Toyota TACOMA vs Ford RANGER - VI

meredith

This topic is a continuation of Topic 1639....

Toyota TACOMA vs Ford RANGER - V. Please continue
these discussions here. Thanks!

Front Porch Philosopher
SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarket and Accessories Host

spoog

Chevy still makes a more reliable trans than Ford does. But Chevy likes to slap parts together instead of fixing them. Loose doors, misaligned parts, electrical problems, cheap plastic fisher price dash boards. The design of the chevy interiors is absolutely appaling. Ford used to be this way but got their head out of their rear end. The interior on the rangers, explorers, and f150s now look very nice, and seem to age much better than previous ford interiors. The chevy interior desing is an absolute joke. Every mag review I read that rates a chevy ALWAYS complains about the tachy, cheap interior.

scape2

I think Chevy is waking up too. The new S-10 is going to be slightly larger, about Dakota size. Chevy is going to offer a whole new line of engines for the S-10 over the next 3-5 years. The 4.3 is going bye, bye to an inline 6 of sorts. Talk of a new 4cyl, a diesel, and another 6cyl also of some kind. The article I read was pretty limited on specs or dates about the new S-10 due to arrive sometime in 2001-2002 I believe. The S-10 has really taken a beating over the years by Toyota, Nissan, and Ford. The quality/fit/finish has always been subpar.
As a non-scientific observation, I just don't see many S-10's in my area. My area is dominated by Rangers and Tacoma's.

superjim2000

The next generation S10 is supposed to have a 2.5 4 cyl, 3.5 5 cyl and 4.2 6 cyl, all inline with DOHC.
I've heard 2002 for this truck. I'd expect hp and torque to be best in class with the new 6.

wsnoble

Chevy can add new engines and so fourth, but chevy/GM problem is assembly and quality of fit and finish. When i was on Vacation we got stuck with a new sunfire (Chevy/Pontiac Entry level 4) and it was a huge piece of crap. Nothing lined up, it was layed out awfully bad. Chevy makes great engines, but they need to extend their fit and finish throughout the whole GM line, not just on Cadaliac. I'm still not a fan of the big three, but Ford is the only one to take the Bull by the horns and address the "American Cars" stigma.

-wsn

reddogs

.....and GM executives are doing a great job killing it..........:0~

savage4

Has anyone heard of any new Tacoma models coming out. I know there is a new step side, but what about an SUT like Nissan or Ford?

danny25

Savage4
If you're refering to trucks like the Nissan Crew Cab, yes, Toyota is building one. The new Tacoma is called the Double Cab. It has a new front end, but it's not a drastic change. The engines offered are the same 4 and 6 cyl. in the Tacoma.

frank12

Before you go slamming me for my directions on how to drive a stick...you should at least ask me what kind of truck i drive......instead of pointing me to the 'ford vs chevy room' or whatever that means..because i don't drive either. Just goes to show you toyota boys take offense to everyone that doesn't agree with you....were you an only child?

For your information i don't drive toyota or Ford...hmmm imagine that, an independant opinion in this room....i was just pointing out that you don't need a 'clutch override switch' if you know how to drive a stick correctly.

Take a chill pill buddy....

mviglianco1

It is one thing to disagree but I think that the reaction was generated by the tone in which you stated your opinion about the clutch over ride switch and gross generalization made about Toyota "boys". I am sure you would snap back if addressed in that fashion whatever you drive.

savage4

The Tacoma double cab might be exactly what I am looking for. Anyone know where I might find some information on it?

I have looked at the Ford Sport Trac and people are already reporting problems with it (It has been out only a couple of weeks). I like the Nissan CC but the engine on the 2000 needs some help (The 2001 super charger may help).

scottssss

know where i can find a torque curve for the toyota 3.4 and 2.7. And also for the ford 3.0 and 4.0..

thanx in advance,,

mviglianco1

There has been a Sport Trac in my neighborhood for around 3 months, must be a regional thing.

wsnoble

http://zone.msn.com/adrenaline//adretournamentannoucement.asp

Enjoy
-wsn

danny25

Savage4,
I requested a Tacoma brochure off the Toyota website, and with it they also sent me a one page insert on the double cab. On the insert there is a little card you can fill out and mail back and they will "keep you updated on Tacoma Double Cab". I don't know what they send after that, I haven't done it yet.

