2002 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - Off Topic Comments

13:41 has the best response I have seen.

I also drive company vehicles since 1984, as well as my own personal vehicles. Not owning these vehicles, there's no bias. You can hate them if they stink and not feel like you have a dime in them.

I have found starting and stopping and driving long distances on a daily basis what holds up. My best have been Ford Crown Victorias with the small V8. Since I only have to pay for personal fuel and taxed on personal use to select any additional vehicle, it has to be very functional and have applications.

I test drove the new full sizes and bought the newest Silverados, mostly over the nice ride and handling, but Ford was fine too. I did not like the Tundra to even consider one, and I also did not like the Ram. I had one for an entire day, however real terrible ride.

Maybe you can read magazines for some guidance, but what is the new dealer giving you? If you don't drive these vehicles and then hate the ride, handling characteristics and capabilities, no magazine is going to overcome the letdown. Warranty in place is important as well... no warranty left at very early age gives you zero leg to stand on.

It amazes me the ones who do not own a full size truck that do not see the applications... it comes up as car comments or fuel economy. By not owning one it's perhaps understandable, but for us to pay more, added insurance when I already have a new company car there are specific needs not just an empty truck to cruise about.

I like the spreadsheet concept listing every single element you want and expect in a new full size truck... features, benefits, function, options, strength, bed loads, towing, ride, handling, best warranty, best ride, best handling, appearance (subjective), family input that ride in for hours, dealer proximity, dealer follow up for a few.

Add up on the features and capabilities... I actually left off pricing and fuel economy, which shows I do not possess the small car, vehicle thinking that seems to be so important to the non new full size truck owners on here. Test drive and then buy, and not waste your time.

"I actually left off pricing and fuel economy, which shows I do not possess the small car, vehicle thinking that seems to be so important to the non new full size truck owners on here."

I agree with most of what you said, but fuel economy and pricing ARE a part of most purchases be they a small car or a full-size truck... regardless of the mentality of those on this forum.

The 13:41 comment is the best you've read huh? DOMESTIC trucks have a good track record? Do yourself a favor and look up recalls for ANY of Ford, Chevy, or Dodge's full size trucks. How's that track record look now?

As far as purchase price, when it comes to full size trucks, you'll get what you pay for. If you want the better Toyota, you'll pay more for it. Same difference as between a Chevy Cavalier or a Toyota Corolla. (Please: don't suggest that the Cavalier is even close to as good) The vast difference in quality is reflected in the price.

I have a good friend that continues to buy full size domestic trucks; he refuses to buy Toyota's. His last full size Dodge Ram had SIX warranty recalls inside of the first six months. Seat belts and airbags, wheel bearings twice, I can't remember the others. He called that a piece of junk (it was) and bought an F-150, which, since day ONE has had a bad hesitation in the acceleration that Ford tells him is normal, as well as the fact that it overheats and is completely gutless when pulling his camper, which is well under the weight that that truck is SUPPOSED to be able to handle. At this rate, his transmission is going to be gone in under 50,000 miles, typical Ford at that, and the engine is going to be scrap.

Typical Ford yet again. He won't buy another GM, because once had an s-10 with that miserable 4.3 liter engine that simply consumed itself at around 45,000 miles if I remember correctly. It was under 50,000.

So I ask him finally, after he sees me driving (and towing) with Toyota's and having NO trouble..."why won't you buy a Toyota?" He basically says, "Look, I'll deny saying this if you repeat it, but I KNOW Toyota's are better, I just won't buy one."

Is this the mentality that you domestic guys ALL have? You know at heart Toyota's are better. All the proof in the world is out there. Do you all have this sort of denial going on? I can see if you need the equivalent of an F-350, because Toyota doesn't make one; then I guess you have to settle for a domestic. But if you're buying an F-150 instead of a Tundra, or ANY domestic car, for any reason, well... it doesn't add up. You're willingly buying a sub standard vehicle.

Ha! I certainly don't know any such thing, that "Toyotas are better." My own experience tells me what vehicles have been trouble-free, and nicer to drive and ride in.

