Nissan or Toyota
Jim
it sounds like you live in wichita ks. they start priced up $1,000 - $2000. i don't go there anymore.
it sounds like you live in wichita ks. they start priced up $1,000 - $2000. i don't go there anymore.
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tacoma set up identical to the nissan. my experience was that the toyota was noisier around town and comfort levels were about the same. i was well aware of the reputation for quality that toyota had but nissan was no slouch when it came to quality either, asthetics wise i liked the frontier over the toyota. however the deciding factor was that the toyota came in at almost $3k
more, i could not justify that difference in price. anyway i have driven my truck for several long trips and i have felt just fine.
thanks.
refering to it as a 'mini van for men'. My oldest daughter is just learning to drive, and she likes driving it, good visibility, good brakes. My younger kids say the back seat is better than my old car (a 1989 toyota corolla). I am a big fan of toyotas. I would have loved to buy a t150 access cab. I was worried about the V6, 'cuase I thought it wasa new engine. But, it turns out it's the same engine that Nissan uses in the Pathfinder, so that was encouraging. I was in New Zealand a while back, and 4-door trucks (mazda, toyota, mittsubishi) were all over the place. I think the design is better than a car, but if you're a serious truck guy, then you should get a full size. You'll get lots of rude comments from your trck friends, but curious looks and nice comments from every guy that has a mini van! Oh yeah the literature said it gets 16-19 mpg. I think I am getting the 16, it goes about 300 miles per tank (the tank is less than 20 gallons). I hope the truck lasts for 200K or more. I'll write back again as I drive it. FYI I drive a lot, and most of it is just running the kids around, I also surf and ride mountain bikes, so the bed is always full! Be sure to get the bed extender, and I'll be adding roof racks (Yakima, I think) soon, so that will increase storage a lot.
From my owning experience the 96 Tacoma I had was a Great truck and with exception of head gasket replacement at 19k miles, the truck was trouble free. Its just way overpriced.
To the guy who lost his Frontier to his wife, join the club. Mine is white and my wife wanted black but she drives it all the time. She gets all kinds of nice comments from people and she says it's an ego boost.
Tacoma is a great truck to but as many of you have mentioned they are priced way too high compared to the Frontier.
However, if I were to buy either one, it would be for my wife to drive. These trucks are great for women to drive and can see why you guy's lost them to your spouses.
BOTH trucks are way overpriced, but I would still by a Tacoma over the Nissan, even with the 4 door Frontier that has more room (really butt ugly). The Nissan's have always been less reliable, cheaper built (cheesy interiors), and much less attractive exteriors. Yeah, they are less $, but thats so they can compete with Toyota. Some get sucked into buying them. Some are even happy with their purchase. However, for most of those people, if they had ever owned a Tacoma, they wouldn't have bought the Nissan.
Glad you are happy with the Frontier. If you don't know what you are missing, I am sure the Frontier will be a great truck for you.
Tacoma and found every 15,000 miles you have to
"Lubricate the propeller shaft and re-torque bolts"
Then it says to: "Re-torque drive shaft flange
bolts" What's the difference between the propeller
shaft and the drive shaft? What do you torque the
bolts to? Where are the bolts on the propeller
shaft to torque? Where are the flange boltslocated? Thanks for any help.
Everyone always quotes 0-60 times in trucks. Its the magazines and reveiwers who push 0-60 times as being so important in a truck. For those of us who use our trucks as trucks we all know what is MOST important, TORQUE!! and Torque curve.
Back to Nissan. Nissan also offeres an offroad pkg pretty much the same as the Ranger. You get a limited slip rearend, stiffer shocks, fender flares, larger tires. The only down fall to the Nissan is its lack of torque. 200 vs 220 in the Tacoma vs 225 in the Ranger.
Hate to burst your bubble but the Tacoma does not rule the mountain.
I guess they feel the more they pay, the better the truck will be? 24K for a compact pickup?? No way!
