Another Tundra or Jump Ship

As far as towing, there was a, or there still is a national towing standard "towing" test that Toyota was the first to apply / use called ( SAE J 2807) maybe 7-8 years ago.

I get a lot of visitors to my home where they see my Tundra parked, by my RV trailer. A few weeks back a person with a F-150 commented on he was purchasing a new RV trailer of decent size (34' 10,000 gross). I noticed there wasn't the 3.5 eco-boost emblem on the fender of his Ford truck. I asked the owner if he know "his" trucks towing capacity. "O, it's good for 12,000. Here he has the "small" 2.7 L eco-boost. Let's look at the door tag. Door tag said 7500...max. As it sits, you can only even attempt to tow a RV trailer with a "dry weight" in the 5500 lb. range to allow for the 1000 -1500 of added cargo. It didn't seem to phase him...

With my 14' Tundra I have towed two different sized RV's. The first (400 nights of use over 5-6 seasons) spec-ed at 4400 dry, 5800 loaded, 25' long, 10' tall. #2 New-er RV ( 140 nights over 2 seasons) spec-ed at 6600 dry, 8000 loaded, 28.5' long BUT 11'6" tall. Definitely, the Tundra knows it's towing something now. Even with RVing in the mountains of New England, PA, OH, WV, VA, NC and SC. AND doing mostly state and National Park locations where many are off the beaten path, the Tundra was confident in its power band and not being over taxed. But, I would not tow anything larger than a 30' long trailer. MPG's on the old RV were 11.25, the new-er heavier RV 9.5 mpg. Because of the newer RV's 18" taller profile, wind has more effect on the MPG's. **** I did add the Firestone air bags on the rear suspension as the new-er RV is tongue heavy.

The towing capacity tag on my door sill, says 9900 lbs. I'm confident in "HOW" Toyota comes by that number. But I still see Tundra owners towing RV's both bumper tow and a few 5-wheels in the 10,000 to 12,000 range...and 34' to 36' units. I'm not a rocket scientist, but I would see that is pushing the over loaded button.

With all this said, I'm watching carefully on the spec's of the Gen 4 Tundra's. In the last 3-4 months I have "looked" at both a Ford - 250 (gas) and a Chevy 2500 (gas)..just as an option, if the next gen 4 Tundra exits the towing race. Meaning if the gen 4's are built to be "eye candy" only and let the big 3 fight it out for the "first" half to tow 30,000 lbs ( sorry a little sarcasm)....I will be disappointed. I have a 8 year / 100k warranty to run out "about" when the gen 4's "MIGHT" ever arrive...I have had zero issues where the warranty was used, but for the $1,700 for the warranty (Toyota) I have the peace of mind.

 

Good luck with your new Tundra. When the time comes, I will be jumping ship. Not enough capacity in the Tundra platform, and more problems with my Tundra than I was expecting. I have decided that Toyota sort of sucks at making seals. I have had cam tower leaks on both sides of my truck, and when I recently took my truck in under warranty for the broken clock spring, they replaced my oil pan seal that was leaking. That combined with early shock, ball joint, and other minor failures - makes it a no-go in the future for me.

Also, I'm not a huge fan of the way the new Tundras look - then again, nobody really makes a good looking truck any more.

 

The brand new, completely redesigned GM twins didn't do great on that crash test either, from what I've read.

 

My 2014 has 73k on it, never had a single issue. Im sticking with Tundras until i need heavy duty for towing a toy hauler with ATV's

 

Thank you. Yes, I was comparing strictly tow capacity without restricting trim choice.

 

Only truck I trade to is a V-8 Tacoma

 

trie - I think they were rated marginal. The Tundra was rated poor, the worst possible rating. It’s just unacceptable. The Ram, Ford and Nissan all received the highest rating of good. Toyota needs to address this. With TSS and all Toyota’s talk of their commitment to occupant safety, this doesn’t jive. I knew about the ratings when I leased my 2019. But honestly, the safety ratings will be one of the things I consider carefully when the 4th gen comes out. I have to assume Toyota will step up, but I’ll be checking before I drop my $50K+. IMO anyway.

 

so i guess reading isnt your thing, i'll spoon feed a bit...
This is tow capacity, not limited to "platinum trim".... Most of these figures, are greater than, the tundra. If you need additional help with maths I will be by later...

Neither does Toyota, 8' bed can only go on double cab and regular cab... However, ford does offer 6.5 ft beds on all trim and configurations (besides Raptor and Limited).

 

a chart of diesels, turbos, and other useless “oranges” shit. Congratulations, you’re a moron.

5._liter v8 naturally aspirated engines. 4 full doors. 4wd. All the buttons and knobs and switches inside from each manufacturer to make it tingle where you dingle. That was the original comparison *you* were making.

All I did was correct your mistake. It hurts, but it heals.

