Toyota Tacoma vs. Ford Ranger, Part XII

rickc5 · September 2002

Question: Do you have Adobe Acrobat?

If so, tomorrow I will send you the PROOF you have been asking for. Specifically, I will send you copies of the window sticker AND the Bill of Sale for the Ranger I purchased six months ago.

All I ask in return is that you post something to the forum regarding the FACT that you have seen what at least one Ranger owner paid for his truck compared to the window sticker.

Is that fair enough? Is there anything else you need for proof?

midnight_stang · September 2002

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

nra1871 · September 2002

Well turns out they have to replace one of the upper control arms in my ranger. Thats at 33500 miles. Got another 2500 miles on the warantee, I tell you Im not looking forward to the next year without a warantee.

bess · September 2002

a. Ok, I agree with you that it is not fair to match the Ranger 4door supercab to the Tacoma doublecab.. Ford simply offers trucks that Toyota can't match..
Tacoma xtracab is a match with Ranger supercab (2door)
Tacoma doublcab is a match with the Sport Trac (4 real doors, extrashort bed)
Ranger 4door supercab has no matching Tacoma.

b. it is ok for us to compare MSRP to MSRP, (both Tacomas AND Rangers are commonly being sold for around $2000 less than MSRP). So both manufactures are discounting about the same. Our experiences show this, and Edmunds TMV's also show this. (This may differ from some other 'Ford supporter' opinions, but it seems to be true).

c. Comparing MSRP to MSRP we can use Scorpios truck. His Tacoma xtra cab looked alot like the Ranger that Pluto mentioned, and the price was about the same except:
Scorpios xtra cab did not have an automatic tranny and the ranger did (thats a full $1000 right there)
Scorpios xtra cab did not have ABS (another $300).
Scorpios xtra cab did not have 4 doors.

To get that, you have to go to the doublecab, which as I've shown is a good $3500 more than the comparable Ranger..

On the 4doors and mini-trucks, I think Ford has the best choices..
If you want the extra doors for convience of loading/unloading stuff from the back (rather than adults), and yet retain a reasonable sized bed, you can get a 4door supercab Ranger..

If you want the extra doors that are more designed for people, and go with a smaller bed, then get the Sport Trac.

So, if you want to compare the most similar truck, compare the Ranger supercab (2door) to the Tacoma xtracab (which is 2door).

The difference in price if you equip them similarly is in the $2200 or more. (Compare Scorpios truck MSRP to the Ranger MSRP), you'll see what I mean.

sc0rpi0 · September 2002

You're twisting the facts in your favor.
DoubleCab is called doublecab not because it has 4 doors, but because it actually offers comfortable rear row seating. Does Ford have a Ranger that offers that? No. Explorer SportTrac doesn't count (please.....it's an Explorer).
So yes, Ranger has an edge in that it offers an Xtracab model with 4 doors, but Toyota has an edge in that it actually offers a doublecab version of the truck.
And so, with auto tranny and ABS MSRP ov my truck is up by $1200, and the whole thing is MSRPed at about 24500 or so.
Lets not bring Explorer into the picture because it's not really ...anything? It's Fords' futule attempt at making a truck with 4 real doors (not suicide doors). Unfortunately, Tacoma DC is still a Tacoma, and Explorer SportTrac is still an Explorer, no matter how much it'd like to be a Ranger.

midnight_stang · September 2002

...just not in the States.

bess · September 2002

How is the Explorer sport trac that much different from the Tacoma double cab?

Sport Trac has slightly higher towing capacity.
Sport Trac has slightly higher payload capacity.
More interior space (especially for back seat)
Head: 38.7 vs 37.7
Shoulder: 56.9 vs 53.5
Hip: 52.7 vs 50.8
Leg: 37.8 vs 33.7

Remember the Sport Trac is still based on the 'old' Explorer chassis which was basically a Ranger.

If your doing alot of off-roading, then perhaps the Tacoma has an advantage (much better ground clearance, locker availablity), but for the type of 'off-roading' that 90% of americans do the 4x4 Sport Trac is more than capable and in more comfort.

So Ford futile attempt to make a truck with 4 real doors seems to stack up rather well against the Tacoma. No matter what you call it.

bess · September 2002

If I had to pick 'today' a crew cab mini-pickup, I'd probably lean towards the Nissan, simply because they have a crew cab + longer bed.

