4cyl over 6cyl, any regrets?

I sure can't complain about the little economy four...
Just completed an 800 mile Los Angeles/Sacramento round trip and averaged 30.4 mpg.

 

Up to 70-75mph, the 4cyl is a great economical choice. The mileage drops off after that so the V6 is probably similar mileage at 80+mph.

Last weekend I had two dirt bikes in the bed while towing a 5x8 trailer with a lawn tractor, tiller, cooler, burner, and coolers on the interstate around 70-75mph. 20+mpg. Occasional downshifts on grades but no problems.

I love mine. I think it is the mechanical interaction of the manual transmission and slightly underpowered engine that makes it work. Momentum and flow are your friends.
If you are an AT person, you would probably be frustrated and be better with a V6.

 

New here, first post. 2004 Tacoma 2.4 5spd ac. Owned toys since 86 when I bought a 1 ton 2.2, 87 2.2 fourrunnr, 93 2.2 4wheel drive couple of avalons, solara, 2000 Tundra, and now this one. I like the fact I pay only liablity ins and cheap on gas. Texas is big and mileage is important. I sold my Tundra 4 months ago, Illinois truck, had rust on frame, bought a 7.3 2001 F350 for pulling my 16 utility trailer with hay. Way to big and anything other then Toys...fall apart. My little 4 will take a 16 ft utility trailer and 2 1200# round bales and haul them 30 miles home, not at 70 but 50 and do fine. Plus it's simple and I can work on it, if it needs repair. Being a toyota won't need much. That gives me money and time to put in to my 73 cuda that I am restoring. Basic is fine, heck even the 4.7 in the Tundra pulled the trailer about the same as this and worse mileage.

 

I love my 3rz, no need for more power. I can haul as much as I can fit in the bed just fine and I have no doubt I could pull a 3000-3500lb trailer without issue.

 

when i bought mine i wasn't mowing lawns for a job so i had no need to tow anything. i only carried a honda 400ex atv in the bed and it was fine. it still does good on flat ground towing a heavy ztr lawnmower that weighs 1500lbs but it does struggle on hills. i have to downshift to 3rd gear and go up the hill at 45mph max speed pulling about 2000lbs if you include the trailer weight.



the 2.7L 4cyl does fine if you aren't hauling anything or only carrying light loads. somehow though it seems to have less guts than my old 1988 toyota truck did. even though the engine is bigger. i guess it's the weight or the gearing? the old trucks were alot lighter i know that much.







i would like to have a v6 manual that looks like this if i could find one. i'm really kindof torn on the issue to be honest. i'm about to have my truck paid off so not having a payment would be really nice. on my old truck i drove it 10 years with no truck payment. that frees up a ton of extra money to live on.

 

The only issue I have with my 4 banger is the mpg. Although I think it is the combo of the auto tranny and 3.91 gears (never seen another taco with 3.91's) and not the motor itself. The motor has been nothing but reliable and I have had no problems with it, just need to re-gear and get my mpg's back up.

 

That's one reason I got the base model standard cab 5 lug 2.7 with a 5 speed manual. It comes with a street geared 3.31 rear end.
At 60 mph the engine is turning 2,000rpm.

 

i'm not sure what gears are in my 2009 4x4 manual but to me it seems geared too tall. it is very luggy in 5th gear even when not towing anything. you have to be above 55mph or it's almost unusable. it's more like an overdrive gear instead of a regular gear.

also like when you are at a stop sign and you don't come to a full stop and just slow down and keep it in 2nd gear it is very luggy. on my old 1988 toyota starting out in 2nd gear was almost the same as starting out in 1st.

my old 1988 toyota still had power in 5th gear. 5th gear in it was like 4th gear in these newer trucks. that old truck got about the same mpg too. around 20-22mpg all around type driving....and that was with big tires. 31x10.50s

 

the tranny is tall in the second gen you just gotta shift more is all, 5th is pretty much for freeway or when no one is looking lol, I just rev match and throw it in first when im at low speeds, I've gotten it down pretty pat now took a day to figure out things with my bigger tires but just the quirks of the 4cyl, the 09 4x4 also comes with 4.10 in the rear end which is my favorite part, especially off road

I bought my 4cyl on impulse, I wanted a manual Ac 4x4 taco and this one was on the lot, and around here manuals sell fast, put down a deposit, did some research felt good, no regrets since

 

yeah the gears are tall. mainly the jump from 1st to 2nd and from 4th to 5th. 2-3-4 is fine.

the 4cyl is a beast in 4lo.

forgot to say one of the main reasons i got a 4cyl over the v6 is the price. 4cyl was $20k and v6 was $30k. also all the v6's on the lot were auto. i like manuals. most of them were also double cabs. i don't like the look of double cabs.

 

I like the 1st gen double cab, but the 2nd gen just looks off maybe cause the 1st looks more like the hilux in a double cab!!!!

 

I agree I had an 88 5lug w/22re and it seemed a lot peppier. I think it was the weight as you mentioned and also I think the 2.7 can't spin up as fast as the 22re could. Compared to the 22re the 2.7L's bore is large and the stroke is long. Also the 2.7 is spinning two balance shafts off the crank. So all these things combined results in an engine that will make better peak power but takes longer to get there. Couple that with a truck that weighs roughly a thousand more pounds; equals not going anywhere in a hurry.

 

yeah that's kind of the tale of the 2.7L. it's fine you just aren't going anywhere fast....especially if towing anything. it's ok though because i'm never in a hurry driving around fast anyways.

it's more of a cruiser type of truck. if you like to go fast i guess you need to get a v6 otherwise the 4cyl is fine.

really though overall i'm completely happy with it. i think the pros outweigh the cons.

 

Ive been driving my 2013 4cyl now for about a month. Compared to my V6 2002 I would say normal driving is about the same.

 

I recently purchased a '13 DC auto. No problem with the power for my needs. Starting to drive around in "3" rather than "D" unless I'm on the freeway.

 

No regrets here!

http://youtu.be/FKCuDMstS_o?list=UUCSnCfgpBphQ0Svz0uRCImQ

 

I think your video would be better if it had the sound of your engine instead of music.

Just sayin...

Greg

 

where can you drive 80mph? the highest speed limit is 70mph on the interstates. at least in my state it's like that. most roads the speed limit is 55 or 65 on major highways.

 

Need to travel west. It's 75 in most places here. Go west on I10 and it's 80. Heck, there's a toll road parallels I35 near Austin that has an 85 mph speed limit. That'll blow your gas mileage.

 

that will blow the mileage on any vehicle that's why it's not worth it to drive that fast. too much wind resistance at those high speeds.

the best mpg on any car or truck is at 55 mph in the top gear. i'd say 95% of my driving is at 50-60mph so i'm good