V4 vs. V6?

But after seeing my neighbors v6 , I finally realized I traded my 97 f150 with 87k mile on a4 banger 09 5 spd access 4x4... Lol.. I test drove it and the dealer talked my balls off to distract me from all the ext.blemishes ! Besides it was the only one within 300 miles of Boulder, I searched and searched and could never find a taco with less 100k on it in 5 spd access. I had to go with a red taco 4 banger , since having a baby needed the child seat option.

I never got to test drive the 6 cylnder but they're out a my price range , even the 4 banger wasn't cheap. So I sorta regret it but then again had no option since I needed it really quick. It's been 6 mo now, I love my taco and am now getting a topper tom put on it with racks. I am digging the gas mileage opposed to my ford , it even seems to have as much power has my old ford . I love how I can park it in nearly any spot I need to .. It's responsiveness is impressive as well, like a sports car almost. Good thing you already know the difference though.

Point is , I really like the 4 banger I won't be driving into the mountains much or towing anything . Gas prices will only go up from here. They also last a while. But what do I know I only got 11 posts.

 

I have the 4 cylinder PreRunner extended cab with an automatic. I was worried about it being under-powered when I got it and I am quite happy with the performance. I find the biggest downside to the 4 is when using cruise control and going up hills (even fairly small ones). The engine kicks way up. I have learned to just take it off cruise. Other than that, the 4 is a fine performer.

I drive the truck up in the Sierra Nevada mountains with camping gearing and a mid-high shell and it does just fine climbing. If I had to do it over, I would get 4wd, but would get another 4 banger for the gas mileage. It is a great engine and truck.

 

I have the same cab/engine/transmission and feel the same way. That's why I wished the transmission was a 5 speed. That way the gears would be closer and when it kicked down on small hills, the RPM jump wouldn't be as extreme.

 

I did get 22.5 with the 4.0 V-6 DC automatic with 4WD with the stock 245x75 r16 or whatever came on the truck when it was fairly new and I babied the truck. Then I added a fiberglass cap and went with 265-70-R16 Grabber AT2 tires and now I average about 18 and it is what it is.

To the OP. When I got my truck in 2010 I never planned on towing anything. But since then I bought a house and tow a trailer every once in awhile. So the moral of story is never say never since things often change. By the way the v6 is a very nice motor for this truck. It has never felt like it didnt have enough to get the job done especially with a full load of wet firewood in the bed and trailer.

 

Agree it has all the power one needs or more! The mileage suffers from stop and go driving (in town/city)... Once you are on the highway then the needle moves very slow.

I zero out my trip odometer when I fill up... and am luck when I have done more than 75 miles when the gas needle hits the 3/4 tank line (= 15 mpg). On the highway, it usually makes it to 90 miles (18 mpg).

 

Since everyone else gave great responses on the choices, I will just clear this up for you. There are typically 4 engine configurations available. The "I", "V", Boxer, and Rotary. Rotary are in Mazdas, and are a whole nother creature there! The Boxer is like the old school VW with the pistons facing 180DEG away from each other, going side to side.



The "V" configuration (V6, V8, V10, etc) have an even number of cylinders in a "V" shape when looking at the front of the engine.



The "I" configuration or "inline" as it is also commonly called, means that all the cylinders are in a straight line. You have I4, I5, and I6 engines as the most common.




Hopefully that cleared up your curiosity on the way engines are called one or the other.

 

The Subaru is also a boxer engine, but water cooled... Great design, small and smooth.

 

Hey Bill, believe it or not2 manufacturers even made a V5 engine. VW made one, which was based on the VR6, which was really more of a staggered inline. Honda also made a V5 for their MotoGP racing bike. Both of these had 3 cylinders on one bank and 2 on the other. Strange but true.
On a related 5 cylinder note, although we're used to inline 5 cylinder engines from VW and Audi, Ford once built a prototype 5 cylinder flathead for their Model A back in the late 20s. Chevrolets came with an inline 6 and Ford was trying to compete, but the engine compartment wasn't long enough for a 6, so they experimented with the 5 cylinder. Of course about 2 years later the B Model ('32) came out with the flathead V8, and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Not to mention GM's I5 that appeared in the Chevy Colorado, Hummer H3 and some others:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Atlas_engine#LLR

 

Yeah, I remembered that one as soon as I hit "Submit Reply" and never went back to add it in. I still remember when both Dodge and Ford started building V10s. After a lifetime of mostly V8s and V6s, with an occasional V12, the idea of a V10 just sounded strange to me.

