243

...Prerunner 4x2 with the 4 cyl 5 speed extended cab. They have grown up, bigger, heavier, and now slower. I appreciated the quietness, car like ride, dead straight tracking. I don't know if I would be happy in the long run but the 6 cyl EPA mileage figures are not too good, 16/21 I believe.

I am just so freaking frustrated with my Dodge. AC barely works, it's all over the road, knocking in the front end, vibration at highway speeds, smokes like a freight train, interior leaks, big oil leak, needs a clutch, master and slave cylinder assembly. I just put a grand in it when the mainshaft broke. I just put 500.00 in tires on it when a tire blew out on a trip out of town, have five Lukes Links and the DSS and it's still all over the road. Needs new shocks, a windshield, carpet, and exhaust. And I am paying 70.00 a week to drive it plus the 500.00 note and owe 12,700.00. It smokes bad with just an EZ, maybe the PO put some 275's in it but I am not sure, maybe it just needs new injectors but it SMOKES!

I could live with most of the annoyances if the **** truck would track straight.

But I have to admit, if I can get financing and not go upside down, I may trade it off.

jj3500

wow, i feel your pain. when i drive my truck its a lot of work to keep it between the dotted lines, not to mention the fact that the clearance on either side is now a bit tighter due to the duallys. i truly appreciate the different cars that are available to me to drive in addition to my CTD beast. its a breath of fresh air.

i know this little bit of info. doesn't help much. but i do honestly know where you are coming from.

TxDiesel007

I just threw

610 dollars for a new pcm for my truck, 180 for a new alternator,235 dollars for new batteries and 225 for a new starter, 250 for labor and diagnostics in the dealership for the PCM programing, installation, They did not put my starter or alternator either, I have no other issues, other than that it does drive great, and runs STRONG! I admit i did think of gettin me a tacoma or something else. But if i had the payment that you do, then i assume id be doin the same thing you wanna do.. But since its paid for, at the most i might just get me a lil 4x4 to move me around... IE nissan tacoma or somethin like that...

Dang there goes my school money.....

Best of luck..

Tx

DR3500

the new tacomas are as big as the tundra now! Dealer told me the tundra is going bigger in the upcoming redesign to better compete with our trucks.

dspencer

The smoke can probably be remedied by different turbo. Disconnecting the edge and/or smaller injectors should take care of the smoking problem if you don't want to invest in a turbo although you will probably not like the loss of power.
I'm not an expert in the 4x4 department but the larger tires probably have something to do with your tracking problems. Someone may be along to help you on that. I know Kore has many suspension products for our trucks that improve driveability. My stock tires went 89 thousand and so far 23 thoussand on the replacements and no problems.
The oil leaks and interior leaks and air conditioner problems I have real sympathy for you on that. My truck has experienced none of those. The oil leak and interior leaks should be easy enough to track down. It sounds like you have tried several times on the air......you do need air in Houston.
I would have a competant mechanic look into the knock in the front of the engine. That could be serious.

Comparing the Dodge you have to a Tacoma.......at least the wimpy truck will be new. If you are going to try and mod it like you did the Dodge you will probably only have more problems. My last truck was an 86 Toyota one ton with a 4 cyl 22re five speed and I loved that truck but I didn't try to make it into a monster.

PS my Dodge gets about the same mileage as the Tacoma you cited.

243

It really is frustration, hopefully it doesn't come across as whining. You know, when I bought my 99 I filled up for .95 a gallon as everyone else did at the time. It was 1.35 when I bought the 01 and never would have imagined that it would be 2.00+ a gallon. It would not be an issue if I lived in a smaller town but I live in Houston and don't live where I work. I am looking at this long term and I honestly think diesel has caught up with gas and we won't see it less than 1.50 a gallon again, ever.

I love the truck but I currently hate it when faced with all of the crap that's happened. But then again, I noticed some of my new plastic laminate flooring has water damage due to dummy me letting the sprinkler fill up the weep holes on the house. Went out to ride my ATV last weekend and when I brought it home, it is knocking bad.

Just bad luck right now...

Timmay2

Exactly, you cant just switch vehicles to remedy the problem...

These are very tough and reliable vehicles-- if you get the tacoma and treat it the same way the dodge has been, it will be in worst shape in no time...

Everything you mentioned is directly related to how the truck is treated, the interior condition, glass, shocks (which are a maintenance item anyway), engine modifications = clutch going out.

Pay to play

got snow?

I had a 2001 Tacoma and I loved it. I got rid of it for a diesel but if I were to buy a truck with a gas motor, that would probaby be it. I had the 3.4 and it had good power and alright mileage. Its not a modded CTD but they do alright. Also TRD stuff doesen't void your warrenty. Get the 6 cyl over the 4, my buddys 4 cyl got the same mileage as my 6 cyl. Just my .02

vssman

Hmmm, 01 QC 5spd 4X4 heh? Maybe it's time for me to get another toy...

