Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Ford Ranger vs. Toyota Tacoma

Attaboy!

My best buds Dad had a 1982 Toyota 4x4 I grew up in. Always heard how invincible it was and it always seemed to get schidt done. It wasn't until a few years ago I asked why his Dad always bought Fords and he finally told me an irreparable bearing in the trans went out and Toyota F'd him under warranty! He eventually put in a trans (#3) from the next generation. Both he and his Dad are Ford guys.

Man, I'm totally with you. Wrenching on a hobby car is one thing, but your daily driver or backcountry rig sucks. I used to carry probably 50 pounds of tools and spare parts, just in case, for my hunting/exploring rigs. Typically U-joints and tools for a quick swap, but other tools. Plus vehicle recovery gear. The weight and space adds up quick.

I got tired of unexpected problems in town and out in the backcountry that I bought two new Toyotas. The new car smell and factory warranty were comforting, but in the end they are just cars. Which to me are disposable, no matter how you slice it. I the dig the fact that some guys like rocking old school rigs, for whatever reason, but newer trucks are nice. They ride nice, have nice creature comforts, and I really value the safety. I've been in several accidents, and have witnessed some bad ones right in front of my eyes and newer vehicles are a benefit if you value your health. Not all vehicles are created equal when it comes to an accident.

Good luck with your search. I can see the dilemma and am not trying to be a thorn in your side.

Man, I've got two 7.3's currently and put a 12 valve in the 78 crew. Old rigs rock but I'm burnt on fixing stuff.

I bought this Ford with 100K miles on it a few months ago, and while I have never owned one I have spent a lot of time in Tacomas.. You might talk me into trading this Ford for three Tacomas with 100K miles on them. Not two, though.

We have a 2019 Ford Ranger 4X4 XLT and well pleased with it. The mileage is the big thing. On the highway without any big head wind we will average better than 25mpg. Short trips around 22mpg. We have got as high as 30.7 mpg on shorter trips with a tail wind. We don't have to worry about rust as bad with the aluminum body. Power is up the ying yang. Super traction in the snow in the fields. For what it is worth.

Absolutely wrong. If you are concerned about fuel prices and economy, then you probably have no business financing a $30-$40-$50k etc outfit. IOW, if you can afford to buy a new vehicle, then the difference in fuel economy means nothing.

Or, stated in another way, if you are buying a new $40k truck, and you are worried about fuel expense, maybe you can't really afford that new truck. Maybe, just maybe you should step back and buy a used truck that you can actually afford.

Obviously you haven’t been shopping for late model used trucks recently. In 2017 I bought a 3/4 ton new that was a few grand more than the best deal I could find on a used one. That used one was 4 years old and had 80,000 miles in it with no warranty, plus damage to both bumpers. My insurance bill was cheaper on the new one too. Trade in value on it is currently 3-4 grand MORE than I paid new. Used trucks are crazy these days.

bought this one new in April '02........yes clean one owner.....19 YO this month

Just paid the registration fee for the new year today......$62

Have a list as long as your arm that wants to buy 'Guzzler'

Yep...6.0L gasser........2500 HD....

Told the wife.....when I'm dead & gone......give it to ______________________

Pd $31K then......what's it worth today ??????

Been a very trouble free 19 years.....runs great at 16-17 mpg

There's still used deals to be had. City electric went out of business up here in AK and I got into a 2002 f-350 super duty crew cab for $5300.

Looking at it's records that came with the truck, the company paid $8700 in just the flat bed, utility rack and steel cargo boxes.

Hauled so much green firewood, in one load, broke the flat bed mount up near cab. Also high centered both axles on stumps on a logging trail.

The abs brakes are so fkn strong, dodged a moose at 60 mph on the highway. Really good brakes.

Some dodge-douche decided to try and drive a 3/4 ton truck down a snow machine trail over near eureka Alaska. He sunk to the bumpers in hard pack snow. Tied together 200 ft of tow strap to reach him. Trashed the torque converter getting him unstuck as I was chirping all four tires in 4low/Drive 1 on bare asphalt trying to find the traction to pull him out.

