Toyota Quality against its competitors

So I have an 09 DC Tacoma and i love the way it drives and just the fact that i know i have a quality truck that will last.

but lately ive been thinking the tacoma just isnt enough truck. ive considered an f 150. the problem, ive heard bad things in terms of suspension and bad warranty coverage about the model i want to but (either sxt or xlt) and i was wondering to anybody who has owned both or driven both the tacoma and f 150, how does the quality stack up against one another. which would you recommend in terms of how the truck lives up to its name?

oh and Im not looking for a work truck, just a casual truck that can get a little dirty

 

You are comparing apples to oranges. If you nee more truck- Look at Tundra versus F150s.

The tacoma is not designed nor equipped to compete with the F150...

 

i own a tacoma and my both my brothers own a F 150, the enjoy their trucks
my middle brother has had problems with his truck but it was under warenty, what i can say about the ride is its alot rougher in the f150 and the seats are not very comfortable

 

i still say the tacoma beats the f150

 

X2!

 

I had a 05 F150 FX4 XLT 4x4 and traded it for a 09DC TRD Sport 4x4. Loved the Ford, and had no issues with it and I treated it like a truck. Running tank trails and offroad, hunting in Oklahoma. Drove it all over the country and never worried it would fail me. Put about 70k on it, with alot of stop and go around my jobsites. Tested a 08 and 09 and just didn't feel the same quality that I had with my 05. Broke ranks and tested out the tacoma and never looked back.

Its your money and your choice.

 

I would never go back to American owned trucks. Not worth it at all. OM, otherwise known as Obama Motors, makes crap vehicles this day in age, as everybody I know that has a FixOrRepairDaily has had them broken down at 80k. Take a look at the Tundra.

 

im worried fords quality has gone down, and that the price just isnt worth paying for in the long run.

 

My brother has 06 F150. At 140,000 kilometers(84,000miles) entire front ens needs replacing. I had a 05 Dakota, traded it for my Tacoma. It had 85,000 km(51,000 miles). I replaced all suspension bushing twice under warranty, they needed to be done again....somebody else did it!!
My 92 4Runner was as tight the day I sold it as it was new. 300,000 kms, never replaced anything other then the "normal" stuff.
People wonder why American car companies are in trouble...its called Quality folks

 

im thinking since this is a "biased" site youre gonna get more tundra or people telling you to keep your taco. our work has about 17 f150s and 8 f250s. we actually use our trucks for what they are meant for instead of just commuting. our 150s are usually sold at about 100-125,000 miles just mainly because of the abuse we put them through. luckly out of all our trucks we only had a problem with 2 and they were both sold last year and have new 2009's to replace them and not a problem with them yet with already 35k miles, the key to a good running truck is maintaning it and care !

 

You are asking this question to a bunch of Toyota owners, what kind of response do you think you will get? All you will get is bias answers.

I personally do not like Ford trucks.
If I were to get a FS truck I would go with the Silverado, Tundra or a Titan.

You can't really compare a FS Ford to a Tacoma. The Ford offers more room, a fullsize bed, and a smoother ride. It is a whole different animal.

 

From a less biased member i can tell you this.

from a mechanical design standpoint. the F-150 is the leader, no other company has a DESIGN as well thought out as ford...

BUT.

and it is a huge BUT.
its built like shit. the best blueprints in the world are nothing when the builder screws them up. you cant rely on an F-150 to be good. so I'm not interested.

Of the other 3 trucks mentioned,
the TITAN is shit, the only reason you would buy it is out of miseducated spite.
the tundra is fantastic but I find it ugly as hell
and the GMC/chevy silverado/sierra is a quality pickup... but i just dont feel it.

but to be fair, all those trucks are CONSIDERABLY larger than an F-150.

in all honesty, I'm really non plussed by the pickup market PERIOD right now...

but the best option out there is the tacoma, at least for me... though I wouldnt mind a recent Frontier... if it had the 4x4 aftermarket the tacoma does...

 

I can't say much about the F150, my family's had them in the past and they were pretty solid (90's). I had an 05 Ranger, granted completely diffrent, but it was a piece of crap. Threw the #6 rod bearing at 18k on the odo (oil on the dot every time, mobile 1 synthetic). Failed to start twice (towed to dealer only to have them find 'nothing wrong with it'). It completely died out accelerating on a freeway on ramp. This time they replaced the fuel pump. I didn't put more than about 2k on it after that when I had it on the market. I'll never get another Found On Road Dead again.

I've had Dodge, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Ford, Infiniti, and now Toyota in my time. Never had problems with anything other than the Chrysler (mostly age related, powertrain itself was solid) and the Ford.

 

god the Ranger sucks... that engine and design is nearly as old as I am... that thing needs a redesign.

but fords logic is...

If its not a volume seller, why worry about redesigning it?

which is stupid.

since a redesign on that ancient POS might actually make it a leader, instead of the last in the pack.

 

I've had both and am not the least bit biased. My previous truck was a 2004 F-150 FX4 supercrew, black leather, you name it and it had it. I bought it fresh off the showroom floor when that body style first came out. I drove it for 75,000 miles through highways, city streets, and some very sloppy hunting trails. I had zero problems with it in the four years that I owned it and absolutely loved the truck. It was a damn good truck that felt as solid as a tank. Go look at the new F-150's they are fantastic trucks and I'd be suprised if you were dissapointed by them.

 

Isn't ford dropping the Ranger line?

 

My GF loves my Tacoma when it comes to driving versus her 2001 Grand Cherokee. Personally, I don't mind either, her vehicle isn't as secure feeling on the road, but an 8 year old vehicle versus a 2 year old vehicle that has stock offroad shocks on it, the handling isn't comparable. Her interior is nicer I find, but her Jeep stops better in the winter time. I'm not sure if it's the heavier weight or her BGF All Terrians verus my Michelin LTX M/S or what.

I've driven in a new 150 as well. My taco is faster, but rides harsher. (Again comparing apples and oranges I know.) Interior is nice but Ford has always had that.

And not much else.

 

before the economy crashed, I heard talk of CAFE forcing them to stop making it...along with the econoline... both like 20 year old designs!

ford says they plan to have a new one by 2010-11, dont know if thats true. but it'd be great if it was.

and BFG AT's are fantastic winter tires, i dont doubt they handle better than those michelins you got stuck with!

 

Huh, well that's good to hear. I do like the Michelin's for their wear quality (Life on these are awesome!) and their wet/rain traction is unrivaled.

Not to hi-jack the thread, how are the rugged fails in winter?