would you guys rather have a Taco or cummins....

that's why im leaning away from diesel, friend has the same 2500 dodge im looking at and gets 12 all day long. I have seen a few with the 5.9 way cheaper, as well as the ford with the 6.2. It's just the resale value on a 3/4 ton gas is so so cheap, and i cant get stick, but the overall cost thing is more important to me.

 

staten island ny

 

Wife just got an Escalade with the 6.2. Yes it is an auto, but it has ALOT of power and gets 16-18 mpg. You can get this same motor in the GMC trucks I believe.

 

I am not trying to hate on a Taco by any means because I LOVE them and am actually looking for one myself. I am looking for a 1st gen taco or 4th gen runner. You can actually add chips and gauges to the dodge to help it get better mpg, even towing. You can't with the Taco. You can add intake and exhaust to the dodge and that right there will help a SMALL amount. The dodge is going to definitely going to make it to the 250k with that kind of work because, like you said, it will barely be breaking a sweat. Therefore you won't be NEEDING to buy another truck.
On the subject of ULSD add some 2 stroke oil to the fuel and it will actually not ruin the injectors. The truck might smoke more but hey it's a diesel.

 

I've also had both a 6.7 cummins and now DC Taco.

I loved the Cummins. The rest of the truck no so much. It never let me down, but it road like crap. A road trip to CO with my pops to pickup a car pissed me off something fierce because the roads in CO sucked so bad and even the weight of a full size trailer loaded w/ a 1960 Ford Starliner couldn't help smooth the ride. The slightly larger backseat of the DC Cummins was painfully uncomfortable.

The plus of the Cummins was it pulled everything I could throw at it. Generators, toy haulers, even stuck trucks in sticky northern AZ mud. Loved out on the trails too, except when I was hunting and scared all the wildlife away before we got within a mile of them.

The taco I love. I've only had it a few months now and but can imagine having the Cummins back. My wife doesn't mind driving it, gas is cheaper, and you can park in a common parking lot. It still tows, granted not as much, and doesn't take forever to warmup on cold mornings.

Looking at it from a work standpoint.
1- it's what makes your money, day in day out you need to be happy in it
2- look at how much your going to consistently be carrying (tools, and other gear)
3- how often will you carry passengers

Looking at it from a economical standpoint.
1- maintenance costs of the Taco is less
2- comfort factor
3- group interests (do you need to rely o friends to go do group activities more for towing camp trailers and the like)
4- the most important

The WAF / GAF


Wife Approval Factor or Girlfriend Approval Factor



For me now needing more of a family vehicle and not a work / tow rig, the Taco is the clear winner in my book.

Best of luck in your purchase.

 

I actually have both.
The 2001 Dodge gets 19mpg. The 2010 Tacoma gets 19mpg. But diesel costs more.
The Dodge regularly pulls a dump trailer with 10,000 lbs in it. And you can't tell its back there until going uphill.
The Tacoma has no regular mtc except oil changes for the first 100,000 miles.
The Dodge routinely goes thru the diagonal suspension bar, and trying to keep the wheel alignment is a nightmare because of the extreme weight on the front end suspension. And the price of an oil change, and parts that wear out are a lot more.
I have to turn the engine off when I pull up to a drive-thru due to all the noise, and it rides rough. I have put 2000 lbs in the bed, and it didn't even drop.
The Tacoma rides very quiet, the sport seat is very comfy, and it parks in a shorter space.
The Dodge does have leather seats that are heated. Tacomas do not have heated seats.
My Tacoma got hit in the front quarter panel, and everything was demolished. The Dodge routinely gets smacked into things, and all I get is a scratch.
If you are really going to use it in construction, there is really only one choice: Dodge.
If you want a personal vehicle to get to and from work, then there is really only one choice: Tacoma.

 

OP sounds like a typical non union scab, stick to one trade, let us pros handle what we do best. Every review on YouTube dodge gets last place, 6 cylinders and still gets the worst mileage, dodge just plain sucks. Dirty max ftw. Dodge makes cheap throw away trucks.

 

You union ?

 

Sounds like you lean more toward the Taco, go with that. My Dad has a Duramax and while it is a great tow/work truck, it is murder to park downtown, like trying to parallel park a locomotive. Sure, the bed of the Tacoma is small, but you would be amazed at all the crap I've crammed into my 6 foot bed. If you do get a DC, only the short bed comes with the manual, sounds like you need the long bed, though.

