Tundra Impressions
I’ve owned this truck for 6 months, and I thought
I would share what I like and don’t like. We use
it for commuting on bad weather days, and hauling
things we need around the house/yard. We bought
the Toyota to replace our 97 Ranger 4.0 liter, 4x4,
SuperCab. It had 22k miles, it was a dog, things
were starting to go wrong, and we wanted additional
seating capacity. We’ve never owned a Toyota, and
picked it because of their quality reputation, the
size/style of the truck, and the V8.
00’ Toyota Tundra, 4x4 Access Cab SR5
4.7 liter V8, 4 speed Auto
Bench front seat, fog lights, power everything.
Interior:
The interior is laid out well. The stereo is
excellent for a truck, though you need to lean
forward to hit the controls. It has 2 accessory
adapters, in addition to the cigarette lighter.
The adapter power is of when the truck isn’t
running, making it difficult to charge the cell
phone while in the house/work.
The seats are made of quality material, but aren’t
very comfortable. There is no lumbar support, and
something about the seating position doesn’t work
for me. They also need to do something about the
very straight back on the rear seat. It’s only
good for very short trips.
Overall it’s a very quiet and smooth riding truck.
It’s quieter than our two CARS. The quite ride
makes the noisy HVAC fan very noticeable. It’s
loud on all but the lowest setting. Our truck has
a shake between 40 and 50 MPH, but smoothes up at
highway speed. I think it’s just tire balance, but
we haven’t taken it to the shop, yet.
The windshield defroster is very weak. We had our
first snow of the season this week. I had trouble
melting the snow on the the upper 3” and outside
5” of the windshield. I had to turn the fan on
its highest(noisiest) setting for several minutes,
after the truck was warm. I’m 5’11”, and the ice
was right in my view. Even once it was melted I
could only turn the fan down one notch to keep the
ice off, and it was roasting me. This was on a
20-degree day, so it’ll be tough going on the
sub-zero days.
A few more nit-picks. The only light on the door
switches is in the Auto button for the drivers side
window. It’s very difficult to find the mirror
control at night. The dome light cover won’t stay
on. It’s not broken, just a poor design.
Exterior:
IMO it’s s good looking truck. It doesn’t have
the huge bulky looks of the Ford or Dodge, yet
still hauls all the passengers we need and a good
size load. I would like to see a model without the
chrome. I know chrome is a truck thing, but I
never liked it. (my Vette has none, nor do any of
my motorcycles, just like I like)
Performance:
The 0-60 time feels pretty good. There is
significantly more acceleration than my 4.0 liter
Ranger. I can actually keep up with traffic, and
pass most people. I’m a little disappointed with
the torque below 3k RPMs. A V8 shouldn’t be peaky.
I’m not a fan of Automatic transmissions, and this
one doesn’t help. The shifts are smooth, when
your accelerating from a stop, but that’s all I can
say good about it. It’s very aggressive at
getting to the upper gears. If I hesitate because
of traffic(let up on the throttle just a little),
it jumps to 3rd or 4th gear, just to have to kick
down again. It’s probably as good as any
auto-trany, they just aren’t for me.
I would share what I like and don’t like. We use
it for commuting on bad weather days, and hauling
things we need around the house/yard. We bought
the Toyota to replace our 97 Ranger 4.0 liter, 4x4,
SuperCab. It had 22k miles, it was a dog, things
were starting to go wrong, and we wanted additional
seating capacity. We’ve never owned a Toyota, and
picked it because of their quality reputation, the
size/style of the truck, and the V8.
00’ Toyota Tundra, 4x4 Access Cab SR5
4.7 liter V8, 4 speed Auto
Bench front seat, fog lights, power everything.
Interior:
The interior is laid out well. The stereo is
excellent for a truck, though you need to lean
forward to hit the controls. It has 2 accessory
adapters, in addition to the cigarette lighter.
The adapter power is of when the truck isn’t
running, making it difficult to charge the cell
phone while in the house/work.
The seats are made of quality material, but aren’t
very comfortable. There is no lumbar support, and
something about the seating position doesn’t work
for me. They also need to do something about the
very straight back on the rear seat. It’s only
good for very short trips.
Overall it’s a very quiet and smooth riding truck.
It’s quieter than our two CARS. The quite ride
makes the noisy HVAC fan very noticeable. It’s
loud on all but the lowest setting. Our truck has
a shake between 40 and 50 MPH, but smoothes up at
highway speed. I think it’s just tire balance, but
we haven’t taken it to the shop, yet.
