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Comments
Who needs 260 horses in a little truck? Some people do, for whatever their reasons are. To teach ricers a lesson. To teach [non-permissible content removed] in fullsize trucks a lesson. The list goes on. You said it yourself before "It's not that the power requirements got bigger, we all just got spoiled". So.....who needs 207 horses in a little truck? Obviously, since Nissan does enough with 170hp, why don't we all just get weaker engines?
Yes, TRD-charged Tacoma will use premium fuel. You still don't get it: I wasn't trying to say that Tacoma with a charger would not use premium, nor that the engine would drive just as long as the nat. asp. one. What I was saying is this:
Nissan has made a pathetic trade-off. For measly 40hp (you'd think supercharged meant more) they effectively screwed customers on gas milage and engine life.
Original? Who said anything about original? Lots of funky accessories in your ex-Ranger were not original, but we didn't hear you bitching about it. Half of the packages are installed at the distro port....not exactly factory, but just some guy who worries about nothing more than to get off on time and go home and watch baseball.
As far as tires go: who gives a rats' [non-permissible content removed] what FX4 has. They can't even release it into a parking lot, heh. There you have a Ford that, when it is finally released according to specs, will be marketed at offroaders. Wanna know why TRD does not come with better tires? Because only 1% of people who buy TRDs will use them and find them unacceptable. THere's a lot of TRDs that never leave the pavement, for those people the stock BFGs are fine. The 1% that offroads will replace those tires in a heartbeat. Regardless, however, TRD still goes on to beat the competitors, and you keep on using "Oh yeah, if Ranger had better tires, then we'd see!" line. Stock vs. stock, bundy. You know, offroad rigs are not bought. I guess you haven't had time to learn that in your long offroading career of jumping the truck. And if you think that only real offroading is "taking the stock to the limit", go to any Ranger offroad board and see for yourself. You'll find the stock does not go very far, no matter how much skill you have. Some things are simply not possible.
There'll be a national event at Tellico, TN, in 3 weeks. Come down see what real offroading is like.
this "port" location is kind of fishy imo. why would there be a port if these toyota's are "built" in the USA?
another thing, i saw a clip of video on fox news a couple weeks ago concerning terrorists stowing away on freight containers. and then, along comes a bunch of toyota trucks out of some of these freight containers. now why would they have to ship these on boats if they're built right here in the USA?
sorry, but imo, taking a truck off-road with a bunch of mods is really dumb. anyone can do that. taking a stock truck, and maybe, maybe putting on different tires on it and then seeing where it can go is the true test. that's the one im interested in. i truly do not see any other small truck out there that can truly compete with the FX4. it has it all- power, torque, real tires, a cool interior, and a reputation of ford toughness than only others can dream of. the FX4 is the "bomb" right now in small trucks. these are truly rare and will go practically anywhere. they come equipped with the stuff off-roaders need, unlike your one hook equipped toyota. and what if you get stuck and need towing from the rear? well, the FX4's towhook back there wins again.
and don't go throwing that "parking lot incident" back at me. you know nothing about that. shoot, a friend of mine twisted his dad's bronco's driveshaft off when he took it out on saturday night when we were 16. all it takes is a pop of the clutch and a lot of gas. but toyota owners really don't have anything to worry about, since their engines are relatively wimpy in the torque department. anyways, i believe that the numbers of effected trucks was extremely low, if even more than a couple.
I think that's your problem...the Ranger has NEVER had a reputation for "toughness". On the other hand, Toyota does and obviously you have trouble accepting that.
As for that parking-lot incident, well, wouldn't the FX4's "2 inch bigger pumpkin/diff" be able to handle the FX4's awesome torque?
Ooops, kind of stuck your foot in your mouth again, eh?
Whoever you're quoting must have hit the wrong key or missed the decimal.
kip
kip
how did both your feet tast when you finally realized that that just can't happen, pluto boy? another thing, a locker isn't the answer to everything. seems that's all you can brag about on your tinyota. i'd hate to think that the only thing i had on my truck to brag about was some stupid locker. do you realize one can install a locker on any ranger in a half hour and around $200?
all- keep on saying that and someday you may believe it. everyone knows ford trucks are the benchmark that all others strive for. (why else would they outsell every other vehicle in the USA for like 27 years or so?) if you don't know this, then you really are in denial that your a-arms are really just camry's with a little reinforcement. look at 'em, it's true. even the frontier has it over you guys' trucks.
