Toyota Tundra for towing.......

[Stix Magill]

I am about to purchase two 4WD V8 trucks for my business fleet. The dual purposes are daily driving :) and towing my Minx and my business partners pontoon boat :D . We often have to use dirt (read mud) ramps.

Do any of you have a Tundra and if so, what do you think?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

[Jake]

Scott,
We had a 2000 Limited V8 on our lot a couple of weeks ago and it was a great truck. One of the owners moved his boat around with it and loved it. In fact he put 7,000 miles on the truck. The Toyota dealer did have to rebuild the transfer case for us at 47,000 miles, but it was covered under warranty. Enjoy them.

[Sam]

Scott, check with Jeff Wright I believe he tows his 21GT with a Tundra.

Sam

[Stix Magill]

Thanks Sam and Jake. I want to make sure I get a truck that will pull the Minx with little effort. Any owners of friends of owners please comment! :)

Thanks,

Scott

[Donzi Dreaming]

Stix,

I have a 2001 Tundra SR5 that I am quite happy with. I have been towing a friends boat that weighs in around 3500-3600 lbs. on the trailer without any problems. You barely notice its back there. I bought the Tundra for a couple of reasons, ride, interior noise, and Toyota quality. I needed a truck around the house and was going to have to drive it everyday- with the Off- Road package it rides very smooth and was one of if not the quietest truck that I have ever driven. Early trucks had some problems with the rear drums not being heavy duty enough for the truck but I have seen this be a problem for all the manufactures at some time. This problem supposedly has been fixed on the newer models.

I am not trying to start a war over truck manufactures, they all have their uses. I've driven Chevy and Ford duallies when pulling big fifth wheel trailers and they were great.

John

[Stix Magill]

Thanks John!

Are there any complaints that come to mind? I have heard that they are very quiet. My wife will love that! She really hates to drive my Ford, what with the glasspacs and all! eek! I happen to love the sound... reminds me of the Minx!

Thanks all for your comments. All are appreciated.

[Donzi Dreaming]

Scott,

I guess my complaints are minimal. The back seat is not as big as the big three, but I drive the damn thing and don't sit back there. There is a squeak in the dash that I have tracked down, apparently it is common, and only happens when it is cold out. It even goes away once the defroster has warmed up the dash. I know of a fix and have not tried it yet. I hated the factory bed liner- it rattled, I had a spray in liner installed and love it.

I was amazed that when I first bought my truck its break in trip was down to Va. for a wedding. It got 19+ mpg, higher than the sticker quoted. I am very happy with the truck. Hopefully it soon will have its own Donzi to pull around. But for now it will have to settle for the best boat around- a free one!

John

[Donzi Dreaming]

Scott,

I forgot, TRD, Borla, and Bassani all make stainless exhaust kits for the Tundra if you need more noise. They get louder in the order that I listed them and all add a few ponies. I amm ordering the Borla soon for mine.

John

[Stix Magill]

John,

Oh yes. A k&N filter and a freeflow exhaust will be added! Thanks for the brands to look for. I will probably do as you are and go for the Borla.

I am getting excited about this!! :D :D

[jwright]

I have a 2000 Tundra SR5, 4WD 4.7 V8. Here is my list:

Cons...
Piston slap at very cold temperatures. Tundra Solutions website implies it is only a noise not a problem. The engine has forged pistons which expand more so the are noisy when it is very cold out.
Engine torque curve is a little "peaky". Torque really comes in at 2400 rpm, Wish it had a little more at 1500-2000 rpm.

Pros:
Great ride, QUIET!!!!, strong brakes, no problems AT ALL in 30,000 miles.

I do not have the TRD package. Mine rides great and does not sag to much with the boat and trailer. I tow a 21GT, probably 4000-4500 total load. I run 70 mph in drive (not OD) at 3200 rpm. Never downshifts or slips the torque convertor on the hills and I can pass on two lanes. Lots of power past 2400 rpm. I get about 15 mpg with trailer.

Any more questions let me know!

