Hunting/Daily Vehicle

huntsd

WKR
Joined
Jun 20, 2020
Messages
595
I am in the market for a new truck. I am torn between an extra cab tacoma (v6) and an extra cab f150 (2.7 turbo). I will be installing 35's, 2 or 2.5 inch level and a camper shell. Both have locking rear differential. The f150 actually gets a little bit better mpg.

I like that the f150 is a bit bigger for all the crap I take when I hunt, however, its about 4 inches wider than the taco. Seems like the taco might be a bit more trail worthy than an f150 since its not as wide/long. I'd appreciate some input.

Also, I do not tow anything.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
5,231
Location
Colorado
I have a 1996 single cab tacoma that I hunt with and drive everywhere. I have stock 31x10.5 Cooper tires on 15” rims. It is small enough to drive on the ATV trails, but it isn’t legal to do so. However, it is small enough to turn around on most forest service roads. This particular truck has been in the family since 1998 and it is still going strong.

I had a camper on it, but with the 2.7L 4cyl engine under the hood, she struggles on hills. About a year ago I put a rack and an aluminum toolbox in/on the bed and I couldn’t be happier.
 
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
3,561
Location
Somewhere between here and there
Hard question to answer without knowing how you’ll use it. I have a Tundra double cab so I could get the 6.5’ bed, which I will use to its max capacity at times.

One of my buddies has a Tacoma and it fill up real fast if you need to put dog crates in it.
 

CorbLand

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
7,981
The one thing I don’t like about the F150s is if the turbos go, your dead in the water and they aren’t cheap to fix.

Size wise the F150 is nice. Tried and true goes to the Tacoma.
 

IdahoBeav

WKR
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
860
I am in the market for a new truck. I am torn between an extra cab tacoma (v6) and an extra cab f150 (2.7 turbo). I will be installing 35's, 2 or 2.5 inch level and a camper shell. Both have locking rear differential. The f150 actually gets a little bit better mpg.

Ford likes to exaggerate their listed MPGs. Also, larger tires and lifts are a recipe for lower MPGs and drivetrain & alignment problems. There are high performance kits and re-gearing that allow you to minimize these problems, but they are expensive (and rare for Ford).
 
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
1,456
Location
North Texas
The one thing I don’t like about the F150s is if the turbos go, your dead in the water and they aren’t cheap to fix.

Size wise the F150 is nice. Tried and true goes to the Tacoma.

The new Tacoma also has a turbo as does the Tundra.

Get used to it as more vehicles will have to downsize engines to meet CAFE standards.

Thanks Kalifornia.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

Dented

WKR
Joined
Jan 4, 2021
Messages
442
Ford electronics, particularly those related to passenger vehicles including the f150, and emissions requirements, are not stellar. Superduty trucks excluded, I think they are the number 1 manufacturer for recalls. Check me on that. Got a neighbor that just retired as a superduty mechanic. Even he stopped buying Ford products. That being said, I drive a 2023 F350.

In your particular case, if be checking reliability reports and ratings on anything I chose.
 

Dogone

FNG
Joined
Dec 25, 2023
Messages
66
I have a 16 f150. The salesman said I would get 21mpg at the speed limit and I do. Turbos were the big talk when they came out but neither mine or others with 200000 miles have had trouble. It does have a soft fibre skid pan though, that cheaper out there. Mine is a farm truck, beat to shit but still runs well.
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2014
Messages
634
Location
Montana
Crew cab taco will be under powered(enough to get it done though), nice to stow extra valuables in the cab not the shell. I blew up a 2.7l ford in 5,000 miles(thank God for warranty) all it had done was a 4 wheeler in the bed and run highway and a little gravel.
 

JFK

WKR
Joined
Sep 13, 2016
Messages
845
Depends on how much weight you put on each use. The taco is going to be better offroad at the expense of a smaller bed.
 

Mattys010

FNG
Joined
Dec 18, 2020
Messages
92
I had a Tacoma for a long time and liked while I had it. now I have a 2.7 F150 crew cab for alittle over a year. I would not go back. The power, room and fuel economy far surpass the Tacoma.
 
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