Light Truck recommendation for my wife

[Brian Kent]

My wife wants to get back into a light truck in a couple of years, when we turn in the small SUV. We do not haul trailers, and I will borrow it from her for some lumber, but we do not need a big truck.

A fun runabout with decent mileage and great reliability is what she will look for. For now we are just having fun looking.

I have already gotten a couple of very good words on a Tacoma. What would you recommend for me to recommend to my wife? (Her last truck was a'97 Dakota).

Brian

[Brian Ashton]

How bout a toyota - going cheap these days...

[Jay Jolliffe]

Toyota makes a good truck. I have the Tundra it's 10 yrs old with no problems. I would get the Tacoma if I didn't need the bigger bed for hauling. It's to bad thier having alot of problems right now. Not with the trucks though.

[Kerry Adams]

Tacoma -have one love it and will buy again in ten years! Highly recommend access cab.

Kerry

[Derek Gilmer]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch. I also like supporting the one domestic car/truck maker that didn't take bailout money :)

[Paul Ryan]

Any of the 3 domestics make a good small pick em up truck. I have heard tacomas are decent as well, but everyone knows my feelings about toyota. If you are looking for mileage you cant be a colorado. The small 4 cylinder that truck has gets excellent fuel mileage, and will still haul anything that the box can hold. Rangers are good too but a little on the smaller side yet. The dakota is a nice pick up but it is in between a full size and the rangers. And most of the dakotas have V8's in them. Nice trucks but mileage isn't the same as the smaller vehicles.

[Curt Harms]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch. I also like supporting the one domestic car/truck maker that didn't take bailout money :)

Coming to the U.S.?
http://www.nextautos.com/first-look-europe%E2%80%99s-new-ford-ranger-may-give-us-a-glimpse-2011

[Mike Archambeau]

How about a Subaru Forrester? It has a car like ride/handling. Lots of volume inside. You can put a hitch on it and tow 2400 pounds. I can see the utility trailer on the back towing a load of nice lumber home for your next project. Oh and it gets 20 city 29 highway if you take the four cylinder engine with 5 speed manual. And it still makes 170 horsepower on regular unleaded gas!

[Joe Pelonio]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch. I also like supporting the one domestic car/truck maker that didn't take bailout money :)
I love my Ranger, it's plenty big enough for hauling lumber but still nice and compact. With the 4.0 V6 it has plenty of power, and even with the supercab and 4x4 gets 16-23 mpg. My son-in-law has a stick shift 4 cylinder and gets
22-29.

[David G Baker]

Toyota has been very good to me.

[Michael Weber]

+1 on the Tacoma. On my second one purchased in 2003. Before that I had a diesel Tacoma I drove for 18 years and was going fine when I sold it on ebay. Both were just basic models but I miss the long bed on the diesel.

[Brian Kent]

Any of the 3 domestics make a good small pick em up truck. I have heard tacomas are decent as well, but everyone knows my feelings about toyota. If you are looking for mileage you cant be a colorado. The small 4 cylinder that truck has gets excellent fuel mileage, and will still haul anything that the box can hold. Rangers are good too but a little on the smaller side yet. The dakota is a nice pick up but it is in between a full size and the rangers. And most of the dakotas have V8's in them. Nice trucks but mileage isn't the same as the smaller vehicles.

When my wife had a Dakota it was the 4 cylinder and got pretty decent mileage on her commute. Funny thing about our Dodge Dakota and Chrysler minivan, they both had plastic pieces under the dash that would come loose, drop down to the floor, and we could never even find where they came from. Just little covers for whats-its.

The minivan had a piece of plastic that protected the underneath around the engine and front axles. When it fell off, they wouldn't cover it under warrantee because it was "cosmetic". When the oil pan bottomed out on a bad pothole, we drove it onto the freeway and by the next exit the oil was dry, the engine was fried and the insurance company totalled the van. It wasn't until about a year later we started to think about why that "cosmetic" piece of plastic was there. :rolleyes:

[Matt Meiser]

Our family has had good experiences with Rangers as well but I don't know how much longer they are building it. There's an "F-100" prototype that is rumored to be the replacement last I saw, which has been a while. I had a 95 that was WELL into the 100Ks (I bought it at 142K and drove it to 157K I think) when I got rid of it. The worst problems I had was that the foam in the seat was worn out, the transmission shifter cable needed adjusting (10 minute job) and the AC needed charging. My brother is driving a 94 my parents bought another brother. My dad had cylinder heads put on it around 150K. The local shop he took it to offered him a decent amount of cash for it if he didn't decide to do the work because they were going to do it and resell it knowing they'd make a profit.

