Tundras vs other fullsized

NGL, I’m trying to look cool too. That’s why I needed a scoop for my hood scoop.

 

I've had a CM and 2 DCs. You can make the DC work with kids.
I had the CM while the kids were small, through the football and dance class years and it was the perfect vehicle for the kind of work I did + having kids. It's also an amazing road trip vehicle, even with kids in the 12 yrs old range. I could've done it in a DC, but the CM just made it so much nicer for everyone. Granted, I had a 2011 at the time and the back seat slid forward and reclined a little. Once the kids were older and past the hanging around with dad phase I switched to DC 8' bed and that was perfect for what I was doing.
For me it was 2 extremes. Either the giant cab and tiny bed, or extended cab and giant bed. I always saw the DC 6' bed as middle of the road compromise that doesn't give you the full benefit of either.
Depending on whether you have kids now, how many, how big, etc, I'd say the DC will work out just fine (it's smaller, but not super tiny and cramped. Adults can sit back there). It can easily handle a couple kids and a couple dirt bikes with the gate closed (put the kids inside). You can always get a 3rd gen CM with a 6' bed down the road when the kids are a little bigger and it's been around for a few more years.

 

That blue is super nice. I didn’t realize they have parking sensors on SR5s so that’s a nice bonus.

 

I have to say, in 2020 when I bought my truck, I also drove a GMC Sierra. I actually thought the Tundra road better and handled better than the GMC. Add onto that that I paid about $8000 less than what the GMC would cost and it is a deal I could not turn down. So I have a platinum trim, so I have as many bells and whistles as Toyota offers, I could not be happier. If I did not buy the Toyota, I probably would’ve bought a GMC, have no interest whatsoever in a Ford or a Ram.

 

Good call on upgrading when the 3rd gen has been out for a bit.

 

Yea it’s one of the upgrades/packages. It doesn’t come stock on the SR5s.

Edit - it’s the convenience package

 

Calvary blue is currently my favorite Tundra color. I only found one 2.5 gen DCLB in that color when I was shopping and someone snatched it up after only being listed for a few days (it was in FLA and I'm in NY).
I ended up with a white one.
I'm still upset about it and not happy for anyone with a blue one.

 

Haha yea I’ve been trying to snag the right one for a couple months now. I’ve had like 4 cavalry blues fall off for me. One I even flew up to buy and got there and it was misrepresented. I pick this one up on Saturday and I’m still a little hesitant that it’s going to go through. Fingers crossed but this one looks super solid.

 

We have some Ram trucks at work. Now keep in mind these are work trucks but one has been plagued with electrical issues since new. I know it’s been on the shop at least 3 times over the course of the year.

Yes, Toyota may not have the features but at the end of the day build reliable vehicles.

 

I miss the tech and ride of my 2018 Ram. However I don’t regret going with the Tundra. I plan on keeping this truck as long as I can.

 

I came from a couple Tacoma's before my Tundra DC, and for what it's worth the back seat of the DC is very comparable size-wise to the back seat of the crew cab Tacoma. We have two kids and it fits them just fine. I carry adults all the time and it's always a lot roomier and more comfortable than people assume with the "access cab" styling.

I actually didn't like the Crewmax because there's a lot of dead space in the cab at the expense of bed space. The CM also deletes a good bit of the already limited payload. I had a shortbed Tacoma, and it was quite annoying to load large, awkward sized things. I went back to the 6.5ft and it's been a much more useful hauler.

 

I owned a 21 silverado for 8months. Hands down everything but Reliability, the engine, and transmission were better on the Silverado. I was getting tired of their 8 speed transmission slamming into gear, then at 28k miles I got the lifter failure and I was treated like crap by dealer nd GM. I'm happy I bought 21 Tundra. I have not had to have anything fixed yet in 56k miles. I would rather take Reliability and deal with a truck that feels 15 years behind the others than have to deal with major repair and problems, and the money it will cost to fix them.

 

Pay attention to payload numbers if your looking to do "bigger" truck things with a bigger truck than the taco. Payload and MPG are hard numbers to "live with" if your original truck calculations didn't factor those two things in.

Most comforts are easily upgraded. Problem is you can easily sink 20k to get there. I'm at roughly 12k extra and I'm probably on the cheaper side compared to most (on this site).

More common mods seen in here are upgraded suspension, chrome delete, larger tires, nicer rims, Kenwood touch screen radio (best aftermarket option imo), katskinz leather seats, tinted, windows, supercharger, leds

The list is endless, and your reliable truck will patiently wait as you work your way through the mod list.