My experience has been that for cars of the 1960s and 1970's, Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler made the most reliable cars; for the 1980's, Dodge trucks and Plymouths were still good; for the 1990's our GM's (Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Cadillac) did well; and starting in the late 1990's into the 2000's, Ford and Mercury has been the best.

As for Toyota, well... anemic, underpowered, rattling cars and trucks that ride like go-carts and haywagons are not for me.

The modern day Fords and Mercuries are the best riding and driving cars that I've driven of any decade, and that is born out by the high marks that Consumer Reports and J.D. Powers, as well as CNN gives to them.

Since it's 2009 and I find your comments not accurate in our household. Whats with the S-10 comment? Small truck yet again, and was that not replaced by the Colorado? How about some recent new comments on full sizes?

I did not like the Ram, but I would certainly place it ahead of my choice of the 2009 Tundra.

If it interests the fuel misers, some of the equivalent small Silverados have better MPG than the latest Tundra same small class.

I have experienced zero issues on my late model full sizes they are exceptional. Tundra cannot even compete in my tow category - very limited offering.

2001 F150 Lariat King Cab, 115,000 hard miles.

Problems since new: 2 coil packs (first one at 94,000 and the second at 112,000 total cost $120 for parts, I do my own work.) and a recall on the cruise control which was taken care of last week without questions or hassle. I had my truck back in an hour and a half, while the dealership shuttle brought me to and from the bar. Truck runs and drives like new.

2002 Toyota Tundra SR5 Limited, 102,000 not so hard miles.

Problems since new: BRAKES, BRAKES BRAKES! Ball joints, fuel pump, dash lights, exhaust hangers breaking constantly, coolant leaks, misses at idle and acceleration sometimes (he's still trying to figure out what's wrong), now getting worse gas mileage than my truck, heater core.

And he STILL says Toyota is the best and his truck is better than mine!

Must be the mentality of Toyota owners, even though their car/truck/van/SUV breaks down a lot, it's still a Toyota and therefore it's still the best!

"I have a good friend that continues to buy full size domestic trucks; he refuses to buy Toyota's."

Why should anyone wanting a full size truck even CONSIDER Toyota? They don't have any experience AT ALL in the full-size truck market. It sounds like your friend is very smart. My friends who have bought Tundras have all lived to regret it. It's no fun sitting in a Toyota dealership waiting on repairs, or bumming rides from your friends who wisely chose to buy a domestic truck.

My Dad has actually had a Ford F-150, a Chevy Silverado, and now a 2002 Tundra - the Truck in this review. My Dad lives out in the sticks, heats his house with firewood, has a gravel driveway that has to get new gravel every few years, owns a tractor with a trailer to haul it with, a camper, and other heavy pieces of equipment.

His truck has well over 215,000 miles thus far. It has yet to give him major issues. I find that impressive given that GM, Ford, and Chrysler have had well over 90 years to "get it right" thus should have the most perfect trucks on the planet by now, yet my Dad's Tundra has proven every bit as capable, much more reliable, and much better handling than any of the domestically produced trucks he's owned.

An extremely rare Tundra that makes 200,000 miles is an exception to the rule. Comment 15:33 is far more characteristic of the Tundras I know of personally. None of our friends who bought early Tundras has bought a second Tundra. All have gone back to domestics for just the reason cited in comment 15:33 (ESPECIALLY brakes and steering issues).

As for commenting on small trucks, that is because ONE import fanatic owns a 16-year-old Tacoma and bases ALL his opinions on ONE Ford he once once owned that had a minor problem at 200,000 miles. He has never even DRIVEN a full-sized truck.

But now it's 2009...what year domestics are we commenting on? My dad has also kept cars way too long (sentimentality). He had a VW bug that had high mileage on it, but he could have bought a new one instead of repairing it. Had high mileage on it.

I had a Mercedes Turbo Diesel at one time, could have 500,000 miles on it now... the repair bills were astronomical when it went in though.

Personally I did not like the new Tundra or its ride and handling. Maybe the 2002 ride,handling is better than a 2009 I guess.