By the way, why are you sorry ranger and oversized Silverado people doing on a chat for toyota and nissan? Looking for a better made truck probably. If you are happy with those trucks, you should stay on a sight that is appropriate. People want to know about dependable and more affordable trucks and not unserviceable rangers and overpriced Silverados. I will say though that Tacomas are a little overpriced but from what I have read, they are reliable. Go brag about your trucks somewhere else and let people brag about their Nissans and Toyotas on this one. pLease
PS - Who ever can brag about a ranger anyway. All I have ever heard is they are junk and end up in the shop more than on the road. go back to the Tacoma vs. Ranger forum.
Nissan is supposed to be coming out with a supercharger like Toyota in the 2000 sometime for the 3.3.
I also didn't put down the Nissan or Toyota. But I have already gone up against both the Frontier 3.3 and Toyota 3.4 in my Ranger. Sorry, the TRD is overrated/overpriced marketing package. The Nissan 3.3 is an absolute joke, no torque! A locker is only used in certain situations when on a trail. Most of these situations a person wouldn't take a 22K-24K NEW truck into. I am an offroad type/outdoors person and both my Rangers have been in the thick of it. Don't put a truck down if you know NOTHING about them.
I bet most of the import 4X4 owners don't even know how to put their trucks into 4wd and if they do, they don't know how to properly use them in 4wd. It's all a fad thing with these turds, I mean TRD's.
My wife still loves the truck and I will still have to fight for it when I get back. I might just pick up a used T100. I wouldn't mind a regular cab Nissan Pickup. It is still an option.
I do know how to shift my Frontier into 4 wheel drive. It's not push button like many Chevy's I know. Toyota Tacoma 4X4 (uses a stick) does have the push start cancel feature. You can use the ignition & push/start/cancel to pull your vehicle out if you are ever stuck and that's only if the 4 low won't help. Never know anyone to have that problem.
The 2000 Frontiers do have a Bose system available and comes with a subwoofer. I am not sure about Toyota's stereo set up other than it sounds just fine.
Whatever you buy:
Enjoy the ride.
the Silverado chat (still wondering why Silverado chat is HERE)..I just cant help but mention an observation I have made..a 6 year old full size truck looks like an old truck..by 10 years they really look done..dont know why...but it just seems to be the case...while Trucks such as Toyota still look...and everyone know RUN great in year 10...I myself am leaning toward the Nissan...I have always been a Toyota person...Nothing but good things to say about my past Toyota truck...only the price has me leaning toward the Nissan....If anyone has any comments on Toyota vs Nissan I would apprieciate you opinion..looking at the extended cab V6..Thank You
I don't like the nissan 4x4 because you have to stop and go into reverse to get out of 4x4 mode. On the toyota you can shift of the fly at speeds of up to 50/60 mph. You can do that too on the jeep and I really like that feature when driving on the highway with snowy patches (usually with elevation changes). If you can live with that and you don't offroad, the nissan is a pretty reliable truck.
The main reason for purchasing the toyota is reliability. I like to go fishing but I don't like being stranded. I don't drive with a herd of other 4x4's, so getting back from "out there" justified the extra expense.
The locker Toyota offers is a very EXPENSIVE marketing gimmick. I will admit the locker is superior in straight away traction. However, the locker is only beneficial in certain instances. Lockers are for the very avid offroading person who doesn't care if their vehicle is rolled, scratched, dented ect.. My point is, you will never take your vehicle into places where a locker will actually get its full use. So, you pay up to 3K additional for a nice sticker.
See you in the hills.
My remarks about the nissan 4x4 was limited to my experience with the pathfinder. I did not test drive the frontier. Thank you for setting the record straight.
Vince:
You are so right, the trd is a big marketing gimick, 1600 for a pair of stickers, sheesh. Although, with the stickers they do throw in a bunch of other free stuff like the diff. locker, better suspension, bigger tires, alloy rims, clutch cancel start (not on the automatic obviously). I was always a sucker for free stuff :-). Seriously, 1600 isn't that much if you amortize it over the life of the truck.
Mine is sunfire red. Oops, I took my truck out to test the locker before I read your post. Sorry to report the diff switch isn't just decorative, it works as advertised.
Six days and I already have scratched the paint. Guess she can't stay a virgin forever ;-)
I suppose following a trail made by a hummer would even be better. My neighbour has a black one but I've only seen her take it grocery shopping. God honest truth.