Good Luck

[Dr. Dan]

Stix, Hey I can't speak for the Tundra's, but I can the 4-Runners, I have had 3... wink a 1987,1993 and currently a 1997, I have put over 200,000 miles on all before I traded, their resale is 2nd to none for their class! The 1997 only has a six in it but it pulls our 22 Classic, very well, I added "Air Suspension Coil Bags and KYB gas Shocks on all corners", technically it tracks better behind the 4-Runner then behind my '93 F-150 Lightning, believe it or not! eek! Outside of the occassional 6% grade climb on some interstates I have zero complaints and it will climb a wall with all its torque in 4 wheel drive...so a V-8 has to be terrific, only problem is center of gravity in a pick-up is always more forward than an SUV like a 4-Runner. You should be fine, good luck! :D ...Doc

[RH]

Stix, This is coming out of the heartland where when you go to a wedding, you sit on the side of the church that has either Ford OR Chevy labled on the pews! LOL! I think that the Tundra is a nice step for Toyota in the arena of a larger truck. My father in-law just purchased a loaded up GMC 4WD pickup that is just a joy to drive and pull with. He pulls a horse trailer with it and it is smooth and has a nice torque range when pulling. I feel that the Tundra may be more nimble in traffic due to it's overall dimensions. I really do not think that you can go too far wrong with your decision. I pull with a Jeep Grand Cherokee and my wifes 2000 Cadillac Escalade, and the Escalade is the machine! (when she let's me drive it)

[Looped]

I would have to say out of the 16 or so cars/trucks I have had in the past 15 years of driving I think that I miss my 97 F150 Supercab the most. It only had the 4.6 v-8 but it still towed the popup camper like it was not even there with decent torque and it got great gas mileage. I just sold my Lincoln Mark VIII this past Friday for a Mountaineer so that I can have something to tow my Donzi around while restoring it simply because I think that my Wife’s Lexus RX300 has no sack to do any towing (plus I feel like I’m a giant in it and I’m only 6’ tall). In my experience the Jap cars/trucks have no power and seem to loose their torque over the years when they get older unlike American made. This Fall we will be getting ride of the sackless tin can to buy American.

My vote is for anything American made because there’s nothing like American torque plus you need to support your Country too. The American trucks have come a long way in the past 10 years.

[Stix Magill]

The GMC Sierra is the first truck I looked at. Very nice, but much more than the Tundra. I was suprised. I thought it would be the other way around. Both are very nice. Thanks for the input. :)

[Stix Magill]

The Toyota Tundra is made in Indiana. By Americans!

[Looped]

The money all goes back to the Island over there, that's where it starts & ends. Believe me I know and only if the public knew what is going on behind the seen here......

The "Made in America" is just what they want people to think now that they have a couple of plants here.

[Tidbart]

At least their plants are here. Not in Mexico or Canada like some of the "Made in America" companies.

Getting back to the Tundra. Smooth ride, plenty of horses, comfortable, and sweet looking. A great tow vehicle. Had mine two years with my 18 behind it for over 2000 miles. The Tundra didn't know it was there.

Do yourself a favor. Don't get a plastic bed liner and do get the Off-Road Package. The Package has the Bilstein shock upgrade, tuned suspension etc. Worth the extra bucks. You won't be dissappointed.

[Donzified]

Do you really what to hook your Donzi to a rice burner?

[Stix Magill]

Donzified,

Are you taking issue with everyone who owns an imported car or truck? If so, start your own thread. Please let us know in which U.S. state your TV, stereo, vehicles, clothes, etc. are made. It is called the GLOBAL ECONOMY. Read about it.

All the comments (regarding the quality and performance of the Tundra) are appreciated.

[Stix Magill]

Tidbitnh,

I thought a bedliner was a good idea?! I like the liner in my Ford F-150. What gives? The offroad package sounds like a great idea. Someone earlier mentioned the stock suspension being a little weak.
Let me know about the liner if you don't mind. Someone mentioned that it rattled and recommended a spray-on liner. Is that what you are referring to?

Thanks!

Scott

[Tomahawk]

Stix - I heard the same about the drop in bedliners. That water and grit can get under them and do bad things. Not from personal experience but seems to make sense. I went with the spray on type and am happy with that.

[Stix Magill]

Tom,

That makes perfect sense. Water, etc. gets trapped and bad things happen. Spray on it is. You may see me yet!

:) :) Scott

[Dr. Dan]

Stix, I have a rubber base bed liner,floor pad only wink and a fiberglass lid made for my F-150, it is from Leer and it's bone dry in there, it's slick and it looks good too, on gas struts like our hatch lifts, very effective...they make them for every brand!...just an FYI :D ...Doc

[Formula Jr]

Last I checked, Volvo was a Swedish company. Merc is now owned by a Canadian Company. Don died in a German built car. My Apple computer has almost nothing in it made in America. Most Harley parts are Not US made and there is more USA Made Content, over all, in a Honda than a Chevy. Isn't the CEO of Ford from "down under." And almost all of the aluminum in the world is smelted from Australian Boxite. And that fill up you just got, has an 80% chance of coming from someplace else. Though we sell 80% of our oil to someplace else also. Just wish we had something better to export than Rap Music, software and movies.
Go figure.....

