Do you know any reliable trucks?

First, in regards to your comment "I don’t have a huge budget (~30k)". Please understand ~$30k is quite a good chunk of money, at least to me. To me, that is actually a huge budget for a college student to buy a vehicle.

Since you're in college, I would recommend you to NOT purchase a $30k vehicle but rather take a time out and really define what you NEED versus what you WANT. (Unless you have $30k cash laying around rotting away).

Also define exactly what your budget is. I would not recommend financing a vehicle while in college. Find something you can buy with cash. Financing just lets you "afford" something you really can't afford.

Why do I say this? Well, I bought (financed most of) a $24k vehicle while in college because I wanted it & I didn't want the perfectly good truck I already had (which was paid for). I know the stress that was related to the burden of making that monthly payment, trying to actually go to college and do well, as well as work the job(s) I had to pay for said monthly payment. I think in college, your time, energy & resources should go 100% to college since after all you are paying to go there (or someone is paying for you to be there).

Good luck & do your own research, no matter what you decide!

 

Everyone says the tundra gets terrible fuel economy, but I’m getting almost identical in my 5.7 tundra to what my buddy gets in his 3.5 ecoboost.

 

Did you forget the 2nd gen Tundra also had the 4.0L V6 and 4.6L V8 as options alongside the 5.7L?

 

OOF

 

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I’m just trying to make an educated decision with what information I have.

 

Thank you for your help, any suggestions of any kind would be helpful.

 

If you want reliability what ever truck it is, will get worse gas mileage.

 

Yes but be was saying the Tundra has the same motor as the 5th gen 4runner. 5th gen 4runner only has the 4.0 the 4th gen 4runner has the v8

 

Don't know if you still watching this OP but if you really care about a reliable truck, toyota is really the only option. Also the bigger you go the less off-road capable it will be, there is a reason jeep wranglers are really good off road and its because of the short wheel base and low weight. Ford eco boost motors are not very reliable, in fact I would say that any forced induction motor will be less reliable. GM has a well earned reputation for unreliability and cheapness. Chrysler has always had alot of problems as well. Toyota is really the only game in town if you need good reliability and you need a truck.

 

The truth is just about any domestic full-size that is 5 years old or newer will probably surpass the Tacoma in fuel efficiency. My wife runs the AC year around in her 2018 Tahoe with a 5.3 and she averages 19 MPG around town and 26-29 on the highway. My 2021 Silverado get about the same.

 

I mean it depends on the model I suppose but I have been driving GM full-size truck platforms for 30 years and have found them to be about as reliable as anything on the road. The 5.3 is arguably one of the best engines ever designed and the chevy small block is the most widely used platform on earth in internal combustion. Every manufacture has issues, for me it comes down to what you buy. I consider flagship vehicles for each manufacture and typically those hold up better. IE, the Silverado, Tahoe and so on for GM. But alas. I am a GM guy so my opinion is biased.

 

Well, all the mechanics I know say gms are low quality and always breaking in some form or another, and from my personal experience as a mechanic I tend to agree. My dad has always bought gms because they are the cheapest option, the only reason they are cheapest though is because I always fix them for free when he breaks them. Toyotas I never work on though, unless its to mod it or the fix a mod.

 

Just pick the truck with the best gas MPG, get an extended warranty and live with it. No matter what a truck will have issues. If you want to save gas change your driving habits, that may help.

 

My experience, I will never own another GM product for the reasons others have stated. I've known Ram owners who love their trucks, hate their mileage. Every Frontier owner I have known loves their truck for longevity, just not my thing. With 30k get one of them there electric trucks and finance the rest. Clearly, you have no problem getting cash for someone your age.

 

And the 2nd gen Tundra was available with the 4.0L V6...

 

Cool, our opinions differ and that’s fine. Every manufacturer has issues and they all have fans and people who hate them. Best of luck to you.

 

You're right. My apologies

 

I am still watching my guy. Thank you guys for the help. I am not rich, I’m just stuck in an interesting situation and I’m trying to make a wise decision. My plan is to buy a vehicle at auction which is hit but not salvaged and I have a friend who does body work and make her nice for a good price. So it complicates it a little. I am handy so I can handle repairs if something goes wrong but I just need the major stuff to hold together like tranny and engine, etc.
Again thank you everyone, this is the kind of help I’m looking for. My buddy said to get a v8 and superchip it, anyone have any ideas on that?

 

Good luck. A V8 with a chip will kill you on fuel. But if you got the $$$ go for it.

 

I would superchip it for better gas mileage, no other reason.