4x4 Trucks?

[VT Sasquatch]

My truck just died. I am going to replace it in the next week. I am looking for something with good fuel economy, durability, reasonable capability on rough trails and in snow and longevity. I tend to drive around 20k miles a year so the most important thing to me is that I can run it a long time (like 150-200k miles). I am looking for a pickup.

Towing capacity and creature comforts don't really matter to me. I have young kids so I need a 4 door model.

I am going to buy used but only a few years old. My current truck was purchased new in 2012 and has been a disaster.

What would you buy?

[Elkduds]

Hondas are known for durability, so I would say Ridgeline. Truck of the year again for '17, according to some industry group. I have an '06 RL, it is impressive but a little low on ground clearance.

[VT Sasquatch]

Thanks for the input. I actually was looking at them and liked what I saw. I noticed it had less than 8 inches of clearance and that concerned me some. Has that been a problem at all for you? I also think they are harder to find used. I like the idea of that 28 mpg a lot though.

[Elkduds]

Mine gets about 22 MPG in CO mtns, better on the Interstate, regular gas. Clearance has not posed a problem as the oil pan sits up higher than the frame. I am considering an aftermarket skid plate just in case. On my hunts this year I folded the rear seat and put lots of bulky cargo there, basically anything that would fit through the rear door. When I had 3 people I folded down half of the rear 60/40 rear seat for passenger. Under the bed is a locking storage that holds the spare, jack, w room for 4 sets of golf clubs. The tailgate opens flat and to the side. Dashboard tells U when U need oil change, brakes, tire pressure, any maintenance. Simple, effective 4wd system w locking capability, otherwise front wheel drive. Comfortable on 6 hr drives. Lots of interior storage. Has tow hitch/wiring.

[pointysticks]

super easy decision.

4 door, 4x4 TRD OFFROAD toyota tacoma. pick short or long bed. your choice.

my 2006 Offroad is scary capable. i set my locking rear end and it just goes.

the ridgeline is nice, but doesnt have low range 4x4. my 06 gets 23mpg on the highway..20 ave.

[VT Sasquatch]

I had a 2003 Tundra that I liked a lot. It was smaller than the current Tundra and pretty close in size to the Tacomas. That is what I am leaning toward if I can find a decent, late model used one. My only reservation was that my Tundra was a pig on gas and had a small fuel tank. The specs that I have seen show 20 mpg highway for the Tacoma. That isn't terrible but my truck that just died was an F150 with a 36 gallon tank and got 20-22 mpg on the highway. If I can find a good Tacoma, that is my lean right now.

[WapitiTalk1]

With what you described, another vote for a Tacoma. I had a 2012 Tacoma I just traded in last year for a new Silverado. Loved my Tacoma, but, it wasn't great towing things. It did fine towing both my enclosed trailer, and, my flatbed with the RZR but fuel economy went in the outhouse and the V6 struggled a bit. Love the new Chevy but miss the Tacoma

[VT Sasquatch]

Thanks. I do tow a small single-axle trailer with a Kawasaki Brute Force on it. The whole trailer and contents wouldn't weigh more than about 1200-1400 pounds though.

[pointysticks]

i would be remiss if i failed to mention the Nissan Frontier. my friend has the Xterra and that V6 is silky smooth. dunno about mileage, but i do know the Frontier loses more resale value so that is a win if you are shopping. they are very capable.

not so sure would choose tacoma if i lived where they salted the roads..

[Elkduds]

When the going gets tough enough for low range w high clearance, I'd pick Taco over Ridgeline. Is that about where the Brute Force comes in?

[Elkhntr08]

I like a bigger truck, never had too big of a truck but I've seen trucks to small for the job. That being said I bought a Ford F-250 Powerstroke new in 2014. Gets 22-24 on the highway and 20ish in town. Hauls 5 people comfortably and all the cargo you'll need on a job or hunting camp. I've heard all the hype about the Toyotas and like trucks, but not seen one that gets much better mileage and you give up space and size. Just my .02.

[N2mywake]

My Titan has been a good one. 235,000+ miles and it will make it's 4th trip to Colorado this year. I have a buddy that has a 2013 Tacoma that he's considering selling if you're interested in a trip to TN.

[cohunter14]

I have a Titan as well and it has been awesome. 110k and counting, never had an issue. Only thing that doesn't fit your list of wants would be gas mileage. Not great, but well worth it to me.

[N2mywake]

I have a Titan as well and it has been awesome. 110k and counting, never had an issue. Only thing that doesn't fit your list of wants would be gas mileage. Not great, but well worth it to me.

you know on the open road the Titan isn't bad, but in town it's brutal (but I have long tube headers, high flow cats, berk B pipes and a retune) if you get a titan I would recommend newer than a 2010, mine is a 2005 and they fixed all the issues in 2010 and after.

[Brendan]

I really want a diesel, but every time I do the math it hasn't added up for me. Around here, diesel is more expensive than premium, so $$$ spent per mile is about the same as a truck that runs 87 even with the higher MPG. And then add on the extra cost of the diesel engine.... I really like the look of the Ram 1500 Diesel, and have two friends who own and love it, and Ford is releasing a 3.0L PowerStroke for the F150 mid-2018 that has me interested though...

Curious - what issues did you have with your ford? I have a 2011 F150 with over 90K miles that's been mostly good with the 3.5L Ecoboost, but mileage hasn't really lived up to promises unless I baby it.

