Tacoma outselling Ranger 2:1

Agree on the resale part as you never get your money back on upgrades. I do plan on keeping and using it for off-road so neither would be worth much when I am done!! I did not want to hassle with selling the take offs and running around doing the upgrades. I don’t believe you can get the moon roof on a Pro, at least that is what my research came up with pre-purchase. If I didn’t like the parts that they used I wouldn’t have done it either but they used quality stuff for the upgrades. Toytec, RCI, SPC UCA’s, TRD Pro stainless steel exhaust, TRD pro wheels, etc.....and the Nitto Trail Grapplers are IMO better than what comes with the Pro which I believe are Wranglers or Duratrac’s perhaps (not sure here). I do wish they would have used the Pro leather seats with the red stitching instead of the standard leather seats but can’t have it all I guess. And with 25k down and zero percent interest I got a manageable payment as well. Love my “right out of the box” Taco and I can afford to do it this way so no one can argue with that!!!

Update: TRD Pro does have a moon roof. Sorry folks, my bad.

 

Our 3.5s are complicated and so is the 5.0, minus the turbo they're really no different. It's not like they're some old carb pushrod V8. The 2.7 and 3.5 ecoboost are solid reliable engines. Early 3.5s did have some issues with timing chains stretching. Which is bullshit but Ford got it mostly worked out and that had nothing to do with them being boosted. As of late both Ecoboost variants are more reliable than the 5.0...

Hopefully the Tacoma will get a small boosted V6 in the next refresh. Pretty clear the Ranger will when it changes over to the Bronco chassis. That's really my only knock on my truck is the power. And small turbo 6 would 100% fix that.

 

I never said that Ford "will" put it in the next Ranger, I simply pointed out that it's possibile since they are sharing the platform.

 

Lol, it's like the bedsides are as high as the Tacoma cab. Looks ridiculous.

 

That's a good looking truck. And I'm pretty sure the moon roof is standard on the pro, which is why it wouldn't be an option.

 

A motor with turbo + GDI (with intermittent port injection) + VVT is way more complicated than the 3.5 Toyota and a Coyote engine that has proven reliable for a decade now. Besides the engine having a lot of complications there's also the internal pressures that these engines have to deal with. The combustion pressure inside an Ecoboost engine is incredibly higher than what you'll find on a naturally aspirated engine with port injection. I don't have the numbers in front of me right now but I've seen them before and it's a pretty crazy difference. The higher the pressure = the lower long term reliability. It's all a matter of personal opinion and preference but I'll stay away from it. I haven't bought a Ford product since my F150 cracked an engine block towing a 3k pound trailer cross country.

 

Thanks. Ya it must come with a moon roof. Not sure where I heard that. Not sure why it wouldn’t either.

 

One engine by Ford to stay away from now is the coyote 5.0L V8 Ford engineers have managed to screw it up royally, between 2018-20 these engines in the F150's have been exhibiting heavy oil usage. The fixes have been less than stellar, reprogramming pvc, and second adding a longer dipstick, which only hides the oil usage. The only difference between tried and true 2017 and back 5.0L engines is they added a new type block in 2018, plasma weld cylinder bores, you can draw your own conclusions there. There are plenty of videos on youtube about this defect in the 5.0L.

 

dAMN!!! truck looks great man

 

Our 3.5 and the Coyote both run direct, port injection and VVT. Again, the difference is only the turbo on the ecoboost. A turbo doesn't make it way more complicated.

Of course a turbo engine (when in boost) will have higher cylinder pressures than an N/A (type of fuel injection has no impact here). What makes you think higher cylinder pressure means the engine is less reliable if it was designed for that higher pressure from the get go?

Our engines have a much higher compression ratio than Toyotas of old so we run higher cylinder pressures too. Does that make ours less reliable? The 4 cylinder Tacomas have more load on them than the V6 so are they also less reliable because of that?

 

I have an extended cab 1999, tons of space. Gonna swap from a 99 Explorer.

 

Oh, you're one of those people that just like to argue on the internet. I'm pretty sure it's a universal truth that gas engines subject to higher combustion pressures are less reliable over time than those with lower pressures. If you want to argue that I suggest you find someone else. Have a good one.

 

I went with the eddie bower edition. Seats, center console, plus the overhead console. Even got the compass and outside temp working. Don't forget the temp sensor if you are going all out!

 

I wish the TRD Pro didnt didnt have a moonroof.....dont want one. Also wish fewer had the ugly snorkle.

 

That was the only decent engine Ford had left. I am thankful I have a Toyota.....neighbor has a 2010ish F150 and the body is rusting away in the back....out in the driveway every few weeks working on it to keep it running. Worthless garbage.

 

I like the moon roof but would want a snorkel. I don’t mind not having the hood scoop either. It’s just more height to look over on the trails.

 

I first ran across the 5.0 issues when I was checking out the new Mustangs. They run insanely high compression, like 12:1. They squeeze a TON of power out of them, 460 horse stock, which is really awesome. But like you say, there are lots of issues that make me question how long this engine will last (which is probably just until the warranty expires)

Have you heard about the BBQ tick? Some of these 5.0s will start bottom end ticking after the first oil change. It's excessive play in the main bearings and the rod caps. There are you tube videos of people fixing this by doing a bottom end bearing job. Eventually the bottom end will drop out pre maturely.

This has been happening for years and Ford has a TSB saying it's normal. It happens on trucks and Mustangs about equally.

Way to go Ford, screw up the last V8 you'll probably make. Gotta stay away, even though I want one bad.

 

I ran across the excessive oil burning in the 5.0L 2018-20's when researching new trucks. Couldn't believe how many had the issue and felt sorry for them as this was a brand new truck to most of them.

 

That engine has been around for quite a while, so how in the heck did Ford screw it up? Acura did the same with the K24 the first year of the 2nd generation TSX (2009). Honda put that engine in everything from Accords, to TSXs, to Elements, CRVs, etc., and for some reason they started having oil burning issues in 2009? WTF Honda?????

I think they fixed it in 2010, but that doesn't explain how a (K-series) engine that has been around for over a decade has oil consumption issues.

 

They started doing some kind of plasma electro-coating plating liners in 2018, like they do on the GT350 5.2L Voodoo (which also has oil burning issues).