New Truck--Dependability

[tony]

I’m no mechanic or engineer.

Cars are as bad as picking a rifle or scope. Somebody knows a guy down the street who’s brother that had a f 150 and the engine fell out.
I have had great luck with fords. And shockingly my worst was a Toyota Tacoma.
That is MY experience. I’d still like to look at the new tacomas.
This 4 banger eco boost (turbo) has been a great little motor in the Ranger I own. Power, fuel mileage, all good.
I can afford new vehicles and have never owned one past 200 k miles.

Someone mentioned to avoid engines with turbos, super chargers, cylinder deactivation and diesels.
That pretty much leaves you with a horse and cart.
I agree on the diesel, they make zero economic sense for the average person. I work as a paramedic part time and ambulances are going back to all gas. Only rig in our fleet of 8 trucks that’s a diesel is our rescue truck.
I don’t think any brand is worse than the other. Lemons are out there in all makes.
You just have find a brand you like

 

[CorbLand]

I’m no mechanic or engineer.

Cars are as bad as picking a rifle or scope. Somebody knows a guy down the street who’s brother that had a f 150 and the engine fell out.
I have had great luck with fords. And shockingly my worst was a Toyota Tacoma.
That is MY experience. I’d still like to look at the new tacomas.
This 4 banger eco boost (turbo) has been a great little motor in the Ranger I own. Power, fuel mileage, all good.
I can afford new vehicles and have never owned one past 200 k miles.

Someone mentioned to avoid engines with turbos, super chargers, cylinder deactivation and diesels.
That pretty much leaves you with a horse and cart.
I agree on the diesel, they make zero economic sense for the average person. I work as a paramedic part time and ambulances are going back to all gas. Only rig in our fleet of 8 trucks that’s a diesel is our rescue truck.
I don’t think any brand is worse than the other. Lemons are out there in all makes.
You just have find a brand you like

What issues did you have with your Tacoma?

 

[180ls1]

Cars are as bad as picking a rifle or scope. Somebody knows a guy down the street who’s brother that had a f 150 and the engine fell out.

Meh, there is far more data on vehicles than there is on a rifle/scope.

I would agree that trusting any 1 forum or person is problematic.

 

[tony]

What issues did you have with your Tacoma?

Recall on the clutch/throw out bearing
Recall on the gas pedal getting stuck
Recall on the rear springs
Recall on the seat belts
And… the never ending frame rust Toyota was famous for and still somehow sold the shit out of Tacoma.
I got rid of it before the rust got bad.
The gas mileage was worse than my two 5.0 f 150s. My Tacoma was the 4.0, 6 speed, 2009 model.
The truck was a snap to work on. And it’s been well over a decade. It’s just the “bad things” nobody forgets
I am very interested in these new models though.

 

[WesternDawg]

Have a ‘24 Tundra and have had no issues so far. If you visit the tundra forum they’ve been keeping track of engine failures on the new ‘22+ model and the failure rate is very low, contrary to what most have posted here. I was also able to get a 10 year extended warranty for ~$1.5k for piece of mind as well which helps. Great truck, lots of power and really enjoy it.

 

[Billinsd]

Nice write up. I'm no expert but when you have plugs and no way to check fluids makes me worry. I like to see the tranny fluid and oil are at correct levels. Not just trust us and only change it at 100,000. LOL

My Tundra maintenance manual states that tranny oil should be replaced at 60,000 miles if truck has been used for towing or carrying heavy loads. I personally would replace it at 60,000 even if the only load in the truck was just me. If I towed and hauled heavy loads I might change at 30,000 or so. It’s virtually impossible to really know and I certainly DON’T trust Toyota or any manufacturer. If you wait until 100,000 the prevailing wisdom is not to change it, because you could dislodge bits of sludge that could re-deposit and cause issues.

 

[Billinsd]

I wish him good like with that Tundra:

Yeah, my friend has a long history of buying very poor quality cars and trucks. I wish him luck with that extremely complicated, turbo V6 hybrid 2024 Tundra that I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot stick!! I talked with a knowledgeable parts technician at my local Toyota and he said the turbo V6s are doing pretty good, however Contractors and others that push them hard are having lots of issues with the turbo!!! The 5.7 when it first came out was dropping valves and other crap. Over the years they got rid of almost all the bugs. That’s why I got a 21, and plan to keep for a very looong time!!

 

[Billinsd]

Have a ‘24 Tundra and have had no issues so far. If you visit the tundra forum they’ve been keeping track of engine failures on the new ‘22+ model and the failure rate is very low, contrary to what most have posted here. I was also able to get a 10 year extended warranty for ~$1.5k for piece of mind as well which helps. Great truck, lots of power and really enjoy it.

