Looking for a new vehicle

[sodak]

After many years stuffing game into a vw passat's boot, I'm looking for a pickup. The passat was great with all wheel drive and went places far into the mountains. But, the miles are adding up. Does anyone have any opininions on the ecoboost, 8 speed auto transmissions, 5.7 hemi vs 5.0 ford, etc? Looking for something to haul more without piling stuff onto the roof.

 

[shaun]

6.4 diesel! That's what I drive on a 10" lift turning 36" tires I have hit 23 on freeway and can beat the pants off a z06 corvette and to top it off drives amazing!

 

[Shrek]

One of my girlfriends has a four door dodge with the hemi. It drinks gas like it's free. My best friend has the f150 with the 5.4? For about a year now. Better milage and smoother. The ecoboost is a turbo and looks real interesting. Turbos got a bad name when they first came out but the technology has come a long way in the last 25 years but ford still won't call it a turbo. I drive a semi for a living and just about every one of them is turbo. The turbos go a half a million miles and more with no problems.

 

[blb078]

How did the VW passat do in bad weather up in the mountains? I've actually been looking at getting something to use my Chevy 2500hd less so I can make it last longer and the gas mileage sux, it'll haul anything as long as you don't mind getting Feet per gallon I've been looking at some of the AWD smaller suv's never really thought about getting an awd car though figured would have issues in mud or bad weather.

 

[Hardstalk]

Im not a fan of gasoline pickups. Almost like buying a v6 sports car. Maintenance costs the same fuel costs the same insurance costs the same as a diesel yet you limit yourself with towing capacity and confidence in the throttle dept. there is a big give and take though. Duramax ride smoother than powerstroke or cummins but a duramax is far from cheap to fix/maintain. Cummins get great gas mileage and run forever but even on a smooth road they will bruise your liver. And since powerstroke scratched 7.3 a few years back the 6.0 will blow a head towing a leaf. And the newest twin turbo trucks do not hesitate to suck a fuel tank clean in a short distance. I think if your foot loose and fancy free treat it like you were buying a bow. Drive everything you can get your hands and and let one pick you. Personally after I drive this one into the ground ill be shopping for another 04-05 dodge cummins. For me it works hard, always delivers great mpg. Keep oil, fuel and water in it and go. Although I would love the ride quality of a chevy the prr of a cummins turbo has me wrapped around its finger.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Diesel is the way to go! I have a 2007 5.9L Cummins and I get about 15 in town and 21 on the highway, and that's with 37" tires! No problem to get 300K out of these trucks.

And like Shaun said, I can beat most cars!

 

[Shrek]

Hardstalk , I hear you on the diesel trucks. I think the best of them all was the '02 7.3 powerstroke. But if he is coming from a car and just wants a little room and a bed then one of regular full size trucks with the small v8 or turbo 6 will be more to his liking. The diesel cost a chunk more to buy and they do cost a bunch more to fix. Injectors at $600-$800 a piece and fuel pumps starting at $1200 for just parts will hurt you quick. I remember when diesel was cheaper than gas and now it's 10%+ higher.

 

[dotman]

I traded in my 2003 3/4 ton Cummins dodge with 350,000 (it needed all new injectors) this past year for a Honda Ridgeline. After really looking at actual needs I decided it would be perfect and I haven't regretted it but once. I took it up to an old mine just east of Silverton CO that was straight up and down over shale, going up was no problem, the coming down was scary. With no Low gear I had to ride the brakes and that meant stopping a ton to cool the brakes on a one lane trail that dropped off a very long way. Everyone else was in jeeps and on 4 wheelers. It is awesome in the mud and snow (not 12" of the stuff) and only sips the gas plus is a great family vehicle.

Now I still have a 3/4 ton ford and 4 wheeler at my parents place in CO and just have no need for dedicated off-road vehicle in Kansas City. So determine your needs, the Toyota Tundra or Tacoma are pretty sweat and kinda wish I went with the Tacoma but the interior space of the ridgeline sold me, inbetween a full size and mid size, Tacoma seemed tiny in interior space and have to have room for the little one.