I traded the Ranger in 07 for a Colorado. I liked it well enough other than that the dealer was horrible. It was not really up to towing the camper we bought though even though it was within the weight rating. I think that had more to do with aerodynamics than power since the truck looked tiny in front of the camper. So a year ago we traded the Colorado for an F-150 which is an outstanding vehicle but not in the size range you want.

[Mac McQuinn]

Brian,

I would recommend you and your wife test drive everything under the sun, keep notes & switch drivers often. If either of you have physical limitations, take this into consideration as far as seat height, leg extension and blind spots.

Maintenance requirements are something most people get surprised about after they purchase. Look at the requirements listed by the MFG.'s Owner's handbook. This really affects the long term ownership cost of a vehicle. My Tacoma is pretty good in this respect.

The Ford Ranger is good vehicle, a bit dated and the last of the "Mini" trucks, so they are typically smaller inside and ride pretty stiff. They seem to be pretty reliable although perhaps a bit lacking in the creature comfort area. One neat thing is they offer a long box with regular cab, giving you a better ride and more room for new tools or wood supplies.

To me, most mid-sized trucks have a short seat height to floor dimension something which might bother people with longer legs. When sitting, I like my knees to be level or just below my hip line for the best comfort. In this respect, The most comfortable mid-size truck I've driven is the Nissan Frontier.

If you can live with a regular cab, Great otherwise the added expense of an extended cab over a regular cab is pretty pricey for just a bit of space...the extended cab will ride better due to longer wheelbase though.

Good luck!,
Mac

[Brian Kent]

I hadn't even heard of a new F100 until now. Here's an interesting article:
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2011-ford-f-100.htm

[Jim Finn]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch. I also like supporting the one domestic car/truck maker that didn't take bailout money :)
I agree..... I have been driving rangers for 20+ years.

[Bill Orbine]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch. I also like supporting the one domestic car/truck maker that didn't take bailout money :)

Soooooo.... without a hitch, what did you use to tow a trailer?:D

[Alex Leslie]

My MIL just got a Chevy Colorado crew cab, 2wd. She really likes it as it can haul grandkids, art supplies or several of her lady friends in comfort. The bed is a little short for long boards, but a light utility trailer would work for that.

[Cary Falk]

Tacoma. I will never own a Chevy again.

[Derek Gilmer]

Soooooo.... without a hitch, what did you use to tow a trailer?:D

Bungee cords and duct tape ;)

[Matt Meiser]

My MIL just got a Chevy Colorado crew cab, 2wd. She really likes it as it can haul grandkids, art supplies or several of her lady friends in comfort. The bed is a little short for long boards, but a light utility trailer would work for that.

That's the configuration I had. Two things. First, there's an intermediate position on the tailgate. Drop a couple 2x4's into pockets in the bed and put the tailgate in the intermediate position and it supports a 4x8 sheet nicely. Second, if you have a 2" receiver on it, one of the long-load supports that slip into the hitch (Harbor Freight sells a nice one) will let you carry some pretty long stuff. The latter works for any pickup with a 2" reciever.

[Greg Peterson]

Just out of curiosity I added up the total mileage of my fleet (23 Tacoma's - ranging in age from 96 to 10).

Total mileage: 5,702,472

Highest mileage: 565,625 (96 Tacoma)
Average mileage: 247,933

I've lost two transmissions in fifteen years, no motors.

These trucks are driven 6+ hours a day in mainly city driving conditions.

I don't consider these trucks broken in until they hit 100,000.

[Jim Rimmer]

F150 may be bigger than what you are looking for but they are great trucks. I just bought my 4th and have had no problems. I sold my '98 to my daughter for their business when I bought my '10. The '98 had 108,000 miles and the only reason I got rid of it was because I wanted a new one. I got a great deal and got the Lariat package. It is more luxurious than Cadillacs from a few years ago. Lots of interior room but shorter bed (big enough for what I will haul) and mileage is not that great but then I did get the big V8 and trailer package.

[Dec Olores]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch.

I have a Ranger as well.

It's a good idea to check insurance costs before buying. When I bought my Ranger, I was also considering the Toyota version, but the insurance rating was so much higher on the Toyota that the insurance cost was nearly double that of the Ranger.

[Dec Olores]

Rangers are good too but a little on the smaller side yet.

