Toyota Tacoma towing question

[Mark Kurtzner]

I know I haven't posted in awhile but figured I'd ask. This Saturday I'm getting rid of my Dodge Ram really was too much truck for driving back & forth to work, bringing kids to cheerleading & softball practices and the gas mileage was terrible! Getting a new Tacoma crew cab with the V-6 rated for 6500 lb towing. Should be plenty to tow a 518 ranger Tandum trailer? Just wondering what others have thought? I live in NY and all of my tournament fishing is within 150 mile radius only real hills are while going to Lake Champlain which is at least 10 times per year. It is the long bed with the tow package. The gas mileage is really the main reason for this truck didn't feel like I needed the 150's V-8's. I just do too much running around.



Thanks Mark

 

[mike chip]

i have a toy and it tow my boat and other easy. should not be a problem.

mike c



if its an auto, think about a trans cooler.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Silverado get's better mileage than ANY of them!! Plus I can get you an employee discount......any 'yota employees doing that for you?? Holler if you're interested..by the way....I'm talkin' $7,000-9000 off!!



Mull it over,..I'll be back Monday.

Mac

 

[Marty Klein]

Mac, Mac, Mac .... when will you cease to be a shill for the man?

 

[dustin w]

not to stir the pot but get the toy everyone says the silverado has better milage till you own one I speak from experience then you realize that it was all hype and must have been a mileage rating rolling down hill with a tail wind plus toyota might be around long enough to use up the full warranty it is sold with

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I dunno....my Silvy 3/4 ton with 4.10 rear gets the mileage promised and at 73k still runnin as good as the day I bought it. The new Chevys with the FMS are getting very good mpg #'s, no hype there.



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Yep...nobody comes close to the mileage on my GMC

 

[Jim B]

Ill back Mac 100% on that one. My 06 silvy 4x4 with a 5.3l does better then a very good friend of mine's 06 tacoma does. From what he tells me the best he has ever done in the city is 14 and freeway 19. my silvy will got 15 city all day and 20.5 on the freeway. We both drive pretty conservitave.



Mine is an 06, 4x4 5.3l with 3.4s gears. The new ones with MDS do ever better then mine does.



btw for what its worth. My chevy has been in the shop far less then my buddy;s toyota has.

 

[Marty Klein]

Gees, wrong post ...

 

[Tony Payne]

I used to tow my 911 with a Dodge Dakota - V8 - not the V6... that being said - you probably wont have the torque that you want - but you will probably be ok.



I switched to the Toyota Tundra - I get as good/better gas mileage then what I got with the Dakota.



The thing to watch for is that the Tacomao (any of the mid size pickups, really) wont weight alot more than your boat - so while it "can" tow, and you'll "probably" be ok - you'll want to be a little more defensive in your driving - its the handling in an emergency that can come back to bite ya.



and FTR - I get 12-13 MPG with my Tundra around town or towing - I get 20 MPG on the highway.



I doubt you'll see much better than that with the Tacoma.

 

[Tim Koepp]

everybody seems to jump on the "brand"-wagon when talking EPA estimates. read it again.. E.P.A. estimates.. the gummint determines the score, the brand jumps on and puts as much perfume on the pig as they can.



Whether you get more or less than the estimate is a function of how you personally drive (and tow).. The estimate is a stake in the ground.



Wife's crossover and my Colorado are rated the same, she gets on average 2-3 mpg less, I get 1-2 over. but then, I don't have "SALE!!" signs that pump up the right foot adrenelin

 

[Mark Kurtzner]

before getting the Ram I used to tow with a jeep v8 and that towed fine. I've heard good things so far about the 09 Tacoma's. I really do like the Tundra actually I love how my Dodge looks but its just not practical! My gas Mileage sucks! I've never gotten over 13 or 14 miles per gallon and usually around town or towing its right around 11. Now if I needed a big truck for work or for towing long distances I would have looked at a different truck. The Tacoma does come with the towing package and has an added oil & Trans cooler so I should be good to go plus I Only leased it for less then $250.00 per month! now that makes sense and after 3 years if its no good I'll get something else! I know the ride and dependability of the Toyota is right at the top. I couldn't even get into a used truck for what I'm paying and lets face it where ever you can save at this time is worth while. Thanks for all of your input, I hope when the ice comes off the lake it tows just fine, might just have to change the trailer hitch angle to get the boat straight, that was a problem with the Dodge it had the 20" wheels and even with a 3 1/2" drop still was a little high at the nose!

 

[dustin w]

well my 06 chevy ext cab 4x4 got 14.3mpg empty and a 170dc boat dropped it to 11mpg and with the toy hauler 8mpg my 07dodge diesel crew cab dually 4x4 gets 19.4mpg and thats not just highway thats an average between oil changes 7500 miles 17.4mpg towing the boat and 13mpg towing the toy hauler I realize I am comparing diesel vs gas but the dodge only cost 1000 more than the chevy did new for new I have always had a chevy in the driveway until I got rid of that 06 that was the first new vehicle I have ever bought that I didnt like since the day I brought it home

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

With a diesel if you add the extra fuel costs to the extra base cost to the extra maint cost(more oil..fuel additives, etc) you'll find that the cost per mile is close to the same or with an edge to gassers. But if you need a diesel you need it. Most bass boat haulers don't.



TOXIC

 

[mike chip]

toxic, dont forget if you keep a vechicle for 150k and perform the schedule maint, the diesel and gas engines are real close to initial costs. some of these new trucks are charging a small fortune for plugs and injection cleanings and such.

example, my small diesel car has 150 k on it, so far regular schdule maint has cost me 400 bucks. the gas version i had was just over 2k. and you get alot of the money back when you sell the truck

 

[Bill McElroy]

LOL...okay...forget it,...was just tryin' to save the dude a few grand,...like 8-9 GRAND!!



Sorry for the hassle's...



Marty,....as long as the shill's pay the bills...I'll be hawkin' our goods!!

 

[Mini]

I would think that anyone would "hawk" what puts food on their table, what employs their neighbors and what makes the economy go.



i guess thats one reason we are in the shape we are in....

 

[Marty Klein]

Yes, you're correct. I was poking the Detroit Badger. I think he knows I was teasing him. I think what he is able to do for people is great! What I find interesting is that it seems people want a truck and he ofrfers them a great deal, but is told -- no thanks. As my friend Bill always says-"that's nuts."

 

[Bill McElroy]

I know you were kiddin' Marty......no problem at all. I just make the offer known...it's available if anyone wants to save a few grand.

 

[Marty Klein]

I would love to take advantage of your largess, but then meine frau would accuse me of doing what I cite her for doing--spending money to save money :wacko::lol::wacko:

 

[Keith Todd]

I traded my 2003 Dodge Ram in for a 2006 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 LWB when the new style first came out. I now am back to having a Dodge Ram again. The Toyota was horrible pulling my 17" aluminum boat much less a bass boat. I liked the truck because it drove nice, did OK on gas, but I named it LIL Putt Putt so that should tell you something. I think I would have not been a full truck guy before the Tacoma it wouldn't have been that big of deal for me but don't let anyone fool you going from a HEMI to a v6 TACO you will see a HUGE difference in power.





I second the idea if you are looking for MPG's go with the Chevy Silverado. It's full size truck gets the same MPG's as the Tacoma.