Author Topic: Trucks trucks trucks...goin crazy (Read 4001 times)

Lee · « **on:** April 21, 2010, 12:22:29 AM »

trying to decide whether to plop down ~30K on a Tacoma or Nissan Frontier. Thought for sure I would buy a Tacoma, but decided to look at the Nissans last Saturday. The Nissan dealer has a Frontier 4x4 LE with every option they offer (auto adjust, leather, heated seats, kick butt stereo, the color I want, and they are willing to come down 2-3 K from sticker. Toyota doesn't want to deal at all...actually their attitude kinda pisses me off...e.g "we don't have a silver one now, how's about this red one for sticker price" The problem is that I've wanted a Tacoma for a long time -but the Nissan is really sharp, and a little peppier than the taco. Help me decide between the two.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2010, 12:29:03 AM »

I'd personally buy the Taco, but I'd also strive to change dealerships. The Nissan wouldn't be a bad truck, though...

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2010, 12:35:33 AM »

I vote Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Brad

PTK · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2010, 01:26:57 AM »

I had awful luck with an 02 Tacoma V6 3.4L

It had transmission issues, frame issues, electrical issues, gas tank liner issues, etc.

Honestly, it put me off of Toyota brand vehicles for good.

Fjolnirsson · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2010, 01:35:26 AM »

I drive an 87 nissan pickup with 250,000 miles on it. Very little other than routine maintenance has been done to it. Nissan gets my vote. I'd buy a Frontier in a heartbeat, if I could afford it.

Gowen · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2010, 02:41:19 AM »

With all the problems Toyota is having, you might want to steer clear, but then again, you might get a hefty deal. Then you cash in on the class action lawsuit later.

Declaration Day · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2010, 06:19:13 AM »

I have no experience with either the Tacoma or the Frontier, but I'd pick the Frontier for looks alone.

Personally for $30K I'd skip a few options and get a full-size truck.

PTK · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2010, 06:25:44 AM »

Quote from: Declaration Day on April 21, 2010, 06:19:13 AM

I have no experience with either the Tacoma or the Frontier, but I'd pick the Frontier for looks alone.

Personally for $30K I'd skip a few options and get a full-size truck.

This, unless you REALLY need to have a smaller truck for fuel economy or size restrictions.

seeker_two · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2010, 06:28:25 AM »

Quote from: Declaration Day on April 21, 2010, 06:19:13 AM

Personally for $30K I'd skip a few options and get a full-size truck.

As much as I liked my Frontier, I'm with DD on this....for $30K, you can get a good new truck or a great, slightly used one (2007-09 model). I just upgraded to a Ford F150 XLT crew cab for around $20K, and it's significantly better than my '01 Nissan was.....esp. in fuel efficiency. I'm getting better mileage from the Ford 4.6 V8 than I did my Nissan's V6......

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2010, 07:33:17 AM »

I had a similar experience with Toyota. They weren't offering hardly any cash back, finanicing was 3.9% and up, and the price was higher.
Bought an F150 and am stupid happy with it.
0% financing is like free money, to boot.

220_SWIFT · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2010, 09:03:54 AM »

I am currently working several dealers for a new truck. So far, in the lead is a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab 4X4 with the Hemi priced at $29K and change. I got them down $6810 off sticker. Dodge certainly seems to be the one to make deals on. Next dealer is on another truck, almost identical and they are down $5900 on the sticker.

Of the two you mentioned though, I would have to go with the Nissan. My wife had an 02 Pathfinder that was a great SUV. Never had any trouble what so ever. Also, a good friend of mine has a Titan, and his one and only complaint is the 13mpg he gets.

You should be able to get the prices on the Nissan down a bit more though. Start working dealer against dealer. Contact another dealership and let them know what this one is offering, and ask them to beat it. If they do, contact the first dealer again and tell them of your offer and ask them to beat it. You would be surprised how well this works. I know first hand, I do it any time I buy a new vehicle. And now that most dealers have a wwebsite, it is even easier to do it with email. You also have something you can print out and take with you so you can easily verify that there offer is correct.

Stand_watie · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2010, 09:27:57 AM »

Quote from: 220_SWIFT on April 21, 2010, 09:03:54 AM

I am currently working several dealers for a new truck. So far, in the lead is a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500 crew cab 4X4 with the Hemi priced at $29K and change. I got them down $6810 off sticker. Dodge certainly seems to be the one to make deals on. Next dealer is on another truck, almost identical and they are down $5900 on the sticker.

Of the two you mentioned though, I would have to go with the Nissan. My wife had an 02 Pathfinder that was a great SUV. Never had any trouble what so ever. Also, a good friend of mine has a Titan, and his one and only complaint is the 13mpg he gets.

