but that 300ci straight six with a 4 speed stick did the job.
My friend had a Bronco with a huge inline six, like a tractor motor. I forget, but I recall it was also a 300 cubic inch straight six. A very
impressive engine.
You could put a rope around Baja and break it off with that motor.
There are a lot of the engines around here running irrigation wells...They run 24/7 About 4 months per year...Many of them have been doing it for
years....
Hey Hook, thanks for the insights.
when I plan on getting true offroad I have a couple of other options. I have an 88 Range Rover -
thing is small (everyoine thinks of RR as big, but its smaller than a jeep cherokee. , rides great but is incredibly good offroad. Has a full
length roof rack, and hauls a trailer if I want it.
since its an 88, not much in electronic gremlins that tend to plauge newer models,plus no stupid constant velocity joint that always breaks.
And if I really want to style it,
I pull out my ex Mod land rover defender 110.
it is set up with a sleep platform,
and can get me anywhere -
never fast, but I always arrive.
So If I do deside I want to do some exploring on the trip - I'll take one of the rovers!
Or, I I want to take the honda, and do some exploring, I just haul down a couple of KTM 300s. They can get to alot more places than I am capable
of reaching. I can haul em in the back of the pickup - or a utility trailer with a bunch of camping gear.
This vehicle you mention would satisfy a lot of people who aren't "explorers" (why buy a truck for "exploring", when you are only going to be
"exploring" 1% of the driving time, or less?), but want the convenience of a truck bed and the fuel economy of an SUV. And while Ridgelines dont have
true 4wd, the electronic traction control available in many vehicles these days is plenty good for most loose surface conditions.
Many here are forgetting that, by far, the fastest growing, and maybe the largest (in terms of units sold) segment of the RV industry is the
lightweight trailer at 20 feet or under. Look on the road this summer, while you are vacationing. Look in the campgrounds. These things are taking
over. And I'm not talking about the R-pod like vehicles that are basically little more than sleeping quarters.
I think one of these will be in my future pretty soon. Many have clearance for taking on dirt roads, 'cause they know that's what people want. Many
have queen sized Murphy beds with true mattresses that dont have to fold. When the bed is up, there is a full sized sofa under it.
And many don't force you to deal with a built in dinette that is never very comfortable to sit in longer than it takes to eat a meal. So, you can have
comfortable chairs and a moveable, foldable table that can be set up outside, too. This even frees up space to have even recliners in there.
Yeah, they can be towed with an SUV. And SUVs have some comfort, convenience and security benefits over a mid-sized truck with an open bed. But one
trend that I am disappointed in, with respect to SUVs, is the move away from the rear window that can be opened or lowered independent of the
"tailgate". That can limit how long an object you can put in an SUV.
We now own a second generation Toyota Highlander. This thing is so easy to drive on the highway or dirt roads, compared to the still-going-strong F350
or the Jeep LJ. At 65 mph on the highway, it still gets 28-30 mpg. Nice! You can just feel the reliability in this thing. Everything works, everything
is predictable (brakes, acceleration, turning, suspension) as far as driveability goes........even with over 100k miles.
But it does suffer from what every Toyota I have ever owned suffers from. Rather crappy interior, smallish seats and very poor sound insulation from
road noise. And that tailgate window issue.
But it is roomy for an SUV that gets that kind of mileage. It will literally seat seven (third row in back). Not that comfortably, but fine for being
the occasional carpool vehicle for dinner out with friends or heading to the pickleball courts.
Where I'm going with this is, one needs to really analyze your present and future needs and figure out whether you actually need a vehicle as capable
as a F-150-350 or a Tacoma or 4Runner, or whether some truck hybrid like an SUV or Ridgeline is all you need. Don't base it on 1-2 trips to Baja in a
year. The savings in fuel economy can be significant; like 20-30% in some cases.
I plan on keeping the F350 and the Highlander. There will be trips to the developed campground that make sense for the SUV to tow the light travel
trailer. And there will be more middle-of-nowhere trips where the F350 will tow the trailer and the ATV will be in the bed of the truck.
The best Tacos last year 04 smaller body and better looking. While I was in LA visiting I was able to. To drive all day a 18 TRD auto Great truck but
NOOO go for me. As the reports by drivers not happy are correct. Auto trans it down shifts two gears when power needed . When you only need 1 gear
down shift. Engine is needs to be up in revs to make power or shift auto trans manual. For me I will keep my Diesel Nissan manual with low end pull.
Would love to drive new TRD manual trans.
Right you are Larry!
The 3rd Gen Taco (2016+) has the Atkins 3.5 engine vs the 4.0 of the second Gen (2005-2015) to please the 'enviros' and all that effort only gained a
mile per gallon or two. Learning the new power points and shifting habits have been a complaint from those who also have owned earlier, powerful V-6
Tacos. I had a 2001 with the 3.4 and then 2005 and 2010 models with the 4.0, a rock-solid motor... and lots of power on demand. The trade off is in
mileage... the heavy 4WD models getting 15-17 mpg for mixed condition driving. I rarely got over 20 mpg on highway driving. The new 4x4 Tacos are
claiming 22 mpg, highway.
