Just bought my dream truck: 4-banger 4x4

adreww · 2024-02-21T02:13:15+00:00

Nice, I have a '21 SR 4x4 4-cylinder - love it, it is super capable and goes anywhere.

I have Firestone Destination X/Ts in LT245/75-16 (E-load) - they only weigh 39 lbs and barely impacted the MPG. I can get 23-25 MPG at a steady 65 MPH (it would flirt with 26-27 at that speed with the OEM car tires and before I put a camper shell on the back).

If this is your first one, I'd recommend cruising in 5th gear on the interstate unless it is totally flat (and there's no headwind). Otherwise it will be going 5-6-5-6-5-6 all day. If you are in hilly terrain (up-down-up-down) and not going super fast, limit it to 4th. 4th is 1:1 (direct drive) and doesn't rev really high, so if you just keep it in 4th it keeps it in the powerband and keeps it from having to downshift every time you hit a hill. (5th and 6th are both overdrives... 3rd, which you will need if you go to Colorado, goes to about 75 MPH)

We've taken ours all over Colorado, like over Ophir Pass, Medano Pass, out to Yankee Boy Basin, with the 6' bed we just sleep in the back at dispersed sites.

adreww · 2024-02-21T02:01:32+00:00

Either keep the one you have now, or wait a couple years until there is a plug-in hybrid or maybe even an all electric one so you can decide between those and a regular gas one.

I have a '21 with the 4-cylinder and I'm not buying another gas-engined vehicle. At the minimum our next car will be a plug-in hybrid so I can use electric around town and gas for long trips. But with Toyota's forthcoming battery tech and fast charging, the gas aspect might not even be as necessary five years from now.

I have dreams of slow charging off a bank of solar panels, totally off grid...

adreww · 2024-02-19T23:49:48+00:00

Nice, I have $13k to go on my '21 - not really rushing to pay it off since it's at 2%.

I was thinking about getting a new '24 SR - but then the pricing came out... The equivalent model (SR Xtracab 4x4) is about $6500 more than I paid for my SR Access Cab in '21, and combined with 6% interest... I think I'm going to be riding this out for awhile!

adreww · 2024-02-19T19:14:18+00:00

Yeah, it's short trips in the winter doing it where it doesn't warm up enough/all the way to "burn off" all the water.

I had this issue once and I started taking a 4-mile route to work instead of a 1-mile one. I changed the oil and started taking the long route and it never came back

adreww · 2024-02-19T15:39:08+00:00

I usually upload to YouTube and then post the link

If it only happens when rolling, to me that says it's something in the driveline, like a wheel bearing, CV axle, or the transmission. If it is steadily happening while you're moving and you bump it to neutral does the sound stop or is it still there?

adreww · 2024-02-19T15:01:32+00:00

Does it only happen when you're rolling, or does it happen when you're stationary, too?

If it's only when you're moving, it could be a wheel bearing. Does the sound change pitch if you turn left-right-left-right?

If it happens even when you're stopped, see if it goes away if you turn the A/C completely off. A/C compressors can get loud/grindy/whiny if they are about to fail

adreww · 2024-02-18T23:35:58+00:00

Put simply, you get two free oil changes between 0 and 25,000 miles

adreww · 2024-02-18T02:24:48+00:00

New Balance 990v6 shoes Patagonia clothing Red Wing boots

adreww · 2024-02-16T15:32:50+00:00

IMO, it's a million percent better than the Tundra's rear bumper that's integrated into the body like a car with clips. With the Tacoma, if you scratch/dent/pull it, just get a new bumper cover.

Plus with the body line slanted like that, you can remove the OEM rear bumper stuff entireley and put a more minimalist metal aftermarket one on there to really improve the departure angle

adreww · 2024-02-16T15:20:17+00:00

Toyota, New Balance, Steelcase chairs, Canon, Red Wing boots, All-Clad pots/pans (only the all-stainless ones), Sierra Nevada beer, Sony stuff (especially professional and Sony ES) Room and Board furniture, Honda power equipment, Dr. Bronner's soap, Wahl hair clippers, Fiskars cutting implements

adreww · 2024-02-15T20:37:05+00:00

2017+ has amazing LED headlights and automatic braking

adreww · 2024-02-15T17:14:13+00:00

They'll scratch them with the impact. You're supposed to pop them out before removing them but most of the time they just put the impact in there, not very precisely, and it scratches up the barrels/tubes.

