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Author: Subject: Part 4 of 9/05 Trip: Mike's Sky Rancho to Mex. Hwy. #3 and on to Shell Island!
Neal Johns
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[*] posted on 9-8-2005 at 09:12 PM


One Third:fire::fire::lol::lol:



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Mexray
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[*] posted on 9-8-2005 at 09:19 PM
David, great stuff as always...


...the truck looks good...too bad you wore your old Toyota out so quick - only 4 years! I think they still mfg.some of the truck frames out here in So. Stockton at the Dana plant - probably welded on by some Mexican Artistas! :yes:

Now if you want a truck to last more that 4 years, get a FORD...my old 89 Bronco is still going strong with about 185K miles - just barely broken in! :?:

keep em' coming, amigo...




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David K
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[*] posted on 9-8-2005 at 10:40 PM


Ray, it's a Toyota... I didn't wear it out! I had over 136,000 miles on it, only... and NO PROBLEMS! Oh, what a feeling!

It was just a couple months from the end of the 5 year lease... Instead of buying it, I traded it for the new 4 door so my grown kids or adult friends could ride comfortably.




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capt. mike
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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 03:56 AM


I shopped hard for a 4 door mini truck. Unless you're a midget the ONLY model with decent seating room in the back seat arrangement is the Explorer Sport Trac. Other makes were OK for kids, like Jr high size, but for adults the Jap imports, dodge, chevy, et al were crampy.

i really wanted the 2005 Nissan with the new high HP V6 but sat in the back while the sales rep said, "yeah - none of them have a lot of room there".

so Ford it became.




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Taco de Baja
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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 08:51 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ray, it's a Toyota... I didn't wear it out! I had over 136,000 miles on it, only... and NO PROBLEMS! Oh, what a feeling!

It was just a couple months from the end of the 5 year lease... Instead of buying it, I traded it for the new 4 door so my grown kids or adult friends could ride comfortably.


Ive got 116,000 miles....(well actually 131,000 miles since the spedo cable was broken for a year) on my 1996 Taco, and all is well. Only problems have been the speedo cable, the alternator, and the AC.
It even still has all the original belts and hoses with no sign of wear after almost 10 years. Probably should just replace them as insurance against breaking on my next baja trip.....
I will get another Taco when I need a new truck in 5...10....15 years?????

[Edited on 9-9-2005 by Taco de Baja]
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David K
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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 09:51 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
I shopped hard for a 4 door mini truck. Unless you're a midget the ONLY model with decent seating room in the back seat arrangement is the Explorer Sport Trac. Other makes were OK for kids, like Jr high size, but for adults the Jap imports, dodge, chevy, et al were crampy.

i really wanted the 2005 Nissan with the new high HP V6 but sat in the back while the sales rep said, "yeah - none of them have a lot of room there".

so Ford it became.


Mike, the '05 four door Tacoma is much bigger in the back seat area than the previos year models... full size doors too. The front seats do not need to be crammed forward for the back seat passengers to have any leg room either... It's the same as any full size sedan back seat... But, you already got a Ford... So, best wishes... Need a 'got baja?' or 'Viva Baja' sticker for it?:biggrin:




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capt. mike
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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 10:42 AM


thx, glad yours works for you, i looked at all of them - current year's models, only the Ford has decent room - i.e. i'd be willing to sit back there. Smaller guys and chicks might be OK in the foreign models i guess.

i've got the sticker, thx.

and my license plate is FLYBAJA!

same one as on my Mulege based Nissan beater. Had to talk DMV into re issueing same vanity plate with one outstanding but not registered in 3 years. They couldn't understand that the Nissan is NEVER coming to the states again!




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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 11:23 AM


I have 3 Fords right now, a F350 a F250, and a Bronco II. The lowest mileage is the F250 with 155,000, the highest is the Bronco II with about 325,000. - the 350 has about 250,000. Fords do last. - but Toyotas do too.

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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 04:27 PM


We have a 1989 Ford E350 V8 van at work and the people that drive it never check any fluids except gas. One time I put 5 qts of oil in, 1/2 pint of power steering fluid and 2 gals of anti-freeze and water in. I told my boss that Ford must build the best engine in the world because they run without any fluids.
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David K
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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 04:37 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike
thx, glad yours works for you, i looked at all of them - current year's models, only the Ford has decent room - i.e. i'd be willing to sit back there. Smaller guys and chicks might be OK in the foreign models i guess.

i've got the sticker, thx.

and my license plate is FLYBAJA!

same one as on my Mulege based Nissan beater. Had to talk DMV into re issueing same vanity plate with one outstanding but not registered in 3 years. They couldn't understand that the Nissan is NEVER coming to the states again!


