24th Jun 2008, 11:48

Gee, if a Tacoma frame breaking in half is a MINOR issue, then I guess Toyota doesn't have any MAJOR issues.

24th Jun 2008, 11:53

Again - full size trucks - regardless of the make, are going to be obsolete. Diesel now costs over $5 a gallon. Put two and two together. Most full size trucks hold at least 20 gallons. Some more than that. So yes- you will be pouring at least $100 a pop into that tank.

In regard to how much of a truck these "puny little import trucks" are, well I've owned mine for 13 years. I bought it to mow lawns. I hauled a small tractor on a trailer, two push mowers, a leaf blower, and a weed eater along with my tools and gas. I've also moved 5 times, using this truck each and every time. I have hauled firewood, rocks, motorcycles, and engines. Basically, it'll haul anything other than say - a bulldozer, large camper, big boat, or other 'toys'. In 13 years, I've never needed a large truck. Perhaps if you're a construction worker, farmer, or some huge fat guy, then yes, you might need a full sized truck. But for that matter, you can get a Dodge Sprinter, which is actually made by Mercedes: a full-size van that Fed-Ex uses. It'll haul a lot more than you're full size truck can ever haul and it gets 30MPG. But wait - it's an IMPORT and it doesn't look all manly. So scratch that.

All I can say is that I live out in Oakland, CA. Guess what most of the Hispanic contractors drive? Toyota and Nissan trucks that have been beat to pieces. Guess what truck I see commonly used by city workers? Toyota and Nissans. Guess what I see being used by all the parts delivery companies, freight delivery, and express delivery services? Toyota and Nissans. Guess what trucks I see on the Discovery Channel at a job site in Denmark out in the middle of nowhere where they're building a huge dam? Tacomas. Guess what I see when I watch TV shows about the Sahara? Land Cruisers and crew cab Hi-Lux Toyotas. Guess what I don't see outside of Rural America? Full size GM and Ford trucks.

In regards to the frame issue, this is for older Tacomas, as in Tacomas made over 10 years ago. The problem is when places in extreme climates with large quantities of salt on the roads, there is a slight chance that corrosion can damage the frame. The problem even in these environments has been rare. In reality, the frame problem is as common as any other manufacture. Doesn't matter anyway since Ford and GM have had triple the recalls over the years. I commend Toyota for being overly cautious for vehicles made a long time ago. I have a 95' Tacoma and it has zero rust anywhere on the frame, or anywhere else for that matter.

You domestic guys will probably still be here years from now long after GM and Ford stop their full size truck operations, going on and on about how much better your archaic, gas-guzzling "domestics" are compared to our "imports". I think we who quietly drive our problem-free Toyotas will be just as content.

24th Jun 2008, 15:29

Drop the Lexus V8 in the Tacoma, refine the ride and seating, and it may be a consideration as my second vehicle. I love the new 2008 black hybrid green car of the year Tahoe, and better mpg than Camry.

24th Jun 2008, 16:27

To 17:18. No, domestic makers WOULDN'T do that... because they build frames strong enough not to BREAK IN HALF!!

24th Jun 2008, 21:45

17:33: Well, we did a lot more off road with our Toyota than spinning donuts. The kind of stuff that I've seen many times put Ford, Chevy, and Dodge vehicles in the garage with scattered transmissions, radiators boiling over, and broken driveshafts and front suspension. Toyota trucks are the only ones that held together consistently through it all. That's a fact. Yeah, I owned a Dodge truck. I couldn't trust it to get me to the places off road that my Toyota of the same year did. Plus, the Dodge got about 13 miles to the gallon. If I ever want that kind of performance again, I'll buy a farm tractor from 1932. I think I'll stick with the Toyota. I feed it less and it gets me more places, and without breaking down.

25th Jun 2008, 10:40

Any time a manufacturer recalls more vehicles than it sells in a year (as Toyota has) referring to recalls of any other vehicle seems a little pointless. And YES, in 20 years us domestic owners WILL still be raving about our solid, well-built GM and Ford trucks because we will still be driving them. There are more 20 year old Ford and GM trucks still on the road than there are all Toyota trucks combined. As for "archaic" and "antiquated", please list ANY features current Toyotas have that GM or Ford doesn't. In driving both import and domestic vehicles I have seen absolutely no difference in safety or convenience features, or any difference in drive-train technology, except that GM does have the incredible Onstar system and Toyota doesn't.

25th Jun 2008, 14:55

Wait, so the domestic automakers make frames that don't rust? Nope didn't think so, they just won't recall them when they do. I would love for you to come to Northern Ohio and tell everyone, myself included, how great and rust proof these domestic frames are. Heck, I had a S-10 that the frame and floor boards rusted out in 8 years. The only way I have found to keep rust down is to ensure that you get undercoating every 3-4 years.

To the guy that said Ford is great at handling recalls, please tell me how many people had to die before Ford decided to recall the defective tires, or how many trucks/cars had to catch on fire from a defective wiring harness, before Ford found it reasonable to recall it. Maybe you can explain why Ford has yet to recall the airbags in the 2006-2007 F-150, even though there is a 50/50 chance they may not deploy. I have personal experience on that one; got hit head on in my buddy's F-150 over Memorial Day weekend and the airbags didn't work. When my buddy enquired as to why they didn't deploy, he was told that there seems to be a problem with a lot of them and they (Ford) was looking into it. Maybe you can tell me why GM never recalled the 1997 Blazers, with their wiring problems, bad 4x4 transmissions, and the faulty cooling systems, just to name a few things that were wrong.

That 97 Blazer was my last GM product, and since I moved on to Toyota, I have not had the problems that I faced with GM and Ford. It is nice not to have things break before 30k miles, and be told that is the life of that part, so the warranty doesn't cover it or the famous "it is normal for it to do that" line from the service center when you take a vehicle in.

To the guy who says he wouldn't buy a Toyota because they don't make anything that meets his needs, I feel sorry for you. But you can't knock a company because they don't make a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. That would be like saying Ferrari sucks because they don't offer a mini-van.

To all the people talking about warranties, from what you guys keep saying that a better warranty makes a better vehicle. I guess you people will be buying Hyundai, seeing how they offer the best warranty and have for the last 10 years. Warranties are not worth anything when the dealerships find reasons not to have it covered under warranty, which I have had happen numerous times with GM and Dodge vehicles. Did you know that between Onstar and the on-board computer there is a complete record of everything you have done to the vehicle (like high revs and oil not changed in time) that will be used to void warranties?

I have a 2004 Tundra, and it does everything I need it to do, and without all the problems. It does everything that any of the other 1/2 tons are able to do. If you need more, then you have no choice but to look elsewhere.