Very EXCELLENT!! What trim is that? Is the engine a hybrid? I said in another post my local Toyota said Contractors pushing the truck hard are having turbo warranty problems. I don’t like the looks of the 3rd gen as much as the 2nd. However, white looks REALLY Nice!! I’m envious.

 

[Billinsd]

Someone mentioned to avoid engines with turbos, super chargers, cylinder deactivation and diesels.
That pretty much leaves you with a horse and cart.

I take that is if you can, avoid them. I bought a 2017 hatchback civic, first year the made them. Only option was the turbo, which I didn’t want. Many cars and trucks have turbos and are reliable. My civic has 130,000 without engine issues. Turbos and superchargers are more complicated and put more pressure on engines and there is no getting around it.

 

[Beendare]

Lots of Anecdotal evidence here....but is there a site that compiles the records of these Repairs?

Consumer Affairs used to do it...but do they still?

I look at some of the specific truck forums which are pretty good.

I've had many Toyota products over the years and they have been darn good. I haven't had a lot of issues with Ram or Chevy either. [Ford- Meh- a few issues] ...but I typically sell these rigs before they have high mileage -except my Hino [toyota] with almost 200,000 and it still runs like a top.

 

[CorbLand]

Recall on the clutch/throw out bearing
Recall on the gas pedal getting stuck
Recall on the rear springs
Recall on the seat belts
And… the never ending frame rust Toyota was famous for and still somehow sold the shit out of Tacoma.
I got rid of it before the rust got bad.
The gas mileage was worse than my two 5.0 f 150s. My Tacoma was the 4.0, 6 speed, 2009 model.
The truck was a snap to work on. And it’s been well over a decade. It’s just the “bad things” nobody forgets
I am very interested in these new models though.

That frame deal was shitty.

I love my Tundras and Tacoma just always curious as to what issues people have with them. I don’t think they don’t have their problems but mine have had way less problems than my brothers Dmax and other brothers F150.

I am interested to see how the new Tacomas do but I will give them 10 years before I trust them. Not a huge fan of turbos which is why I ended up with a Tacoma when my first gen Tundra got totaled. Still cry a little when I think about that one.

 

[WesternDawg]

Very EXCELLENT!! What trim is that? Is the engine a hybrid? I said in another post my local Toyota said Contractors pushing the truck hard are having turbo warranty problems. I don’t like the looks of the 3rd gen as much as the 2nd. However, white looks REALLY Nice!! I’m envious.

Thanks! Yes it’s a hybrid engine TRD Pro. I know the ‘22 year model had some waste gate issues but largely haven’t hear many issues for late ‘23 and ‘24.

 

[tony]

That frame deal was shitty.

I love my Tundras and Tacoma just always curious as to what issues people have with them. I don’t think they don’t have their problems but mine have had way less problems than my brothers Dmax and other brothers F150.

I am interested to see how the new Tacomas do but I will give them 10 years before I trust them. Not a huge fan of turbos which is why I ended up with a Tacoma when my first gen Tundra got totaled. Still cry a little when I think about that one.

Turbos look to be the new hot chick. Ford, GM, Toyota have them on most if not all their 4 cylinders. I too am not a fan of more parts to break.
I want manual locking hubs and standard shifts still.
I’ll give the Tacoma a year to let the cult members work the bugs out supply and aftermarket part catch up.
I really want to try a Jeep “Jeep” (jk?) or gladiator. Price and practicability or stopping me for the most part

 

[Tmac]

I'm going to go against the grain here and give props to the Nissan Titan. I bought a 2017 during the pandemic with just under 30K on it for exactly $30K...found it at a Chevy dealership and they werent excited about having it on the lot. I don't know of anywhere else you can get a 4 door, 4wd truck with a V8 for that price. I have done scheduled maintenance, brakes, and tires and that's it. I get 13-14 around town and between 17-18 or so on the freeway assuming the computer is close to right.

There are several tradeoffs I made with this truck:

• They haven't put any time or effort into significant upgrades or redesign since 2015. So Ford, Chevy/GMC are going to have more refined driving compartments and convenience features along with a fairly substantial jump in technology. This truck is utilitarian, even spartan by modern standards.
• The flip side of the coin to the point above is that parts haven't really changed since 2015. I'm able to do a lot of work myself if needed and even in a rural area the Advance/O'Reilly has everything I need.
• If you want to lift or customize, your after-market options are going to be limited. I haven't found an acceptable winch bumper, although steelcraft does provide options for a pre-runner bumper, light bars, etc.
• I will be the first to admit that the angle of approach/angle of attack is terrible. It will need to be lifted if you anticipate lots of offroad.

I have only towed heavy a couple of times and it did fine but didn't light the world on fire. Mostly I'm pulling a drift boat or a flatbed trailer and don't even know it's there. It was cheap, is reasonable on gas, and does everything I need a truck to do so it made sense for my application.