I won't get into what manufactures make in what countries. I've seen so many Honda and Toyota variations on their vehicles during my visits to Japan, that it made my head spin..

tbunder1 · September 2002

all i can say is wow!!
a few thoughts.

1- as much as i would like to agree, i can't. the sport-trac really isn't a true off-roader. although im sure it could take some punishment if you yanked those queer bars off and put on some BFG's. put on a locker and insert 6 discs into the mach audio, open up the moonroof and start pounding it. note to pluto- this is what we do to our 4x4's. we actually engage the transfer case.
2- pluto is still the laughing stalk of this forum. clearly he is not an american, and thus is always enraged and jealous of us.
3- the 4.6 liter ford still has more torque than any of these new toyota forerunner engines you're bragging about i believe. 315 lb/ft.
4- stang is by far the deepest thinker here and deserves a lot of respect.
5- i would love to see a copy of that window sticker pluto. i do believe that ALL 2003 ford ranger 4x4's come with the FX4 optional off-road pkg, XLT's anyways. with the level II FX4 being optional. so maybe the model you were looking at (if it was a 2003) had the the FX4 pkg and you were just too ignorant to notice. high likelihood)
6- sad- you are proving to be very young and naive on this board. you need to rethink who you take facts from and find out who are the jokers here. i am not a BS'er. i will go on record as saying that i know more about models/makes of a lot of manufacturers and their options/engines than anyone here. so if i say something, you can take it to the bank. take that for what you want, but if i were you, i would listen to me. i know what im talking about. i know a little about a lot.
7- just picked up my new '03 yamaha blaster. it's a blast. woohoo.
8- oh yeah, Simpson College just got ranked #1 in the midwest again. as stang or someone would say, "oh the insanity". or humility or something like that.
9- as usual, still a blast around here and the debates are still a ragin'.
10- saw a tacoma double cab TRD today in red (no running boards thank god), sweet truck. probably will be my next truck if ford doesn't offer coil over on their next ranger along with four doors.

plutonious · September 2002

stang:

"Even this Texan with a "flawed vernacular" (which that term, in itself, is a contradiction in definition)..."

Are you trying to say that "flawed vernacular" is an oxymoron? That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Your screwy Texas English (or vernacular) is causing us communication problems! Y tu espanol es lleno de errores, tambien!

rickc5:

What exactly are you going to prove? That you bought your truck for much less than the MSRP? I did too. And as I just illustrated, it doesn't seem the Ranger's MSRP is that much lower than the Tacoma's. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

tbundy:

"pluto is still the laughing stalk of this forum. clearly he is not an american, and thus is always enraged and jealous of us"

Excuse me? I'm every bit as much a U.S. citizen as you, thank you. Though the U.S. doesn't officially recognize the concept of dual citizenship, that's what happens when you're born abroad to U.S. citizen parents.

Glad you liked that double-cab Tacoma TRD. Just curious, why are you considering another vehicle already???

rickc5 · September 2002

You said: Still wondering if the Ranger's price advantage is "real."

I just e-mailed you the proof you asked for.

I paid $19,447 for a Ranger that retailed (sticker) for $26,280 before discounts and rebates. That's what I paid, and that's REAL, buddy.

MSRP prices mean nothing. Its what a person actually pays that counts.

Also note that my Ranger XLT is fully loaded.

rickc5 · September 2002

If you post a valid email address, I'll send you what I tried to send a few minutes ago.

plutonious · September 2002

I didn't get your e-mail because my hotmail account had been temporarily de-activated. It's up and running again if you would care to send your information once more.

Does your price of $19,447 include TTL? If it doesn't, I would say I did as well as you with my Tacoma. Either way, it sounds like you got a stellar deal.

But what makes you think a Tacoma can't be bought without rebates, incentives and negotiation? I bought my truck (stickered for $25k) for $22,500 drive-out. I estimate before TTL, the truck cost me $20K (comparable to your $19,447 if that is before TTL).

MSRP doesn't mean squat in the real world. I agree. But after reading here how much cheaper Rangers are than Tacomas, I was a little shocked to see a $24K Ranger with no PW, PL, PM, bucket seats, off-road package, bedliner, etc. Heck, I think a Tacoma with the SR5 package would come better equipped at the same sticker price.

You say your truck is loaded. Did it come equipped with the off-road FX4 package? Mine did (TRD), and it stickered for less. The only thing I don't have is power mirrors and the 6 disk cd-changer.