 

You sound like a dick. I buy a lot, or old house, demo and rebuild a new house. When it comes to all union trades, they are all subbed to union shops. But since I am the owner of the property, and its MY time line, and MY profit margin. Yes I will do tile work, paint work, ect when I can't get guys in around my schedule. But think what you'd like, or at least ask a few questions in reguards to my occupation before judging. And with an attitude of ignorance and just sheer rudeness I'm thankful you're in a union since I don't think you'd be earning a paycheck elsewhere.

I'm also thrilled about your ability to tell me about you tube reviews. I went with dodge, cause it's the cheapest and I prefer a manual. And wasn't sure how the taco was going to hold up as a work truck. And the overall costs.

So how about you go do what the "pros do best" and I'll do what GC's do best. 1.Keep a positive profit margin 2.Keep guys like you at work and 3.make the decisions on what needs to get done and when....

 

FYI OP , I'm a GC too

 

OZ sorry for the rant, guy just annoyed me. I am doing all the numbers, and the taco just looks better. It may take a bit of a beating, but like i mentioned above most work is subbed, and the trailer holds the rest.

It may prove to be annoying working on my own houses, where yes i will do plumbing, electrical ect....but the over all savings is hard to ignore.

 

You don't gotta apologize to me man , that guy dropped into this convo in full douchebag mode

 

If this helps... haha

 

Absurd, i mentioned in a previous post, I've been working out of an old grand cherokee, very tough but it works. I am going to measure out the back, make it the size of taco bed, and see how it does.

I am aware that the bigger truck will make it easier. It's just a very expensive convenience tax. The back seats in the taco are more then enough for my kids, for the 10% of the time we take my car. Which also leaves the back seat for tools as well.

I can get it in stick, and I know they are reliable. I am also taking into consideration now, the cost of registration ( much higher for a truck with GVWR over 8800) and over 100K it will need tires, and the Toyota is going to average over $3800 savings a year. I mean Sure I may kill it in 5 years (probably not) but that money saved will buy a new one. And I don't have to deal with the headaches of driving a 3/4 ton.

An F-150 or similar would be great, but lose so much value, its not worth it to me.

The big dodge is still in the running, but taco is looking better. I am trying to remove bias that i prefer the taco. And I may have to get it, add some airbags, or what not, but not a huge deal.

 

not sure if that makes me want a dodge or not want it. funny none the less

 

I know you want a manual , so you get stuck with the 5' bed , but I am very happy with my DCLB set up with a Leer 100RCC commercial cap .

Having said that , my jobs are usually of longer duration and usually at least some tools stay at the site in lock boxes

I also have the OME Dakar rear leafs which help a lot

 

Well the wife and I have both now as of this last wknd. I have a 2008 Tacoma with 106,500 miles on it and just replaced the factory clutch with a new Factory one and URD throw out bearing. My truck has seen a lot of towing as up to the max payload of 6500 lbs. Ya it struggles with it for sure and only gets 7 miles to the gallon.
Well the wife had a 2007 Tacoma that we traded in on a New 2012 Dodge ST 6.7 diesel in a auto.
So we have the best of both worlds. Now I can pull our 21 ft toyhauler with the dodge and have no problems and worries like I did with the Tacoma. We got the Dodge for $35,000.
But sounds like you could do ok with the Tacoma for what you will be hauling.

 

Oz my jobs are usually 6-7 months, i was more concerned because i own rentals too, and I am always working on them for projects I wouldn't sub out. I am thinking that the tacoma, will work. It may not be perfect but nothing is. The ram would be easier, but just the cost is so damn much.


35K? wow. I've found a 2010 with 44k miles, 6 speed, cummins, and cash out the door i can get it for 25000, has a few small dents but doesn't bother me at all.

I also considered, getting a work truck/family car, but not worth the headache of having two, and when i had vans i hated that. I also have a smaller trailer that i could easily hail when i just needed something big.

the 5ft bed isnt a big deal, or least I don't think it will be. The full size trucks only have 5.5 unless i go 8 but crew cab 8 ft bed is too long for where i live, had 04 ford with that set uo and literally got stuck in a parking lot more than once.

 

Ya but taxes in Norcal were expensive. We got our Dodge at Santa Rosa,Ca. Nice truck and nothing fancy. IT is pretty much a base model with a few extra's. But I would not trade my Tacoma for anything. I like driving and parking it easier than the Dodge. But the Big truck is nice to drive and has quite a bit more room in the cab than the Tacoma for long trips.
My stepson is 6'2, 265, and wear's a size 16 shoe and he is only 14. So fitting him in the Tacoma was getting to be a pain for long trips.