Titans are very solid reliable rigs. I’d have one if I could not have found a used Tundra for a good price.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

It can’t be emphasized enough about the fuel mileage regulations leading to reliability problems. Everything is thinner, weaker, more compact, more plastic etc to save weight. Engines, transmissions, drivetrains, software have become very complex to squeeze out every last drop of fuel mileage. Regulations come so fast and so often it’s a wonder trucks run at all. Not to mention they are rolling computers so factor that in as well. And all of that accounts for the ridiculous prices too.

Yep. Give the manufactures a fair chance to make a truck more dependable and it truly would be much easier on the consumer. Lower prices, better performance, more dependable from year to year.

Obviously, acute problems exist in every brand depending on the year. It’s going to happen with so many chances for something to happen due to consumers demanding the most advanced truck that companies can make. And, each brand has had chronic problems rushing to meet demands. So, it really is best to just buy the one you want most.

Because even if you decide to buy one that has problems, chances are it’s not a chronic issue that a manufacture can’t solve once it’s been presented. Recalls and dealership visits surely isn’t something anyone enjoys with such an expensive purchase. But, it’s important to realize “chronic” issues are reported and often emphasized into something the vast majority of owners will never experience.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

No, I have not, thank you very much “grin”! My opinion is based on a few friend’s experiences with recent Ford, GM, and Dodge and mostly the diesel engines, their poor performance and even poorer warranty care. A year ago I had a Ram Ecodiesel or “Eco-Boom” on my shortlist. Ram had stopped making them and switched to electric instead. A good friend had one and he raved about it. I visited some dealerships and just couldn’t bring myself to buy one as hard as I tried, because of my gut and prejudice against them. A couple neighbors have the diesel 2500s friends have Rams and seem to like them a lot. Ram is a much better value than GM or Ford for the same reliability. A year ago a co-worker had an Ecoboom engine grenade under warranty and he said he never liked the truck. Recently my friend with the Ecoboom had his engine grenade on him. He took it in under warranty and they said it would be three months. He was angry at Ram and told me he’d sue them, then he dumped it for a new 2024 Platinum Tundra with the hybrid engine and 100,000 or 150k warranty. He used to by the highest end American trucks and cars and finally said enough was enough!!

I think Toyota is more American made then any other option.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Daily driver diesel, didn't even have a rattle when I sold it.

View attachment 710266


99,800 on the late 2020 F-150 3.5. Had a shift concern early on and the dealer change the tranny fluid, which they screwed up. Changed the fluid again myself and got the fill correct and it works fine. I change all fluid boxes every 30k and engine oil never goes more than 5k.

Looks like the dash on a f250 6.0 I own.

 

[eyeguy]

I have had 3 dodge 3.6 v6. 1 in a durango one in a ram 1500 and 1 in a jeep grand cher. Super easy oil changes with the cartridge and no troubles or oil use. Only one engine cooler developed a crack and leaked a bit of oil til replaced. I have a 2020 ram with 5.7 no etorque on mine on purpose. Needed a new starter at 40k now at 71k with no problems. Just change the oil full syn every 6-7k. If I was going to buy an f150 it would have the 5.0 l. The eco boosts tend not to do great past 100k from my friends experiences. Had a bunch of chevy/gmc with the 5.3 l in the late 90's through 2010 is no engine troubles but the transmission shifting up to the next gear to quick and bogging the engine drove me nuts. Have been very happy with the light duty 8 speed in the 3.6 platforms and the heavier 8 speed in the 5.7 platform in my ram.

 

[Weldor]

Turbos look to be the new hot chick. Ford, GM, Toyota have them on most if not all their 4 cylinders. I too am not a fan of more parts to break.
I want manual locking hubs and standard shifts still.
I’ll give the Tacoma a year to let the cult members work the bugs out supply and aftermarket part catch up.
I really want to try a Jeep “Jeep” (jk?) or gladiator. Price and practicability or stopping me for the most part

absolutely, Jeeps are way over priced. To many soccer moms driving them.

 

[HuntHarder]

Worst pickup I've owned was my 96 tacoma.. Broken leafs, 2 head gaskets, radiator, cv joints, dash gauges. Just overall a pile of turds. I was 16 when I got it and probably drove it like I stole it, but still expected more. Had a Chevrolet 1500, overall a great truck minus the front wheel hub issues. Now in a Ram 2500 6.4l and it's been far and away the most reliable. 2 sensors and a thermostat in 160k. Rides like hammered dogshit even with bilstein 5150's, fuel mileage leaves little to be desired @ 12.5 but reliable.

I am in the market for a new one and currently am leaning toward a gmc baby max. Hard to spend 70k on a 1500 when I know I can get a ram 2500 with 6.7l for the same or close to the same price. I wouldn't even consider a Tundra simply because of my experience, fuel mileage and cost.. Also have multiple guys at work who have had big issues with new generation tundras