In short, it seems like the MSRPs on both trucks are about the same. If either truck offers a price advantage, it comes through more aggressive rebates, incentives and negotiation. I would be more than happy to introduce you to a few people who did their homework, bought their Toyotas at end of the month/year/end-of-model-year-clearance and walked away with a deal every bit as good as yours.

rickc5 · September 2002

Comparing prices after TTL is not a valid comparison, IMHO. Taxes and license fees vary substantially from place to place.

As I mentioned before, check out the window sticker I sent you. This is a LOADED Ranger, and included a bed liner, which isn't on the sticker for some reason.

sc0rpi0 · September 2002

What's with the personal insults?
"clearly he is not an american, and thus is always enraged and jealous of us."? To bag this along with what you said about me in Liberty Problem forums...
I think you have a problem of some kind. Quit trying to pass your personal beliefs and lies as facts.

rickc5 · September 2002

Comparing prices after TTL is not a valid comparison, IMHO. Taxes and license fees vary substantially from place to place.

As I mentioned before, check out the window sticker I sent you. This is a LOADED Ranger, and included a bed liner, which isn't on the sticker for some reason.

plutonious · September 2002

OK, I agree with not including TTL because it does vary from state to state. So before TTL, you paid $19,447 for your Ranger which stickered for just over $26K.

I paid roughly $20K (drive-out of $22,500 minus 8% sales tax and license and registration fees) for my truck before TTL on my Tacoma TRD which stickered for almost $25K. Again, it's loaded except for power mirrors and the 6 disk cd-changer.

You beat me by roughly $553. But I can't tell if your truck has the FX4 package or not (tried to download your files but it took too long - damn dial up). If it doesn't, I would say I came out ahead. If it does, you came out ahead by $553.

Either way, it's close, and the savings aren't amounting to thousands of dollars. In fact, the $553 difference is so small another Ranger buyer could wind up paying it simply because the deal he negotiated wasn't quite as good as yours.

From my perspective, we paid very close to the same amount for our trucks. The small difference in purchase price (if any) was justified because Toyota has the better reputation for reliability, quality and resale. It had a significantly longer warranty and has proven time and again to be the best off-roader. And I think it's a better looking truck, too.

eagle63 · September 2002

this discussion suddenly got pathetic. how old are you guys?

midnight_stang · September 2002

You are right Eagle, this verbal sparring doesn't belong in this forum. My posts are now deleted, and I will no longer engage in pluto's bickering.

rickc5 · September 2002

Since I haven't the foggiest idea how your truck is equipped (other than it has the TRD package), there's no way to truly make a valid comparison as to which truck may be the better value. You have my window sticker, so you can see that my truck came with tons of standard and optional equipment. Even things like a tow hitch, leather-wrapped steering wheel, fog lamps and side steps.

However, I DON'T have the FX4 package, as it seemed to be a horrendous increase in cost for items I place little or no value on, like forged wheels or the locker. I do have Ford's "Off-Road Package", which adds things like skid plates and better shocks.

saddaddy · September 2002

but the other day I raised the question about coilovers vs. torsion bars, and you said you had no idea of how they stack up to one another.

Post 1517: "i don't know if one is better than the other, im not an expert."

Why now is that 1 of the 2 biggest selling points with the truck? I am glad to see you like the truck and all, but why the change of heart?

By the way, the 4.6 offers 293 lb-ft torqe at 3500, while the new 4.0 from Yota has 283 at 3400. Maybe that is why the Tacos are looking better by the day, huh?

And STANG---> You are just the guy I might need to talk to in a couple of years. I have an old '67 in my driveway that I used about 3 years ago as my daily driver. It has been in my family since it was bought new. Its that lgt yellow color, and has the 200ci I-6. Man its a dog. My dream is to one day fix it up NICE. I won't let my dad sell it. I mean this thing even has 4 lug axles. It will need everything to be how i want it and hopefully everything is what I'll be able to give it. The color will definitely stay though! I will say this, its hella easy to work on. I used to have to change out starters regularly, and it took like 5 minutes. Lots of room under that hood -- and that will hopefully be fixed in short order. Any suggestions?

midnight_stang · September 2002

It all depends on what you want to do with it. My father is a 2nd owner of a straight six (200ci) 66 mustang coupe which he has recently restored. It's not prize show material, but it is exactly stock except for rebuilt heads when unleaded gas was mandated. it's reupolstered and repainted, and even has the original A/C.