Go with a Nissan Frontier or a Toyota and you can't go wrong.
Enjoy the ride.
+ TRD (1.6 K)
total 23.6K
That would be between 23K and 24K. There are bunch of other options that can be added besides TRD. Like auto trans (850), SR5 (a/c, cd player and chrome acc. (1200) can add another 2K. I suggest going to www.cardirect.com or www.carorder.com and playing around with the options.
They had to drill four holes in the door sill to do the spray. The holes are plugged with plastic caps. I don't expect any problems with the plugs but still I rather they didn't have to drill.
They don't need to do any drilling if you get it done at your dealer. My previous two cars were done at allcare, they didn't drill and it didn't smell nearly as bad.
BTW the ziebart rustproofing is way thicker than the stuff used by allcare. Hopefully the smell will go away in a couple days. In the meantime, if you see coming roll up the windows fellas 'cuz this is one stinky truck.
Does the topic title "Nissan or Toyota" read like FlameFest invitation to y'all?
Yes, I am a whatchamacall "yuppie". Having a Bachelor in mechanical engineering and a master in Computer Science qualifies me as one. For me, my "sissy" 96 4x2 Tacoma reg cab was all I need to build my hi-tech dream home. My wife and I did a lot of the work ourselves, including building the exterior wall out of Polysteel ICFs and low-voltage wiring, among many other things all by our two selves. My wife wears a tool belt as well as a fancy everning dress.
I've hauled everything from 150 sticks of 2x4 to a 14" cabinet bandsaw to a ditchwitch. Did I wish I had a full-size truck? Sure. But that little Tacoma took care of 98% of all my hauling needs AND got 30+mpg when it returned to its regular commuter duty.
This past July, the Tacoma gave up its life protecting my wife and me when we were rear-ended by an SUV. I settle with the other guy's insurance company and got a $12k check for totaling my Tacoma. Guess what, I paid $11k for it 3 years ago. Talk about legendary Toyota resale value.
This time I bought a bigger truck. Well, a slightly bigger ext cab Frontier 4x2, which should cover 99% of my hauling needs.
So go on ahead and call us "yuppies and women". We'll actually take it as a compliment, thank you very much. This yuppie has swapped VW engines, rebuilt motorcycle engines, worked as a car audio installer, and spray painted show-quallity cars all while getting my degrees.
Manly brawny chest-pounding full-size trucks. Nahh...
FlameFest invitation to y'all?
Yep!
"Having a Bachelor in mechanical engineering and a master in Computer Science qualifies me as one"
I have a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering and I am far from a yuppie. The educuation doesn't make one's lifestyle.
Glad you faired well with your "Toy". You could have done 100% of the job you did with the "Toy" and paid a whole lot less for it.
BTW, the GM full size 4X4's have a MUCH higher resale value than the Tacoma's do. I should know. My "WIFE" had a 96 Tacoma V6 4X4. Huge waste of good money that could have bought a LOT more truck. However, like I said, the women love the wannabe trucks and she just had to have one.
After driving my Z71, she realizes the err of her ways and will never bug me to buy 1/2 a truck again.
We have built two houses similar to what you say. We are living in the second, but it is about to sell so we can build a third. The first house, we profited 60k in less than 3 years. This one we will make roughly 85k profit.
Why be so sensible in this fashion just to piss it away on an import that costs way more than its worth and have all that money go to a foreign economy that already owns more than 60% of US financial institutions?
Doesn't make any sense at all!
Yes, I'll agree Toyotas are expensive, my wife has a 4-Runner, but we like our Toyotas and we could afford both, so we bought them.
And despite all the so call factual jibberish everyone spouts, my Toyota is best...for me! Besides I read more automotive jibberish than most anyone!
Buy what you like and can afford. Heck, it's your own self you have to make happy not the guys on the BBS!!!
