Best Small Truck...

[JohnBrowning]

Tacoma gets my vote for best small truck! It does just about everything well! THe only problem with it is that the Sheet Molded Composite bed does not do well in Alaska or some parts of Canada. They drive well on and off road and have nice I4 and V6 engines to shose from. You can get them in manual or automatic trans.They are built like brick out-house's!

The Colorado from GM is nice and is about as refined as it gets in the domestic compact truck. The Ford ranger is the best way to go in this segment if you are willing to hagle you can get a great deal on them. Their is nothing wrong with Ford Rangers I just do not think that they compare very well to the rest of the segment!

I like the Dakota wich is truly a midsize truck a lot! They are great with the 4.7V8!

 

[DrinkDuff77]

If you like the Ford Ranger but wanted to be different you could consider the Mazda B series. It's an aging platform but there are probably some really good deals on new ones.

My money would be on the Tacoma though.

 

[cousincletus]

The only problem with the Dakota/Durango is that they get the gas mileage of a fullsize. IMO the only reason for getting a small truck is to save on gas. Chevy fullsize 4.3 will get actually better mileage than the Dakota or Tacoma w/V-6.

 

[unDummy]

What small truck? All the small trucks have become bloated.

I actually hate what Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Nissan did to their 'small' trucks.

Take a look at the Ford, Mazda, GM, or Isuzu.

Or, keep the Jeep!

 

[mazduh30]

I have a 00 B3000 (3.0). It runs well and pretty easy to work on it. The only problem I have had with it was the starter.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

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Take a look at the Ford, Mazda, GM, or Isuzu.

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*Isuzu* doesn't actually make/build anything here in the states any more, there is an Isuzu I-350 & I-250 (IIRC) on the road, but it's based on a chevy engine, IIRC.

In which it's the same exact engine choices as in the Chevy Colorado.

What some have always believed the Isuzu Hombre or the Luv as being Isuzu's, those were actually Chevy engine's rebadged in the Isuzu name.

Basically, Isuzu was the test-model dummy for some Chevy engine designs that Chevy didn't want to put their name on.

Just like the Isuzu Ascender, that IS the Chevy Trailblazer.

The last *Isuzu* ever built was the 2004 Isuzu Rodeo's, which contained Isuzu engines/Chevy auto transmissions.

I've heard rumors that the Chevy Duramax was an Isuzu design, but I'm not sure on that.

There were a lot of years of actual *Isuzu* trucks however; for instance -

93-2004 Isuzu Rodeo V6's ; the 4-cylinder's are Chevy engines.

I know there were a lot of years for the Isuzu V6 engines in the Troopers as well, however, many of the 80's, early 90's Troopers were also Chevy engine's as well.

I think from 93+ Troopers are the Isuzu engine's

The automatics are the GM 4L30-E transmission in the 91-2003yrs; with the 2004 Rodeo's having the Aisian Warner automatic.

Isuzu stopped producing Troopers in 2002 & Rodeo's in 2004

As for the *Isuzu* engine, you will have to pry the keys to my '97 Rodeo V6 from my cold-dead hands before I will turn her over - I have 172k carefree miles, have only been stranded 1 time; waterpump failure at 152k miles.

As for an actual little truck though, I just bought our 2nd 'Yota, this one is an '04 Tacoma, hope it lasts 22yrs just as the '85 'Yota did.

 

[Gary Allan]

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Best Small Truck...

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One from the late 70's through early 80's. Tin box on a frame. From there on out they garnished them with ornaments and appointments that made them way too fancy and too expensive.

 

[JohnBrowning]

If it is all about the engine then you want to stay away from the Ranger. The best 6 cylinder in the compact pickup class is the Tacoma's V6!! THe only thing the Ranger has to offer over all of the others is cheap price and plenty of parts in Junk yards. They have not updated the design in over 13 years maybe longer I ran out of fingers and have my slipers on! In 1992 the Ranger was a nice ride on par with all of it's combetition but since the Tacoma and Colorado came out the Ranger is pleb amoung upper classmen. Now with that said any of them should do well in terms of long life cycle with proper maintence! IF you go for a Ranger you had better get it cheap because it will not hold it's value and you will be in a negative equity situation afer 1-2 years of ownership if you should decide to trade it in! So do not pay any where near MSRP!!!

 

[ARB1977]

Ive been pretty impressed with my 2002 since since i bought her in 2002. The only complaint is the power although its handled its own and the gas milage but ill sacrafice that for durability even when i towed a 4000 lbs trailer from California to Texas in the start of summer last year it did surprisingly well.

 

[TR Graham]

One more vote for the Taco... My '02 Toyota Tacoma w/ 3.4 V6 (bought new) has been the most trouble free truck I've ever owned. I have a little over 110,000 miles on it so far with no problems at all. The only thing I've had to replace on it (outside of fluid changes, tires and wiper blades) has been the brake pads, and that was at 88,000 miles. It's comfortable, hauls anything I put into it, tows anything I hitch to it, and manages to get pretty good gas mileage to boot. A tough truck that I'm gonna' keep for a long while.....

 

[Bryanccfshr]

TR, I know you are enjoying the Taco, which is good but you are due for a timing belt and might as well do the water pump while it's accessible(it won't cost extra labor if you don't DIY. Just a heads up.

The newer Tacos don't have timing belts to replace(they have chains) but I would still consider water pump replacement @100k a good PM practice as well as all accessory belts and hoses. They are good dependable trucks but that doesn't mean they don't need some hardware maintenance from time to time to prevent that stranded feeling. when a waterpump or a timing belt gives up the ghost. I am a big Toyota fan but those maintenance items can't be ignored.