That applies to full sized trucks but ranger is as much Mazda as ford.Mazda has a reputation as the Rambler of Japan.
You're right about Tacomas A-arms.The current Toyotas aren't as strong as the solid axle model they replaced.Nobody makes a true off-road vehicle(street legal)anymore.There's an old saying in the off-road crowd."Real jeeps are built,not bought"My Taco wasn't stock when I sold it.It had Ford 9" Detroit locked rear and L/S front.It still couldn't keep up with my '47 willys,but it could hual ALOT more and the 18 gal gas tank was almost always enough.
kip
Apparently, tbunder's arguments always hinge upon what he reads in brochures or is told by salesmen. Kind of like his locker-equipped Ranger, huh?
Still a Ford truck with a Ford owned company supplying the tranny.
Alot of people will argue about the off road comment also, ZR2 owners and Jeep owners.
Jeep?TJs don't have enough wheel travel or RTI to excell and stock gear ratios are too high for serious rock crawling,but there good enough for dirt roads.
kip
lmao, the ranger is 100% Ford, Ford just builds the Mazda version, much to Mazda's delight. as far as Mazda being the "rambler of japan", you're insulting your own people. most mazda vehicles are totally manufactured and built over there and then shipped here. unlike most of you guys' claims that toyota are all made here. whatever
pluto- you never commented on how you EVER FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET A LSD TO FIT IN YOUR (ALSO) LOCKED REAR DIFFERENTIAL, AND THEM BOTH WORKING IN TANDEM. PLEASE SPILL THE BEANS, THIS COULD BE A WHOLE OTHER PRODUCT YOU GOT.
hilarious how you boys, both, just in your last posts had to have some magazine mention or some blind statement on how "this publication says this". yeah, i guess people have just been too stupid to read all these publications, since the ranger outsells tacoma by a wide margin each year. hmmm
issues regarging distro port: Maybe I'm wrong. Toyota does not move trucks directly from factory to dealer, but instead through a distro port. Seems reasonable and effective. But wait....Ford is the master of "quality" and is never wrong, according to you. Toyota must be doing it wrong.
I'm not following what you've said about terrirists and Toy trucks.
parking lot: Yeah, but did you have several more friends that did it to their Broncos all at the same time, 1 week out of a dealership, with "Offroad" stickers on the sides? Don't downplay this, it won't work. Just because the number was low when they were pulled, doesn't mean it would have stayed low. Those few trucks have shown a trend that fresh FX4s need replacement rear axles in a week.
I wouldn't begin to generally call all Ranger owners stupid like he just did but in a few instances it does have a nice ring to it.:)
You forget about the 'special edition' Tacoma with a Limited Slip rear end? You said
"Read and reread this until it sinks in: "The Tacoma offers the LSD for those not interested in the locker." Repeat as necessary!"
and
"The Tacoma is available with an LSD just like the Ranger, which negates any advantage the Ranger has over the Tacoma in that department."
All this is based on a rinky dink web page type-o/misprint. Now who believes any sales/brochure literature they come across? This might put the validity of any information you post in question.
Wow, I guess this is as close as Pluty can admit that the Ranger has an advantage over the Tacoma.
I know everybody does not always like the result, but I do realize that everyone has the freedom of free speech. Even if they make silly, uninformed, or incorrect statements like our dear friend Pluto above.
And while everyone is entitled to making mistakes, there's a certain point when it becomes a trend and destroys that persons' credibility.
What I would do is this:
#1. Find a pickup you can fit in comfortably;
Look at each one; Mazda,Ford,Chevy,Toyota,Nissan,etc;
#2; Once you find 2 or 3 pickups you can fit comfortable in, then check out Consumer Reports and Edmunds guides
#3; I wanted to buy domestic, but I get confused as to what domestic means. The United Auto Workers have a site that posts those vehicles that they build; One of them is the Toyota Tacoma, built in Fremont, CA (Go Chico State!)