I've never been in a Tundra, but hey, if it represents a good bang for the buck, go for it. But at least look at a new Dodge. wink

[Stix Magill]

Owen,

I will check out the Dodge offerings today. Thanks for the suggestion.

Scott

[FJB20]

Ford -- Chevy -- Chrysler -- Gave Millions to the 911 Funds in New York --- Not One Import Manufacturer Gave to Those Poor People Who Lost
Their Loved Ones. Not a Dime Lexus BMW
Nissan Toyota None of Them. Buy a Ford 150
The Engines are Bigger and the Rears are Higher
411's are available. Might be built in the USA but the Profits and the Leadership are in JAPAN

[CnV & Family]

Personal Preference... I'll keep my Ram 1500 until there is nothing left of it. :p (Unless the Donzi gets upgraded first... which is unlikely for a loooooooonnnnnnng time)

Owned a Toyo 4x4 before that... 230,000 before I handed it to my brother. No complaints at all. Went everywhere. Could pull almost anything. When it was involuntarily retired by a drunk driver of a Jeep, it had 280,000. eek!

After getting the Dodge though, I don't want another import. Just my .02!

-C

[Donzified]

Stix ,buy American it's PATRIOTIC. Read about it.
This being a boating forum,not a political one I decline to make any more posts on this subject.

[Jake]

Stix,
One thing I forgot to mention was to comment on the bed size. There was a plastic bedliner in the one that we had, but the bed was very shallow. The domestic beds are a much better setup. Just my opinion.

[Stix Magill]

I showed my 911 patriotism by hosting a large benefit concert and scratching a big check for the Fire/Police Dept. fund, not by picking one car over another.
Mercedes and Honda both have large plants in Aabama now and our local economy has benefitted in a huge way. I have a Mercedes and two Hondas in the business fleet along with my Ford F-150 and my partners Ford and Chevy.

For all the comments on Tundras, I thank you. Once again, I have learned more than I could have hoped for. :)

[Tomahawk]

Please forgive me as I know this inappropriate here but this affects me (and others here) personally. There is some misinformation in some of the comments about profit, leadership and patriotism, at least as it pertains to my company. I'm going to let that go but there is something I would like you all to know:
American Honda Motor Company contributed $1,545,041.91 to the "United Way of New York September,11 Fund" and the American Red Cross. That amount does not include the direct contributions of generators, water pumps and ATV's made immediately after the disaster. Also that, donations were made by 5,520 Honda associates from around North America and were matched by American Honda.
Stix - my apologies for using your topic in this manner.

[ToonaFish]

Spray on bedliners are great for most applications, but some of my commercial truck customers have had to have chips and deep scratches repaired. (Covered under warranty, by the way.) My most serious complaint has been severe fading, probably due to our lovely acid rain and harsh Southern sun. Concerns have also been raised about repairing them if the truck bed were to suffer body damage in a collision.

Drop in bedliners are great if you don't plan to keep the truck more than 100k. And are cheap to replace before resale.

Dr. Dan suggested my favorite... good old fashioned rubber bed mats. Cut a couple of pieces of plywood to fit the sides of your bed for the times you are hauling nasties. Take all out for normal driving and you'll have a spotless bed. Unless a Flamingo flying overhead takes a poo...

Bunches,

Celene "that's a beauty mark, that ain't no ding"

[Tidbart]

Stix, sorry for not getting back sooner. The reason I say not to go with a plastic bed liner is that as others have said, they wear the paint off the bed underneath. You won't see it until you remove the liner, but within a year or two you could be down to bare metal. The wear is very subtle as it looks as though there is no movement. Changes in cargo and temperature along with some road dirt will slowly do the damage. I removed mine after 1 1/2 years only to see the abrasions on the bottom of the bed. I replaced it with a rubber mat and a Leer fiberglass tonneau as the caps aren't compatible with the over-the-rail type plastic liners.
If you must get one, perhaps if you don't have a choice and the truck come with one already, there is a company that makes a fabric liner that you put between the liner and bed to stop any abrasions. Probably worth the extra bucks.
I have no experience with spray-ons other than the fact that I considered them and didn't have the spare cash at the time. They can be expensive, but so is body work.
If I had to do it over again: 1. Truck comes with a plastic liner. Keep it and buy the fabric to put underneath it. 2. Truck comes with no liner. I would probably bu a heavy duty rubber mat for the bottom and then put on a tail gate protector and bedrail protectors.
Anyways you have options. Hope I could help.
That's is my two cents worth. Should get back to work.