scape2

Scottss, The 4.0 reaches its peak torque of 225ft/lbs at 2800rpms sooner than the 3.4 at 3600 rpms 200ft/lbs. The 2.7 reaches its peak torque of 177ft/lbs at 4000 rpms, vs the Ford 3.0 at 3750rpms at 197ft/lbs of torque.
Its amazing how a company (Ford) that is supposed to make junk cars and trucks can report profits of 2.1BILLION dollars in the first quarter. This is UP 5% over last year. This was much better than Wall Street Expected and Ford stock shot up almost $5! Revenue for the quarter totaled 42.9BILLION dollars UP, YES UP 14% from 37.5BILLION last year. Not bad for a company that is supposed to make junk and inferior auto's and trucks. I guess all those thousands upon thousands of Ford buyers are all wrong?
Problems with the Sport Trac??? Link please. I surf the net and belong to several other auto sites and have NEVER heard of one complaint or problem as of yet. If anything people are raving and ranting about how great the Sport Trac is! With is free revving V6 and seemless 5spd automatic transmission. Several articles praise the Sport Trac and Ford for many of the options available on this vehicle. The Sport Trac is a home run for Ford.

savage4

The problems I am refering to can be found on the Edmund's board for the Sport Trac. Several people have mentioned that the roof leaks enough when it rains to soak the head liner and the back seat area. One person even refers to a recall prior to release due to a faulty 4x4 system. Although noone has been able to confirm that one.

scottssss

looking for an actual graph of them

allknowing

The 3.4 reaches it's peak torque of 220 ft/lbs at 3,600 RPM. I'm sure that you just had a typo and were not attempting to make the Toyota appear extremely inferior.

scape2

Sorry, yes, it is 220ft/lbs not 200 for the 3.4. I have been also yanking chains in the Frontier vs Ranger room too! The Frontier puts out 200ft/lbs of Torque, got the Frontier and Tacoma mixed up.

allknowing

The Tacoma game site was pretty good. Thanks for sharing it.

xena1a

It's been pretty quiet here recently. I guess Spoog is still in France. I know Cpousnr is swamped with some home improvement items...

scape2

Haven't heard alot from CP lately. I think he is building a house on his land in Colorado.
Received my new Truck Trend in the mail today. Full of new and upcoming trucks/SUV's. Man, I love the U.S.!! Its like a candy store of Trucks/SUV's.
It shows pics of the new Ranger/Tacoma/Frontier, along with the CC models of Chevy and GM and Toyota. They all look good! I just may switch in a couple of years to a CC truck. Since the Ranger doesn't offer one (Sport Trac way to spendy) I may have to look elsewhere. As much as many of you may think, I am open minded and would look at a Toyota again in the future.

xena1a

My eyes must be deceiving me! Vince, are you feeling alright?

allknowing

Until I read some of the responses in the category "1998 Chevy ZR2 S-10 P/U" I was beginning to be convinced that Chevy's quality might be improving. Chevy10, eaglexxx, etc. had be going. Looks like the Chevy nuts were trying to blame the poor quality on NAFTA. I guess the Chevy guys continue to live in denial and make excuses for way below average, or should I be bold enough to say unacceptable, quality. The problem is not NAFTA but rather GM's refusal to be serious about meeting the competitions efforts.

superjim2000

Oops why do you hate em?

superjim2000

Just curious allknowing, what do you hate Chevy's?

allknowing

I don't hate Chevys Jim, but I do dislike GM's management for forcing the company to produce a lot of garbage. I like a lot of the Chevy designs and I've owned and worked on a lot of Chevys. With their designs there is really no excuse for the percentage of junk that comes out of GM. The management just doesn't care. Someone came into this forum, which has nothing to do with Chevy, and was claiming that the ZR2 was superior to the Toyota and the Ford. That's what started my comments. I guess a few of you have been lucky with GM but I know very few that share your luck. When I work on Chevys, I usually walk away pretty upset on how they're assembled. There's no doubt in my mind that GM builds an inferior product.

superjim2000

OK it just seems like youre always bashing Chevys. I worked on quite a few vehicles when I was in the military and I dont share your opinion, Chevys were easy to work on. One exception, the 6.2/5 diesel was a joke. It looks like GM learned their lesson, they seem to have a real diesel on the way with the Duramax. The 5.8 Ford was another joke with the intake manifold folded over half the engine.

As for GM forcing the company to produce a lot
of garbage, unfortunately I think thats the way business was done, and I think GM has caught on and turned things around, but I also think alot of companies (non auto related) still work with that philosophy. I agree, management at most companies do not care, I've seen it.