 

Well yeah, a lot of old school engines were used in many different configurations. I was just giving a general consensus on what the different types were. I admit I did not know, nor have I ever seen a V5. Interesting. I will have to look it up at some point. The I5s that I was referring to were the ones GM used. Not exactly their best engine for sure. Made me a lot of money of them though!

 

Oh, I know. I'm not trying to come off as a "know-it-all", just thought I'd add a bit of trivial information. I started reading Motor Trend, Road and Track, and Hot Rod magazines when I was 12. Which, now that I think about it, means that I've been reading car magazines for 50 years. I can tell you who drove Fords for Holman and Moody in 1964, but can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday.

 

You have a V6 double cab and you claim an average 20-21 mpg?

lol - time to learn math.

 

Just filled my tank yesterday... $3.99/ gallon (Shell regular 87 octane, California) and it was my typical combined city/hwy... but more around town driving... and was 14.3 mpg.

 

I have a 2003 Tacoma 4x4 4 cyl, 5 spd. manual and love the truck! I owned two other Toyota trucks in the 90's both 4 cyl as well. So yeah, they might not have the power of a 6 cyl, but man those 4 bangers are great engines...I sought out the 4 bangers. I never got any of those trucks stuck...ever! the torque on them is crazy. I hauled elk in them on mountains roads, never a problem...I been in third gear too going up the mountain, no biggie for me. Plus the 4 banger with over sized tires means I go slow so no tickets , another winner! Ha, as I get a little older slowing down don't seem to bother me much.

U really can't go wrong either way but like someone else posted ..if you gotta ask maybe you should get a 6.

 

The day after Thanksgiving 1979, I bought a 1979 3/4 ton Ford 4X4 w/351. At 48K I pulled the engine and replaced it with a built for low end power '70 T'bird 429. It has 410's and just over 105K on it now. That SOB will pull for a gas engine.

I have 94 Wrangler 4 cylinder with a 5 speed and it will barely get out of its own way.

That said, I just bought a 2.7 regular cab with the 5 speed. It is a '98 with 100775 on the clock. The thing amazes me. I drive like an old woman, yet this thing keeps running away with me.

If I don't get a speeding ticket in the Tacoma it will be a miracle, and I have not had a ticket since 1977. I have been using the Tacoma for a fishing rig. We live in a rather hilly part of Idaho, and while I have not spent the time to calculate the exact mpg, a good guess would be 23-24.

It has plenty of power on the hills, not quite the same as the Ford, but a damn sight more than the Wrangler. I find myself shifting quite a bit less frequently than when driving the Wrangler while beating it at the pump too.

I have only put about 700 miles on it since I bought it about 2 months ago, but most of those miles have been on mountain roads. It has a cab high canopy on it. Had the check engine light not turned on at start up yesterday, I would think it the perfect vehicle.

I have been driving the Wrangler since 2000, and the CEL has never come on. I was hoping for the same out of the Tacoma.

Toyota has a pretty good rep, and I have two with 239 and 269 K on them. I bought the Tacoma expecting nirvana, but the posts about CEL codes, frames and springs make me wonder. I still think the Tacoma is the best little truck out there, but whether you buy the 4 or 6, do not expect perfection.

 

Hey guys! Thanks so much for all the input! I just bought a black Toyota Tacoma w/ manual transmission, I4, access cab. I love it!

 

I have a 2003 xcab 5speed 4wd and its got the 2.7 I get 20-22 mpg and have towed my dads 27 foot sailboat and still had plenty of get up. I test drove a 3.4 v6 that was also 5 speed 4wd and xcab and I couldn't tell a difference between theb2 except the v6 had slightly more torque. But it wasnt the 4.0 so I couldn't tell you about that motor

 

I'm happy for you, Dave.
The little 4 banger with a 5 speed stick is a great combination that's lots of fun to drive.


Greg

 

You forgot the "W"

And some bikes have a V-4 so they are out there. Ive even seen a dune buggy with a turbo V-4 that I can only assume was from a bike...