HOHN

If I were in the market for a gasser truck, only Nissan and Toyota would be on the list. The new Frontier is SWEET with the NISMO package (like the TRD package). Mileage is also pretty good.

The new Taco is a great truck, too, but the mileage is worse than the Nissan Frontier, IIRC. The Frontier also has a fully boxed frame and four-wheel DISC brakes, which the Toyota does NOT have.

I do like the composite bed on the Toy, whereas the Nissan just has a bedliner.


It's LONG past time for the American truck makers to wake up-- the Japanese are coming into their "safe" turf, and it isn't going to be pretty.

I love my Dodge, but if it weren't for the Cummins, I'd be driving an import truck for sure.

JMHO

243

I went back again last night to drive the Prerunner 6 cyl 6spd extended cab. It ran like a scaled cat and I know me, I would drive it like that all the time. I can see why they rate it 16 city 22 highway, 245 hp and it pulls good from 50-70. I did not like the way the 6spd shifted and it bucked a little in 1st and 2nd. I drove the 4 cyl 5spd right after and preferred the overall driveability.

It is a tough decision, I do like the Ram and would not have bought it if I knew I was going to sell it two years later but it seems like times are changing and probably not for the better. I think the whole gas and diesel situation is gonna bite a lot of people hard, soon.

I am also looking at alternatives. That is to suck it up and keep paying for it for 24 months and buy a motorcycle which brings up many other issues; or, buy a 2500.00 to 3500.00 econo car and drive it 5-6 days a week. Insurance will run about 30 .00 a month for another liability policy. This would allow me to work on the truck when neccessary without pressure to get it back together in a weekend.

The downside to a new Tacoma is the additional 3 years of payments, additional 6000.00 + interest and the tiny back seat which I know would be a pain for my 10 and 11 year old daughters.

I will also look at the Frontier this aftenoon.

HOHN

If you just want cheap transit, why not try to find a cheapie old Moped? Seriously!

I had an old 1966 Honda S90 moped that could routinely knock out 100+mpg. Well, 80 miles on a 3qt tank....

Find a small moped with a SMALL engine-- the new ones are up to 650cc and mpg suffers.

jlh

243

No mopeds for me...in fact, a ped would be suicide on my first 65 mile commute through Houston.

Test drove the Frontier Crew Cab 6 cyl 5 speed tonight. I like it a lot and they offered me 13.5K for the Dodge and will do 500.00 over invoice. My kiddos were with me and it was obvious that an extended cab in any mid-size truck will be very uncomfortable for my girls.

My oldest had more leg room in the Nissan than the Dodge. In fact, she had about 4 more inches with both seats moved all of the way back.

They wanted to sign the papers, I told them I wanted to sleep on it. I HATE buying vehicles. Everytime I buy a car or truck, something happens and I end up selling or trading it off for something else.

hotdram

243,
Good call to sleep on it. Since you aren't in a bind and you have time, you should be able to get more for your 2001 selling it outright rather than trading it in.

Good luck,
I've wrassled with that same decision latley myself. I don't really need the truck I have but I do like it a lot. I have put a lot of money into upgrades and at this point it wouldn't make sense selling it. Before I bought mine, I test drove a Tacoma, 6 cylinder, 5 speed and liked the truck. By the time I optioned it out, I wasn't far off from what I payed for my full size 3/4 ton diesel. That was the clincher for me.

~Rob

243

I have a few more days to dwell on it, I didn't like the color selection at the dealeship so I asked them to get me one from another dealer.

That's OK by me, I removed the EZ, Husky Liners last night befire I went to the dealership and needed a little time to pull the DSS. I noticed that there is was just a hint of smoke but it was SLOOOOW

I really like my Dodge, to me it's has been a great vehicle until about the last year and the rash of problems has overwhelmed me. If it was paid for, I would wrench on it myself like I have all my other vehicles since I was 15. I believe the complications arose form the fact that the PO had a backhoe/dozer business and hauled with it, had a 6" lift and I am sure the pump wire is pierced. My EZ and 285's are not the problem.

I'm not finished with Dodge TD's, eventually I will get another and most likely it will be a 4x2 First Gen RC or a Second Gen SB QC.

But I don't think I want it as a primary vehicle due to the mileage I drive per year.

Put it in perspective, right now I drive 540 miles a week and it costs 316.00 a month at 2.25/gl. When it hits 3.00 a gallon, it will be 422.00 a month. The Frontier, even at an average of 18-20 mpg combined, will be a gas guzzler at 3.00/gallon. It is not getting better and most likely will get worse.

If I had more time, I would sell my Dodge outright, buy a Corolla that gets an estimated 41 mpg highway and buy a 3500.00 First Gen to use when necessary.

Also, the DSS *may* be spoken for but the black Husky Liners, EZ, 2001 Factory Service Manual
and a brand new set of Rancho 9000x's for the rear are sitting in the garage. If I can find a used set of front shocks to replace the front shocks I will warranty the front 9000x's and have a complete set.