Best Small Truck??

[Nathans_Dad]

Our current vehicles are a '98 Honda Accord with 88K miles, a 03 Tahoe with 30k miles and my 84 911 Targa. I am considering selling the Accord and buying a small truck. Eventual plan is to buy either a G-50 911 coupe(87-89) or a 993 as a daily driver and just use the truck for a rainy/icy day vehicle and to haul stuff with. Towing won't be an issue because I can always use the Tahoe to tow if I need to.

Question is this: Which is the best small truck? I have had a Ford Ranger in the past which was ok, didn't have many problems but I was also thinking about a Toyota Tacoma since it might be a bit more reliable and trouble free than a Ford.

Oh yeah, I need an extended cab because I am tall. And rear seats would be good if I need to tote the kids around sometime.

Would be looking for a used one. Thoughts?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Toyota Tacoma, it'll run forever.

[bell]

i have a 95' nissan p/u, it's a great truck, however on the nissans the frames always rust.....i had christian (a quiet boom) weld in plates the legnth of the frame to reinforce mine as it was pretty bad.

then we have out shop trucks, 2 mid 90's toyota tacomas.......we beat the crap out of these 2 trucks, use them to haul pretty much anything that'll fit in the bed.
the 5 speed trannys are the way to go to, these toyotas can outrun my nissan easily.
great trucks, no rusty frames, and can handle any abuse we throw at them

i vote toyota tacoma like matt

[speeder]

If the question was which 10+ y.o. truck to buy, I would say Toyota, hands down. They are still awesome, but pretty much everyone makes a decent truck these days. If you are looking at new ones, I would buy whichever one you like best, and/or the one that they are giving the best deals on.

[fireant911]

Rick,
I have just gone through a similar exercise. I looked at a great many models (Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, Nissan Frontier, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tacoma). I immediately dismissed the Ranger and Colorado as I was disappointed in the built plus neither received great marks from Edmunds - allow me to interject that I have a great many of co-workers who absolutely swear by the Ford Ranger but it did not impress me. The Ridgeline was also removed from my list - too expensive and it cannot carry my four-wheeler without a bed extender. I have owned a Nissan (Sentra) before but I liked the look and roominess of the Tacoma (I opted for the manual transmission SR5 PreRunner version). I did not want (or need) four wheel drive and specifically only test drove the four cylinder models (I did not want to get a taste of the more powerful six as efficiency was one of my targets - 21 city / 27 hwy). After researching, looking, and driving for about 18 months I just purchased the Toyota and love it. This is my first Toyota and I have only heard good things about the build quality and reliability.

[Rondinone]

I have an 05 Nissan Frontier crew cab. Seats 5 comfortably, tows 6300 lbs. Slightly more power than the Toyota. Fully boxed frame so it's really stiff. Edmunds reviewed both 05 trucks and picked the Nissan for better refinement. 20mpg overall, 23 highway.

My only complaint is the cheap general tires they put on it. It's quieter than my wife's Mercedes.

[Flatbutt1]

I'm in my 2nd Toyota. This one is the 5 speed 4WD Tacoma with the access cab. Very happy with it. Dollar for dollar I think it is the better purchase compared to the F150 though the Tacoma is smaller and lower in power.

[Nathans_Dad]

Ok, 5 speed Tacoma it is! That is what I was leaning towards anyway, but it's good to hear that idea confirmed by others with experience. Thanks guys!

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
Ok, 5 speed Tacoma it is! That is what I was leaning towards anyway, but it's good to hear that idea confirmed by others with experience. Thanks guys!

Take a look at the new Honda as well others...and I love the Tacoma. I have had two: I gave my first one to my Dad after 150K and he's still running it after another 100k. My 1999 Tacoma has had exactly zippy issues after 89k.
But still go take a look...Speeder is right.

[kaisen]

You can't go wrong with the Toyota Tacoma.

However,

A friend of mine just bought a 2004 Ford Ranger Supercab XLT 4x4 with 210hp 4.0L SOHC V6, auto, full power, 4 doors, and Off Road pkg, with just over 13K miles, from a dealer, still under warranty for $13995.

