Truck Buying Help

[GunsAreFun]

Interesting. I have a 2015, not lifted but leveled and on 35s and no problems ever

It’s just my garage. It’s in the basement so it is a few inches shorter than most.

 

[sbaker0029]

For the down payment and 6 months or less worth of payments you can probably have yours in the shape you want it.
Get a new or good used bed, while it's off replace the gas tank and do whatever else you see fit at the time the bed is off.

With the economy and inflation the way it is, in my opinion you're way better with what you have and no payments. Toyota with only 126k on it is just getting started in its life.

Take what you would be paying a month and stash it for future repairs and do cool mods every so often to freshen up your truck.

If you do go the chevy/gm route be sure that 2023 chevy has 4lo. A lot of the trims don't have 4lo and it has to be special optioned now. The transfer case is essentially 4hi out of a crossover and use clutch packs (overheat and not as durable offroad) unless you get the traditional 2spd transfer case.

 

[ztc92]

Appreciate the thoughtful post. And you’re right about the math and all the other stuff.

There is one hiccup with the repair option in that no great fix for this issue exists. If it was the transmission, and I knew for $X,XXX I’d have a truck as good or better than before, I’d just suck it up. However, I’ve spoken to several body shops and my options are basically:
1) Spend $2,000-2,500 to cut out and replace the metal and then $1,200-1,300 to Line-X both sides. None of them are sure how long this will last.

2. Find a bed from a salvage yard that spent its life in Texas or somewhere that doesn’t salt their roads, paint match it, and then Line-X both sides. That’s like $5-7k, and we haven’t been able to find one yet. And I may just have the issue again in a few years.

It’s just a lot of money for a truck that is worth maybe $17-18k if I get it fixed.

I do have other reasons for wanting something different. The range with the 26 gallon (effectively 20 gal. due to needing 6 to cool the pump) is abysmal on trips, especially heading to Colorado doing 80 on I-70 westbound loaded with gear (uphill, high speed, and into the wind kills the mpg). It doesn’t have any of the crash avoidance features of new vehicles, which is more important with kids both to keep them safe and because they are a distraction lol. I am also free of a $315/week daycare bill for the first time in 5 years (can I get an AMEN!).

All that said, you gave me a lot to think about. I always said that I wanted to wait to buy a new truck until at least highway self-driving modes were available in the low-to-mid trim packages, which last I read may be just 2-4 years away.

I have a 2010 Tundra myself and while I do love it, mine also has the dreaded bed rust issue, but of course I didn’t know that was a concern until I’d already purchased it…
I spent a ton of time on the internet researching the problem and possible solutions and debating if I should try to return it to the dealer where I bought it. As others have said, there was an issue Toyota had with not sealing their metal frames/beds in the 2000’s and early 2010’s that meant in climates with salt or areas where salt is used on roads in winter, it allowed salt to get inside the frames of many tacomas and the beds of many tundras, causing them to rust from the inside out. Toyota issued service bulletins for both the frames and beds when it was recognized and spent a small fortune making it right for owners who knew about the issue and took advantage of the service bulletin. Unfortunately, when I brought this up at a Toyota dealer, my truck was not a model number included in the service bulletin so no luck for me (or the trucks prior owner).

Here are some of the threads that offer more info from fellow tundra owners and some suggested solutions, there are many more where these came from if you become interested like I did…

Rust Repair Recommendations

I pulled the factory drop in liner out in preparation for Monstaliner or having it Line-X'd and I have a small rust rot out issue in the bed right...

www.tundras.com

2nd Gen bed rust.

Well, I bout my 2011 about 4 months ago and it’s in great shape minus a few scratches and a couple parking lot door dings. I pulled the plastic liner...

www.tundras.com

Ultimately, like you I didn’t feel it was worth the cost of a new aftermarket bed or finding a salvage bed and having it painted. I knew I wanted to apply a spray on bedliner when I bought it, so I elected to have a local shop do a repair similar to the one described in the first thread I posted. Basically, they cut out all the major rust, welded in some patches and then used a rustproofing chemical called POR15 to limit future rust. I think for the spray in liner abs rust fix it was around $1500 IIRC. If you haul stuff in your truck often I suspect the repaired rust spots could be a weak point, but in my case, I built a DIY decked system and that takes all the weight when I haul things so I’m not too concerned even if the repair fails and the rust spreads. This may be a good compromise for you to look into if you’d like to keep the tundra without spending a fortune.

Also, regarding the ridgeline, I really hate the new generation but the first generation ridgeline doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Before I bought my tundra I beat the hell out of a 2008 ridgeline and put 298,000 miles on before I sold it. My dad got over 350,000 miles on one in his business and then sold it on an auto auction where the buyer proceeded to drive it from MN to TX without an issue. They are goofy looking and certainly not a “real truck” but they sure are dependable!