 

Technically a true 3rd gen needs to come out before the 4th gen. The DC didn't get the poor raring. The Crew Max did. DC's always have historically done well safety wise compared to the CM.

 

Yeah never understood that. Maybe because of the weight difference between the DC and CM which leads to the different ratings in safety?

 

Our 07' DC has 245,000 on the odometer and everything from the engine compartment to the rear axle is bone dry. Due to our age, this truck may be the last one we'll every own, but most certainly, if I had to get another truck, it would be a Tundra and I don't care if it's an "old" platform, it's one damn good truck!!!

 

lol right bud. You just keep the blinders on and drink the kool-aid, never mind those pesky facts.

 

That’s interesting. Learn something every day. Wonder what the difference is.

 

Has something to do with the cab if I recall correctly. DC has always fared better than the CM in the annual safety tests. I don't recall the DC ever getting a marginal in any category. The Tundra is a safe truck. Problem is not much at all has changed safety wise with the Tundra, other than more sensors, since 07 and the Big 3 have updated their safety so naturally they get better results. Doesn't mean the Tundra isn't safe, just not up to date with what the Big 3 have done.

 

As a former GM employee of 22 years I can tell you despite whatever little quirks the Tundra has it is nothing compared to the pain you feel after a few years of owning a Chevy. I was very proud to own my Tundra working for GM and I showed all my co-workers on a regular basis why it was a better truck. I can also tell you I hit a deer with my Tundra and it took that hit like a champ.

Get another Tundra.

 

Wait... So are you saying that because a stripped out RCLB XL trim can tow 13k lbs your Platinum CC is way more equipped to tow than a Tundra Platinum?

That's like saying my wife is hotter because her sister is hot. Just because it's possible in the family doesn't make the entire family automatically better.

 

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply anything about the Tundra. Just pointing out that there's no such thing as a crew cab long box halfton from Ford (or any other manufacturer). The label on that chart was just a bit confusing/ misleading.

 

Dude, you own a Tundra. You should know this is blatantly inaccurate. I don't know why people assume the Tundra is more basic than it is. The Platinum and 1794 both come standard with Premium Leather seating that far exceeds the crap that they put in F150s. The 1794/Platinum also offer adaptive cruise control, navigation, parking sensors, class IV receiver, 7 pin/4pin wiring harness, 4.30 rear axle and a 38 gallon tank as standard features. The Lariat offers none of those features as standard. Add them and you significantly exceed the price point of a 1794/Platinum Tundra.

The F150 Platinum doesn't offer premium leather seating, adaptive cruise, larger tank or pedestrian monitoring as standard. The adaptive cruise/ pedestrian detection is part of a $2300 upgrade package on the F150 Platinum. If you want to tow and upgrade to the towing package (Standard on my Tundra, it is another $2300 to add the tow package, 36 gallon tank, 7 pin wiring harness, and the Ford 3.55 (but still shitty for towing)rear axle. The standard rear axle on the Ford is 3.15.

When I get done pricing out a F150 Platinum with all the features of 4x4 platinum Tundra, it comes out to $64k. The Lariat comes out to about $62k. So tell us again which features of the 1794/Platinum Tundra make it closer to a Lariat, when the standard features actually blow away the Ford Platinum.

 

Just looking at pricing is why I wouldn't compare platinum to platinum. Toyota is at CAD $65k, F150 is at $75k. Lariat pricing is much closer even if it lacks a few options.

This point is what annoys me about 'journalists' reviewing trucks. They put the Tundra Platinum against a Denali, Laramie Limited, F150 Platinum and say the interior is the worst. No shit it is, those models cost $10k more than the Tundra, they better have nicer interiors. It's like they're penalizing Toyota for not doing an ultra-luxury focused pickup.

 

I looked at the new Chevy at the car show last weekend with that funky tailgate. The back seats were a joke.

 

Exactly 100% of the dozens, if not hundreds of f150 platinums I searched for all came with the upgrade packages. I think the Tundra is the best truck for me, but I won't pretend like the big 3 don't have better feature sets and way more available options.

 

^ this is woefully inaccurate. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least 15 or 20 items Toyota doesnt even offer, that are available either stock or as an option by Ford. The platinum tundra is still in the stone age, no matter how much they try to polish that turd. Want a 6.5' bed? Limited is the highest trim you can get from toyota and it is pretty much a base truck by today's standards. A platinum F150 with the $1800 701A Tech Package (comes with a $500 credit), + extended range tank, will run rings around platinum tundra, and can be had for under 60k w V8. The F150 doesnt come with mud flaps or wheel well liners standard though

Toyota has to keep the tundra budget friendly because they cant compete anywhere else, besides reliability and price.

Want a reliable truck on a budget? Or be more comfortable, spend a little more (while wisely adding an extended warranty)...

 

Perhaps I’m pouring gasoline on the fire but I paid $46k for my Platinum back in August.
So the question is if all the benefits on the F150 Platinum are worth that much more than the Tundra Platinum.