I took a '67 coupe with a 289 v-8 home one day and took it down to the frame(well subframe anyway). I turned my mustang into a bracket car. It's not stock, I put a 460 rat motor I had rebuilt into it, and the interior is totally gutted. It runs mid 11's down the quarter mile when naturally aspired.

So it all depends on what you want, and what you have. When I picked up my mustang, it used to be a mexican drug runner. I bought it running for 800 bucks. It had a smashed up windshield, a rat's nest in the back seat, and rust coming through the floorboard. It's 289 v8 (non HiPo) was fairly new, but the transmission and clutch were about to go. It's a unibody, so there is not a solid frame running from front to rear. There are two subframes, front and rear. I welded in a Total Control products subframe connector and X-bar. It's real mean looking too.

I then installed a 8 point roll cage I ordered from Jegs. I topped that off with adjustable strut tower braces from the same company. That made the car as stiff as a board, and then I started on the rear end. I installed a 4-link with reinforced 9-inch rear end with welded gears, and worked the metal to add tire clearance. Removed the fuel tank, welded in some support bars, tied in the rear of the roll cage, and then I started to replace the entire floor pan. I believe I ordered the stamped steel from Mustangs Unlimited, and that was quite an ordeal. I replaced the entire interior floor, from under the backseat, all the way up to the firewall. Everything except the transmission hump that is. Then I tore out the dash, and all the electronics had to go. I pop riveted a steel sheet to create a new place to mount new instruments. After that I stripped all the exterior trim, sand blasted them, and salvaged all I could.

If you want to go that route, you will need a plasma cutter, welder, sand blaster, about 18 months and about 4-5 grand.

Then I painted her a silvery black color, and hence the Midnight Stang was born.

I did 80% of the work myself, except the drive train internals, which I took to the local shops to do.

I had funny car aspirations, but a limited budget and time.

Anyway, after writing all this I realize you probably just want to restore, in which case you will probably have a much easier time. What I can tell you is the aftermarket is filled with restoration (or performance) items on any Ford vehicle old or new. 1967 was the first year the mustang received a big block, in the form of a 390. I also love the 67's because of their unique side molding. Alas my car is up for sale, and will likely become part of a down payment towards a house. I'll probably get about what I put into it, minus my time of course, but it will be something I'll always remember.

So the biggest things to look for are rust underneath, twist in the chassis, and sag in the shock towers. The straight six has some torque, but suffers in the performance department. My fathers still has the original 1 barrel carb. Best place to start is by ordering all the free catalogs you can.

PS. Pluto can criticize any spelling or grammer error he wants to in this post if he wants to. I don't care because I am in a hurry to finish it.

allknowing · September 2002

Tbunders statements, i.e., "I am not a BS'er", "I will go on record as saying that i know more about models/makes of a lot of manufacturers and their options/engines than anyone here", "so if i say something, you can take it to the bank" and "I know what im talking about" are pretty amusing. Sorry tbund but when we think of mental prowess your name is well below the top of the list in this forum. Your insults to other contributors and bragging about a college that most of us have never heard of doesn't help much either. Rather than insults, try a little factual truck information for a change or most of us will continue to laugh at your posts.

tbunder1 · September 2002

whatever you say bud. for some of us, it's hard to get a good education. and for you, it looks like it was darn near impossible. we forgive you bud. now go back into that patch you call heaven. you know, with the deer urine and such. call me if you need pulled up that steep hill you avoid to get there.
otherwise, ill go head to head with you anyday on any subject.

tbunder1 · September 2002

the ONLY reason i would prefer a coil over is that is what the ranger started out as. and i also don't really like the torsion bars hanging down there. granted, rangers come with skidplates to protect their torsion bar mounts, it is nice to know my jeeps torsion bars don't exist. plus, a coil over susp. just looks cooler imo. im not saying the ZR2 or ranger can't cut it, god knows i know they can. i just prefer the new thing. however, i doubt ford will do this due to their massive cost cuts on every vehicle. plus, the ranger probably won't be updated for three years.
that torque number you stated earlier is in favor of the ford 4.6. what are you talking about? id rather have ten more lb/ft of torque at 100 more rpms. having ten less lb/ft at 100 rpms less is a disadvantage. plus, in three years, im assuming ford will have an all new V8 to stick in the new ranger.

