New England B.S. Thread

Yes sir... Original miles ... ( what the hell does that mean ??? )

 

No major component (engine, transmission, etc) replacements. On older vehicles it also meant that you hadn't had to swap out the dashboard, but modern cars store the mileage in the CPU so swapping the dash is irrelevant.

 

Morning everyone

 

Morning

 

I used it to add the OEM brake controller. Worked great.

Might mess with a few other things, like the amount of times the directional blinks for passing. But, I don't want to do it until the dealer looks at that ambient temperature sensor for fear that I'd inadvertently clear the codes for it.

 

I thought that was true, but it actually isn't. I looked at getting a Lariat 8" cluster for my truck--a guy on the F150 forum pulls them from wrecked trucks and sells them. You have to provide your mileage to him so he can program the cluster to the right mileage, otherwise it'll display whatever the cluster had from the truck he pulled it from.

No idea why it wouldn't be stored in the ECU instead.

 

I like the 3 blink for normal driving and the 5 blinks for towing.

 

I think I want to go to 4 for normal driving. Such a subtle change, but I feel like it should have one more blink haha

 

Aha, that's interesting. When I replaced the dash on the GF's '01 Honda (speedometer needle froze to the peg one morning and defrosted at around 45mph and snapped itself) the mileage stayed the same.

You must merge more slowly than I do, haha!

 

It must be dependent on the manufacturer. I thought for sure it was in the ECU for everything now, but apparently not in our trucks.

 

Oh wow, that's an option on the Ferds? GMC has it stock, integrated in the dash

 

Ford lets you add or delete individual items as you please. And it only comes 'stock' on the lower trim levels of the GMC if you opt for the towing package (just like on the Ford), or if you get an optioned-out model.

 

So the kind of big issue is with mine is its a manual. The wife was a trooper and tried to learn, but I'll admit learning to drive stick on a lifted Tacoma with 33s probably isn't the best choice. She kind of has short legs so to fully engage the clutch she needs to be like 3 inches from the steering wheel as well. The car seat does fit in the middle and the front seats crams in it place, which is actually kind of nice cause it doesn't move at all. She doesn't mind me driving her around all the place, but for road trips I'd like to be able to switch off with her. Or if she needs to run to the store or something I can toss her the keys and she can go, versus all 3 of us haha

 

Tacoma only works as a family vehicle if you have a cap, and even then maybe not. No way you fit a family of four for a 4th of July weekend with luggage and supplies under a toneau cover. Strollers, playpens, bouncy chairs... little kids need so much friggin' shit. As they get older the toys become more pickup truck-able.. bikes, paddleboards, skateboards.. But I have friends that can barely fit a weekend of stuff for a family of four in a Suburban.

 

I can barely fit everything for a weekend of camping in my DCLB. Maybe I overpack...

 

It's standard with the max tow package. Standalone option otherwise. Most trucks on lots seemed to have it regardless of other packages.

I was cheap building mine, though, and realized it was something like a $300 option. Ordered it from Tasca for about $100 instead, spent a half hour putting it in the dash. I won against Ford's factory option charge.

 

Not really true. I have always been able to pack my stuff in the bed of my truck even on 10 day long trips with 5 people. I will agree not everything will fit but that is true no matter what and that is is much easier to fit stuff inside the topper than when I had the tonneau cover


Americans are so invested with the bigger is better whereas the rest of the world can get by without needing honking big trucks

 

I have a softtopper that def helps, but its not 100% weather proof so either need to tarp things in it. Or everything is in water proof totes. In the cab between the diaper bag and everything else it takes up another seat. So the wife, myself, and the baby eat up 4 seats. If I remember correctly the 5th gen 4runners have a little bigger back seat area and a bigger door to help load the little tyke. I do like the seating position a bit more in the front as well, plus the seats have a little more padding to them

 

Clarkson and Hammond's reactions to our large trucks prove that we are correct:

 

Age of kids and minimalist/maximalist packing tendencies have a big impact on family-friendliness. We have a kindergartener and an infant. Things can get a little tight for us under the toneau cover, but workable. I have a utility trailer if needed. Infant seat is the real killer for me. Just barely fits in the middle. We take wifey's car if we need more back seat comfort.