Why I bought a 4-banger Taco

This is my set-up......



Towing it for about 220 miles I averaged 20.1 mpg!!! I was so excited when I filled up. I tryed my best to re-fill it the exact same way for the most accurate results. It is mostly a flat trip, and I did stay at the speed limit. I am not to big on flying with a trailer for safety reasons. It is an older camper with hard sides. Weighs about 1800lbs as it sits, plus gear in the bed, the dog and the wife. It actually tows it better than my V-6 Chevy did. All around I was very happy with the way it felt and even getting up to speed was pretty good for a 4 cyl. This definitely made me fall in love with my Taco!!

 

cool beans

 

Yep, almost same set up here. I got the wife the access cab, she pulls a 92 Jayco at about the same weight, she averages 20-21 towing which is much better than the 14 she got with the old f150, plus is get 21 in town without trailer. The truck pulls well just can't be afraid to downshift every now and then for the hills.

 

For me when I bougt my first Taco which was an '07 Reg cab auto I4 all I wanted was a simple dependable pickup at a resonable price and the base tacoma was perfect. Then I decided it would be nice to be able to haul the kids and not have to drive my wifes car everytime I was picking them up. I could have afforded the payments on a V6 DC, but the kids fit fine in the Acces cab and the I4 has always had plenty of power for me, so I bought an '09 I4 auto Acces cab Sr5 and couldn't be happier with it.

 

what mpg do you get when traveling without the trailer under the same type of circumstances?

 

I just checked my mileage yesterday and it was 20.5 mpg. I've had the AC on quite a bit lately with the 100 degree temps here in Reno. The only time I've got less than 20 mpg is during the winter months. My truck got 18-19 mpg, but I let it warm up in the morning when it's cold outside.

 

Unfortunately I haven't been on that same trip since I bought the truck. I typically get 22.5-23 with mostly city driving. I am still having fun, 3 months after I got it, so when I calm down I am sure I will see a jump in mpg. I wasn't only happy with the fuel mileage, but also how well the truck felt for being a small 4 cylinder.

 

Just curious, how fast were you traveling?

 

I was doing 65 (GPS) on the major highways, and between 45-55 (again GPS) on the back roads. Really no city driving in that trip at all, and it's only a little hilly, mostly flat. Kind of an ideal trip to be honest. My speedo is 5mph off, so the whole time I was speeding according to that, lol.

 

Is this the 2.7 or 2.4 I4? 20MPG sounds awfully inefficient for a 4-banger.There's some V8's out there that get better economy then that. My first gen with the 2.4 gets close to 30MPG freeway.

 

The second gen with a 2.7 5 speed are rated at 20 city, 25 hwy for 2 wheel drive and 17 city, 22 hwy for 4 wheel drive. I guess the extra weight and difference in gearing hurts gas mileage for 4x4s.

 

How many V8 TRUCKS get more than 20mpg with 4x4 and 32" tires?

 

He's got shorter gearing and more weight than your truck.

 

And more power

 

That's a bunch of crap, 30mpg, or even close to 30mpg, isn't even in the cards. www.fueleconomy.gov lists the fuel economy numbers for a 2000 Taco 2wd 4cly 5spd as 22 city, 26 highway under the OLD testing criteria, under the new criteria 19 city, 24 highway. Mid 20's highway I can believe.

Here's what my wife's Taco has done since new, premium only 91 octane in ND:

Date odo trip gals mpg cost
8-Feb-09 326 325.1 15.270 21.3 $30.37
9-Feb-09 730 405.3 18.559 21.8 $38.96
25-Feb-09 1013 282.3 16.185 17.4 $33.97
15-Mar-09 1316 302.6 18.363 16.5 $40.38
27-Mar-09 1622 305.7 15.839 19.3 $36.41
14-Apr-09 1818 196.3 10.621 18.5 $24.42
4-May-09 2192 373.5 18.320 20.4 $41.57
19-May-09 2561 369.1 16.941 21.8 $39.79

30-May-09 2774 213.2 10.146 21.0 $27.38
31-May-09 3123 348.7 13.114 26.6 $37.49
1-Jun-09 3544 421.1 16.913 24.9 $50.72
6-Jun-09 3872 327.6 13.320 24.6 $39.68
7-Jun-09 4013 142.1 5.500 25.8 $17.04
7-Jun-09 4403 391.5 14.351 27.3 $41.60
7-Jun-09 4717 311.5 11.968 26.0 $32.54
19-Jun-09 4964 246.6 11.459 21.5 $32.65
26-Jun-09 5284 320.0 15.828 20.2 $45.09
30-Jun-09 5367 82.8 3.832 21.6 $10.73
8-Jul-09 5718 351.7 16.794 21.0 $45.33

 

Nice camper. We have that exact one we use at deercamp when we don't sleep in the back of the trucks.

 

What rear end do you have? If it's super low (like 3.31:1 on the 5-lug manuals) I could see that if you drive like a grandpa at 55. You also don't have the same displacement at the 2.7.

I honestly think the difference in mpg between the 2x4 and 4x4 has to do with the 4.10 rear end standard in the 4x4. Mine (PreRunner with 4.10) is rated the same as a 5-lug with a 3.31 rear end by the EPA, but there is no way possible they could have the same F/E...

 

We have had this for 22years. My parents bought it back in 1987 for $2500, a young 2 years old. Served us well over the years and still looks similar to the day we got it, atleast in my eyes but I was 10 at the time. They have since upgraded, and allowed my wife and I a free camper. Hoping to upgrade ourselves too, but damn this baby's been around!

 

Are you kidding? Towing a camper at highway speed with the shit ethanol blend we have in my wonderful state. Considering I average atleast 6-7mpg better than my 4.3 chevy and I swear this 4 cyl is more powerful! LOL Although I could get 17 out of my S-10 towing the same setup if I behaved too. I towed with my wifes Xterra, and only got 12.5 mpg. That gets consistently 18-19 mpg not towing. But those 260 horsies rear their ugly heads if you step on it!! Damn I love that truck too!!

 

[quote="OldManTan";785982]Are you kidding? Towing a camper at highway speed with the shit ethanol blend we have in my wonderful state. Considering I average atleast 6-7mpg better than my 4.3 chevy and I swear this 4 cyl is more powerful! LOL Although I could get 17 out of my S-10 towing the same setup if I behaved too. I towed with my wifes Xterra, and only got 12.5 mpg. That gets consistently 18-19 mpg not towing. But those 260 horsies rear their ugly heads if you step on it!! Damn I love that truck too!![/quote]

Dont get me started on Ethanol.... Garbage! I have been looking for the elusive ethanol free stations around here.

Nice pop up!
I just got an older pop up myself. And i have the 4 banger.