The windshield defroster is very weak. We had our
first snow of the season this week. I had trouble
melting the snow on the the upper 3” and outside
5” of the windshield. I had to turn the fan on
its highest(noisiest) setting for several minutes,
after the truck was warm. I’m 5’11”, and the ice
was right in my view. Even once it was melted I
could only turn the fan down one notch to keep the
ice off, and it was roasting me. This was on a
20-degree day, so it’ll be tough going on the
sub-zero days.
A few more nit-picks. The only light on the door
switches is in the Auto button for the drivers side
window. It’s very difficult to find the mirror
control at night. The dome light cover won’t stay
on. It’s not broken, just a poor design.
Exterior:
IMO it’s s good looking truck. It doesn’t have
the huge bulky looks of the Ford or Dodge, yet
still hauls all the passengers we need and a good
size load. I would like to see a model without the
chrome. I know chrome is a truck thing, but I
never liked it. (my Vette has none, nor do any of
my motorcycles, just like I like)
Performance:
The 0-60 time feels pretty good. There is
significantly more acceleration than my 4.0 liter
Ranger. I can actually keep up with traffic, and
pass most people. I’m a little disappointed with
the torque below 3k RPMs. A V8 shouldn’t be peaky.
I’m not a fan of Automatic transmissions, and this
one doesn’t help. The shifts are smooth, when
your accelerating from a stop, but that’s all I can
say good about it. It’s very aggressive at
getting to the upper gears. If I hesitate because
of traffic(let up on the throttle just a little),
it jumps to 3rd or 4th gear, just to have to kick
down again. It’s probably as good as any
auto-trany, they just aren’t for me.
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Comments
When I saw your $28000+ my heart skipped a beat! My '99 SD SC PSD was only $1100 more and I have everything except the Lariat and keyless entry. Are they really getting that much for the Tundra?
Rich
I would pay that and more for a SD truck before 28000 for a Tundra, but that is just my preference. That isn't to say that its not worth it to someone else.
That being said. I have first hand experience w/ GM and Ford. I'm sure I'd have as many good/bad things to say if I bought a new F-150 or Silverado. So, since I paid 2-3k less for the Tundra, I think the price was OK. It does what I need it for, but I’m less than thrilled overall.
so just be happy and drive what you like,oh yeah
i like the tundra also and if i had needed a bigger truck i would have gotten one!
The dealers are replacing the domelights on many of the Tundras. It only takes about 5 minutes.
I have a 2000 Silverado 3/4 ton which is a very nice truck as well. It benefits from well thought out tweeks learned over many years of production. I think you would find it better in some of the categories you mentioned (great seats, engine & transmission). And ya ya before you all come at me, the Tundra is better in some ways too.
Keep up the honest, factual, dialog!
I figured the dome light repair would be quick, just like the vibration issue. I'll get to it some time. I just hate trips to a car dealer, for anything. If I can live with the problem, I wait until I have another reason to make the trip.
More and more, it seems failure and trips to the dealer are inevitable. My 99 Vette has been in the shop 4 times(8 days), in 6 months, for unscheduled repairs, and needs more. My wife's SLK has been in twice in 6 months(2 days), for unscheduled repairs. My 1 year old Ducati spent 2 months in the shop, while they tried to figure out how to fix it, and it has an outstanding recall notice. So far the Tundra is the only vehicle I have that hasn't REQUIRED a repair, just a couple of little things I've been putting off.
Conclusion. It doesn't seem to matter who builds the car/truck/motorcycle, or how much you pay, it's going to have quality issues. It's something I'll probably never get use to, and definitely never enjoy.
Wow, I must have been in a bitchy mood
The problems with the Tundra I'm most dissatisfied with are: The defroster doesn't clear the windshield very well, and is very noisy. The wipers suck(streak, squeak, leaves trails), and I've tried new blades. I find the seat uncomfortable, and fairly non-adjustable. No lights on the arm rest controls, to make night time adjustments doable. The shake between 40 and 50mph.
To me the dome light issue is humorous. That something that simple could be done wrong.
The V8(and forced automatic) was my decision. The 4.0 liter Ranger I traded was such a dog, I was afraid to get another 6 banger. You're right, I probably should have test driven the 6 w/ a 5 speed. I don't haul heavy loads that often, and I probably will never tow anything, so a 6 would be enough, maybe. I do like to accelerate, even if I'm in the truck. The v8 does that nicely(once wound out a little). If only they mated it w/ a 5 speed
The truck feels very solid. Once I get the few little things taken care of, I'm sure it will be just fine for the 2-3 years I'll keep it. Also, I have confidence it will never leave me stranded, or need any major repairs. And as I stated earlier, I've had far worse luck w/ Ford and Chevy, so Toyota is doing OK.