00:07, Well.. Toyota obviously has enough experience in the full size truck market to build one that embarrasses Ford, Chevy, and Dodge's comparably sized trucks. They're Toyota... they do their homework and then build a great vehicle, like always. They're not Chevy... slap together a cheap, haphazard truck and overprice it by $15,000. Toyota has enough experience building automobiles to actually understand that if you build them RIGHT, people will buy them. A lesson that Ford, Chevy, and Dodge have yet to learn.

21:47...what embarrassment. Tundra vs. Silverado... Tundra had a worse ride, worse handling, less interior room, weak poor warranty, less load and towing capability. So am I to buy one anyway? Hardly. Find me up a new diesel 3/4 Ton Tundra loaded and I'll test it thoroughly.

"00:07, Well.. Toyota obviously has enough experience in the full size truck market to build one that embarrasses Ford, Chevy, and Dodge's comparably sized trucks."

The sales figures for January just came. The two TOP SELLERS?? Ford F-series and Chevy Silverado. Tundra was noticeably absent from ANY of the top 10 slots. I bet Ford and Chevy just LOVE being "embarrassed" like that. Even the Dodge Ram made the top 10.

11:29 I believe you are referring to me and my comment... I base my opinions (facts also) about Ford (and GM/Dodge) on a few different things:

1. For the last two or three decades, they've received far lower ratings in quality and reliability than almost any import, and certainly MUCH lower than Toyota or Honda.

2. They don't hold their value nearly as well as a Toyota. The reason for this is clear and simple: at high mileage, they are worth less because they have FAR less 'life' left in them than a Toyota.

3. My Ford did NOT have only minor problems at 200,000. First off, it didn't approach anything close to 200,000 miles before it went to the scrapyard, and it had a few major and COUNTLESS minor issues long before that. I've owned only ONE Ford, as the reason for that is that once I discover that a product is junk, I never buy it again. I put several hundred, if not a few thousand dollars into that nightmare of a truck to keep it running. I should have sold it as soon as I fixed it the first time.

4. This is the most important reason I stay away from Ford: real world truths and experience. Although this will no doubt be countered by tales citing the exact opposite, practically EVERYONE I've known that owned a Ford had trouble with it on a regular basis. I'm talking about a LOT of specific instances I could cite here. Real world experience has shown me that they just aren't well built and break down often. Especially their cars. You couldn't give me a car with a Ford emblem on it.

5. I only made the mistake of buying a domestic once more after this Ford, which was a '95 Dodge Dakota, which truthfully, wasn't that bad of a truck. Outside of the horrid gas mileage and the cheap body construction (premature rust in spite of consistent washing and care) it was fairly reliable. The 318, as far as reliability, was not a bad engine. Although, when it met its end (someone crashed into me) it was starting to have transmission issues, which '95 Dakota's are noted for. At only 115,000 miles.

6. After that, I switched to Toyota's exclusively, and it's plain to see that I made the right choice. ONE single repair over the life of three vehicles, all of which I traded in running perfectly. $98 for a starter in my Tacoma is the complete list of repairs outside of maintenance for three Toyota's. With the Ford, I was probably spending $98 or more a month to keep that piece of garbage running. Not smoothly, just able to haul itself down the road empty, which is a lot to ask of a Ford.

"Toyota obviously has enough experience in the full size truck market to build one that embarrasses Ford, Chevy, and Dodge's comparably sized trucks."

Is that why Ford, Chevy and Dodge Trucks each outsell Toyota many times over are all on the 10 best seller list (unlike the Tundra), and the Ford F-150 has been the best selling vehicle in America by far for 27 years?

Is the Tundra's superiority why Toyota is discontinuing the model cause of poor sales? Not that I put any stock in Consumer Reports (gag), but for anyone that does, why does Consumer Reports rate the Tundra Reliability as much worse than average?

Is that why the mean and tough Tundra cannot even drive down the road without bending itself out of shape?

Why do I see so many Tundra's in the used vehicle sections of domestic truck manufacturers that have been traded in? My neighbor for instance "tried" a new Tundra and had serious valve train problems with the engine, and brake and suspension problems. He went right back to a domestic.