 

[GunsAreFun]

I have a 2010 Tundra myself and while I do love it, mine also has the dreaded bed rust issue, but of course I didn’t know that was a concern until I’d already purchased it…
I spent a ton of time on the internet researching the problem and possible solutions and debating if I should try to return it to the dealer where I bought it. As others have said, there was an issue Toyota had with not sealing their metal frames/beds in the 2000’s and early 2010’s that meant in climates with salt or areas where salt is used on roads in winter, it allowed salt to get inside the frames of many tacomas and the beds of many tundras, causing them to rust from the inside out. Toyota issued service bulletins for both the frames and beds when it was recognized and spent a small fortune making it right for owners who knew about the issue and took advantage of the service bulletin. Unfortunately, when I brought this up at a Toyota dealer, my truck was not a model number included in the service bulletin so no luck for me (or the trucks prior owner).

Here are some of the threads that offer more info from fellow tundra owners and some suggested solutions, there are many more where these came from if you become interested like I did…

Rust Repair Recommendations

I pulled the factory drop in liner out in preparation for Monstaliner or having it Line-X'd and I have a small rust rot out issue in the bed right...

www.tundras.com

2nd Gen bed rust.

Well, I bout my 2011 about 4 months ago and it’s in great shape minus a few scratches and a couple parking lot door dings. I pulled the plastic liner...

www.tundras.com

Ultimately, like you I didn’t feel it was worth the cost of a new aftermarket bed or finding a salvage bed and having it painted. I knew I wanted to apply a spray on bedliner when I bought it, so I elected to have a local shop do a repair similar to the one described in the first thread I posted. Basically, they cut out all the major rust, welded in some patches and then used a rustproofing chemical called POR15 to limit future rust. I think for the spray in liner abs rust fix it was around $1500 IIRC. If you haul stuff in your truck often I suspect the repaired rust spots could be a weak point, but in my case, I built a DIY decked system and that takes all the weight when I haul things so I’m not too concerned even if the repair fails and the rust spreads. This may be a good compromise for you to look into if you’d like to keep the tundra without spending a fortune.

Also, regarding the ridgeline, I really hate the new generation but the first generation ridgeline doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Before I bought my tundra I beat the hell out of a 2008 ridgeline and put 298,000 miles on before I sold it. My dad got over 350,000 miles on one in his business and then sold it on an auto auction where the buyer proceeded to drive it from MN to TX without an issue. They are goofy looking and certainly not a “real truck” but they sure are dependable!

Thanks for the info. How long ago did you do the repair?

 

[Wheels]

Best "deals" on new trucks around me seem to be 1/2 ton Dodges and F-150's. Chevrolet is still pretty proud of their new interior.

 

[ztc92]

Thanks for the info. How long ago did you do the repair?

I bought the truck used in fall of 2020 and did all those repairs then within a few weeks of buying it. So far it has held up very well, though I have never removed the drawers to inspect it closely and also have a camper shell on it that prevents any rain/weather.

 

[couesbitten]

Stick with the Toyota, I have a 2008 with 250,000+ miles, runs strong, no issues other than a new starter last year. I change my oil every 10,000 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic and if I'm driving 65 mph on the highway, I can get 17 mpg. Any speeds above 70 or any towing and it drops the mpg.

 

[bigeyedfish]

I wouldn't even think about a new factory bed if I was in your shoes. You could put on a flatbed with a couple side boxes and a 40 gallon slip tank for similar money and end up with a way more useful truck.

 

[cmw3w5]

Can't beat a Chevy. But what you have is known. If you are itching for an upgrade, never hurts to go for it. Truck is 13 years old so you've owned it longer than most do these days.

 

[dboone3]

Couldn’t pay me to buy a gm. Diehard yota guy and just got a new 23 f150 for 45 k brand new with a 100k/7 year warranty.

Where did you get that F150? I've been looking and ~55k seems like the going rate for an XLT. I really want the Adapative Cruise Control feature and in the F150 it seems like you have to get a higher level lariat to get it. Those are more like $70k

 

[Quaz]

Yes another which truck thread.

I’m probably getting rid of my 2010 Tundra. Can’t afford the new ones and not sure I want to spend $40k on a 2018 with 45,000 miles, which is currently the best deal I can find, and get another truck that’s kind of dated and gas hog.

I can’t get an F-150 because they’re too tall for my garage. I’m not interested in Nissan or Dodge.

That leaves GMC/Chevy. The two best deals I can currently find are a certified 2019 Sierra SLT 5.3 8-speed for $40k with a 6 year, 100k power train and 12 month 36k bumper to bumper warranty or a 2023 Silverado Custom with the 2.7 Turbo 4 cylinder for like $40-41. Both are crew cabs and 4x4.

I keep vehicles for about ten years and average 10-11k miles per year. I almost never tow stuff, and if I do, it’s under 5,000 pounds.

So let me have it. Really looking for opinions between the two GM options vs trying to convince me to stick with a Tundra.