No worries Mike... The new Tacoma double cab is full size in back, unlike the previous year or competition... I saw a new Nissan double cab and my back doors were much bigger as was the back area, in comparrison.




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[*] posted on 9-9-2005 at 05:50 PM


yes, the tacoma is bigger, a good choice between the 2 big nippons for sure, can't figure why Datsun...:smug: couldn't get it right.

and i loved the 3 nissans i have owned, time for buying Amaricaaaan though.:D




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David K
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[*] posted on 9-10-2005 at 12:18 PM


Best of luck on your Ford, Mike! Of my car purhases {VW Buggy, Jeep Cherokee Chief, Subaru 4WD Wagon (3), Mitsubishi, Plymouth Grand Voyager, and Toyota Tacoma (2)} only the two American made models were mechanical failures, repeatedly...

I did love my Jeep... when it wasn't in the shop! My three Subarus were super vehicles in Baja, and now my Toyotas have been even better...




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[*] posted on 9-11-2005 at 05:22 AM
OUch...maybe


Geez David, 136,000 miles on a 5 year lease! Just a tad over on mileage allowed?

Hope the new Toy works as well for you!

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[*] posted on 9-11-2005 at 07:21 AM


when you have those "baby" trucks everything costs less...

I just had to order 6 tires ... $1300:O:O

Gone in 42,000 miles...OUCH!!!




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David K
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[*] posted on 9-11-2005 at 08:59 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by John M
Geez David, 136,000 miles on a 5 year lease! Just a tad over on mileage allowed?

Hope the new Toy works as well for you!

John M


John, that avatar is not you! (Neal yes, John no) :lol::lol::lol:

When you lease a Toyota (from Toyota Carlsbad, in my case), and you change it to another Toyota at the end of the lease, there is no milage penelty for being over 60,000 miles (12,000 X 5 yrs.)! Naturally, the higher milage will depreciate the first truck greater, making it less valuable as a trade in... But, I am paying for a truck to drive it, not have it sit in my garage!!

A final note on my '01 Tacoma: In the 136,000 miles/ 5 years I had it, only TWO items failed that I had to pay for: An Oxygen sensor (light came on, car never broke down) and the water pump was discovered dripping when they changed the timing belt at 90,000 miles, so they replaced it. Again, the truck never broke down on me.

That cannot be beat considering the Baja roads I have been on! A BIG thank you to Neal Johns for so strongly recommending that I get a Toyota Tacoma when I went shopping 5 years ago! Many other Baja amigos had/have Toyotas and that was convincing too. BajaTaco's web site is great as well: http://www.bajataco.com for some ideas on modifying your truck for desert camping.




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David K
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[*] posted on 9-11-2005 at 11:37 PM


If you want a satellite view of the places I passed through on this trip, I added links in the 'Baja Locations from Space' thread to: Obsrvatory Road at Mex. 1, Meling Ranch, Mike's Sky Rancho, and Mike's Road at Mex. 3.

Here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=10620

We did turn north a couple miles west of Melings to head for Mike's, via El Coyote... You can follow most of the roads we were on, and up to the Observatory, even though the central area isn't yet available at the highest resolution.




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[*] posted on 9-12-2005 at 11:15 AM
Ford-man


We have two Ford Mustangs, a Ford Ranger truck and a Ford F250 Super Duty (big and strong). Lov'm all! Never a problem.

Good luck with the tacos though.

Bob H




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Neal Johns
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[*] posted on 9-12-2005 at 09:45 PM


Quote:

John, that avatar is not you! (Neal yes, John no) :lol::lol::lol:


I heard (sic) that, DK! Watch your back! :fire::fire::lol::lol::lol:

Actually, I supplied that true life video of John. Taken right after the Baker Relay Race. Trust me. :rolleyes:




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John M
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[*] posted on 9-13-2005 at 12:45 PM
Neal's right again!!!!


And I thought it was a pretty good likeness too, Neal. Of course John Page had to work with it a bit to make it fit the Nomad avatar size requirements.
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David K
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[*] posted on 9-13-2005 at 09:00 PM


Okay, I made a web page for this trip and included a detailed road log... Do check it out and let me know if it works for you! Thanks!

9-05 Trip Across Baja via Mike's Sky Rancho




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