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Which truck should I buy?

Hawki97

HR Legend
Dec 16, 2001
13,759
23,860
113
Iowa City, IA
I’m going to finally bite the bullet and buy a truck. First one I’ll ever own in my life. It will be a supplemental vehicle to my daily drivers which are a luxury sedan and SUV - so I don’t need anything fancy. I don’t need it to haul anything bigger than a trailer for something like a riding mower. Need it for weekend warrior trips for home improvement / landscaping, moving kids around at college, pickup up giant TVs at Best Buy, etc. I’m thinking 1/4 ton, maybe a Tacoma. Reliability and function is more important than cost. HORT’s full of truck folk, what say you?
 
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I've sat in a Tacoma and didn't like it. I'm pretty tall and it seemed like the roof was pretty low. If I was getting a smaller truck I'd probably get the Chevy Colorado. It may be classified as a smaller truck, but it's still bigger than the 1995 Chevy 1500 that I used to have.
 
Buy a Tacoma and any domestic truck and use the Taco to tow the domestic to the junk yard in ten years. I’ll post a pic when my Taco goes over a half-million miles in a few years. I have full confidence it will make it there and I’ll never sell it.
 
I’m 6’2” and my Tacoma has tons of room. I could move the driver’s seat back another couple inches if I wanted to. 🤔
I’ve always felt more leg room and head room and comfort in my Silverado than I have with the smaller trucks, 6’3” here but I’m all torso.
 
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I’m a huge Toyota fan and have had Tacoma and Tundra.

Tacoma is great for small hauling and towing and still gets around 18-19 mph hwy. Although not that comfortable for taller guys. Back seats are kinda tight for adults.

Tundra is the my favorite vehicle I’ve owned. Rides smooth, tons of room and great towing capacity. Only downside to is the gas mpg.

the best part of Toyotas is the second to none resell value.
 
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I've sat in a Tacoma and didn't like it. I'm pretty tall and it seemed like the roof was pretty low. If I was getting a smaller truck I'd probably get the Chevy Colorado. It may be classified as a smaller truck, but it's still bigger than the 1995 Chevy 1500 that I used to have.
My son will have his new Colorado for sale next week. He lives in St Pete Fl and sent me a pic of it in the front drive with a 12" limb from the tree laying across it and the SUV :>(
 
I’m 6’2” and my Tacoma has tons of room. I could move the driver’s seat back another couple inches if I wanted to. 🤔
I love the Tacoma but can’t stand the seating position. The auto also searches for gears too much for my liking.

That said, it’s a truck and the most important things for me would be reliability and durability.
 
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I have an '06 Tundra that I hoped would last forever. In the same week that I turned over 100k miles, I got the news that the frame was rusting out. Now I'm in the market for a replacement.
 
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Whichever truck can best show off the trailer hitch balls you’re eagerly waiting to show off!
 
I have an '06 Tundra that I hoped would last forever. In the same week that I turned over 100k miles, I got the news that the frame was rusting out. Now I'm in the market for a replacement.
Have you contacted Toyota about it? Probably not worth replacing the frame as it’s 100 hours, but they did know of the problem and paid out on those generations of Tacos and Tundras.
 
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Have you contacted Toyota about it? Probably not worth replacing the frame as it’s 100 hours, but they did know of the problem and paid out on those generations of Tacos and Tundras.
Yes. They recalled through 2005. Nada on anything newer.
 
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I love the Tacoma but can’t stand the seating position. The auto also searches for gears too much for my liking.

That said, it’s a truck and the most important things for me would be reliability and durability.

I’ve heard the seating thing before too. What isn’t right about it?
 
I’ve heard the seating thing before too. What isn’t right about it?
I’m 6’3” and my Tacoma only went forward and back and not up and down. I always say higher than I would have liked. Plus I had to put the seat so far back my sons (11) knees would hit the back of the seat
 
I have a 2019 Ford F-150 Lariat super crew and it’s been great. I think it has more room than Tundra, Silverado, RAM, and GMC. I have had quite a bit of experience with the Tundra too and it is pretty good too, but lags several years behind in terms of amenities and gadgets. Their (Toyota) infotainment is one of the worst. Also significantly worse in MPG.

My dad has a Ridgeline and he likes it, but as someone else mentioned, it’s as much a truck as the El Camino was. He’s had two new hips and knees so it works for him. It rides like a Toyota Venza, but less clunky than the Honda Pilot.


Can't speak to the reliability of a Ridgeline, but based on his described needs, a pseudo-track fits the bill. I don't see selling my truck for a while, but if I did and could downsize, I'd likely get a Tacoma if I could fit, or a Colorado.
 
I have an '06 Tundra that I hoped would last forever. In the same week that I turned over 100k miles, I got the news that the frame was rusting out. Now I'm in the market for a replacement.
same thing happened to my 09 Taco

everything was pristine but the frame
 
I’m going to finally bite the bullet and buy a truck. First one I’ll ever own in my life. It will be a supplemental vehicle to my daily drivers which are a luxury sedan and SUV - so I don’t need anything fancy. I don’t need it to haul anything bigger than a trailer for something like a riding mower. Need it for weekend warrior trips for home improvement / landscaping, moving kids around at college, pickup up giant TVs at Best Buy, etc. I’m thinking 1/4 ton, maybe a Tacoma. Reliability and function is more important than cost. HORT’s full of truck folk, what say you?
If you have a SUV and utility trailer then why do you need a truck? Not worth the money right now especially new.
 
I’ve heard the seating thing before too. What isn’t right about it?
It’s a low seating position. It’s not terrible, but it was impossible to make work with our car seats. Ended up getting a Tundra.
 
Have not personally looked at one of these yet, but if I were in the market for a small, run around town, non-towing pickup I would at least take a glance at the new Ford Maverick,.. They look interesting.
 
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If you have a SUV and utility trailer then why do you need a truck? Not worth the money right now especially new.
This would be my answer. If you already have an SUV that will tow 3500+ lbs a small flatbed or box trailer will do everything you want for very little cost.
 
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My '11 tundra has 156k on it and I'll own it until the wheel fall off. The Tacoma is nice but for a few thousand more you can have a tundra.
 
Have not personally looked at one of these yet, but if I were in the market for a small, run around town, non-towing pickup I would at least take a glance at the new Ford Maverick,.. They look interesting.
My brother looked at one, and the interior was not particularly attractive or well appointed.
 
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I've sat in a Tacoma and didn't like it. I'm pretty tall and it seemed like the roof was pretty low. If I was getting a smaller truck I'd probably get the Chevy Colorado. It may be classified as a smaller truck, but it's still bigger than the 1995 Chevy 1500 that I used to have.
Yeah, the cockpit on the Tacoma is tight, and I'm not that tall.

Ended up with a Tundra.
 
My brother looked at one, and the interior was not particularly attractive or well appointed.

Well the Maverick is being pushed as pretty utilitarian and definitely not top end,.. I think the base version stickers at around 20K...
 
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It has taken my truck over a decade to naturally develop effective speedholes. I’ve found that road salt can accelerate the process, but OP should look into the possibility of dealer-installed custom speedholes and perhaps skip the 15 year break-in period.
 
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