Okay, the Tacoma may be a much nicer, better, more reliable truck. But the Ranger is several thousand less to start with, when used, than the Tacoma. I can fix a LOT of stuff for the price difference, probably more than the Ranger will ever need. Figure the difference in sales tax and interest (or carrying / opportunity cost) and the Tacoma doesn't look like such a great deal anymore.

If you're going to buy a Tacoma, buy one new. Or maybe buy a really old one with lots of miles for cheap. Nissan is similar, but not as expensive used. Little GM trucks (S-10) aren't as good as a 98-06 Ranger, IMO.

E

[widebody911]

There's always the air-cooled solution

[Rick V]

I have a 92 Nissan 4x4 with 210 on the clock. I have had to "do" the frame but I would buy another in a heartbeat. My father has a 90 toyota with 160 on the clock and he has had good luck. I would chose between the two of them and avoid the domestics at all cost.JMO

[tabascobobcat]

The full model redesign '07 Sport Trac looks interesting.

[wilke3169]

MAy have been said and I overlooked it but seriously consider the extended cab. Makes it much more useful.

[coloradoporsche]

I decided to change the oil and transmission fluid in my '99 Tacoma. Put the tranny fluid in...forgot the oil. I ran it with no oil in the engine (duh) until it shut down. Then, confused, I started it up and drove it home where it shut down again in the driveway.

I figured out what I did, put oil in, and it ran fine for the next 2 years until I sold it to but a tow vehicle.

IMHO, one of the best cars you can buy.

[Jims5543]

We put a buttload of miles on my fleet vehicles. I ALWAYS buy Toyota.

One of my retired fleet vehicles was purchased by my bro-in-law for a work truck. It was retired with 180K trouble free miles. He now has 250K miles on it. It will not die.

I just bought an 06 4x4 Tacoma to compliment my two 03 Tacomas. They run forever and never give you problems.

We run synthetic in them and change the oil every 7K miles.

Great trucks.

[Nathans_Dad]

Ok so now the question becomes: Do I buy a used one or a new one? Pros of a new one (or nearly new...few thousand miles) would be that I know the upkeep has been done. I'm usually pretty good about taking care of my cars. Con would be the price.

Other option is I buy a medium mile used one, 50k or so and go from there. I checked out Autotrader and they seem to be running around $14-15K for a good 40-50k mile Tacoma.

[rsNINESOOPER]

Hands down the Toyota truck is the best, and would recommend buying used unless you are bitten by the "NEW" bug. Just buy with low miles from someone who has all records and the extended warranty. If you crunch the numbers from a financial standpoint you have a serious advantage over buying new. I have owned three Toyota 4x4 trucks and my current truck has 180k on the clock with only routine services to speak of.
My father has owned two Ford trucks and one Cherokee in the time that I have owned my Tacoma V6 xtracab 4x. He commutes to work and back and I beat mine to hell. I'm in the trades and routinely have it loaded with plywood, tools, lumber. Still solid, no rattles, no squeaks, no rust sporting good paint and I do not baby this truck at all. As for the new Tacoma I do not have any experience but Toyota has been very consistent with its reincarnations of their trusted pick-up model.

good luck w/ your purchase-

[HardDrive]

My Ford Ranger was the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I sold with 130k miles due to a move, and it was still my daily driver.

My family has owned 4 Ford trucks in the past 25 years, and all have been excellent.

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
Ok so now the question becomes: Do I buy a used one or a new one? Pros of a new one (or nearly new...few thousand miles) would be that I know the upkeep has been done. I'm usually pretty good about taking care of my cars. Con would be the price.

Other option is I buy a medium mile used one, 50k or so and go from there. I checked out Autotrader and they seem to be running around $14-15K for a good 40-50k mile Tacoma.

A lot depends on how long you plan on keeping it...I tend to keep them until the depreciation/re-sale curve is flat-lined, so I buy new and maintain them well. I plan on giving my 11-year old son my '99 truck when he starts to drive.

If you plan on financing, the difference in new and used interest rates can also be a factor in the "final price".

Good luck!