Unless you have to buy a truck now, I would wait a year. A new ranger is in the works, a new Tacoma should be coming soon, a new Unibody Dakota and maybe a Frontier.

 

Tacoma will be restyled in 2012. Who knows about the Ranger since they have been saying something will happen for the past 4 or 5 years.

 

i would look for a level 2 with that kind of budget then mods!

 

Used F150 around 20Kish, save the rest

 

If you burned so much money on your old truck that it was cheaper to pay for a new one (plus upkeep) then you either didn't take care of it, or got a lemon. I agree that you shouldn't spend more than you can afford, but just because you can afford to spend more doesn't mean you should. My point is, just because a Tacoma costs more than a Ranger doesn't mean one is better than the other and just because new costs more than used doesn't mean it's better either. It's a matter of what the better value is to you as the buyer.

IMO, all that extra money to buy new only temporarily benefits your peace of mind. It's a waste of money to buy brand new. The vehicle loses 10-20% of it's value as soon as you sign the papers and drive off the lot. That "great" warranty you get will be "voided" when you have a problem over half of the time because you did or didn't do "this" or "that" or they're just being jerks.

A year after you buy it, someone else could buy the exact same vehicle at least 20-30% cheaper than you did with the exact same "warranty". You're not going to dump that much money into a good used vehicle in one or two years.


THIS:
Test drive whatever vehicles you are interested in buying and get the one that YOU like best. I also agree that a certified pre-owned (or year-old "new" vehicle) is a much better financial decision.

I'm assuming "lsd" stands for limited slip differential...my question is: If it's got a locker, why does it need an auto lsd?? Just curious...

 

I'm not going to be dumping this truck anytime soon so I don't care about resale value. I plan on keeping this truck for about 10 years maybe longer. To me it was worth spending a bit more on something that no one has owned. To each his own though.

The auto LSD works only in 2wd and the locker only works in 4wd low. Normally the diff is full open. So if you get stuck to the point where a 2wd with lsd will get you out but you can't use 4wd because you are turning then you can activate the auto lsd to get you out. The system brakes the tire that is spinning too fast which is usually the one with no traction. It isn't a lsd unit in the diff. It works the same way as clicking the ebrake a bit does in vehicles with normal axles. There is also a third setting called ATRAC. It works the same way as auto lsd but it can only be used in 4wd low and is more aggressive than auto lsd. If I have the rear locked the front will act like a lsd with ATRAC on.

 

lol. why not? the locker is only able to be used in 4wd Low(toyota does this to save cover there ***, it can easily be converted to use all the time in a matter of 15-20 mins, its called the gray wire mod.) I think the LSD is a very nice thing to have in those times where the traction loss is not enough to go over to 4wd, but its still sliippery enough to have minor wheel spin.


i dont know about the new tacos, but my 02 comes stock with a Eaton locker, but i do not have the lsd.

 

It's more involved with my gen but it can be done. I don't think I will do it though. I am thinking about adding a true ABS and VSC cancellation switch since when you turn the VSC off it still lurks a bit.

 

Ok. I was under the assumption that the locker engaged all the time automatically (like a lock-rite or no-slip) and thus the l/s wouldn't do anything because the axle was locked already. Just seemed redundant, but it actually sounds pretty nice. Now that I think about it, the no-slip is a l/s and locker IIRC. Acts like a l/s when not accelerating and a locker when accelerating??

I'm with you on keeping the truck long term. I've had mine for 6+ years and won't get rid of it 'til it completely blows up! lol

 

whipper what year was your ranger and did you buy it new?

 

My Ranger was an 03. I bought it used in 05 with 35K miles.

 

I don't see how you can go around saying how you hated your ranger and it being a pos when you didn't own the truck its whole life. You bought it used, (I'm assuming) that you didn't know if the original owner changed fluids, maintained it, etc. I can't see you justifying your ranger as being a pos when you weren't its original owner. Sure, a vehicle should be reliable no matter what but imo one can only judge if the car was well maintained under one owner, my thinking might be off but that's just my .02, but at least you can do that with your taco

 

Well that is true I don't know how well it was maintained by the previous owner. The truck itself was reliable except for the drivetrain. I was never stranded but every year the slave cylinder would crap out. I had a different installer do it each time thinking maybe the installer screwed up. I find out that this is a common problem in manual 4wd Rangers. Then towards the final year that I owned it just started needing everything. It leaked from tranny and from the front pinion seal. The truck had a total of 5 pinion seals all replaced by Ford in its life with 2 on the front diff I swapped in. The front crank seal gave out at 100K miles. I think that's early. I took good care of my truck. I just got tired of fixing the damn thing every month. Maybe if I had an auto I would have been happier but it's gone now.

 

I want to give my truck a little wider stance in the front....wheel spacers or adapters...?

 

What does this have to do with anything in this thread?

 

What does arguing toyota over Ford? Seriously. But I vote to go get one of the new twin turbo'd Ford Taurus (Spelling) SHO's.

 

Ordered the new truck...........And yaw went crazy on this post.........I ended up buying a used 2009 ranger fx4 with 16.000 miles got it for 19,600..........picking it up on friday from ORI........yup gettin it lifted......Geared....brush gaurd........and a few other suprises.........I promise pictures by saturday night! Stay tuned!

 

Compairing a taco and 150 dosent make sense ones a smell truck ones a fullsize its apples and oranges Now a Tundra and 150 or Ranger and taco you can compare price cause they are the same class...

 

Sweet! I know the owner of ORI, I almost went to work there last year. Super nice guy and really cool shop.

 

The only reason toyota has a "good name" is cause people don't want to tell you all the crap that happens to them, cause if they do then they would take down the "good name" that they "have".
Toyota's are crap. Don't get one. I've known so many people that have owned one and everything seems to go wrong on them. Plus they look like ****.

 

Right. My truck is so much crap but I'm afraid to hurt the name. Remember that I'm the guy that b!tched about my Ranger every time it broke down so you would be sure to hear if anything was wrong with my Toyota and I'm sure the people you know either beat their Toyotas to hell or they bought them beat to hell. Any vehicle will fall apart if not taken care of.

OP: Congrats on the new Ranger man.

 

I think my IQ went down a couple of points

And good choice on the ranger!

 

ok based on everything ive read all ive been able to figure is that the 06+ tacos may or may not have rust / frame problems .... and the early double cabs with the stick clunk into gear

otherwise they are solid trucks

 

Well if you what to die go for the toy but if you what to live go for the Ranger
Toyota Vehicles : Toyota Announces Details of Remedy to Address Potential Accelerator Pedal Entrapment / Toyota

 

I'm the Same on the Tacoma