Help for a newbie: 4 or 6 cylinder (both double cab) for my needs?

i get a tick over 20 mpg with mine. You want anything better get a Corolla.

 

Agreed. Get a V6.

 

Thanks for the opinions!

If I were to decide on the 4cyl, I do not plan on paying over $8.5k.

It will be driven on pavement almost entirely and will either be on the forever flat landscape of Houston with some possibilities of going into the hill country. There is also a possibility I will be moving to Los Angeles/Orange County (I know LA has some hills).

 

That's all right, if you move to LA you'll be in 1st gear the whole time between the hours of 7am and 7pm. J/k

 

If you want decent mileage from a Toyota and must have a truck bed, the 5 lug w 4 cyl./5 spd. is the only way to go.
Houston has chewed them up and spit them out for quite a while now though. I haven't seen a nice one (worth asking price) in 10 yrs.

 

If your v6 can't maintain speed on hills of SC something is wrong ....

 

Here's a few facts and my opinion for you.

Both trucks will get about the same MPG. The 3400 wont have to work as hard to keep up against grades and heavy wind resistance as the 2.7l.

With that being said the DC 2.7l 4cyl trucks are relatively rare vehicles. Toyota only produced these trucks in 2001 and 2002 (I'm not certain of actual production numbers).

Either vehicle will serve you very well. The 2.7 is a very reliable engine and uses chains to drive the timing system. The 3.4 is also a very reliable engine but uses a belt driven timing system. Look at having the timing belt, tensioner/idlers and water pump replaced on the 3.4 every 100k to keep it happy.

I don't think you'll regret going with the 3.4l v-6 especially in a DC truck...there's just more HP and torque there in case you ever need to tow something. I don't believe I would let the fuel mileage be a deal breaker since they'll both get close to the same MPG....Honestly my Chevrolet 1500 Z71 with the 5.3l V-8 gets better MPG than my lifted Tacoma did when it had 3" lift and 285's....Consider the MPG going down the drain with any suspension or tire swap.

Either way you can't go wrong with these little trucks.

Similar mileage trucks go from 8k-12k clean. Make sure there is no chassis rust or major mechanical issues before you dive in.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!

 

I mean my 4cyl sees 5000-7500 feet elevation everyday, thus was wondering.

My 17 PRO has the V6, so I am familiar with both worlds.

That said, once you throw in big tires, etc, its not a fair comparison anymore.


I have driven Gen 1 V6, and they feel like a Pagani Zonda, compared to my Gen 1 2.7L fattie

 

So you have the FASTEST Gen 1, manual trans and V6, and you are complaining!!!

Get out of here!!

That is like having a 8.5 inch man meat and complaining.

This thread is for us 2 inchers!!!!

I HAVE 150HP
GIMPOMATIC
3800 lbs.

0-60 = never

 

Put a trailer hitch on a Corolla

 

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Personally I would get the 3.4L just for the extra get up and go at highway speeds, but thats just my 2 cents.