or roof rack because i don't want to worry about it. Currently I lower a seat and roll it into the back....and the back of the 4Runner is junked now. So the bed of the pick up could get dirty/trashed/etc no problem.

the wife wants me to get something that can haul the whole family up to the mountain for skiing too. gotta be practical.

what to get?

Toyota Tundra?
GMC Sierra?
Ford F-150?
something i have not thought of?

i don't tow stuff
new/used it's all the same to me

but it doesn't need to be a fucking boat. damn, some of these rigs get big!

thx

you know what I think. But if it is half ton trucks you are specifically looking for take a look at gas mileage for the big engines. Unless you live in Kansas the small engines aren't worth squat. Second look at Torque and what RPM you get it. Peak horsepower at 4700 rpm is for a WRX, not a truck. Second the structural integrity of the vehicle. find a raised curb or rock and back one of the rear wheels onto it. Then see if you can open your tail gate. Take all of them on a washboard road. Slam on the brakes with all of them. front end dive=bad. Ask how frames are constructed. C frame or fully boxed. etc.

also proximity to a dealer is huge. it doesn't matter what vehicle you every single one of them will have a part you need or a recall. trips into "town" to specifically see a dealer are b.s.

[Shake Zula]

I have a 2001 Tundra with 40,000 miles. I have had zero problems. Since you have a 4-runner you are already familiar with Toyota quality, that should help you make your decision. The Tundra was my first Toyota and I would find it difficult to go back to a big 3 truck. I just test drove the new quad cab and they are sweeeeeetttt.
Go get yourself a quad-cab Tundra and never look back.
Let's us know what you end up with. Pictures of shiney new toys are always good.

[TELEB]

i have an 03 chevy silverado Z71. it's had minor problems, but what vehicle that is built now doesn't have? I read truck forums, Nissan is by far the biggest POS out there. i'm looking at a tundra, but a 2500 dodge looks sweeter every day. If you get a dodge don't get the 1500's. They only have 5 lugs, compared to 6 lugs as the competion have. I've seen so many 1500 dodges with broken lugs from off-roading.

[basom]

i have a tundra. it works. i'd buy another one. they are trick.

[teledave]

Whatever truck you get, be sure to affix a sticker of Calvin pissing on the competitor's brand emblem.

and one of these too.

https://secure.wbhst.com/larrysfleam...-window-sm.jpg

and of course your girl will need the matching thong (damn I'm dissapointed they don't have a pic of the actual thong on their site)

https://secure.wbhst.com/larrysfleam...e-thong-lg.jpg

[FreakofSnow]

Another vote for the Tundra. I have a 2001 with 75k on it, no problems. Love it. Get-R-Done and get one.

[mntlion]

88 Toyota hilux 4 door, diesel, 1/2 ton I love mine


From this guy in BC

http://www.mustang.bc.ca/

1989 Toyoya Hilux LN106

5-Speed PS PM Diesel 2,800cc

RH-Drive 94,100Km

$ 15,900 CAN

[Grange]

I had a Chevy pick-up and it was solid and very dependable. My Dakota was comfortable and powerfull with the V-8 but the major problems kept adding up so I got rid of it. I would avoid the new Dakota just because it is the first year with the redesign and there are always problems with the first year.

I doubt I could own a Toy pick-up anytime soon. One of the reasons is those damn commercials are fricken stupid. They are trying to be funny and witty but come off as annoying and are not clever.

[fondigley]

It sounds like you don't need a fullsize truck and come on, they are pretty big. I drive a 2001 Toy Tacoma 4door and love it. Only complaint is the automatic tranny. And some of the earlier posts are right about the new 2005 Tacoma with all the options. Just check there website and you might be sold. Hell I know if I was in the market for another truck, it would be the 05 Tacoma 4 door. They have the new bed liner, unlike any other on the market. If my lady didn't just get the 2004 Tacoma 4 door, we would have waited and gotten the 05, but it wasn't out in time. So now I have to wait another year or two to get my new more powerful truck.

01-04 Tacoma Quad cab Stats: 190 hp engine, only automatic transmission, 5 foot bed.

05 Tacoma Quad cab Stats: 245 hp engine, 6spd stick available with 5 foot bed only, 6 foot bed option, bed liner built in bed, power outlet built in bed, 4 inches wider than previous years, slightly taller and longer.

I am sure the list goes on, but this was off the top of the noggen. But the Tacoma is what I vote for, and if I had a better job, and more money, I would already own one.

[bagtagley]

A buddy of mine just bought a loaded Ram 2500 with the Cummins. He had drivetrain problems from the start. It's been back to the dealer at least 3 times since he bought it. He's hounded them constantly pushing the lemon law on 'em. They've finally agreed to buy it back and give him a new one at the same cost. Not a bad turn out, but he's been truckless more often than not.

Can't go wrong w/ Toyota. If I can fit the Bullit in the back of my Soob, you can definitely get your gear into the bed of a Taco. Just don't see the use in getting a full-size.

dos pesos