As far as being lucky, I dont agree. When you buy a vehicle you should take care of it. I change my oil every 3,000 miles and my old S10 went 300,000 miles. With all the advances (SFI electric trans ABS etc) since '83, theres no reason my new Chevy wont see 300,000 or more.

modvptnl

What kind of mechanic are you? Just changed injectors that had 175,000 miles on them on a friends 93 5.8 EFI Bronco. The "joke" intake manifold took 6 bolts and 15 minutes to remove. Very easy unless someone's not very mechanically inclined. It's basically the same on the 5.0l except the 5.8 you need a high torx with an extension for the middle inside bolt. Have you tried to change plugs on the last two generation camaros? Now there's a joke.

allknowing

The last Chevy I owned was an 85 C10 4X4. I take very good care of my cars. I had some general annoying quality problems with a 79 Camaro before the truck but I knew the 350 V8 engines well so I got the C10. My Camaro had a windshield wiper motor that would only work when it wasn't raining so it was tough to get the dealer to relace it, etc. Anyway, after a 1,000 mile break-in I drove the C10 up north and the locking rear end sounded like a washing machine. When I got home I found out that they hadn't put the proper lubricant in the rear end at the factory. A few weeks later I noticed a strange thump when warming up the engine but no one could figure out what it was so I lived with it. The anti-knock sensors didn't function properly so it pinged a lot of the time and to top that off the paint faded to almost no shine in about three years. I found out later that in that year of truck, some of the paint was mixed improperly but it wasn't cover under the warrantee. All of my vehicles are shiny and babied but it didn't help in this case. I have done a lot of maintenance for friends and relatives on their Chevy's and they have had, and continue to have, similar experiences. I traded the truck for a Nissan and had zero problems for the 9.5 years that I owned it. I bought my wife a few Fords in that time with no problems. I got a Toyota a while back and have had zero problems. I don't think that I'm the only one that is seeing that GM products are prone to be poor quality because ratings like JD Powers and others back me up. The company doesn't consider quality a top priority as other car companies do. A Chevy can reach 300,000 miles but you will more than likely put much more money into maintenance than most other brands. I don't mean to bash Chevy because I really like some of their designs. However, when someone tries to tell me that the S10 ZR2 is better in quality than a current Ford or Toyota, I can see that they're denying reality.

tomsr

Since this is a Ranger/Tacoma topic maybe somebody
can clue me in.I presently have an Explorer and get typical 15 mpg.Checking out the Sportrac is the same,the Frontier the same,now I read somwhere
Tacoma will be out with a crew cab next year.
Any information on prices yet.I'm thinking Toyota
for longevity and crew cab for versatilty.The
Tundra is thirsty and expensive so that's out.

k59

I own a 1996 2WD Tacoma, and I came to this article discussion when I was looking for a truck, deciding upon a Tacoma or a Ford Ranger. Most of these articles in here are about Chevy's. First of all Chevy's are crappy made american cars, and second of all, this discussion is Toyota Tacoma VS. Ford Ranger. NOT Chevys are good VS. Chevys are bad. Please re read the topic next time this is a question for you.

k59

Does anyone have any experience with a lift kits/raising their truck? The cost of raising my 2WD 3 inches is 159.99. Any higher, it would cost me more than 1,000.00.. Could someone tell me how these turn out in the long run? Are they worth it? (159.99 - Body, 1000.00+ - Suspension).

Also, I've been looking for a way to put Subwoofers in my '96 Toyota Tacoma 2WD Extended Cab, without taking up any of my Extended Cab; in other words, making it still able for people to sit in the seats in the back.. Anyone have a way to do so, and if so where would you purchase this, where would the subs go, and how much dough are we talking? Thanks.

One more; I was looking through the June 2000 Issue of Truckin'. I saw an ad for a remote keyless entry system, a power door and windowlocks system. (the keyless entry system comes with door locks.) Do these items work well when installed? Thanks.

y2ktrd

Ive heard of people putting 8 inch subs in the rear speaker locations.Try checking out this site,
tacomaterritory.com

superjim2000

modvptnl I was in the military as I stated, working by their rules you couldnt do things that would make sense, like removing the manifold. As for the new camaros I agree a tuneup would be a joke.