Meaning capacity or physical size? My Ranger has a GVW around 5K - so I can (and have!) haul a ton.

[Rick Huelsbeck]

I've had 3 rangers, all of them went past 100,000 miles with out a hitch. I also like supporting the one domestic car/truck maker that didn't take bailout money :)

I've had 2 of them and I agree, my money will go with the company that did not need hand outs. That is just my opinion and is not intended to make this a political debate.

[Curt Harms]

I've had 2 of them and I agree, my money will go with the company that did not need hand outs. That is just my opinion and is not intended to make this a political debate.

Obviously, I've had pretty good luck with 'em. The first one had a long and storied life ;). I had a fender bender-hit a deer-so bought a chinese fender and never did get it painted. A couple years later I got sorta sandwiched and bent a lot of tin but didn't affect the frame. Insurance company totalled it; probably 5-6 years old and not worth a lot. Bought some more chinese body panels, a door and front wheel hub from a junk yard. Put 'em on and had gen-u-wine ghetto cruiser:D. I eventually broke down and took it to Maaco and had it painted. I finally got T-boned at an intersection and bent it up pretty good but was still able to drive it home. The frame was bent so it did indeed get totalled this time. Had 170,000 miles or so when it met its maker. It would still go 5,000 miles between oil changes without needing to add oil and no major mechanical glitches, just O2 sensor, fuel pressure regulator etc.

I replaced that one with a '94. That was a good truck but did ride like a lumber wagon. My current Ranger is a 2001 and I plan to drive it 'til it dies. Now if somebody would come up with a drop-in diesel conversion------

P.S. I no longer drive in New Jersey :eek: :p.

[Terry Achey]

ok.... here's a slightly different perspective. Over the years I've had most domestic and foreign brands including Toyota, which is an excellent truck. (also have a Camry). I currently have a 4 cyl Ranger with 144K miles that works well but has little power ...and a Honda Ridgeline with 8,400 miles. I was sold on the Honda for several reasons. heavy payload and towing, unibody, large locking trunk in bed, two way tailgate, 4 person comfort, payload, and overall quality (similar to Toyota).

All depends on your trucking needs. A few bucks more than domestic but worth a look.

Terry

[Scott T Smith]

That new Ranger that debuted in Europe looks pretty sharp. I especially like the fact that it has a small diesel engine. That would be worth a test drive.

Diesel's are typically good for 30% - 50% better fuel mileage than gasoline counterparts, and with the new clean-burning technology they do not have the smoke or smell of the older ones.

I can't speak for the Tacoma's, but when I compare the drive and sound system in our '07 Prius with our '03 Ford Excursion and '08 F450, the Fords come out way ahead of the Toyota in terms of comfort, ride, and especially the sound system. We have the top level option package in the Prius, too.

[Joshua Culp]

Another vote for the Ranger.

My daily driver is a '95 Ranger that I bought in '97 when it had 50k miles on it. 4.0 L, V-6, 4x4, Extended Cab, 5 speed manual, with conversion to manual locking hubs, and an extra leaf in the stack of springs on the rear axle.

It's well over a quarter of a million miles and still doesn't burn/use any oil. It's only on it's second clutch - and I used to tow a '78 Vette on a flatbed trailer with it (in North and South Carolina where it's perfectly flat).

That "little" truck has done everything I have ever asked of it, and more than it was ever designed/intented to do. My only complaint is that the odometer broke a few years ago so I can't brag about how many miles it really has. Maybe the good Lord is trying to help me be humble!

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6H6hwmhkpQE/S-TszoPYFsI/AAAAAAAABBg/0kxwMDNfh7A/s800/134-3405_IMG.JPG

[Glen Butler]

Just out of curiosity I added up the total mileage of my fleet (23 Tacoma's - ranging in age from 96 to 10).

Total mileage: 5,702,472

Highest mileage: 565,625 (96 Tacoma)
Average mileage: 247,933

I've lost two transmissions in fifteen years, no motors.

These trucks are driven 6+ hours a day in mainly city driving conditions.

I don't consider these trucks broken in until they hit 100,000.
Interesting statistics. This is why I love Toyota. I will put a vote in for Tacoma. My family owns 8 Toyota vehicles. Half of those have more miles on basic maintainence than my Ford F350 (which has more problems than the SMC severs can hold):D, and little bros. 96 Dakota which has been completely rebuilt. My '97 4runner is sitting at 220K and going strong.