tbunder1 · September 2002

isn't your truck a 5-spd?
either way, a loaded TRD x-tra cab, all of them that ive ever seen are easily $24-$25000. and DC's are never less than $26000.
my ranger stickered for $23900 and change. i paid a little under $20000 for it. and it came with a $2000 ford rebate. also, remember that ford XLT 4.0's come with step bars, bed rails or you can delete this option, just like the old STX tape stripe delete. also, most XLT rangers have sliding rear window and the off-road pkg as standard equipment. plus, aluminum wheels and 31" tires are standard on 4x4 rangers. these are both options (and expensive ones at that) on any tacoma. identically equipped rangers and tacomas will have the ranger at least $2000 less than the tacoma. if you want, ill go to both dealers and prove it to you. we can spec each truck out identically. it can be done. ill try to do it online.

saddaddy · September 2002

the 4.6 still has better numbers, but what are those specs on Ford's 4.0L again -- nowhere near the 4.6 of any make.

Rangers started out with a coilOVER?? U sure it wasn't a coil sprung suspension? I don't know, but I thought it was a fairly new thing??

Coilovers definitely perform better in every "testing" situation. You have good taste!

tbunder1 · September 2002

okay, all ive been hearing for the last couple days is how awesome this new suv is and how you can't wait for the tacoma twin of it to come out. did you read the article?

9.1 inches of ground clearance? my jeep has 10.2. lol

here's something you tacoma guys won't like- they're using the same rear torsen LSD as FX4 rangers use. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

75 cubic feet of cargo space? you truck guys won't care, but my jeep has 70 cubic feet.

can you say nissan frontier copy cat? and you guys said the frontier was from outer space. scorp actually said this. this new forerunner is all plastic and lights from the front. and again, no towhooks to be seen.

you guys better hope your new taco doesn't follow suit. cuz if it does, i doubt it will be "beating" any wrangler (with open diff and all) or hummer in any five year old off-road tests. maybe pluto does have something with his old truck. at least his will still have the true locker, right? go toyota!!!!!!!!!!!to the yuppies that is.

tbunder1 · September 2002

comparing the ford 4.0 V6 to the ford 4.6 V8 is ludicrous. what are you getting at? the 4.0 SOHC is right now. here and now. comparing it to the new toyota 4.0 (which is where i think you're going) in a tacoma that isn't even out isn't really a fair comparison. this engine isn't even in a tacoma. so let's talk about the present. once the taco gets this new 4.0, ill bow down to you. but actions speak louder than words. i will be surprised if the V8 is offered in taco. why would toyota cannibalize itself like that? the tundra wouldn't sell if the taco suddenly got larger (remember, taco and tundra aren't that far away right now in size) and offered the same engine. i see the 4.0 going in, but nothing else. they'll probably keep the 3.4 around for base offerings and say goodbye to the 4. this is of course all speculation, but i only see two engines being offered right now in taco.

you're right- early ford rangers weren't coil over- just sprung. really the same thing though. btw, pre-98 rangers would articulate better than any other small truck without a solid front axle.

sc0rpi0 · September 2002

Nobody is sure what the new gen of 4Runner is, and especially what new Tacoma will be, since 4Runner and Taco have been trying to split paths lately, but one thing is almost certain: Tacoma will get a bigger engine, that'll put 4.0L Ranger has now to shame. You can talk about how 4 years from now Ranger will have a V8....what matters is that this time next year Tacoma will have a bigger engine than Ranger. Isn't that your last line of defense, bundy? And Ranger will have a new 12-CD changer, a DVD player and PS2 station built-in. Go Ford!!!!!to the yuppies that is.

tbunder1 · September 2002

and no. the forerunner is tacoma based. it has tacoma all over it. the current one that is. what's this splitting ways bs?
again, you have to brag about a vehicle that doesn't even exist to beat the current ranger's offerings. are you listening to yourself? it sounds real pathetic. kind of like a three year old talking about the sucker he/she hopes his parents gets him/her if they're good. ridiculous.
how will tacoma have a larger engine than ranger when it is just getting a 4.0? slip up? i guarantee they won't put that V8 in the taco. why would they do this when they want to sell the tundra as the "full size truck" with the V8? why would they anyways if this new 4.0 that doesn't even exist in a truck that doesn't even exist is so good?

well, that wish list you gave up on for your tacoma may just happen to ranger. but i do know one thing, even if ford does equip it's ranger that way, it will have more ground clearance than 9.1 inches. heck, that kia pluto loves so much just may sound attractive to you taco guys then. lmao.

i see no comment on the torsen. >laughing hysterically<

maybe someone knows something you don't about toyota axles. hehe

PF_Flyer · September 2002

It's OK to disagree about the trucks, but do we HAVE to have the little personal barbs along with it?