You should be able to get the prices on the Nissan down a bit more though. Start working dealer against dealer. Contact another dealership and let them know what this one is offering, and ask them to beat it. If they do, contact the first dealer again and tell them of your offer and ask them to beat it. You would be surprised how well this works. I know first hand, I do it any time I buy a new vehicle. And now that most dealers have a wwebsite, it is even easier to do it with email. You also have something you can print out and take with you so you can easily verify that there offer is correct.

Working on my third Nissan in a row, albeit small cars not midsize trucks. First two cars got 250k with no major maintenence. Give me five years and I'll tell you about the third

Met up with a guy right after I bought my first driving a small Nissan truck with 400k miles with no major maintenance.

In all fairness, Toyota (and Honda) owners I've talked to seem to have the same experience, but they seem to pay several k more for comparable vehicles.

roo_ster · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2010, 11:20:24 AM »

I own a 1997 Nissan Ext Cab pickup, manual 5sp, 2.4L I-4, 2WD, ~175K miles, bought new in 1997. Good for 1000lbs in the bed and 3500lbs off the hitch.

I would never had thought I would own this PU for 13 mother-loving years, but it just keeps on doing everything it ought to, with little fuss. I thought I'd have to toss it when the kids came, but I have figured out how to strap down toddler booster seats in the rear jump seats. If I bought something new (right now) it would be for some new/different functionality or because I got tired of driving it.

No major repairs until I replaced the radiator last year. (That was not the PU's fault, but the sledgehammer mechanic's, who tightened the hose clamp down so hard on the upper connector that he crushed it.) This year I replaced the valve cover gasket. The O2 sensor went out at 75K miles, too. It has had the usual maintenance over the years at the scheduled times.

Clutch is still good, but then I don't abuse it. Same with tranny & motor.

There have been times I wanted "moar truck," but 99.5% of the time, my little rice-burner does the trick.

Toyota PU owners usually see similar reliability. I think the differences are as follows:
1. Toyota PUs usually have higher-quality/durability interiors. Mine is still looking great inside, but I took exceptional care of the interior.
2. Toyota PU's usually have more durable paint jobs
3. Nissan PUs can usually be had for less $$$

Quote from: Declaration Day on April 21, 2010, 06:19:13 AM

I have no experience with either the Tacoma or the Frontier, but I'd pick the Frontier for looks alone.

Personally for $30K I'd skip a few options and get a full-size truck.

Hell, I'd skip a few more options and get the work-truck version of a full-sized 1/2 ton for ~$20K on sale or at the end of the year. But, I like the easy-clean functionality of vinyl seats and rubber flooring.

One thing I noticed is that the new 1/2 ton full-sized PUs get the same/similar MPG as the smaller PUs. The only true compact small PU left is the Ford Ranger, with its ancient design dating back to 1982. All the rest have bloated out to "mid-sized" pickups that cost as many $$$ and suck as much fuel as the full-sized 1/2 tons.

Yep, if I were buying today, I'd go full-sized 1/2 ton. The Ford 5.4L V-8 is a rock, the GM 5.3L V-8 is high-tech & has better MPG than the others.

Good luck.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2010, 11:26:32 AM »

A friend just bought an F-150 with all the options. I had always been a GM guy for trucks, but his F150 is very nice.

With the smaller trucks from GM, you might get a slightly smaller truck, but there is no benefit in gas mileage and I wouldn't trust reliability. I'm not sure how the other company's small trucks are set up.

Tuco · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2010, 02:10:34 PM »

Fordboi here

F150 4x4, Supercab, 1998, 4.6L, 215,000 miles. I'd drive it to Mexico tomorrow, after an oilchancge and coolant flush.
Twelve years, one alternator, one waterpump, 8 plugs and wires. Brakes and tires as needed. The unreliable front differential servo has been bypassed.

I've beat the ever-loving poop out of it. Airborne in the sand dunes, water over the hood, 100 mph on the highway, yanking fence posts, redlined, 250 gallons in a water tank in the bed, through 18" of snow, hauling scrap, yanking out stuck Land Rovers and Blazers.

We had a Nissan SUV (Armada) here at the shop that was very unimpressive. Built on the ~~Frontier platform, I assume~~ nope, Titan.

The Toyota has a world-wide reputation of very well built truck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3uvx93QV1U&feature=related

Lee · « **Reply #15 on:** April 21, 2010, 02:36:24 PM »

Thanks for the feedback...I feel a lot better. I looked at the Nissan again over lunch today, and think I reached the tipping point...and in a rational way ha ha. The truck looks, runs, and handles great; has a lot of premier options; and the price is waaay below invoice with those options. Unless they sell it to someone else in the next day or two, I'll be driving it home Friday or Sat. The full size really isn't an option for me right now. Gracias amigos!