As a non brand loyal guy I would be afraid of the current GM half ton trucks. Side note I currently have a GM and Dodge truck. The 8 speeds are failing at sub 100,000 miles mainly due to poor quality control. I have a friend that has a transmission shop he has seen a lot of low mileage failures. They are also having low mileage lifter failure due to the displacement on demand which deactivates 4 cylinders when power is not needed. Normally the lifter collapses and causes excessive wear on the cam lobes. I will say Ram 5.7 Hemi's use the same feature but I see fewer issues with them, usually high idle units aka police trucks. Generally I'm not a fan on any overhead cam ford engine right now some have major failures some seem to last forever. Obviously preventative maintenance helps but it does seem to be luck of the draw. The ram 8 speed also seems a better transmission at this time with fewer failures. Can't believe I just said dodge is more reliable then GM

 

[ELKhunter60]

Couldn’t pay me to buy a gm. Diehard yota guy and just got a new 23 f150 for 45 k brand new with a 100k/7 year warranty.

I promise I'm not trying to be a jerk. There just has to be more to your post that you haven't shared. You said you are a die hard yota guy who just bought a brand new Ford. If you are die hard yota, what caused you to buy a brand new Ford? The warranty?

 

[bowhuntercoop]

I promise I'm not trying to be a jerk. There just has to be more to your post that you haven't shared. You said you are a die hard yota guy who just bought a brand new Ford. If you are die hard yota, what caused you to buy a brand new Ford? The warranty?

Naw I had an 18 pro taco. Solid truck for 80k mikes I put on it. Have 2 kiddos under 20 months. Taco was too small for us. Mainly use the wife’s 4Runner but I wanted to upsize. Drove the new tundras and wasn’t impressed. The 2.7 ecoboost is super reliable and proven. Decided to switch it up.

Ford gave me 0 percent financing and I got about 5k off with military and law enforcement discounts where Toyota was doing mark ups on the new tundras. Was a no brainer for me.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Where did you get that F150? I've been looking and ~55k seems like the going rate for an XLT. I really want the Adapative Cruise Control feature and in the F150 it seems like you have to get a higher level lariat to get it. Those are more like $70k

Ballantine Ford in Greenwood SC. Let me use x plan pricing for being a vet and took more money off for being federal law enforcement, zero percent financing as well. It’s the xl with the stx package. Love it so far. Leveled it, put in some leather, line x the bed and tinted everything. Averaging 26 mpg driving back and forth to the prison on back roads, 55-60mph.

 

[dboone3]

Ballantine Ford in Greenwood SC. Let me use x plan pricing for being a vet and took more money off for being federal law enforcement, zero percent financing as well. It’s the xl with the stx package. Love it so far. Leveled it, put in some leather, line x the bed and tinted everything. Averaging 26 mpg driving back and forth to the prison on back roads, 55-60mph.


View attachment 567039View attachment 567040

Great looking truck! How did you go about upgrading the seats to leather? Just a kit you can purchase?

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Great looking truck! How did you go about upgrading the seats to leather? Just a kit you can purchase?

Ya they are clazzios. I had them in my 2nd gen taco and they held up really well so went with them again. Nothing wrong with the ford cloth seats, just figured with 2 kiddos leather is so much nicer to keep clean.

 

[GunsAreFun]

If you do go the chevy/gm route be sure that 2023 chevy has 4lo. A lot of the trims don't have 4lo and it has to be special optioned now. The transfer case is essentially 4hi out of a crossover and use clutch packs (overheat and not as durable offroad) unless you get the traditional 2spd transfer case.

Does the overheating and durable matter when not in four wheel drive? I probably use 4hi for 20-50 miles per year and any “extended use” is winter driving. I have never used 4lo other than testing to make sure it still works or before/after changing differential fluid.

Still feels kind of strange it’s not standard anymore. I just looked and even LTs don’t have it.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I’m glad no one suggested a Toyota. Since the OP clearly stated anything but a toyota.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Big difference in circumstances. Toyota is better at engineering fog lights and TRD stickers than frames and suspension.
Those TOYOTA RACING DIVISION shocks and springs are a joke.

Dude, this is rokslide. Home of the hardest core, mountain pounding hunters the west has ever seen. Most ride tundras and tacomas. You are about three posts from bringing out the cult with posts like this. Tread easy. You’ll have flat brimmed roadies all over you if you don’t stop.


Now that’s funny. I don’t care who you are or how much lift and aftermarket off road accessories you have on your taco.

 

[CorbLand]

Dude, this is rokslide. Home of the hardest core, mountain pounding hunters the west has ever seen. Most RUN tundras and tacomas. You are about three posts from bringing out the cult with posts like this. Tread easy. You’ll have flat brimmed roadies all over you if you don’t stop.


Now that’s funny. I don’t care who you are or how much lift and aftermarket off road accessories you have on your taco.

Fixed it for you.