V6 or 4C for Colorado Mountains?

Hey,

I am looking to buy a used taco:
- 4x4
- Access cab with 6ft bed

I am wondering if it is better to get the V6 or 4c engine? Money is a factor in my decision. Not only are the V6 a harder to find (in my 13k$ budget, under 120k miles in years 2006 and newer) , their gas mileage is worse.

I plan to move to Denver and live near the city but go on excursions +/- 2 times a month into the mountains. I will have a ARE Shell and gear in the back. Maybe during some summer months traveling around a few national parks and doing a bit of highway driving.

I have heard two arguments: when you put the 4c on the steeper grades, it ends up using more gas - cutting down the efficiency and is worse for the engine in the long run. Maybe causing it to break down sooner. I am told that you can really feel the mountains on a 4c but the main concern is not the speed, its the engine strain and longevity.

In denver I will use my car a bit but for the most part, i work at home and don't have long daily commutes. Note this would be my only car.


edit:

So far, it seems like the general consensus is to go with the V6. I appreciate everyone sharing there experience on the matter!!

 

Are you considering a manual for the 4 banger option, that is a big difference if your just looking at auto vs auto in 6 or 4. Also depending on weight of camper I'd go 6. I love my manual 4 banger but its not great on hills. When Im going up steep forest road sections I basically have to put it in 1st to get anywhere, and my load is minimal

And you def have to drive the 4 like you stole it, but idk how much that hurts anything, even doing that it barely revs over 4500 rpm any time in life

I get 19-21 a tank on mine if that helps

2012 AC 4x4 with 132k on it for 17k

 

I'm not sure what the market is like in CO, but in most places, I think you might have a pretty tough time finding a 2006+ with that <120k miles, at that price, especially if you're looking for 4x4, (unless you find one in a shitty condition).

other than that, get the V6. You'll end up wishing you had it anyway. it has more power, and its a truck, so don't worry about gas mileage too much. The 4-cylinders are severely lacking power, especially when going up hills, and forget about if you have camper shell and any gear in back. It'll kill whatever mileage advantage you ever had.

and if you ever get the off-road bug, you'll be much better off.

 

Definitely spend the extra money and hold out for the V6.

 

We've lived in CO for over 25yrs. We learned quickly that, unless equipped with forced induction (i.e., supercharger or turbo), just about any vehicle with less than 6-cylinders is anemic at the 5K-7K foot elevations found along the Front Range and almost painful to drive when venturing to higher elevations in the mountains. Now, all three of our vehicles have 6-8 cylinders AND forced induction.

GET A V6!

 

4.0 V6 automatic all day every day, even at night!! Take it from someone who had both a 4by 4cyl Access cab with stick and now a 4by V6 double cab automatic.
More reliable, much much better drivability, sounds better and 4banger really drinks the gas too when you pin it in 3rd (or 2nd) going up hills just to stay up with slow traffic. V6 holds value better too if you ever need to sell again.
Worst possible choice would be 4banger automatic

 

Zero chance I would get the anemic 4 cylinder for the area you intend on living in.

 

I have driven many miles in the Colorado mountains with my 4-banger 4x4 with manual transmission. I find the 4 cylinder engine quite adequate. The last trip the truck averaged a bit over 25 mpg for the whole trip. I drive conservatively and don't get in a hurry. If you have a lead foot and gotta go in a hurry, look for the six.

 

Absolutely beautiful! I say go for the v6, my 4cyl kinda struggled while i was up in CO at elevation

 

Being in Colorado for the short time that I have been the v6 I have is lacking power compared to sea level Houston. The turbocharged Range Rover doesn’t even notice a difference. I’m planning a turbo or supercharger for the taco soon. We do a lot of trips to higher elevation with a trailer and I can feel the power loss. Get a v6 and supercharge it

 

I just picked up an '06 6MT V6 SR5 4x4 a little over a month ago for $13K with 116k on the clock in CO. With that said, I had been looking for months and believe I got extremely lucky with that find. If your budget is a hard $13k then you either need to allow yourself plenty of time to find one with that low of miles or adjust your expectations. In regards to MPG's since picking up the truck I've been tracking the mileage and have been getting fairly consistent 18.5-19mpg with that being mostly highway (I live in a fairly small town so I don't get true city driving). I think with the right tire set up I can probably get that bumped up to ~20mpg average. From reading what others have said about the mpg's their getting with their 4bangers it sounds to me like the trade off for mpgs vs. power isn't worth it here. Hope this helps.

 

If you double your budget, you can take my truck. 2008, access cab, 4x4, v6, stage 2 URD supercharger, full exhaust, 61k miles. Already got a shell, drawer with twin bed width mattress, 3" lift, 33's, and a ton of other stuff. She'll easily do 80+ uphill at altitude in 4th gear. I get about 14-15 sometimes 16mpg highway if I cruise.

But in all seriousness, since you dont drive much, go v6. If you had a ton of commuting in town a 4banger would benefit. I bought this truck with similar goals in mind, since I have a separate daily driver.

 

That's not surprising, as forced aspiration doesn't tend to see the power drop with elevation. My vote is turbo charge that baby!! Then let us all know how it goes!!

 

Oh I want to. First I have to finish my chase rack with twin spare tires and my trailer project. But a turbo with a big ass blow off valve to bring out my inner 9 year old

 

Oh man... That sounds wonderful! Once my truck's not my daily I'll start looking into that!

 

Denverite here. I have a 6 and my primary camping pal has a 4. He gets around just fine, even with a full load in the bed. He can do everything I can do and gets 10% better fuel mileage doing it. You absolutely don't need a 6, it just makes some things slightly easier.

Edit to add: That image is from the Canadian Rockies, you goddamn traitor. How DARE you.

 

While I don't live in the Rockies, I live in a very mountainous part of PA. I have to drive up and over a ~10% grade mountain every day. I wouldn't even consider another 4 cylinder truck. My V6 handles it with ease, while not fast, 60-65mph is easily obtainable. I still average 21mpg with my 4.0, 4wd, auto. My previous truck was a 2wd S10 4 banger and 5 speed and it wouldn't get out of its own way. While that's a whole different truck, it's made me not ever want to purchase a 4 cylinder truck.

 

Im also a daily mountain driver in PA. I have a 4cyl and will be goin 6cyl next time around.

4cyl is great on flat and has good mpg.

I pulled our Wildcat UTV to a cabin for a weekend. Next time we are takin the wifes T4R for sure. The taco REALLY struggled on the hills.

 

The wildcat is tits!

 

Yes it is! We got the trail version because most trails around our house are narrow atv trails which it runs them quite nicely.