Get this dodge-douche unstuck, the fkn guy is in tears and tries to hug me?!

I tell him I ruinied 200 ft of tow straps (abrasion, and knotted where I ran out of shackles). Said he'd mail me new ones. He never did.

Anyways, don't regret helping someone in need, but that torque converter completely went out 5 months later towing my 1.25 ton m1028 cucv on twin axle trailer.

Went all out on a fkn killer transmission build: triple disc billet convertor, and high performance everything.

After killer transmission build, only $9700 into what is definitely the best work truck I've ever owned.

I wouldn't trade this here super duty for any of the new diesels.

HAHA!

Nope.

WTF kinda thinking is that? Numbers are numbers and fuel costs can be worth considering. Regardless if you are spending 5K or 50K.

Exactly. When I bought our Kenworthfor $160K, you can bet your sweet bippy that fuel economy was foremost, and a LOT of time was spent making the sure everything was specc’d as well as possible. When you drive 120K miles a year, a few tenths make a difference.

I generally just smile when guys say things like “fuel doesn’t matter”. If you’re driving a truck as a toy, for a few pleasure trips a year and three trips to the dump, sure. Start putting 30 or 40K a year on a rig trying to make a living, and longevity and fuel economy make a difference.

If you have a $1000 a month note on a depreciating asset and you're bitching that an extra $75-$100 per month in fuel is putting you in a pinch, you, my friend, are overextended.

I am talking about guys deciding between outfits that are costing $50k and convincing themselves that a difference in fuel economy is a huge deciding factor. Do the math. If $75 higher fuel bill is going to put you in a pinch compared to a different $50k truck, maybe you should be looking at a $15k truck.

Does it matter and will it be more out of your pocket? Yes. But the reality is, if you can truly afford a $50k or more truck and that is what you want, then fuel economy between a couple similar trucks is of no real import.

I buy a truck to do a specific job. That comes first. After that, I’ll look at other things like fuel economy, styling, cup holders, etc. if the truck can’t do the job I need it to do it isn’t much use to me.

Driving 15,000 a year at 14 mpg costs me $3,065 in fuel. If I got 20 mpg I would pay $2,145, a savings of $920 per year. That’s a lot of money, but it doesn’t matter much if the truck doesn’t do the job.

Dude, how many of these guys drive their trucks 120k a year?

I would contend I drive a pickup more miles than most guys on here. I understand what fuel costs are. I also understand that when a guy is buying a %50k or $70k pickup to haul a camper or to go hunting, they should buy what they want and not be concerned about fuel economy because: 1 - most won't drive these new outfits enough miles for a difference of a couple miles per gallon to amount to much, and 2 - if they want a big new pickup and can afford it, then buy the damn pickup. A coulpe mpg difference shouldn't make a difference.

Very true. But looking within the same class of vehicle, I think it would be very rare to see a difference of 30% for mpg between vehicles. Generally you are talking a couple mpg difference. If you are talking 12 mpg vs 14 mpg or 18 vs. 20mpg, then buy the damn truck that works for you and you prefer and don't worry about it. If 2 or 3 mpg is going to break you, find a cheaper truck.

That’s kind of my point. If you need a 2500/3500 they all are within a few mpg of each other. Same with the 1500’s, and again with the mini trucks. So...it makes no sense to obsess about MPG. Pick the truck to do the job and they all get pretty similar MPG in the same class. Buying a Tacoma when you need a 2500 just to save gas is a fools errand.

Likewise, diesels get slightly better MPG but not typically enough to pay the upcharge in cost per gallon. Basically if you need a 3/4 or 1 ton you are going to pay roughly the same in fuel cost between all three brands and both fuel types. So pick the truck that does the job and don’t worry about MPG because there isn’t enough difference to worry about. Now, if you are driving a 3/4 ton ‘just because’ when a car or mini truck will do you are consciously accepting lower MPG for a ‘lifestyle’ choice.

We're in the midst of supply issues. First with COVID creating new vehicle inventory problems. And more recently the chip shortage. Both have driven prices up for some used trucks. There's almost always a deal to be had, if one is quick and has cash in hand.

I hear what you're saying though. It's a tight market.