Right now - I'd buy the Tacoma in a midsize, Dodge 1500 Diesel in the full size (Despite what I said above )

[pointysticks]

I like a bigger truck, never had too big of a truck but I've seen trucks to small for the job. That being said I bought a Ford F-250 Powerstroke new in 2014. Gets 22-24 on the highway and 20ish in town. Hauls 5 people comfortably and all the cargo you'll need on a job or hunting camp. I've heard all the hype about the Toyotas and like trucks, but not seen one that gets much better mileage and you give up space and size. Just my .02.

TRUE!! my tacoma fills up fast with gear on my long truck camp hunts. add one other guy and it is embarrassing how stuffed my truck is.

BUT, where my tacoma trumps all my friend's big diesel rigs is maneuverability. i have squeeked my small truck down some crazy trails in ID trying to follow some old guys hand sketched map to his secret elk spot. we got all there, and the place was amazing, but there was no way a larger truck could have gotten us there.

i'm heading AZ couse deer next weekend. garrantied..my truck will make the mountain run to look for cellphone service to call home.

[saddlesore]

Diesel costs jumps higher and lower than gas. Engine runs 5$-$6 K more. Repairs are more expensive. Maintenance cost like oil change and filters are more expensive,but taken care of you get at least 250-300,000 miles out of them.
I have a 98 3/4 T cummins, runs great yet, I get 20-24mpg on the hwy empty, and 14 pulling 16,000 pounds including the truck.
My 2 second choice would be the Toyota Tacoma 4 dr, 4wd, 5 o6 speed. Only problem, box is kinda small. My wife drives one, but it has an extended cab, not 4 door, 23-24 mpg.

[VT Sasquatch]

Elkduds: Any idea if a Kawasaki Brute Force would fit in the bed of a Ridgeline. I'm at the dealership now (we are getting a minivan for my wife) and the bed on the Ridgeline looks pretty small. I like it but that's my concern.

Brendan: I have had timing chain stretch and it ultimately skipped a link. The Ford dealer and my mechanic both said I need a new engine. This issue is fairly common in the Ecoboosts from what I understand. Hopefully you will have better luck than I've had.

I would lobe a diesel but can't afford one. I saw the Canyon/Colorado has a diesel available now. I would love to get one but unfortunately my wife and I both need new cars and can't afford a $40,000 truck right now. I'd like to avoid a new model engine too after my experience with the Ford. Maybe in a few years after they have proven their reliability.

[Elkduds]

RL's bed is 60" long, 50" wide (49 btwn wheelwells), 21" high. Tailgate down flat ads 22". Not sure how wide the ATV is. There are several tie loops in the bed. Mine has a topper on it, I can sleep diagonally stretched out in the back . I'm 5-11.

[VT Sasquatch]

Well, we got my wife a Honda Odyssey last night because she has been running her car for a long time. It was planned to replace hers but we thought we'd get at least a few more years out of mine. I am going to use her old Rav4 to get around for a little while while I figure out how to get rid of my truck and find a replacement. I am hoping to pick something up this week if I can get a good deal but at least I won't be stuck on public transit like I was last week. That makes me feel like I can be a little bit pickier about what I buy.

I like things about the Honda Ridgeline but there aren't many used ones available near me. I have found several 4-door Tacomas for sale nearby in my price range - some certified and with a warranty. I also noticed that the Tudras aren't that much more expensive in the used market. I have a couple Tacomas that Inam looking at with around 30k miles that are the same price as a Tundra with 60k miles. I am used to a full sized truck but I really want something that will last (hopefully to 200k). I had an older, smaller model Tundra that was good but was a gas hog. It seems all of the Toyota trucks are rough with fuel economy. I am still leaning toward the Tacoma.

I know Tacomas have a reputation for reliability. Does Anyone know if Tundras have an equal reputation for reliability?

Thanks for the help.

[Elkduds]

Good luck, hope you can find a good Yoda. Mine were sturdy. Any used vehicle has 2 variables: How it was used, & how it was maintained. Find out as much as you can about those variables!

[jmez]

Want longevity, plenty of room, and power to haul/tow when needed pretty hard to beat a F150 with 5.3l V8. I would stay away from Ecoboost, a lot of timing chain and valve issues and they don't get much better mileage than the 5.3.

You mentioned room with kids. Ford 4 doors have a lot of room in them. Whatever brand you pick I would encourage you to buy an extended warranty plan if you plan on driving it for a while. They usually aren't that expensive, $1200-$1500 and will cover you bumper to bumper for 100K. I'm generally not an extended warranty guy but on newer vehicles it makes sense. Everything on them is controlled by a computer. How long do most electronic devices last? They are expensive to fix and a lot of the computer stuff is hard for DIY guys to fix.

Example. We have had terrible cold this winter. Buddy had the computer module that controls all of his dash/panel go out. They think the extreme cold damaged the electronics. All said and done was over 5K to get it repaired.

[VT Sasquatch]

I appreciate the suggestion but I will never own another Ford. I used to be a Ford guy. This last F150 was the third one that I owned. It's unfortunate because I tend to be brand loyal but this experience has convinced me to move on.

I'm glad you have had good experiences. Of the 3 F150s that I have owned, 2 were okay but had their share of mechanica issues. This last one was a disaster. I've been burned by them enough.

[RAMMONT]

I've been using a 2004 Dodge RAM 1500 4x4 in Montana along the Continental Divide. I have lower than average axle ratio (3.92), between that and the Hemi motor my mileage isn't the best but I can climb the forest service roads very nicely. The real game changer for me was putting on a set of Toyo Open Country M/T tires. I can drive through 18 inches of snow without chains and ice isn't a problem as long as drive with a little common sense. With chains on I'm only limited by my road clearance, when I start dragging my axle tubes I'm pretty much done. I think any 4x4 with these tires will perform very well.