This topic has a long history of this problem. Let's give it a rest, shall we??

PF Flyer
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midnight_stang · September 2002

Let's see if the it has enough Torque to break one, in a shopping mall or wherever...

Links for Saddaddy:
mustangsunlimited.com
restoremustangs.com
jegs.com
summitracing.com
classic-mustang.com

midnight_stang · September 2002

mustangokla.com
totalcontrolproducts.com

Hey PF_Flyer, something has to be done about this silly 115 character limit. None of my links or words were even close to 115 characters long. Pretty damn annoying, if you ask me to have such a restriction.

plutonious · September 2002

Trying to spec out a Ranger and a Tacoma, option for option, and comparing the two's price is an exercise in futility. The truck you build will not even exist. I honestly believe if you compare existing trucks on the dealer lots and make the closest comparison possible, you will be surprised how much the Ranger can sticker for. If the Ranger offers a real world price advantage, it comes in the form of more aggressive sales incentives and rebates. For example, when the Ford dealer printed out the Ranger's maroney (window sticker) he wrote right on the print-out "$2500 rebate or 0.0% financing for 60 months." Just like that. You can negotiate a good deal on a Tacoma all the same, but you'll have to work harder for it. It doesn't just fall in your lap. See the post below addressed to rickc5.

plutonious · September 2002

My Tacoma TRD 4x4 Ex-Cab has everything but power windows and 6 disk cd-changer. 5 speed manual transmission, shift on the fly 4x4 with self-locking hubs, bucket seats, AM FM CD Cassette stereo, PW, PDLs, sliding rear window, bed liner, towing package, TRD off-road package (31" Wrangler GSAs, aluminum wheels, Bilstein shocks, thicker sway bars, LOCKER, clutch-cancel starting feature, overside fender flares), a longer warranty and better resale. I think that's it. And yes, it has all the little things like floor mats, dome lights, etc. It ain't no stripper.

You stated your truck didn't have the FX4 package because it was too expensive. Mine does have the TRD package, a $1650 retail value.

That's how my truck is equipped. You have some options I don't, like the leather wrapped steering wheel, ABS and nerf bars. And I have some options you don't, like the off-road package. Personally, I wouldn't want some of your truck's equipment, like the auto tranny, ABS, nerf bars, etc, even if they came free.

We paid within hundreds on dollars of eachother; I got the off-road package, and you have a few extra features I don't.

plutonious · September 2002

You wrote "a loaded TRD x-tra cab, all of them that ive ever seen are easily $24-$25000."

And I just showed you a $23,800 Ranger with no FX4 package (still inferior to the TRD package), no PW and no PDLs! Wouldn't that make an FX4 Ranger with all the goodies sticker just as much or more than a Tacoma TRD?

BTW, don't expect too many of us to even get into this 4Runner vs. Liberty debate with you. At least not me. I've learned it's just too much work researching all the figures you make up to prove you wrong. You know, like Rangers weighing 500lbs more with 2" and 3" bigger rear differentials.

sc0rpi0 · September 2002

Alright, fine. You can gloat on how Ranger is more powerful than Tacoma for now. We'll see next year.

4Runner is not exactly a Tacoma. Heck, you can see it right away, just take a look at the two, surely look different. Frame may be the same, but drivetrain is different: 4Runner had the traction control modules while Tacoma stayed true with barebone configuration, no bells and whistles, making the driver do everything. New 4Runner just using the TRAC system.
Now......if you search the news, you won't find anything about 4Runner in here, how it's great, how it's better than Liberty or Ranger. It's an SUV, and lets stay at that (at least you can't brag about how your Liberty is more powerful than 4Runner....thank god for that). Torsen diff? Well, I wonder what will happen if 4Runner, with its' higher torque numbers, does not blow any diffs.....

plutonious · September 2002

will blow any diffs. Toyotas are over-engineered, not under-engineered like some of the competition.

midnight_stang · September 2002

Toyota can't over engineer something another company makes. For all we know it is the exact same part number, just with the revised casting alloy due to the few failures in the FX4. We do not know if it will blow up, and it probably will not. This is due to Torsen revised / fixed the casting, or maybe they just made a bad batch. However the main point is the 4 Runner is going with the same differential that most Tacoma fans criticized on the FX4. And I find that humorous.

saddaddy · September 2002

the torsen for the 4 runner is for the center diff not the rear. A LS center diff is even more mall runner'ish than one in the rear. All trucks with a 4WD system (pretty much) have a LOCKING center diff, where, in 4wd there is a 50/50 split between the front and rear. If I didn't think that was common knowledge to everyone, I would have brought it up in the LSD vs. locker debate. If all trucks need a 50/50 f/r split, then why is a 40/60 l/r split better.