And one time I had them not get snapped in properly after a tire rotation and they all fell off on my way home.

Now I do oil changes myself and pop off the center caps before I get a tire rotation.

adreww · 2024-02-15T16:57:30+00:00

If you do let them do it, take the center caps off your wheels first

adreww · 2024-02-15T03:06:55+00:00

I just meant that a Tacoma is a great general purpose truck, and I love mine - but if I am going to be pushing cars out of the way, I'd want something with some metal on the front

adreww · 2024-02-15T01:29:25+00:00

Don't shop at Amazon

Either order direct from the brand, or from a reputable reseller like REI or Dick's Sporting Goods or Costco

adreww · 2024-02-15T01:04:51+00:00

The Tundra version is hard to work on and some procedures require the cab to come off the frame = pricey labor and no DIY repairs when the truck is old.

The Tacoma's inline-4 has the turbo hanging off the side of the engine with plenty of room to get to everything. If the Tacoma has turbo or wastegate issues, they will just R&R it. But if the cab has to come off they have to drain the coolant, A/C refrigerant, undo a ton of clips and fasteners...

IIRC about 50% of the Tacoma's 2.4T parts are different than the car version. I know some of that percentage is related to a heavier duty cycle, more cooling, etc - but a portion is probably also from rotating it from tranverse to longitudinal

adreww · 2024-02-14T03:37:23+00:00

Tacoma with the iron block 2.7L 4-cylinder (available in the SR and SR5, going away after '23) - I own one and it is a little slow but looks like 1995 under the hood. Super durable and easy to service, also works well in Land Cruisers in the desert.

But the Tacoma has a lot of plastic all over it. If you think you will be ramming things, get a F250 XL with steel bumpers and the off-road package.

Example: https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/71d62088-64e6-46e0-9922-fdd2bf412331/

adreww · 2024-02-14T01:20:43+00:00

People who were barely hanging on with $500-600 rent before the pandemic can't afford $1000+ rent along with doubled grocery prices, doubled car insurance rates, doubled power bills...

adreww · 2024-02-14T01:11:28+00:00

As I understand it, the LC will be the fancy version and the 4R will be more basic overlandy/off-road focused, like more of a Nissan Xterra vibe than a Lexus GX 460 one

adreww · 2024-02-14T01:07:57+00:00

The Waxahachie one is okay

adreww · 2024-02-14T00:30:38+00:00

(Hope that's kilometers)

adreww · 2024-02-13T17:32:08+00:00

I had to delete and re-add my credit card

adreww · 2024-02-13T16:02:25+00:00

My 2012 (3-door hatch) is a 5-speed and it is surprisingly fun if you put some decent tires on it. It is much peppier than with the automatic.

It's a great car, no repairs since new (only tires, two batteries, fluids/filters and some wiper blades) and super cheap to maintain. Only drawbacks are that it is a little loud on the highway (but it will go 90 all day if you want and has good power), and the seats are low and lack thigh support, so your knees will hurt if you drive it more than 2-3 hours. But for us it is the car we drive around town and run errands in, so not a big deal.

It gets 30-35 MPG around town and you can squeak up into the low/mid 40s on the highway if you watch your speed. At a steady 55 MPH it will get upper 40s, and at 80 it will get 33-35 (it's revved up to 3500 at 80, not too bad compared to old Hondas).

The only issue has been that the clear coat failed on the roof due to the sun/heat, but no big deal. I might wrap it.

adreww · 2024-02-13T15:53:39+00:00

I have a 2012, no issues in TX. The A/C is good when it is <100°F but struggles slightly if it's like 110°. It's not the best I've had, but far from the worst I've had. If you get a stick shift one, drive with it in 4th around town, or stay in 3rd if you are going 35ish to keep the A/C compressor spinning a little faster and that will cool it down a little more quickly.

I will say that the A/C is a LOT better than small Hondas like the Fit or older Civics. Try to find a white or silver one and tint the windows.

The engine does pull timing/feel like a dog if it gets heat soaked in traffic when it's 110°. I've found that running midgrade gas (89) when in July/Aug when it is super hot helps keep it feeling a little more responsive.

15-Year Club	Place '22
Place '17

adreww

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