All the trucks have propoents and opponents; I would find the one I can FIT in for the long haul, then narrow it down by price/etc;
I'm not trying to offend anybody by not chossing/choosing a part. brant/model; I do not drive imports basically because I can't fit in them comfortably;
Not that we haven't beat this dead horse enough already, but here's something else in regards to this Ranger's sales debate. The VW Beetle is one of the world's best selling vehicles. By your rationale, doesn't this fact make the Beetle better than any other compact car out there?
"I would rather be known for making an occasional mistake in good faith than resorting to your childish behavior when you're at the losing end of an argument."
So do you apply this paradigm whenever someone else (tbunder for example) makes a mistake? Does his mistake in good faith not count because his views or opinions are different?
Bigger men just forgive and/or forget.
when comparing the two trucks, one thing is clear....they are both good. BUT- the ranger has the tacoma beat in every category. we all know what these are. and the sales numbers just back up what stang and i have mentioned time after time. this debate is getting a little politically oriented. if the sales figures were in tacoma's favor, you'd support them. just like the clinton/replublican congress thingy.... and each taking credit for all the positive things that happened to our country and economy at that time, but each blaming one another for certain negative things, when they know good and well that if it were negative on their side they wouldn't think it was so bad.
If you took a little more responsibility in what you post, people would have taken you seriously. Unfortunately, with the array of those past mistakes, it's going to be pretty hard.
Stick to the trucks please.
Thanks for your cooperation and participation.
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As for the sales figures, I have a few reasons that Fords outsale Toyotas. 1) Price, base price may be same, but everything is an option on the Tacomas. 2) Customer Service, Toyota builds a good product and knows that they will sell. I had to go to 5 different dealers before I found one that would treat me like a customer and not a source of income. 3) Image, people naturally assume that a Toyota will be far more expensive than a Ford, and it is to a degree. They built a reputation of quality, and people know that you usually get what you pay for.
Pretty impressive considering the company used to use Ford Rangers and Mazda 2300s, which were usually due for major drivetrain overhauls around 150,000 miles. It is still on its first engine, and its transmission was rebuilt at 345,000.
I used to work for an autoparts delivery (Autozone) driving Rangers. They were all 3.0l extended cabs XL's and not one of them had under 200,000 miles. Not one has needed any major work on the transmission or engine. Only minor A/C work, occasional radiator or water pump, and of course brakes. In the dallas area there are about a dozen stores, each with 3-4 Rangers a piece. I guess it's mostly about the cost/benefit analysis of long running vehicles in stop and go traffic, and the average maintenance costs.
However, these toyotas are simply standout cases. The buisiness is my Dads, so I have been around the buisiness for some time now. These trucks get abused to no end. I said above that they are used for emergency deliveries. We have gotten calls for items that need to be picked up and delivered from Sacramento to San Francisco in less than an hour and a half. Our on-time rate is nearly 95%. This means running possible ugly backroads, ranging from gravel and potholes to extreme curved roads(which they handle well). This also means large payloads and towing up to 4000lbs. This also means running in the 120+ degree heat, or the mildly freezing winter climate of the san juaquin valley. Basically anything that can be done legally or discretely(and mildly) illegal, will be done to get the package there on time.
One of the employees owns a 3.0 Ranger with 219,000 miles on it the last I checked. He said it has been really reliable, but at the same time it doesnt recieve the extreme abuse that the company trucks get. He isnt suprised that the Ford and Mazdas dont last over 150,000. He is, however, completely amazed at how the toyotas drive forever like a quartz divers watch.
Leo
wishnhigh1- are you saying that no ranger can do what your evidently "special" toyota's can? please. any small 4x4 truck can go off-road and take abuse and last forever if taken care of. toyota's aren't as special as you think. maybe special for rusting out awful fast and having parts that are very expensive to replace.
Me? I want the truck that offers a v6, with 5 speed manual, in a regular cab!