1. Both are reliable.
2. Both are reasonably priced (especially
concerning reliability)
3. Both are great looking pick-up trucks.
I chose the Frontier. I got an extremely good deal on a loaded truck and got rid of a piece of junk "Dodge Stratus" (see topic: worst cars ever owned). The Nissan dealers would work with me on a deal while Toyota was firm on their prices. Since the introduction of the Tundra the prices of Tacomas are supposed to drop about $2,000 off of MSRP. That is what some Toyota sales told me but I have yet to see it. Let me know if anyone does see a price change. It would be cool to have a Tacoma and a Frontier just to see which one would last the longest. That would take awhile.
Take care and remember no matter which one you get just:
"Enjoy the ride"
The Tacoma was every bit a Toyota - reliable, efficient and high resale. The torquey 2.4L I4 I had was more than adequate for the lightweight 4x2 chassis, especially matched to a 5sp. I agree the upper end 4x4 Tacomas are bit pricey but at the 4x2 entry level I didn't see any real price difference at all. I paid $11k for my 96 (5sp w/ A/C & tach) new 3 yrs ago. I shopped around then as I shopped around this time, Tacomas are very price competetive in the lower range.
The Tacoma wasn't without flaws, however. The interior appointment was ultra spartan and the truck overall is on the small end. What really made my switch to Frontier was the value for dollar and option package differences. For less money than a base model 4x2 ext cab Tacoma, I could get a Frontier with alloy wheels, power package, and a bunch more extra. Plus the Frontier is significantly quieter and the bedsides have built in notches for double deck hauling. I never did figure out why Tacoma didn't have those notches. Some company still owns a patent on the idea and draws royalty on it?
Now onto the negatives about the Frontier. First, unlike the domestics and Toyota, Nissan enjoys next to no aftermarket support other than generic items like nerf bars and K&N. Second, the Frontier weighs quite a bit more than a comparable Tacoma, so while the 2.4L felt downright sporty in the Tacoma, Nissan's own 2.4L is not as spectacular. It's nevertheless more than adequate for the job.
I bought my 99 4x2 XE Frontier ext cab 5sp (VTP, power pkg, sport pkg, comfort pkg, bedliner) for $14,000 OTD. I shopped around so much I can say unequivocally that I couldn't have bought more truck for my money. Curiously, my final decision came down to between the above Frontier and a bare-bones F-150 V6 reg cab 5sp for almost the same money. I went with the smaller truck because I will use the added comfort pkgs and utility of the ext cab a heck of a whole lot than I'll miss the bigger bed. The 4cyl's fuel savings alone will more than pay for the Home Depot delivery charges on those two jobs I can't haul with the Frontier in the next 5 yrs. :-)
Just my personal $0.02.
WRONG!! Here are some excerpts from the results:
...When compared to other people who drive a Toyota Tacoma, you're a bit too young to be driving this vehicle, you care a bit too much about your car compared to other Toyota Tacoma owners, you're just too educated to be driving a Toyota Tacoma, other Toyota Tacoma owners are far more willing to take risks than you are, you're, well--to be generous--a bit too frugal, and you are a little too much of a snob...
(wait, it gets better)
...Have no fear, Car-O-Scope is here to save you from a life of misery, depression and hemorrhoidal flare-ups. Through a secret and proprietary process (patent pending) the official car-o-scope has determined that your psychographic and demographic profile is far more compatible with the following vehicles: some of these suggestions might surprise you. But try to keep an open mind. It's quite possible that the car-o-scope has discovered some hidden and/or repressed aspects of your personality.
1. Peugeot 505
2. Nissan King Cab
3. Buick Roadmaster
4. Ford Probe
5. Ford Mustang
So, let's look at your compatibility profile vis-a-vis the Nissan King Cab. If you dumped that Toyota Tacoma and got yourself a Nissan King Cab, you'd be a lot happier.
For example, you'd be almost perfectly compatible in terms of your gender, your age, your income, and your grasp of reality.
In addition, you'd have pretty good compatibility in terms of your educational level and the extent to which you're a cheapskate.
All Hail to Mighty Carnack. It predicted my switch to the Frontier SPOT ON (on my knees with both hands up and down in worship). :-)
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Just thought we could all use a little self-poking humor after all this bickering. Afterall, like a good friend of mine always say:
If you can't made fun of yourself, you're squeezing ye 'ole sphincter a little too tight.
It's only good for 2 weeks.