It's a TRUCK... if we only want high mileage we would get a Prius! LOL
Taco... the heavy 4WD models getting 15-17 mpg for mixed condition driving. I rarely got over 20 mpg on highway driving. The new 4x4 Tacos are
claiming 22 mpg, highway.
Dk, you got ripped off when you bought your Toyota with the obsolete 20th century engine technology My 4x4 4 door f150 gets 21+ mpg on highway
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
No, I did not... I lucked out because I got a truck that fits on more trails... and gets me home where it is also my daily work truck.
Stop confusing a full-size truck with a mid-size Tacoma... and a warranty /quality nightmare with a reliable, crafted truck. I get 19 and you get 21
on the highway, but my truck doesn't go to the mechanic after every off-road trip or need fixing on the trail every trip.
Taco... the heavy 4WD models getting 15-17 mpg for mixed condition driving. I rarely got over 20 mpg on highway driving. The new 4x4 Tacos are
claiming 22 mpg, highway.
Dk, you got ripped off when you bought your Toyota with the obsolete 20th century engine technology My 4x4 4 door f150 gets 21+ mpg on highway
And a RAM1500 4x4 with a 385 hp 5.7L gets 18-22 as well. Toy counts on product loyalty to rip off its customers. This is why it is not rate #1 any
more.
Ram got out of the mid size truck business when the Dakota was dropped. Why is it so hard for some of you to compare trucks in the same category? This
thread is not about Tundras or other full size trucks. Not one Nomad with a Tacoma bought it for high mileage, not one.
In looking over the reliability of Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota trucks over the last 10-15 years (according to Consumers Reports reliability and
owner satisfaction surveys), there is (or maybe was) something to say for reliability in a Toyota.
Well, until the new generation came out. Reliability and owner satisfaction have sunk to around the 40-60% mark.
Before that, from 2015-2005, many years were statistically near 100% in reliability and 60-80% in owner satisfaction.
As ever, all the lines of American trucks suffered from serious reliability issues going back 10-15 years, statistically speaking. This is especially
true of their mid-sized lines where statistically reliability is sometimes in the 20% level. Naturally, that translates to a low owner satisfaction
number, too.
The Nissan Frontier is a bit of an anomaly. It statistically is decent in reliability over the last 15 years, but it suffers from horrible owner
satisfaction numbers during that time. Like many years at 20%. Something else is going on that would require delving into the specific statistical
categories.
I really dont know what I would do if I was looking for a newish truck right now. It probably WOULD be an F-150 because of how they have increased
their towing and payload capacity, along with decent fuel economy. The diminished reliability would just have to be accepted.
The Toyota just does not make sense for what they cost and what they are capable of. Apparently, you cant count on it's reliability, either, which was
always a Toyota hallmark. You put up with less interior, less capability in favor of reliability. But no more, statistically speaking.
I'll stick with my 7.3 L F350. It just keeps running with 250K miles.
Taco... the heavy 4WD models getting 15-17 mpg for mixed condition driving. I rarely got over 20 mpg on highway driving. The new 4x4 Tacos are
claiming 22 mpg, highway.
Dk, you got ripped off when you bought your Toyota with the obsolete 20th century engine technology My 4x4 4 door f150 gets 21+ mpg on highway
And a RAM1500 4x4 with a 385 hp 5.7L gets 18-22 as well. Toy counts on product loyalty to rip off its customers. This is why it is not rate #1 any
more.
Truck Trend just tested two 2019 Ram trucks with 5.7L engines. The 1500 Laramie EPA fuel Econ was listed as city/hwy/combo 17/22/19. As tested it was
15.73 average and 19.07 best. The Ram 1500 Rebel same EPA tested 14.5 average and 17.96 best.
They also tested two 2019 FORDs. The F150 Limited with a 3.5L EcoBoost V6. EPA was not yet rated. AS tested 15.46 average and 20.25 best. They also
tested a 2019 F150 Lariat 4x4 with a 3L Power Stroke. EPA (C/H/C) 20/25/22. AS tested 21.61 average and 25.48 as tested.
Fuel mileage varies depending on many things like how and where you drive, what's in the fuel, the condition of the tires, new tires get less fuel
mileage as reported in Consumers Reports. How fast do you drive. Generally speaking 40+/- mph gets the best mileage. When someone says he gets 22mpg
on the hwy is that doing 55 or 70.
In looking at the specs on a new chevy 4x4 with a 5.3L I see the est hwy mileage is 19mpg. When I bought my 91 chevy 4x4 with a 5.7L it said 17mpg and
my 04 GMC Z71 with a 5.3L said 18mpg. Overall I don't thing that's much of an improvement over 28 years. In my case I didn't see much of a change in
combo driving between the 91 and the 04, in both cases it averaged about 15-16mpg.
Engine was perfecto///403,000 miles used no oil got 2300 bucks bucks for engine and tranny,,,600 for the rest...Frontend needed a complete
rebuild....so...served me well
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
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