superjim2000

allknowing So you had bad luck with Chevys. It sure looks like you enjoy bashing em when you post "ZR2" on two different posts. When you say "A Chevy can reach 300,000 miles but you will more
than likely put much more money into maintenance
than most other brands." thats your opinion, and all I did to my old truck besides tune ups and oil changes was a water pump and valve cover gaskets. Is the ZR2 better? I dont know, I'm not into 4wd, but I have 16k on my new truck and no problems.

allknowing

Well Mr. Whipple, we don't need a lecture from an obstreperous new guy. There's been so much Tacoma/Ranger discussion that a few other topics came up to break things up. Rather than complain about our discussions, why not use that God given huge cranium of yours and scroll up a few responses for your information. If you don't find what you want then ask and I'm sure one of us will be glad to give you a response.

allknowing

Well Jim I wish you good luck with your truck. I posted on the Chevy page too because that's where the original guy bragging about the ZR2 came from. Several of you guys almost had me convinced that the overall quality had really improved until I read some of the complaint pages with all of the body panel fit problems, etc. Have you noticed that no one here is complaining about body panels misaligned and/or not buying a truck made on a Monday or Friday or from a certain plant. Those type of complaints seem to only come from the Chevy forums. Anyway, I hope that GM does turn around because their vehicles could go from mediocre to great with a little effort on the company's part. My opinions are based on a lot of experience with Chevy's not just here say my friend. Chevy used to be the best vehicle on the road, in my opinion, and the company destroyed that in the 70's. All that said, I really do hope that you have good luck with your truck as they are great looking trucks.

allknowing

A month or so ago I linked to someone's Tacoma site and they had pictures of them installing a keyless entry/power door lock system. Do a "Tacoma" search and you'll probably find the site as I did. He claimed to have good luck with it.

allknowing

One more thing Jim,
Thinking back I guess what really got me going was reading all of the complaints about fit and finish on the ZR2. Then those individuals in the Chevy cult blamed it all on NAFTA rather than realize and accept that the problems have been there for some time. The first step to improvement is not living in denial but admitting that there's a problem. Anyway, your right and I'm beginning to bash Chevy too much so I'll shut up on the subject.

cthompson21

Well, I've got the answers to all of your questions, but...

They aren't "Ranger vs. Tacoma" topics, so I can't tell you.

allknowing

Excellent response!

scape2

xenla, I know at times I seem a Ford fanatic, I'm not really. I shopped all brands for my second truck. My first Ranger was excellent, reliable and quality built. But, I had to keep all my options open. At the time I was looking (1998) the Tacoma with the same options as a Ranger was upwards of 3K more! I couldn't justify spending the extra 3K since I had already owned a Ranger with excellent reliability/quality/fit/finish for 96K miles with no problems. If I look again, I will look once again at Toyota/Nissan and maybe even Dodge and GM, who knows. For now my Ranger runs great, is reliable, goes where I want it too.
As far as GM, I believe the new 2001/2002 S10 is going to be some serious competition for Toyota/Ford/Nissan. All new engines, body, styling. I guess we'll see.

xena1a

One thing that is really nice for consumers in the compact pickup segment is the huge selection of choices available. So yea, it's to our advantage to consider, or at least research, a variety of makes and models to best fit our requirements. Bravo vince!!!

spoog

Are you taking drugs? Your seem to have taken a complete 180 degree turn.

tacoma_trd

If i were to buy a new model as in 2000 model, i would buy the Tacoma TRD over a Ranger 4x4, but i want to test drive a 2001 ranger withe the new 4.0L V6, its gonna have lots of power, but i dont think anyone can compete with a Tacoma TRD

scape2

Nope, not on drugs. Just open minded and not the Ford fanatic some may think I am.
tacoma trd, why don't you think anyone can compete with the TRD?

k59

Answers to all of my questions? Hmm.. Is it not possible to put subs in a Tacoma Truck where it is in a Ford? Seems to do with Fords and Tacomas. My question there was about installing subs in a tacoma. Also, can you not install a keyless entry system or power windows/locks in a ford where you can in a Tacoma? Hmm.. My questions seem to be of non-relevance to the topic. But you've never strayed from the topic, so I guess you'd better not start now, eh? Thanks for the help, ct!

spoog

I think he means that stock trucks cant compete with the Toyota TRD offroad or its handling. HE is right.

tacoma_trd

Vince8,

spoog is right about i dont think stock trucks can compete with the Tacoma TRD, but i like the ford rangers, and with this new V6 coming out, it might be one of the best out there, u never know, but i think the Tacoma will just hold up better than any other truck and perform better, its much more reliable, its a Toyota