BUT, the torsen in the 4-runner has the ability to lock on demand, which the Ranger's does not.
I can go into more detail if you still don't understand, but I have a feeling you wouldn't admit it. I thought you knew more about off-roading than that? Im astounded.

There is the comment on the Torsen. Still laughing?

Never did I say anything about wanting anything in a Tacoma from the 4runner other than the engine. If I want an offroader - a worker, I don't buy an SUV. And anyone who buys them for solely that purpose is not very smart (although, respectfully, that may not be in their taste). And I don't consider Wranglers SUVs in this case. IMO, I would probably buy a 4-runner, put BFGs on it and claim to be able to out off-road people with real trucks.

I love that new ride, but I would never buy it and sport it as anymore than a grocery getter that handled well on slippery gravel roads. Some others, should take heed.

Again, the only thing from the 4 runner that I would like in a taco is the engine. Everyone sees the way that car companies are going and I am scared to death that Yota will too. However, things like a TRD package on the tacoma make me think that they are smarter than that. You sound kinda jealous by the way.

saddaddy · September 2002

it says its a Torsen center diff with the ability to lock at the flip of a switch -- where do the FX4s have that switch?

plutonious · September 2002

I would fully expect that the 4Runner's new 4.0 V6 will find its way into the Tacoma. Car manufacturers rarely go through the trouble and expense developing a new engine only to use it in one model.

saddaddy · September 2002

I don't expect the 4.7 in the Taco, until some serious revamping is done to the Tundra. I would seriously love to see a REAL 3/4 ton Yota, with possibly a CAT diesel. That would give Yota room to really have fun with their trucks. I have heard, though, that no plans are in the near future for adding any more size to the already "full" size tundra (tongue in cheek). Sooo, who knows right now? That $24k Ranger with man. windows and doors, was classic by the way. Im still smiling about that one. Have a good weekend, man.

plutonious · September 2002

allknowing, I really got a chuckle out of this:

"Sorry tbund but when we think of mental prowess your name is well below the top of the list in this forum...most of us will continue to laugh at your posts."

Imagine, that aimed at the only one here who forgot his own name and password and had to re-register as tbunder1!

allknowing · September 2002

Ha!

PF_Flyer · September 2002

Let's not let it get out of hand in here agin, OK??

Stang... the right folks are working on that 115 character thing. It does appear to go haywire now and then!

PF Flyer
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scape2 · September 2002

My 1998 Ranger XLT v6 4x4 that was supposed to be junk, unreliable, and lower quality has just hit the 70,000 mile mark with no mechanical problems..
anyone who pays 24,000 for a Ranger deserves to be taken!.. Loaded Rangers in my area are plastered all over the Saturday/Sunday ads for 19,999 or less...
Yep, the Ranger that the Toyota crowd claimed was going to breakdown, fall apart, be junk... is still running like new.

nra1871 · September 2002

Yep, the Ranger that the Toyota crowd claimed was going to breakdown, fall apart, be junk... is still running like new.

I wish I were as lucky, just over 30,000 miles and i'm having suspension components replaced...but heck its only the 5th item ive needed replaced this year.

tbunder1 · September 2002

instead of coming on here and downing your own rig, why don't you do something about it? ever heard of lemon laws? if you really are having so many problems with your truck, you need to make ford do something about it. look into it, you may be able to get ford to buy it back. that's what lemon laws are for. and just be glad your engine isn't locked up after 30,000 miles like thousands of toyota engines are doing. plus, it's still under warranty, so what are you complaining about?

im still trying to figure out what possible problems you could be having with your suspension? 4x4 or not, there's just not much that could go wrong with a steel a-arm, some leaf springs, and shocks. good luck anyways.

Toyota Tacoma vs. Ford Ranger, Part XII

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