Everyone I've given a ride, in the Tundra, has been fairly impressed. The quite/smooth ride rivals most peoples cars. And the power of the V8 feels substantial. Though most of the same people are more excited to take a spin in my Vette, despite its noisy ride. :-)
I am a Chevy owner, but do not slam anyones preference in truck. I like to learn from owners of all makes. I recently lost my Silverado in a very serious accident on the highway. God rest her soul, but a 3/4 ton 6.0l will be on order soon as I settle with the insurance company.
If I had been in a Tundra, I don't think I would be in as good of shape as I am afterwards. The sheetmetal and frames on the Tundra are admittedly lighter.....words of the Toyota engineering teams.
The beautiful thing is, there are cars and trucks a plenty and just about every one of them does something better then the other. Get what you want, get what you need.
I agree with ferris47, it's all about preference.
Please refrain from putting everyone in catagories and making unfacual generalizations about people. I hang out with a great bunch of friends and we all have different makes, GM, Ford, Dodge, and even Toyota.
Why does everything someone states, for or against a certain truck have to end up in brand wars?
It's not about attacking you.
Egos need this snobbery to validate choices, for drum brakes, weak defrosters and cheap seats. It may not be as good, but at least it costs more!
I noticed that in your message you claim to have fixed the vibration on the tundra. WHAT DID YOU DO??????
You know I'm just trying to push your buttons, don't you? I never really take any of this stuff seriously. Keep on posting! I enjoy the banter.
Jim
I simply corrected a false statement. Meant no slam against the Toyota. You all are way too defensive. Mello out. If you like your choice in Truck, who cares what others think. I am the first one to disapprove in all this brand war crap. I come here to get information about all trucks, not just what I own and drive. Never know when I may be in the market for a Tundra as a truck for my wife or son to drive.
don't be so defensive. I said nothing derogatory, just factual.
This type of thing is not driven by the manufacturers. This is where individual dealerships make the difference. You could go to another Dodge dealer and may get the same respect and treatment from them as you and I got from the respective dealers we bought from. You can't blame the manufacturer for poor dealership service. I have gone to Toyota dealerships that were pompous and arrogant about their vehicles and plain would not deal at all on price or options, etc., and were basically the same royal pain in the [non-permissible content removed] as your experience with Dodge. Again, it's dealership related, not manufacturer related.
Glad you like your Toyota Tundra.
After 3100 miles I have had no problems at all. It feels as if the truck is chiseled out of a solid block of steel and I have no vibs, rattles, squeaks, shakes etc. The most impressive thing to me is that when going over bumps the bed does not flex independently of the cab. I have never driven a truck this tight.
Pros: 32 Valves of pure V8 bliss. I have always been a proponent of pushrods in trucks but the Tundra's V8 will not only work hard like a truck it will also run like a sports car. It truely is a marvel and is a jewel. The size is perfect for 90% of the people who drive trucks. It handles and rides far better then any truck on the market. The center console is actually quite usable. When I first saw it I thought what a joke but it has ended up being one of the best consoles I have ever had. Holds plenty, and the cup holders are great. The truck is extremely comfortable and quiet. You can say buy a truck for a truck but if you can have the best of both worlds why not?
Cons: What's up with that stupid clock placement. I have gotten used to it but geez what an after thought. The oil filter is put in an extremely difficult spot. You have to really fight to get it off. The back seat could be more accomidating but all in all it isn't as bad as people make it out to be. This is probably the trucks biggest downside to the masses though. The hood doesn't have an engine insulator or whatever you want to call it. I mean for 26K truck it would have been a nice touch. Just nit-picking on this one really.
As far as price I here people constantly complaining that the Tundra is so much more than other full size trucks. My Two wheel drive Limited that is loaded with every option except security system was 27 and some change. 28 something with TTT. The Silverado LT that I was looking at would have been 28 some before TTT and that was with a great deal. Prices are not that different. I would say the Tundra tends to be a bit cheaper or right on the mark option to option. Sure it is a bit smaller, and I mean a bit, but that is part of it's charm. As for anybody out there who wants to argue that it is a midsize truck, come wash and wax mine. You will agree it is a full size wash and wax.
I will try to keep everybody updated. Only problem I have had is a clicking sound that occurred one time. Don't have a clue what it was but it never came back. Mileage has been about 15 to 16 with all around town driving. Pretty good for a truck but not quite as impressive as those Chevy Small Blocks. What can you say Chevy is the small block pushrod god.
Well hope everybody is enjoying what they got. I can't wait to go drive mine. May all of us stay on the road and out of the shop.
Later