Maybe I’m a simpleton consumer since I came from a Tacoma with not much options or technology; I thought the Tundra was a real nice step up. I’d rather have the extra $10-15k of cash in my pocket than a 10 speed trans or a truck that can reverse a trailer with a dial. All personal preference of course.

 

This is the important part. Anybody can justify accepting any numbers, stats, pros or cons if it is what they want. The "my truck is better" debate is always going to be subjective because there is NO truck that is the absolute best in EVERY category.

Truck A can tow more so it's better! Truck B has the best ride so it's better! Truck C has more options so it's better! Truck D is the most reliable so it's better! Who cares? Do your research, compare the points that matter to you and get the best truck for YOU. If you have to flaunt it or run another person's choice down it says far more about you than it does about the truck.

 

When shopping I knew I’d have some remorse when looking how “old” the Tundra is compared to other half tons, especially driving this and a 19 Ram side by side.

However in 2011, I bought an F150 Ecoboost new since it was such a new technology and it was great at first. Then at 5k miles on the ODO they had to drop the transmission out of the truck and keep it for two weeks. Then the next year the rear end shudder started. Then at 60k miles the truck started acting up, throwing codes, going to limp mode, etc. sold it for the Tacoma shortly after. That whole experience reminded me of the chance I’m taking (valuing my time over an extended warranty which I had on the F150) with domestic trucks and a newer model. All three domestics had new tech between redesign and power trains. This was something that when I drove the Tundra, I knew these things were built like tanks I could trust. That above along with the Options and “luxury” trim you get per dollar vs domestics is what sold me on the 12 year old new Tundra. I’m a Director of Finance for a living so my mind works in dollar value per unit to make decisions on a daily basis. Fords and Rams are really nice trucks but the value per dollar was maxed out with the Tundra IMO. And an earlier post of mine shows the door sticker payload not that far off from a super crew F150 (although it was a picture of a specific model).

 

I 100% agree...the Chevy 1/2 tons have "kiddie" rear seats at best. That is another reason to check out the new (2020) 2500 Chevy's when they start to produce the double cabs. The 2500's are supposed to be much larger in the back seat area on the 2500 double cab configuration.

As far as "pricing" between the upper three trim levels on the Tundra (Limited, Platinum and 1794) and the "Big 3", I'll see some value in a Tundra. Couple that with it's reliability pedigree, resale value and the fact it's more of a "simple" truck, you can have some peace of mind owning one. I think my 14' Limited DC sticker-ed for $42k back in Dec of 2013 (when ordered). At the time the 2014 1794's were $49,999....where the top of the line F-150's were hitting near $60k.

Having my 14' Tundra now for close to 6 years, it's treated me well. The only issue was when I went to do brakes, the new factory pads were "squealing" the first application in the morning. My Toyota dealer said there was a "issue" with the new pad material not being designed to the rotors. The front pads as of Aug. 2019 were re-formulated. So my dealer swapped them out, and threw on new rotors (free of charge). He said the new re-formulated rear pads were to be available either Dec or Jan. So those will get swapped out my next oil change.

 

Please list them - I go through all the trucks from time to time in my downtime and can't think of that many. I'll get it started for Platinum to Platinum off the top of my head:

Pano roof - although this is a negative to me, I don't like holes in the roof, bigger hole means possible bigger problems.
Crash test - F150 is lighter, meaning it takes less impact force, let's see a Tundra v. F150 head on before any conclusions can come from this.
Don't think a Tundra has a 120v plug

That's all I got without digging into the websites. I'd like to see what you come up with.

 

I can't tell if you're serious, your statements are all contradictions. Nope, no 6.5' bed. You better go buy a Ford. Good luck!

 

I get so frustrated with Ford......

I just spent 25 minutes trying to build a comparable Lariat to my Toyota Platinum. Ford absolutely nickels and dimes you and puts popular options as part of a package.

I went to select 20" aluminum rims and it is a $4,260 upgrade package.

I went to select the ford version of adaptive cruise control and it is part of some 502a upgrade package or something like that for almost $6k upgrade.

I tried adding tube step bars and you had to select an appearance package for $$$$.

You try to get close to options on the Tundra and if you want to add one little thing, you have to select a package with a bunch of other stuff.

I built a Lariat with comparable features, actually a little less and it was $61k. I choose the few missing options and it jumps to $65k plus. I doubt ford dealers are going to come down $14k to get to $51k which is the price of a Platinum.

looking in auto trader and cars.com and you can pick up some really nice looking loaded Lariats that are 2 years old and under 40k miles for $32k to $36k, and that is advertised price.....

the $51k Platinum less than 2 years old with under 40k mikes are advertised for $39 to $44k used.

there are 47 used Lariats just in Knoxville alone. Those people took a beating!!!

I would hate to spend $60k in a truck just to trade it in for $31k max to years later. Ouch!!!!!! That one hurts as a ford owner!!