Pickup truck recommendations

[88E30M50]

I picked up a Tacoma last fall and it’s become one of my favorite vehicles I’ve ever owned. It’s not perfect but it’s damned good. Perfect in size though. It has idiosyncrasies but I’ve come to really like it. It will get almost 25mpg on the way down to HHRP from Greenwood and averages around 18 to 22 around town depending on my driving style.

 

[Route 45]

Ford or Chevy. 3/4 ton long 8' bed. Cab and a half. I can't even look at a Ram since Flippin Fiat bought 'em. If an 8' sheet of plywood will not lay flat in the bed, it is NOT, I repeat, NOT a truck. All the other stuff is just glorified grocery getters.

Honda will NEVER build a real pickup. Reminds me of that diesel Rabbit pickup that VW made for a while. Japanese iteration of a Legendary American concept.

The OP asked for ideas on a small to midsize pickup that gets fairly decent gas mileage. He doesn't sound like the kind to wrap his fragile ego up in what kind of vehicle he drives, so I doubt he needs to buy a 3/4 ton to prove how 'Murican he is.

 

[Waldojr]

Good thread, I'm also looking for a truck with very similar idea. I only need to pull 2 jetskis. Is there a certain Year/motor to stay away from the Tundras/Tacoma? I will be trading in my Kia so it won't be a brand new truck.

 

[dung]

2016 Tacomas have more issues than the 2nd Gen. Some of the new ones have noisy differentials and there isnt a real fix for it.

 

[Thor]

I have a '97 F-150 that my dad bought and has needed nothing but standard maintenance.

 

[eric001]

Good thread, I'm also looking for a truck with very similar idea. I only need to pull 2 jetskis. Is there a certain Year/motor to stay away from the Tundras/Tacoma? I will be trading in my Kia so it won't be a brand new truck.

The 2016 Tacos are basically the same as all up to the new ones 2020/2021's. They all run the same engine, and I'm thinking only minor differences in the package options. They're all mechanically good to go.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

She’s never let me down. 21mpg on a roadtrip to Florida and back.

 

[Goodcat]

I've got a 2006 Ford F150 with 180k, with a newer engine in Noblesville. Clean as a whistle for $7,600.

 

[Waldojr]

The 2016 Tacos are basically the same as all up to the new ones 2020/2021's. They all run the same engine, and I'm thinking only minor differences in the package options. They're all mechanically good to go.

Thanks! I will be looking at a few next week throughout the state.

 

[patience0830]

The OP asked for ideas on a small to midsize pickup that gets fairly decent gas mileage. He doesn't sound like the kind to wrap his fragile ego up in what kind of vehicle he drives, so I doubt he needs to buy a 3/4 ton to prove how 'Murican he is.

No fragile ego involved. And if he wants smaller with better gas mileage, well, more power to him. Just don't call it a real pickup around me because I will correct you. Repeatedly.

 

[Route 45]

No fragile ego involved. And if he wants smaller with better gas mileage, well, more power to him. Just don't call it a real pickup around me because I will correct you. Repeatedly.

 

[bobzilla]

She’s never let me down. 21mpg on a roadtrip to Florida and back.

We have the gmc version of that truck with the 4.8 in 2wd. Tows 5k lbs all day at 15mpg, pure highway with real gas is closer to 24mpg and with e10-e15 we see 22. 18 driving it to and from work. Physically it’s not much larger than a “midsize” and a lot more useful.

but if you have to go midsize the new gen Colorado is a great truck.

 

[schmart]

Ford or Chevy. 3/4 ton long 8' bed. Cab and a half. I can't even look at a Ram since Flippin Fiat bought 'em. If an 8' sheet of plywood will not lay flat in the bed, it is NOT, I repeat, NOT a truck. All the other stuff is just glorified grocery getters.

No fragile ego involved. And if he wants smaller with better gas mileage, well, more power to him. Just don't call it a real pickup around me because I will correct you. Repeatedly.

You know there are lots of people around here who could take you to task for calling your Pickup a Truck too. My dad used to point out how citified I'd become when I called my Ford a Truck. He'd take me out to the shed and point out the grain hauler and say, that is a small truck, the Semi and trailer over there is a bigger truck. We could say that if you aren't driving a box truck with a 20' bed, then it isn't a real truck.

Then if you look overseas, you will find many "real trucks" in use delivering freight every day that are much smaller than your ideal, but yours couldn't even fit down the street.

Yeah, talking smack to close friends is cute, but coming into a thread with this type of attitude puts people off. I don't care that you have almost 10K posts vs my hundreds, it still puts people off.

--Rick

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

Another vote for the Tacoma. I'm 6'1" and have no trouble with headroom or legroom. If I need to haul something bigger than the bed allows, I can hook up a trailer.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

 

[IndianaSoloMcfly]

Ford or Chevy. 3/4 ton long 8' bed. Cab and a half. I can't even look at a Ram since Flippin Fiat bought 'em. If an 8' sheet of plywood will not lay flat in the bed, it is NOT, I repeat, NOT a truck. All the other stuff is just glorified grocery getters.

Honda will NEVER build a real pickup. Reminds me of that diesel Rabbit pickup that VW made for a while. Japanese iteration of a Legendary American concept.

Ill remember this when i go to work monday and am listening to all my coworkers whine about how they are always having to tinker with their fords,
tacoma is bulletproof, certainly a REAL truck.
Tacoma LOOKS like a truck as well, the new chevy looks like a 4 year olds drawing who has never actually seen a truck.

 

[gregkl]

Another vote for the Tacoma. I'm 6'1" and have no trouble with headroom or legroom. If I need to haul something bigger than the bed allows, I can hook up a trailer.

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk

That's a nice looking truck!

 

[bigretic]

I currently have a 97 K1500 z71 stepside 3 door (230k) and a 17 Colorado z71 4 door. (23k) I love the Colorado for it's better maneuverability. It hauls what i need it to just fine and the 300hp 6 really moves. Previously, 89 K1500 stepside regular cab was sold with 268 on the clock and still ran like a top. So yeah, i'll put my vote in for GM. Can't go wrong with a toyota truck but you will pay a premium, no doubt. I had one and it was great. Look at the miles on used trucks and you will see the all "last"... btw, the physical foot print of a "small" truck is not as small as it used to be. It's really only a matter of inches and it's more width than length.

 

[Route 45]

It's really only a matter of inches and it's more width than length.

You can always buy a bigger truck if you are not happy with what you've got.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

I've had an '03 Tundra for about 14 years. No big issues with it, V8 that will get 20 on the highway. Will hopefully be quite some time before I need to look for another pickup, but will check Toyota first when I do.

 

[ditcherman]

Ridgeline = a mini van with a bed only driven by gun instructors with British accents!


My Tundra comment is on the older ones for some strange reason as they get older the Tacoma seems to be worth more due to cult following the “quality” would be similar. The Tundra can do everything the Tacoma can do only better plus V8 power with decent MPG.

My tundra can do most everything any 7.3 f250 I’ve ever owned and some things that the f350’s can do. Tough to compete with the 24v dually though as far as towing.
I stayed away from this conversation because the op wanted good gas mileage, and the Tundra could be better. I get 13-15 stop and go, maybe 16 highway but it’s all rednecked up.