 

[JohnBrowning]

This is going to sound hrable especialy comeing from a former Technician!!!! The only parts that I replace before they fail is belts,hose's,brake componets,plugs,wires, timeing belts/chain and fluids! Now I will say this if I am in an area and I have to remove major componets to do the job I will replace them even if they are still good. When I do replace a part prematurely since I am in an area and have it off I always save the old part as an emergency spare!

I can honestly say that in my entire life no one in extended family has ever had to replace a water pump on their Toyota! I think it is a combination of design and agressive fluid maintence! If ever I owned a vechile with a timeing belt that required the removal of the water pump to change the belt I would probably change out the pump at that time as well!

 

[Bryanccfshr]

That's the point. It's a bear to get everything removed to do the timing belt on the 5VZFE and the water pump is right there. It may or may not fail but I have had one water pump failure before (on an oldsmobile, my fault using stop leak) and it happened when I was real tired and of course with no fluid the temp gauge doesn't go up and of course it got very hot and it killed that engine. ('81 Delta 88 beater from #@$%! that got me around well).
So Even though coolants and sanitation of cooling systems from fall out and corrosion has improved if it's over 100k old and I am in there it's worthwhile to get a fresh water pump installed.
I agree with your Methodoloty JB.

 

[Fatboymoe]

I have had my Toyota Tacoma Prerunner for a little over a week and couldn't be more happy. The 4.0 V-6 is one of the most responsive V-6's I have ever driven! I have the 6speed manual and the torque makes it very easy to drive. The only drawback I can see to the manual transmission is while shifting, lifting the throttle does not drop the engine speed fast enough. Probably the throttle by wire causing this. I don't know if this can be changed, and probably wouldn't be noticed with an auto trans., but it makes smooth shifting a little harder than it needs to be.

I took a 300 mile trip yesterday to go play golf and averaged 20.5 MPG. Good, but not great. It's right on line with the EPA standard. It will probably get better with a few more miles.

At 500 miles, I changed the oil and filter. I do this to all my new vehicles. I used a Toyota oil filter and Mobil 1 5w30 Truck and SUV. I was going to use Pennzoil Platinum, but my local Wallyworld didn't have any. At 5k OCI's, it probably doesn't make much difference what you use. The Tacoma is very easy to change the oil on. That top mounted oil filter makes it so easy, even a Caveman could do it!

Before I bought the Tacoma, I did do a lot of research on the other mid-size trucks. IMHO, the Tacoma came out on top. It's not the cheapest, nor the most powerfull, but as a complete package it couldn't be beat.

 

[cousincletus]

^^^ FWIW you can get better mileage than that with a 4.3 Chevy fullsize automatic. IMO the only reason to get a compact truck over a fullsize is to save on gas. I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 long bed, regular cab, 3.9 5 speed manual that gets 21 on a trip, 19 around town. Just something to think about.

 

[BrianWC]

I've been driving an 06 Colorado for about 9 mos now. It's my work truck and is VERY basic. I DO have the inline 5 and it makes the thing feel sooo much more powerful than the four. Ride is great, seating position is great, and it handles much better than anything else I've ever driven truck-wise. I'm happy as I can be with it. The I-5 is a little droney on hard acceleration but with the radio on you'll never hear it. But I really love the thing and have pondered a crew cab version as a personal vehicle.

 

[cousincletus]

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I've been driving an 06 Colorado for about 9 mos now. It's my work truck and is VERY basic. I DO have the inline 5 and it makes the thing feel sooo much more powerful than the four. Ride is great, seating position is great, and it handles much better than anything else I've ever driven truck-wise. I'm happy as I can be with it. The I-5 is a little droney on hard acceleration but with the radio on you'll never hear it. But I really love the thing and have pondered a crew cab version as a personal vehicle.

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The things I like about the Colorado is that they come well equipped, have a smooth ride, 4 cyl. w/5 speed gets good mpg. Even the basic Colorado has cruise control.

 

[BrianWC]

Yep. My only half-way concern is the crank windows. They seem to take forever to roll down. But otherwise, I was very surprised by the quality. Everything you need and nothing you don't.... I'd like to try the manual trans one day but the auto is just fine...

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Glad you are enjoying the Taco. I love the 1grfe engine too. Very controlled and wide power band.

 

[01rangerxl]

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If it is all about the engine then you want to stay away from the Ranger. The best 6 cylinder in the compact pickup class is the Tacoma's V6!! THe only thing the Ranger has to offer over all of the others is cheap price and plenty of parts in Junk yards. They have not updated the design in over 13 years maybe longer I ran out of fingers and have my slipers on! In 1992 the Ranger was a nice ride on par with all of it's combetition but since the Tacoma and Colorado came out the Ranger is pleb amoung upper classmen. Now with that said any of them should do well in terms of long life cycle with proper maintence! IF you go for a Ranger you had better get it cheap because it will not hold it's value and you will be in a negative equity situation afer 1-2 years of ownership if you should decide to trade it in! So do not pay any where near MSRP!!!

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He said durability was his main concern with the engine, so I do not see how the Toyota 4.0L, which has only been around since 2003 would be the "best" there. It is hard to judge long term reliability based on 4 years IMO. On the other hand, the 3.0L in the Ranger has a couple decades under its belt already. It has been proven to be a tough, reliable engine. I am not saying that the 4.0L is unreliable, just that it has not been around all that long.

And resale value depends a lot on where you live. Rangers actually hold their value better than most trucks around here. My friend just sold a very basic 1993 regular cab, XLT, I4, manual trans, no options Ranger with 200,000 miles on it for $2000...not bad for a truck that was only about $14,000 or less new. Besides, the original poster said he wants something that will last forever...it does not sound like he is planning on dumping the truck after a couple years.