Mpg vs smiles per gallon

Tacoma on 33s always gets more MPG than my sequoia does so I’m happy with that

 

Haven't checked the mpg (and don't plan on starting) since purchasing new back in 2007. It's a truck... didn't get it for good milage.

 

I like a little of both.
Not to agressive but still makes me smile.

 

I enjoy both

 

Being into muscle cars when I was a teen and getting my license suspended for racing, then almost loosing it again in my 20s…am over trying to go fast on the street. Though the vehicle I owned that gave me the biggest smile was the slowest, our ‘73 VW Westy. Closest thing I can equate it to, is being in the first car of a wooden roller coaster. Terribly slow while climbing, then shook and rattled while descending, with a fair amount of uncertainty whether or not it was going to fly off the road or be able to stop. It was quite the thrill! Lol!

Love my Tacoma, but wish it got better mpgs, mainly for range because of living out West. Diesel would cure this, but Toyota says no diesel for you! Lol!

 

My 86 westy was below the threshold for acceptable HP for the mountains out here, I liked it for everything else but it sure was anemic, VW should have powered it with 4cyl turbo diesel.

 

Sadly, it actually isn't Toyota that says "No!" to diesel, as they sell diesels in most every other country. It's the US Federal ID10Ts that won't allow diesel's into the US in most vehicles. A neighbor of mine growing up in Los Angeles in the 70's had a diesel Toyota pickup, but I have no idea if he bought it here or had it imported.

 

After adding some 5.29s and an OTT tune I've definitely got the smiles.......

If I'm honest, I sure as *@#! didn't buy a truck for the MPGs.

 

Smile Per Gallon for the Tacoma... I got other cars that get Miles Per Gallon

 

A 4 cylinder diesel in a Vanagon Syncro would have been the cats meow.

Dream bus would be this, though pretty much useless other than for racing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkjrvp9AYeE

The ‘73 was our most beloved vehicle had it for 8 years then sold it to dealer in the Netherlands. It was hilariously slow. No ac, no heat, power nothing, incredibly underpowered rewarded with terrible mpgs. Lol! It did however put a big smile on our faces when driven.

 

I supposed it depends on exactly the mpgs and amount of smiles. If my Taco got the 9 mpgs that my motorhome gets, it would have to go unconditional of the smiles. I have plenty of smiles currently at 17-18mpgs. I'd be smiling even more if it could get 30 mpgs. So

 

They were legally sold in the 70s and 80s, but pretty rare. There was a mid 80s pickup with a Wildernest on BAT for sale a few years ago. Grandmother had a diesel VW Rabbit, like 50 mpg, but horrendously slow. There is a guy running around here with a diesel 2 door Isuzu Amigo. Remember those?

Yeah, odd that the Big 3 can do it, but Toyota says “No!”

Light truck diesel never took off here, think because of those early Chevy 1/2 tons, they basically tossed diesel heads on a gasser block. They were horrid, pretty much ruined it for everyone else. We finally get them, then they are so overly complicated, expensive upcharge plus expensive to fix, just never have a chance in the American market.

Toyota does have a diesel hybrid for the new Land Cruiser in the European market, think you can get it all, power and mpgs.

 

I probably shouldn't have let the Westy go but it was a WC boxer and when they start aging they're an expensive maintenance whore. Ironically it sold almost instantly to guy 3 states away, obviously he had search set. I was getting phone calls on it for 2 weeks. It's the only vehicle I've owned that appreciated noticeably in value despite doing almost nothing to it for the 5years I owned it besides routine maint. It sold it for $4K more then I paid for it.

 

It was the one vehicle we regret selling. We were moving and didn’t have room for it. Only vehicle I ever made money on. Doubled what I paid. Selling it to an overseas dealer was a pain, will never do that ever again.

We have thought of getting another, then thought why? Getting older and want comfort. Eye balling Airstreams for when we retire here in a couple years.

 

I vote both! Tacoma is my daily. Fun car is my '00 ALH tdi jetta 5 speed. 50 mpg all day. I should drive it more but the taco is nicer

 

Yep, those GM gasser -> diesel conversions probably did ruin the future of diesels in the US.

About 15 years ago, I went dove hunting in Argentina with my dad. The guide had a diesel powered Ford minivan. I got such a laugh out of that. Almost every vehicle of all kinds in Argentina at that time was diesel powered. I have heard Europe is largely the same. The part that frustrates me is that diesel engines are so much better than gas engines, in terms of power, fuel economy, and emissions pollution, and the US is apparently the only country that remains clueless to these facts. If it wasn't for the fact that diesel fuel is a by-product of refining crude oil into gasoline, I could imagine the Big Oil companies behind the shadow "ban" on diesel vehicles in the US, but the would actually make far more profit from a mostly diesel based economy, since it is much cheaper to refine diesel fuel than gas, and since the mid 80's, diesel has been selling for generally higher prices than gasoline.

It is what it is, I guess.

 

I needed a truck again so I bought a truck along with the MPG's of a Tacoma. Between my wife and I, definitely smiles. Especially off road exploring, going camping or driving to the cabin. City driving is a downer at the best of times but there are glimmers of joy once in a while in the city.

 

My 3rd Gen definitely puts a smile on my face every time I drive it, don’t even have to drive all that fast to do so. More about the places it takes me. A lot of modern conveniences, but still feels like an old Toyota. It could use better mpgs, but oh well.