If I sold mine it would be due to needing more payload or the unforseen necessity of a 3rd row seat. I will not replace my truck with the new turd gen or any other 1/2 ton.

 

Your friends sound like my friends, but they have to trade their Big-3 trucks in every 3 years as they start to fall apart as they approach 100k.

If your priority is longevity and reliability, you know what to do, get the Tundra.

I was not really into Toyotas until I met my wife who had a RAV4. That car changed my perspective on the brand and ever since, we’ve only bought Toyotas. The only thing that could get me out of mine is if I needed an HD truck.

 

Granted, styling and apps on the radio are the last thing I give a shit about on a truck, but I wouldn't say the tundra was 15 yrs behind on anything. Just because the other manufacturers are constantly changing things (mostly styling), doesn't mean they're ahead. It's a marketing gimmick to make consumers think there's something new every 2-3 yrs. It's also to distract you from the fact that they mass produce junk.
And every time they actually do try some actual upgrades to things like drivetrains, they have nothing but issues with it.
I will say, I think GM spends the most on styling and it shows. I always thought they had the best body and wheel designs.
But a truck is not defined by how cute it looks in pics.

 

Meh, truck buyer are some of the most loyal and tribal of any group into automotive/power sports. It's their team vs the world, and this goes for Toyota guys as well.

As for "work guys" wanting "creature comforts". Look at it this way, if you're spending a billion hours and miles a day in your truck, those comforts pay dividends. Another thing to consider is if you're actually "working" a 2500+ is the answer because of the payload, upgraded brakes and towing.

So my advice to the OP is make sure to at least climb into a '21 Ram, Chevy, Ford and Titan that way in a years time if he finds himself in one he's not shocked. Even the +19 Titans are "nicer". The '21 Tundra is nearly a 10 year old truck that was already flagged as behind the times when it was new in '14.

He's also going to be paying a hefty Tundra premium and depending on region, that Toyota Reliability isn't going to outlast Toyota Rustability.

 

Coming from the Tacoma world, I’m planning on treating the frame with rust prevention once I get the truck

 

It was new for the 2007 MY. '14 was only a facelift. Toyota did the same thing with the 5th gen 4Runner. Same frame, same drivetrain (Tundra actually lost engine options since then), downgrade for a transfer case, far less interior storage in the crewmax.

Whatever, the actual point I want to make is that the auto journalists, etc, who "flagged" the Tundra as behind the times are worth absolutely nothing to me. They DEPEND on constant vehicle updates so they have something to talk about so you'll click their articles or watch their YouTube channel so they can generate subscribers, revenue, and sponsors. The guy who whines about the most dependable truck's interior (that is laid out very well with huge tactile knobs you don't need to take your eyes off the road to find) because it hasn't changed in a while might as well be a different species. We are not the same. Those journos mostly talk about stuff that does not matter except to get clicks, and they've taken the entire market with them into thinking a different looking interior needs to happen every few years or the truck has "fallen behind".

I use a few cans of Amsoil HD metal protector every year. I'm due to put it on in the next week or two. It smells terrible but my frame still looks brand new.

 

If you're spending a billion hrs a day in your truck, sure. But, you're job probably entails mostly just driving in that case. So, comfy seats and a nice sound system, I'll agree with. I had my 2015 for 4 yrs. The last 2 yrs I had it, I put roughly 45k mi on it. It was filled with tools and gear, constantly dirty, always towing a trailer, hauling materials, moving a 6800 lb tractor around, etc. I worked it a lot, but within its limits. Didn't need a a 3/4 ton.
I was always in an out of it, never spending 8hrs mostly just driving. I never would've noticed if it had nice seats or gadgets to play with or if it floated down the road like an 85 Lincoln because I was working a full time job while building a house that I did all the sight work on and some of the home build while remodeling another one.
So, you could say I was using it for work, but I was also using it to work. A lot of guys use their truck for work, but that could mean just using it to drive. Honestly, they could probably use an AWD car for that.
The tundra is a capable truck. A base model 5.7 long bed is a beast and has plenty of payload, minus all the crap you don't need while working. You don't always have to drive a half ton to impress people when you don't really need a truck. And you don't always have to get a 3/4 ton to do work, because everyone considers 1/2 tons to be cars these days.
Despite what it sounds like, I don't actually have a problem with people that don't actually use their truck for heavy lifting and are mostly concerned with gadgets, appearance and comfort. But I get a little scratchy with how loosely people throw the word "work" around.

