19th Feb 2007, 22:50
Two years ago I crashed head-on into a Tacoma that made an illegal left turn in front of my Dodge Dakota. My Dakota suffered a broken grille and one broken headlight. The Tacoma was so badly damaged it had to be hauled away on a flatbed truck. Nothing like "Toyota quality"!!
19th Feb 2007, 22:53
Hey Guys.
I have a '02 Tundra TRD Limited 4x4. I regularly throw 2-3 dirt bikes in the back and drive hundreds of miles out into the middle of nowhere in South CA desert or Baja CA. The truck simply handles this type of thing 100x better then any 'American truck' or 'formerly American truck' as I should say now.
When I'm down in Baja, 100+ miles from nowhere, there's simply no other vehicle I'd rather have.
Sure, I don't tow large items and I wouldn't do that with this truck. If I wanted a truck that could tow and handle like crap on dirt, I would have bought a Dodge (I speak from experience).
You should buy the truck that best suits your needs. Simple as that. I'm not going to compare full sized trucks for anything but what I use them for, but I can tell you this... Ford is terrible in dirt. Chevy/Dodge are 1/2 way decent and Toyota can't be touched. I'm taking factory options. This truck handles great on the street and even better off it.
20th Feb 2007, 07:41
22:50 is a ridiculous comment as every accident is different. And Dodge "quality" is about as suspect as you can get, which is why Daimler is trying desperately to dump the losing company.
20th Feb 2007, 08:00
Again its not over quality... its gasoline pricing and benefits. I live near the Newark De Durango plant... for some unknown reason Toyota owners keep wanting to believe otherwise.
20th Feb 2007, 08:04
20:25 I have a 2007 1/2 ton Silverado V8 and have carried a ton in the back. I would not do that with a Tundra. What is the point of jumping over rocks? A light springing rear end. Wow. Why not a heavy duty suspension with a powerful engine and better comfort, warranty and handling. I guess that's why Edmunds gave my vehicle and the F Series a better cost per mile to own over 5 years than a new Tundra. Lets focus on 2007.
20th Feb 2007, 12:45
So gasoline pricing and benefits is why Ford trucks are no good? Fair enough. I shouldn't really care why they fall apart, because I would never consider buying one until they start making something decent for at least 5 years in a row. Of course if they started building them right, and were concerned about how they hold up 10 years after they are purchased, then they would have to raise the cost of them. Wait a minute... someone already makes trucks like that! It's out in my driveway, and it says "Toyota" on the front!
20th Feb 2007, 12:53
To 22:53; that's right. You surely won't see any F-150's or Silverado's out there. You may as well walk out and plan on walking back if you were to take one of those out there very often. You'd have radiators boiling over, wheel bearings would be junk in about 2 weeks, transmission would fall out. But, I guess if we're not pulling 12 million pounds of something around all day, then our trucks are useless, right?
Useless, except for when you need a good 4 wheel drive to get somewhere interesting or hard to get through. Then, an F-150's magical heavy frame and comfortable ride will be completely useless. The Fords and Chevy's should stay just exactly where you normally see them; the grocery store, the hardware store, and the garage.
20th Feb 2007, 12:57
If Toyota quality is so "superior", why do Toyota trucks disintegrate in crashes while comparable domestics drive away from the same accidents with a broken headlight???
20th Feb 2007, 16:39
I guess if you live in Baja and drive on dirt fine. If you need better tow capacities, carry loads, more room to carry people, comfort, handling, performance, would like a better warranty go with domestics. I use mine extensively to remodel my homes and tow... I went with a new full size GM.
20th Feb 2007, 16:49
To 12:57, simple answer; they DON'T. You, just like most of the pro-Big 3 commenters here, are wildly exaggerating.
First off, there is no "same" accident. EVERY one is different. Second, even if you put a Toyota truck and a Ford truck through a SIMILAR accident, saying that the Toyota would be 'disintegrated' and the Ford would only have a broken headlight is just inaccurate.
20th Feb 2007, 18:37
12:57 needs to provide proof of his statement. One woman on this site said her husband was killed when the cab of his F150 sheered off the frame and crushed him to death in an accident - the occupants of the other vehicle survived.
21st Feb 2007, 07:37
No matter what vehicle a truck going 10-20 mph may certainly fare better than one going 100 mph especially into a fixed object. I would rather read on usable features comparisons... engine size, performance, handling, warranty etc. cost per mile to own.
22nd Feb 2007, 18:06
Why would anyone expect the Tundra to be a reliable truck??? When over HALF of the 2006 Camry reviews are "frownie faces", Half a dozen Corolla owners report engine failure in the FIRST 30,000 MILES, and Highlander owners report brake failure, transmission failure, no power, bad air bags and sticking accelerators I'm honestly surprised that you could FIND a reliable Toyota these days. I also notice a LOT of less than happy Tundra owners too.
23rd Feb 2007, 12:28
Well, here's the news:
LOTS of people are finding reliable Toyota's. That's why they sell well, and people are leaving the Ford's and Chevy's to sit on the sales lot. The names 'Ford' and 'Chevy' carry a terrible reputation, and well-earned.
I'm just beginning to shop for a compact car, and it will be either the Honda Fit, the Nissan Versa, or maybe the Toyota Yaris. Ford, Chevy, and Dodge don't even have anything worth going to a dealership to look at.
The Aveo? Give me a break. I built a go-cart as a kid that I'd trust on the highway more than an Aveo. I can't even think of a small Ford or Dodge that I'd consider. Well, there aren't any.
The more research I do on the subject of cars, compact cars in general, the more I read about how much better my 3 choices are than anything the Big 3 have to offer.
Maybe ALL those publications are biased? Again, get real.
19th Feb 2007, 20:25
MY arguments are a bit of a stretch? YOU say, (and let me get this straight) : because my Toyota has WEAK suspension; it absorbs impact easily?!? (which makes NO sense at all), and that's why I can't break it off road?
No, I wasn't hauling 78 tons of tobacco uphill both ways when I was doing this, because my truck apparently isn't "Ford tough" (that was a joke).
And you go on to say that if I put 3 quarter ton suspension on my truck (building it like a Ford), then it would fall apart? Thanks for making my point; that's what I've been saying all along... if my truck was built like a Ford, (engine, body, or suspension), then it would fall apart quickly under abuse. I know it would. That's why I bought a Toyota, because they are not built like Fords.