Considering a Tundra

I’ve been a GM truck guy since I bought an 05 Silverado new in 06 then got a 2018 Sierra Z71 SLT with the 6.2l & 8 speed. Prior to that I drove big GM body-on-frame cars like a 91 Caprice & 96 Impala SS. My Sierra is currently in the shop for the 2nd time with transmission issues & only has 47k miles on it. I’m now considering trading it in on something different. I’m only considering the Tundra because 2 of my uncles have them & seem to love them. I’m here looking to do some research before buying.

 

Get a Tundra and don't look back. Now I can't speak for the new 3rd Gen but our 2.5 Gen is awesome. We have had zero issues in 4 years (fuel pump recall) and 50K on the odometer.

 

Welcome and good luck with your quest.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)!

 

Get a V8 Tundra and forget about dealer visits. New V6 Tundra does not stand to reliability expectations yet.

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Once you go Toyota you won’t go back!

 

What kind of actual fuel economy numbers do people get from the V8? & how much power & torque does it put out? My truck averages over 17mpg & from the factory came with 420hp 460tq.

I didn’t mention that I’m in East Texas. The idea of buying a truck that’s built here is nice, like how my Impala SS was built in Arlington TX.

 

Depending on use and mods people get anywhere from 10 to 18 mpg.
If you don't lift and get big heavy tires your looking at 15 to 16 mpg average. Higher if you go 2wd and double cab. You should know right off the bat that mpg is not a tundra strong point, but everything else is. And it's not a HD truck so keep that in mind. This is all in regards to the 2.5 gen V8 model.

 

I had a 2014 Silverado Z71 5.3 that had a far share of problems. I traded it for a 2011 Tundra with the 5.7 in 2016 that I kept until last November when I got my 23 Tundra.

My 2011 had the fuel pump module go around 100k, nothing else aside from regular maintenance. It got pretty awful fuel economy, but I didn't care. I averaged 15 or so mpg mixed driving. Worse in the winter.

Obviously the 23s aren't proven yet. I love mine, the 3.5TT is great, it pulls hard and I get 17 to 19 mpg. I would test drive one at highway speed to see if it has a wind noise issue, that seems to be the most frequent complaint. Seems to be more common on 22s. My 23 is very quiet even with e rated Ko2 tires.

 

Get the Tundra! I love my 2.5 gen, I've had zero issues.

 

My truck is tuned, it averages far less than it did stock. Getting 16 MPG on highway in summer, 10.5 MPG in winter doing only in-town short trips.

Wife's V8 Sequoia, which is 1/2 tons heavier, gets 18 MPG on highway in winter.

 

I’m not trying to be defensive, but y’all definitely aren’t talking me into trading my GMC for a V8 Tundra so far. Poorer fuel economy while making less power & torque isn’t much of a selling point. My GMC with 4WD, Crew Cab, & 6.5’ bed weighed over 6k pounds on the scales. When I drive with a heavy foot it gets around 14mpg average. Typical highway driving is 19-20, but I’ve gotten some crazy good averages in ideal conditions.

 

But average MPG over the life of the vehicle has stayed pretty steady just under 17.

 

Bearing in mind that the GM only gets those numbers when it's not in the shop...

 

Yeah, this is the third time I’ve taken it in over 47k miles. Twice was preventative maintenance. Once for a recall. Each time it was still running, but just not as smooth as it should. Nothing catastrophic yet…. (Fingers crossed)

 

I hear ya, mine had a transmission fluid change at 174k and was running a bit rough last month and is now getting a new valve body...but it's 10 years old, used as a tradesman's work vehicle and only a month or two away from hitting 250k...

 

Dump the GM and don't look back. I was a Chevy guy my whole life until the last POS Rust Bucket.Went to Denver and bought a high mileage 200k+, zero rust, 2nd gen. Did a full maintenance on it when I got back to Pa.. Get a Gen 2 or 2.5 you can't go wrong.

 

I will admit, for all the problems my GM gave me, it got great mpgs. Easily 22 on the highway around 70mph. With that said, I will never own a GM again or a Jeep again after my wife's Grand Cherokee...I will stick with Toyota and Honda.

I believe GM is now apart of a class action lawsuit for the 8 speed transmissions as well. Which is for 15 to 19s.

 

The 6.2 also requires premium, the 5.7 puts out pretty good numbers on 87 so do the math on what’s really costing more based on the MPG and fuel cost. The tundra also has a 4.30 gear ratio.

 

With all the repairs you have to pay for on an average gm truck, tundra would probably have to get 5 mpg to even out on overall cost lol

 

There has been a study (can't find it now) that showed the 2.5 gen Tundra had a lower Total Cost of Ownership than any other 1/2 ton truck, in spite of the lower gas mileage. That didn't even include the non-scheduled dealer visits for issues. Gas is not the only cost associated with driving a truck.

 

Towing capacity and fuel economy are not two things we will ever be able to sell you on in regards to a tundra. It’s almost literally everything outside of those two factors where the tundra excels. It’s not uncommon to find old tundras with several hundred thousand miles on the dial and still running like the day it was purchased, if not better. THAT is why we are here

 

Cons: payload capacity is low, 2022+ is still proving itself (to be expected), 2007 - 2021 gets crappy mpg, stock sound system sucks, and interior / tech seems ancient, no LSD, no full time 4wd

Pros: everything else

Payload capacity is around 1100-1500 depending on build configuration. Just be advised.

 

The way I see it, I get 3 less mpg in exchange for a LOT fewer problems. What is your time worth to you? Do you mind having a truck that goes to the shop regularly?

It was Edmunds. Comparing similar half-tons, the 2nd gen Tundra was the cheapest to own over 5 years despite the lower fuel economy.

 

There's no perfect answer here. I came off two Silverado 2500HDs that both treated me well, but then again the last one was a 2005. Finding anything GM in the last couple years that didn't seem to have engine issues was a problem. Would never consider a Ford and Dodges were in short supply in the configuration I was looking for. It seems most trucks are currently at a point where the technology hasn't reliably caught up with the ever increasing demands of more power, higher fuel economy and lower emissions. The reputation for reliability was the main reason I picked up one of the last 2.5 Gen Tundras. As a truck its perfectly fine, though to be honest even the old 2005 Silverado still had better handling, better seats and a better stereo. I bought the Tundra primarily to do truck stuff, which it does well, if it was going to be a daily driver I might have gone to a higher trim or rolled the dice on reliability and picked up something different.

 

Thanks for finishing my reference!

 

Agree, and when I see the new Tundra angled just right (see pic) makes me that much more happy to have a 2.5 gen, as that hood is loooooong.