Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76-90, 91-105, 106-120, 121
Exactly right. You can buy 1 or 2 Toyota's versus 3 Rangers. Enough said.
Why don't people just look at the available data?? Consumer reports shows the EXACT SAME reliability rating for both the Tacoma AND the RANGER!! Nuf said!! If you want to pay 7 grand for a name, have at it!!
I've never heard of anyone ever having to replace either an engine or a transmission in a Ranger. They just don't have problems. All we've ever had to do was brake jobs at 100,000 miles and timing belts (on the 2.3 liter engines) at 100,000 miles. Other than that, and oil changes, they'll easily go 300,000 miles + without any problems. If there is nothing to substantiate a claim it should not be posted.
You cannot beat a GM Silverado with a 100,000 mile mechanical warranty.
I paid 7 grand more because I have owned Rangers and I have owned Toyota trucks, I see how each performs and how each holds up under abuse. Toyota wins hands down.
I see my parking lot full with building contractors every day in all new domestic full size Ford, GM, Dodges. They are also towing large trailers, concrete mixers, air compressors etc. and are also loaded with crush, stone dust, sand etc.daily. Many of them are also very plush not beaters. Where are all the Toyotas, Nissans, Honda Ridgelines? I do not see the point of having a new truck if you cannot use it without fear of transporting heavy loads with heavy duty suspensions (frames) towing capabilities, power or even getting it dirty. I would drive a new luxury sedan with a trunk and not have a new truck.
Yes, the full size fords and dodges will haul more than a ridgeline or a tundra. Why stop there? Buy yourself a dumptruck, or better yet, an 18 wheeler, then you can haul anything. But for the average person, the Toyota or Honda is the much better choice, because they are much more reliable vehicles and will last much longer than the Ford, Chevy, or Dodge.
Honda doesn't even make trucks. The Ridgeline is basically the unreliable Pilot SUV with the roof chopped off and a truck bed put there. It couldn't haul anything more substantial than a set of golf clubs.
As for Toyota, even the highly biased car magazines rate them far below Ford, Dodge, or GM trucks for real-world use. Not even the Tundra (an F-150 wannabe) could hold up under the abuse most companies put their trucks through.
My dad retired from a company that used Ford, Chevy and Dodge trucks. If someone had suggested that they use a Toyota or Nissan, they would have fallen on the floor laughing.
I agree don't buy a dumptruck... buy a full size truck and not make any compromises. Otherwise get a hatchback car and put bags of mulch etc and tie the lid down. A lot of people do not drive a vehicle a couple hundred thousand miles. I buy new every few years more so for new styling than repair issues. Its nice to carry many 4x8 sheets of plywood, drywall flat in the bed and not make several trips to and from home centers than in a small pickup. A full size is great for moving most everything including furniture, picking up appliances even a piano which I have done and carry friends in the same truck at the same time to help out. Go to a full size you will not want to go back again. Again til you have owned both you will not realize the benefit of the load capacities,towing,size,power etc.
To 21:04; that's what I just said! If you are going to haul a bunch of heavy stuff, fine, buy a Ford. But you must be joking to say that a Chevy or Ford is as reliable as a Toyota; not even in the same ballpark. Also, I grew up in Pennsylvania winters, and nobody makes 4 wheel drive cars with low range, so I bought a Tacoma. I don't need a big, stupid looking Silverado with bad gas mileage, but I wanted a truck. And I DO haul with it, and it tows just fine. And I will still have it when the Chevy's and Ford's sitting new on the sales lots are being traded in because they keep breaking down and rattle, squeak, burn oil, and so forth.
How something can be "more reliable" than vehicles that don't have any problems in 300,000 miles is beyond me.
There is more room and comfort with the Nissan Frontier especially on a long trip. I do not like the Toyotas interior styling,room and ride.
If Toyota comes out with a hot sports truck like Dodge, Ford or GM I will be first in line. There must be a big market 500 hp Dodge,345 HP Ford and GM both. I would like to see a Tacoma/Tundra with some engineering under the hood. Toyota came out with a twin turbo Supra what goes with the trucks? Driving is supposed to be fun not so spartan. I had a VW bug years ago it was always reliable and probably still runs, but I guess I expect a little bit more.
"Why don't people just look at the available data?? Consumer reports shows the EXACT SAME reliability rating for both the Tacoma AND the RANGER!"
Really? I'm looking at Consumer Reports--the Tacoma has two black dots (bad) while the Ranger gets 17! This is the same?
Toyota mechanical warranty = 60,000 miles
GM mechanical warranty = 100,000 miles
A lot more fun to drive, and if you have an issue, drive a loaner... GM sells many more per year.