2003 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - Comments

I had some leaks in the snaptop lid, that was there when I bought the car from carmax, in greenville, sc... the car was driven 5900 miles by someone who had an indian cd left in the cd player... in texas.

The power and handling is what this vehicle really excells on... it is just tough to radius turn, with such a long wheel base, but I do not care... it rides like a limo on long trips, and I really like the cruise control, which you can "bump up or down" one mph... gas mileage has been accurate: I get 18-19 mpg with the cruise on, going 72 mph, loaded down; 16 mpg around town, or generally on and off the beltways, and then into city traffic... just don't get carried away with rabbitt starts, and clean it out with an occasional "step-on-it appraoch to the v8, and you are good-to-go...everyone would love to drive the tundra, but other truck drivers settle for less because they cannot afford one. like fram, they will "pat me later" with repairs if they keep the inferior trucks which are all that are not tundras... san antonio is where toyota will now produce some more serious trucks, in a truck-based plant there... look out!

How does this guy know what trucks people can and cannot afford, and what they are supposedly thinking? I, and I am sure several other people, could go out and buy a Tundra cash on the barrel, but would not consider it for a second. I am curious, is this Tundra, which you boast of being able to "afford," paid for? If people want to drive Tundra's, that is their business, but I am not at all envious of them. Quite frankly (and this is my opinion, I mean no offense to anybody), I think it is an overrated piece of crap. I listen to my neighbor drive his by every day with the valves clanking so loudly, I can hear it with my windows closed. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that metal on metal pounding is going to quickly lead to a major failure. I never got around to asking him what (if any) other problems he is having with his truck, but I can see from this site that this model, as well as other Toyotas, has had its/their share of problems. I can also attest to this from personal experience, of a highly problematic '96 Camary owned by a friend of mine. I do not wish any problems upon you or your vehicle, but you are kidding yourself if you think that Toyota is not capable of putting out, nor has not put out, its share of garbage, especially recently.

Since your neighbor apparently doesn't put oil in his truck, it's a good thing it's a Toyota, because a Ford or Chevy would have long since died under the same punishment.

Wow my new Silverado is totally quiet at start up. I only paid $36,000 cash. Maybe if I save more money I can afford a Tundra and people will envy me. But actually, my friends like me for whom I am not by material. I drove a new Tundra and a new Silverado. What is the appeal?...it isn't the ride, interior, performance, handling, cost per mile to own over 5 years, people carrying capacity on the Tundra. Please inform me again... so what we are missing? I would buy a Ford F Series which also has all the benefits of lower ownership true cost to own over 5 years as well before a Tundra.

The appeal of a Tundra is this; it IS less expensive to own than an F-150 over any length of time because it probably won't break down and the F-150 will.

I don't quite see how a Ford is cheaper to own when it will fail you and the Toyota won't. The F-150's ride feels like a car. The Tundra feels like a truck.

So, decide which you want before you buy. With a Toyota, you can actually still have it after 5 or 10 years if you like and it won't be a broken down lawn ornament at that point. 99.9% of the time, you'll have to own 2 Fords to equal the life of one Toyota. Yeah, Ford owners will tell you differently, but that's the facts.

Also with a Tundra, you get the pleasure of driving something that feels well built, whereas the Ford, once you haul anything more than a load of popcorn, will start to feel sloppy and squeak and rattle as Fords do, due to the poor assembly.

There is a pride in Toyota ownership that Ford owners will never understand; you know you're driving the best, you take care of your vehicle, and it gives you a lifetime of reliable service. With Ford, you have to endure the 'Fix Or Repair Daily' attitude that Ford has come to be known for.

I've owned a couple of Fords (when I was too young to know any better), and all Toyota's since. The difference in how much better Toyota quality is than Ford is staggering. Like night and day. So, tell me why I would buy a Ford? I know they need the money pretty badly, and I like to give to charity, but I'll give to a worthy cause. Besides, Toyota is bringing jobs here for U.S. workers, whereas Ford is selling out labor to other countries.

This is a 2003 Tundra. If it runs true to form, you will soon (VERY SOON) be replacing brakes and rotors, dealing with the faulty transmission and the dangerously flawed front suspension and steering defects that Toyota has refused to issue a recall on until enough people are killed to make it worthwhile. Oh, and if your brakes or steering DO go out on you, don't be surprised if your airbags fail to work. That's yet another Toyota issue.

The title of this review says it all: I can't believe it's a TRUCK either. Trucks are built far better than the problem-plagued Tundra. The Tundra (in the brief spans of time it is not in the shop being repaired) MIGHT qualify as a reasonably decent golf cart. To call it a truck dishonors the name "truck". Our friends who own Tundras are not exactly thrilled with their (non) performance. Of course I take great delight in giving them rides to the dealership to pick it up after the numerous repairs. It gives me a chance to show off my Ford, which has never had a problem...EVER.

We could say this vehicle is just a "TOY" truck... the better load carrying, people carrying capacity, power, performance, towing is why Ford F Series alone sells several more times the Tundra in the U.S.A. Also the true cost to own factoring price, repairs according to Edmunds makes Ford F Series less expensive to own over a 5 year period. Also the new Silverado is less expensive to own on the "true cost to own" according to the review. If you drive a Tundra and then either one of these and wish to own one you may do as the majority and buy a domestic on the spot. Apparently there are some that do not test both however. That is why it is good to let other savvy consumers inform you.

Savvy consumers don't buy Fords or Chevy's.

I own a Tacoma, and I drove Dakota's and Rangers when I was truck shopping. No contest. I don't even know what Chevy's small truck is like now, they suck so bad I didn't even consider them.

The Tacoma has everything over the Ranger. The first thing I noticed was how much more fun to drive the Toyota was than the Ford. The Ranger seemed like a cheap Tacoma wannabe.

The Dakota had a lot of power, but was too floaty and handled like a wet rag.

I could instantly feel the Tacoma's authoritative 'stance' much more than the others. They felt like cars that sit up high, and that's about it. It's easy to tell how much better the Toyota is when you look at how the body panels are assembled, and the way the gauges and switches in the cab have a much more precise and solid-feeling movement to them. The others felt like a fragile stick of plastic, waiting to break off, whereas the Toyota's instrumentation felt well put together.

One look under the hood will show anyone who understands any kind of engineering that the Toyota has much more thought put into it, and a lot better design. The Ford's motor looks like a bunch of kids put it together, as did the Dodge's.

One time through a sharp turn with bumps and potholes lets you know that the Toyota's assembly will stay tight and feel solid for WAY longer than the other two. I could go on and on, but to sum up, the Tacoma, and Toyota's in general, are of a much higher quality than the rest.

So, needless to say, I made the right decision, bought the Toyota, and it has been 100% reliable and runs as good or better than the day I bought it, now that the motor feels like it's finally broken in. It took about 70,000 miles to feel like it fully broke in. My gas mileage has slightly INCREASED between 50 and 70,000 miles. I have no doubt that this truck, should I decide to keep it, will give me at least another 200,000 trouble-free miles.

I have friends with Toyota trucks from the late 80's and early 90's that have between 200 and 400,000 miles on them (a good part of that is pretty hard off-roading, trust me). Actually, the one with 378,000 on it needs a valve job, but it still goes down the road just fine. No other make can run this long with no major repairs, unless it's a one in a million fluke. Anybody who says differently is incorrect.

Well after reading some of this I see I'm not the only one having problems with the 2003 Tundra. I replaced the front brakes x 3 (40,000) total miles. Having power steering problems and transmission slipping.