Now I'm saving for a hummer h3 to build into a dedicated off-road machine, they are getting cheap.

Bad part about diesel is the cost when you have any issues and need a vehicle up and running. If I had time and an extra 6k I would have fixed my old truck up but heck it was only worth 10k and a used diesel with 100k almost costs the same as a year old gasser.

Based on what you have been using I would take a look at a Ridgeline (made in USA)or Tacoma if low gear is needed.

 

[Shrek]

I'm driving an old v6 ranger and love it. It gets 20+ mpg and will drive down a pig trail. There is not a lot of room in it but it is great to hunt out of. The tacoma is like it but this newest model is getting kind of big. The old Tacoma 4wheel drive got lousy mpg but I don't know about the new ones.

 

[hunthard]

Diesels are great, I have a 06 cummins, great running ( mine is very smooth riding ) great fuel milage plenty of power and its fun to black stomp mini vans. But, they are very expensive when something breaks. All around good hunting truck if you don't mind a small pickup is a toyota tacoma. I owned a 94 with 33" tires before the diesel and I still miss that truck when driving the hills.

 

[300Weatherby]

i have a 05 tacoma and love it. it does great up in the hills. driving aroung town i get around 20mpgs, on the highway i get 22.

 

[sodak]

How did the VW passat do in bad weather up in the mountains? I've actually been looking at getting something to use my Chevy 2500hd less so I can make it last longer and the gas mileage sux, it'll haul anything as long as you don't mind getting Feet per gallon I've been looking at some of the AWD smaller suv's never really thought about getting an awd car though figured would have issues in mud or bad weather.

Mine has a little more ground clearance than some of the newer awd cars. So I drive on the ridges and get a scrape every now and then. I have gone on rutty dirt roads with no problems to see a pickup drive like an idiot and get stuck. That car is great on snow covered roads. Alot of german engineering wires that like to wear out or break. And not every repair shop has a diagnostic computer that can hook up to the car and get codes.

 

[Shot]

How about a Toyota Tacoma. I have the double cab version, like posted above, except mine is the older model. Goes pretty much anywhere, small enough to get in tight places on mountain tops, and its bullet proof. Best truck I have ever owned.

 

[Jeff Martin]

I was a die hard Chevy Z71 guy. Only pickup I have ever owned. Just kept buying the same truck over and over. THEN, i bought I 2012 4x4 Tacoma....I WILL NEVER BUY another Chevy. Best truck i have ever owned hands down. I love Tacomas !

 

[ckleeves]

Pretty hard to beat a Toyota pickup!

 

[Shrek]

I'm +1 for small trucks for hunting. The Tacoma looks good and they don't make Rangers anymore. They can really get into some tight places and something else is they can get into small parking spots. I've had both large and small trucks and I'm using a small Ranger now and will never have another big pickup unless I pickup the boat habit again. Unless you need to tow heavy things or put kids in the cab I don't see a need.

 

[Beastmode]

If I wasn't towing a lot I would definitely have a Tacoma instead of a diesel. Great pickups thst are extremely durable. They hold th eir value really well.

 

[trdhunter]

+100 on a Tacoma. I had one that I regret selling to buy my Tundra. I love my Tundra, but for a smaller vehicle to use for hunting and not pulling anything a Tacoma cannot be beat. some day when money allows I will have another Tacoma.

 

[vegas hunter]

I run an 04 Dodge Cummins. Great truck and its not going anywhere but i really want to get a smaller rig for the mountains. Tacoma is definitely high on my list of wants. I keep thinking a Jeep would be cool but you don't get any storage in those things.

 

[ckleeves]

My only complaint with the newer Tacoma is that they are getting kinda "plasticky" my brother and hunting buddy both have 2010s and they have broke some stuff like bumpers, mirrors, mud flaps etc. The older ones are bulletproof and off roading machines. And on the newest body style it's hard to see over the hood when your in the real bad stuff IMO.