41magsnub · « **Reply #16 on:** April 21, 2010, 02:39:56 PM »

I have a 1995 GMC half ton that is close to the work truck package.. 4x4, 4.3L V6, rubber flooring, manual windows and locks, and manual transmission. However, it also has AC and tilt steering. I bought it new and then wrecked it, fixed it, and still have it for truck stuff. Everything still works and works well. I've replaced a clutch, the motor the engages 4x4, and an air conditioner in 90K miles. I've beat the hell out of it, used it to haul loads way beyond what a 1/2 ton wtih a V6 should be doing and taken it places I had no business going in that truck. The only annoying issue right now is the clearcoat is peeling off the hood and top badly. The color coat seems to be holding up so I'm probably not going to do anything about it, this being a work truck and all.

I'd buy another one in a heatbeat if this one were to die. I expect to get a lot more years out of it though since it only gets used as a back up daily driver and then for truck stuff. If anything kills this truck it will be underbody rust.

that said, I've heard nothing but good things about the toyotas over the years and know precisely nothing about the Nissan's.

roo_ster · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2010, 02:48:35 PM »

Quote from: Tuco on April 21, 2010, 02:10:34 PM

We had a Nissan SUV (Armada) here at the shop that was very unimpressive. Built on the Frontier platform, I assume.

Armada is built on Nissan's full-sized truck, the Titan I think, not the Frontier. The Armada has, indeed, had teething problems. Supposedly they are mostly wrung out, but the first few years were no great shakes, reliability-wise.

Gowen · « **Reply #18 on:** April 21, 2010, 03:17:40 PM »

I have a 97 Dodge Dakota and love the truck. Has about 50k miles on it. I do like the more modern ones, I just don't want to pay the bills on them.

Tuco · « **Reply #19 on:** April 21, 2010, 03:18:03 PM »

Quote from: jfruser on April 21, 2010, 02:48:35 PM

Armada is built on Nissan's full-sized truck, the Titan I think, not the Frontier. The Armada has, indeed, had teething problems. Supposedly they are mostly wrung out, but the first few years were no great shakes, reliability-wise.

So noted. Titan sounds right, the Armada thing was about 4 years old - 130,000 miles - by the time we pleebs got it. It was never quite right, the traction control system was indescernable and while it had gobs of power, it handled and rode like a brick.
When it was the owner's "personal company" car, it was in for repairs quarterly, if not monthly.

I take back everything I implied about the Frontier.

Nick1911 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 21, 2010, 03:19:53 PM »

For whatever it's worth, I have a 1995 Ford F250 with 230,xxx miles on it. Fuel mileage sucks, but it's been great to have around. I had to replace the radiator and a few hoses in the two years I've owned it.

norinco982lover · « **Reply #21 on:** April 23, 2010, 01:37:42 PM »

Am I the only one who thinks it is crazy to spend $25 or $30k on a truck? I'm assuming you aren't even going to own it...the bank is going to own it, right?

Why not just buy a really nice 2005 truck for like $15-18k?

Also, my vote is for the Toyato and get a new dealer.

~Norinco

Nick1911 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 23, 2010, 01:50:36 PM »

Quote from: norinco982lover on April 23, 2010, 01:37:42 PM

Am I the only one who thinks it is crazy to spend $25 or $30k on a truck? I'm assuming you aren't even going to own it...the bank is going to own it, right?

Why not just buy a really nice 2005 truck for like $15-18k?

Also, my vote is for the Toyato and get a new dealer.

~Norinco

It wouldn't make sense in my situation, but everyone has a different one.

I could certainly understand if the truck was the means to ones livelihood. That the warranty has intrinsic value, as does the fact that you're getting the use of those first 5 years which would would lose with a 2005. Those are also the five most trouble-free years of the vehicles life, which has some value as well.

And a new truck helps maintain a professional image to your customer base.

If it's just for a homeowner, then I don't really get it either. But, this is coming from the person that only buys cars that have problems; by design. Sooo...

doczinn · « **Reply #23 on:** April 23, 2010, 03:19:58 PM »

Quote

Why not just buy a really nice 2005 truck for like $15-18k?

Or a 1998 for $6000...

Bogie · « **Reply #24 on:** April 23, 2010, 03:47:14 PM »

Why not...

http://50000trucks.com/search/specs/2000_VOLVO_VNL42T430_2346419_r.aspx

Spend a few bucks and have someone build a removable bed for it. You'll be able to haul or tow darn near anything.

News:

Author Topic: Trucks trucks trucks...goin crazy (Read 4001 times)