New Vehicle quandry

I have the opportunity to pick up a 2021 Tacoma Off road double cab for around 42k or a Ram 1500 big horn night edition 2021 for around 46k. The Ram has a lot more room and capability towing wise and options but I'm pretty confused as which to choose. They are both slightly used about 5k miles and pretty much standard package options.

Ram rides nicer, more options but less mpg with v8 and probably not as reliable. I like the idea of Toyota reliability but when I drove it really didn't have much power. Any of you went from a Ram 1500 to Tacoma? Any regrets? Looking for some insight maybe I haven't thought about from someone in a similar situation. thanks!

 

Ram?

 

I myself actually went from a ram 1500 to a tacoma and have no regrets at all. It really depends what you want to do with it and your needs. Are you towing, wheeling? Do you have a big family that you need to bring around? These types of questions will steer you towards which rig will be best. Let me know if you have any specific q's about either and I will do my best to answer them!

 

If I had a larger garage I'd have a full-size truck, Tundra or F150. No way would I own a Fiat truck.

 

My whole family owns rams. You are comparing apples to oranges. The ram is far superior to towing and power. But is larger and heavier. Tacoma is suited for the smaller truck market who doesn’t tow much and wants to squeeze in tighter places. Reliability is mainly dependent on routine maintenance anymore….I’ve seen Toyota’s blow up with 25k on the clock and I ran a fleet service with a 5.7L hemi with over 500k. Tranny is a different story but that’s another beast (suncoast). It all comes down to what you want….towing and power with a bigger cab or smaller and nimble and able to go more places.

Gas mileage will be about the same honestly. I’m getting 12.5mpg in my 3.5 with a lift and 33” tires.

 

I liked my '18 Ram 2500HD better than my Tacoma in every way except the most important one, the size. The thing was huge and daily driving it got to be a pain. The interior build quality of the Ram was worlds better than my '11 and '21 Tacomas, ride was better, fuel economy was better, towing was obviously better, drivetrain was better. Basically you can name anything other than size and the Ram was superior it just could barely fit in a parking lot or a garage. I didn't need the towing capacity anymore or the large amount of interior room so downsizing to another Tacoma made sense to me.

 

I don't tow anything more than what the Tacoma could handle but I do like the sound of a strong V8, my kids are grown so I don't NEED a lot of space it's just nice to have. If the fuel mpg is honestly around the same I may just get the Ram. I just worry about the reliability as they have a hit and miss past.

 

Was driving a 1500 a few weeks ago. I liked having the V8. I like the RAM ride more depending on setup. It’s definitely roomier inside being a full size. It can tow more, so if you’re dragging a big ass trailer around constantly you might want to go there. Fuel economy with the 5.7 with the cylinder shutoff isn’t bad, but that feature isn’t helping reliability. They definitely have their own issues.

Taco will hold value far better. It will last longer if you do the maintenance. Overall the quality is superior across the board. Excluding some known issues in the 16-18 they are pretty damn solid this many years into the same generation. Hell of a lot easier to drive anywhere there is civilization.

Drive both, buy what you like and what fits your needs. I’d pick a Toyota any day though.

 

Hmmm I think the only other consideration would be re-sell value down the road.
In 5 years would you get more out the Tacoma or the Ram

 

Get a 6ft bed Taco with a shell.

 

It sounds like you're looking at trucks that are available but don't really know what your priorities are. What do you need out of the vehicle, and does it even make sense to get either of these trucks in the first place? Start there.

 

Get the Ram. Considering you’re on TacomaWorld, the Tacoma will cost you more in the long run because they’re so fun and easy to modify. Plus if size and space constraints aren’t preventing you from getting a full size then you’ll probably enjoy the bigger truck.

 

I researched my "next" pickup for about 5 years before realizing I didn't "need" a full size and went with a Tacoma. I was dead set on the F150 if I were to go full size. The RAM was far from the most reliable. I've had many issues with GM products and needed a break so that was off the table. The Titan was not even a factor for me. And the Tundra was underpowered and had horrible MPG compared to the competition but would be far more reliable. The F-150 had a good balance between power and MPG plus was very roomy. The best part was that it was made of aluminum and that's a pretty big deal if you're like me and live in the rust belt.

As for mid-size trucks:

If I were to go back to GM it would probably have been the Colorado/Canyon with the Duramax. I did not like the Ranger because I think it is fugly and didn't like that Ford basically half-assed bringing it back to the US by making minor changes (except power plant) to the truck and calling it "all new." The Frontier was ok but severely outdated. My father in law also has the Frontier and likes it but I wasn't about to go down that path. The Gladiator was cool but not at all practical for what I needed. I didn't like the Ridgeline at all so it was a non-factor for me.

If you took the time to read all of that, those are just some of my thoughts. It basically comes down to what you need and only you can make that decision.

 

I like the quick thoughts and summary on the different brands. I guess the thing that I've been looking at is the mid size trucks are almost the same price as the full size trucks... I guess that's not really the best way to look at it. I'm looking at how much more you get for a bit more but I don't honestly need all that and reliability, capability and fun factor probably means the most to me. I'm swaying towards the TACO now.. haha

 

No one has suggested a Ridgeline yet? LOL

 

yikes!

 

For what I wanted/needed functionally the Tacoma was a no brainer.

Access Cab - 6 ft bed... V6 4WD

Hauls lumber - check
Tows all that I would ever tow - check
4WD should I hit some forest service road or what-not - check
Looks good feels good drives good - check
And most important, do I look good in it - check

 

I downsized from a 2012 Tundra to a Tacoma last month. Besides the fact here in a suburb of Atlanta it was just hard to deal with a full size in traffic, at trade in I got almost everything I paid for my 9 year old truck when I purchased it new. I haven't regretted getting a smaller truck yet.

I guess if I were you in addition to what advice everyone else has given, I would think about two more things:

1. What incentives and warranties are each dealership offering? I get dealerships gouge you in the service department, but at the very least it is a comparison tool for services you can get "free" for however many years after the sale.

2. Also, will you routinely be carrying full sized adults in the back seat? I think you said your kids are grown, but if they visit often or you have friends, family, or coworkers you hang out with and drive often or a routine basis (especially those of larger size) they may be more comfortable in the larger truck. I personally have no social life outside of my son and wife, so that was not a big deal in my decision. If it was, I would have gone to a full size.

That said, I was getting about 14 combined mpg in the Tundra. I get 18 combined in Tacoma so far. I have the Predator package in the TRD Sport with the off road tires. I haven't really driven it on the Interstate for longer than 10 minutes total since I bought it last month, so my 18-19 mpgs are 99% city miles.

 

What about a Honda? Have you checked out the Ridgeline?

 

I too had a Ram 1500 before having the Tacoma. Chrysler products are very hit and miss quality-wise. The Ram was ok, a few annoying problems, but my Jeep Grand Cherokee was in the shop 3 times within the first year and had a head replaced at 200 miles. Plus that Ram hemi sucked gas like there was no tomorrow. I get between 17-19 mpg combined driving in my Tacoma, it's easier to maneuver, and the motorcycle and trailer I need to tow are well within it's capabilities. Every Toyota I or my family have owned have never had a major issue. Not to say it's not possible but I think it's less likely than with a Chrysler product. The Taco meets my needs and is reliable, so why spend the extra $$ on a full size pickup if I don't need the extra capability...YMMV