 

I sold my 2022 Ford F-350 6.7L Diesel CrewCab Platinum Tremor (an absolute beast of a truck...but, in reality, I didn't need a heavy duty pickup) and purchased my 2019 Tundra SR5 Sport. I have zero complaints. Yeah, I gave up some luxury and some really nice features and while the Tundra may be 'dated' it is an awesome truck. Best 1/2 Ton on the market in my opinion.

Mike

 

Folks, the back window GOES DOWN. Really, there wasn’t much more I wanted in my truck….

 

Got the DC

 

tundra is synonymous with drinking fuel like nothing I have owned before. 14 mpg in flat Texas. I had a 1976 caddilac eldorado with an 8.2 liter (501 cubic inches) that got the same mpg, lol. Sooooo either take the money and pay for fuel or fix the domestic problems. In the end its probably a wash....

 

Nope. Numbers were crunched before, and you can throw $100 bill out the window of a 5.7 Tundra every month and still have a lower cost of ownership than any of the big 3 half ton offerings. I'd rather pay at the pump, because that means I'm driving it, than pay at the shop while it sits for days/weeks/months at a time.

 

Was that the first fuel injected model?

 

Voodoo math.

Undoubtedly you are paying a premium for a used Tundra compared to another truck. So right there more money out of pocket. Now your hedging your bets that POTENTIAL FUTURE repair costs and resale are going to offset upfront investment, operational costs and insurance rates...

That doesn't take onto account for opportunity and investment cost. That $5-10k premium +$200/M insurance and fuel surcharge could be used to invest or pay off bills or mortgages.

 

This is a really great take, and absolutely correct. If you're not in need of the latest gee-whiz (but ultimately just extra) gizmos and want to avoid the styling churn that will make your expensive truck look old in less than 5 years, then Toyota is the answer.

I personally think they are the only trucks that get better as they age. Like wine, complete with vintages. Who doesn't love a vintage Toyota truck?

 

I know, same goes for the Titan.
But 07-13 was inline with it's peers and even ahead of them in some cases. DOHC 380HP V8, 6spd Auto, etc.

Toyota unfortunately launched their truck right before the banking crash of 2008 and was never able to hit that 300k units mark they wanted. They just called it in afterwards knowing they had 100k annual die hards.

I disagree.

1. The 2014 Tundra was a disappointment in terms of progress and recieved it's earned floggings. Despite that you will still see various blogers and journalist heaping pride on it right up until 2022. Just go check out TFL Truck.

2. Big 3 have to constantly update and improve because trucks make up such a huge portion of their portfolio. Loosing 5% share to the other guy is devastating. Toyota just gave up which is why the +22 is such a heavily compromised vehicle. It wasn't designed to be the best 1500, it was designed to be based on their global SUV chassis.

3. As for the 2014 short coming... Ram was already running rear coil springs (new for 2022 Toyota), Ford had the Ecoboost (new for 2022 Toyota), in 2015 a 10spd (new for Toyota in 2022) and then we get into the details.

Ford's more efficient use of cab space, more storage, more collapsible seats, better center console, 360 cameras, etc. Big 3 also offered AWD, Front and Rear Lockers, multiple final drive options, bed storage solutions, heated steering wheels (a thing of beauty when it's -8 out), vented seats that actually work, a billion USB plugs, etc. The ZF 8-spd is retarded amazing. Ford had Fox Shocks for the Raptor in 2010, it would take 9 years for Toyota to tap that market.

The 5.7's best in class Horse Power didn't last long. Ford dropped the 411hp 6.2L in 2010, GM with the 420hp 6.2L in 2014. Ford's Coyote would jump to 385hp on 2015 and the Ecoboost was pushing 375h whole getting 21mpg. Hell, Nissan squeezed some juice out of the VK to hit 400hp in 2017.

It's more than just some cool LED lights or a revised grill or red stiching. As for reliability, ehhhh. I see countless +300k mile, +20 year old trucks on the road. Tundras have their Rust issues, leaky cam towers and failed secondary pumps.

 

Those numbers were crunched against trucks of the time before the silly over pricing of ALL used trucks, not just tundras, and it was based off actual reported costs of ownership. Look up a 40-50K truck and you'll see offerings from any manufacturer you like. Buy the one you like.