Why did you buy a Tundra??

Here, here! I always wanted a truck and was going tacoma at first but once I sat in the backseat and noticed how little leg room I had I went CM Tundra. Hoping this baby gives me 10 years at least before I’m in the market for another vehicle. It also helps that I got TRD PRO in MGM.

 

I bought a Tundra due to the powerful 5.7 engine along with Toyota’s reliability. I wanted a Toyota for many years so pulled the trigger.

 

Came from a 2012 Ram 2500 Mega Cab with the 5.7L Hemi. Bought it brand new and babied it. It was in the shop 17 times until I got rid of it at 54K miles. Love the truck, but the Toyota dependability is priceless. I've had my 2017 Tundra Crew Max Limited for about 1.5 years now and hit 34K miles the other day, not a single issue.

 

History and Legacy. My first vehicle was a 1986 Toyota LandCruiser that run-up to 260,000 miles and then sold it for $8,000 about 10 yrs ago. Stupid, should have kept it and kick myself all the time for getting rid of it (needed the cash at that time). Next vehicle, 2001 Tundra that ran up 160,000 miles, then sold that for around the same amount so many years later. Next up, a 2019 Tundra Limited CM coming at the end of this month. Hoping this one will take my family even farther than the others. We've got a kid now and need more room.

Oh yea, my wife has a 2014 4Runner so i guess you could say it's hard for me to buy anything else other than Yota. Guess i should work on that at some point.

On the down side, the 2019 Tundras have a dated interior, no technology and that made me seriously consider Ram and even drove a Sierra as well. But, i've got 420,000 miles combined on my other Yota's so it was hard to see myself in anything else at the end of day. Still, I'd like to see the Tundra get an interior and tech overhaul imo. i know others don't agree but some of those things have real value.

 

I came from a 2005 BMW X5 4.4 Sport I was already in the market for a 1/2 ton or maybe 3/4 ton truck. I wanted something with a large cab for road trips, reliable, it had to be comfortable and well mannered on the road, 2 wheel drive, and I wanted the highest level trim package with whatever manufacturer I went with. I worked as a tech and later as a manager/operator of a shop mainly working mainly on imports but a decent amount of domestics and this is what I have to say in regards to my perspective on the 1/2 ton truck market & why I bought a Tundra.

Ford I see a lot of Fords for quality issues and for poor engineering, a lot of burned valves and failed timing rails on older V8s. Interiors fall apart especially after 100k. Newer Fords have a lot of electrical/software gremlins which I personally don't have time for. Several of my customer have newer F150s some with and without EcoBoost and road wise I don't think they drive that well, a lot of NVH on the road even in a 2014 F150 with 28k miles on it. The build quality is not there, exterior trims fit poorly, the finish looks poor after several thousand miles. I'm starting to see more EcoBoost engines having issues maintaining proper boost pressure. Engine electrical and software problems are also becoming very common on the EcoBoost engines. Aside from that I've never liked Ford trucks, I don't think they look that great, ride well and I've just never cared for them.

In regards to Dodge I refuse to buy a 5.7 Hemi, that engine has been plagued with problems from its redesign in the early 2000s and they still have issues, search on them dropping valve seats when you get some time. We've done many of them over the years in all Dodges vehicles including the Ram. The transmissions are also somewhat weak on them unless you step up into a 2500 and even those have some issues. I contemplated buying a 2500 Cummins, my father has had a 2001 24 Valve since new and has had no issues with it other than routine maintenance, but I have no need for a 3/4 ton truck. I do like the styling of the newer Dodge and Ram Trucks, but until recently I haven't much cared for the interiors. The only way I would have ended up in a Dodge would have been a 2500 but trying to find a loaded Pre 2013 (no Blue-Def) Ram 2500 2WD that didn't have over 60k miles was impossible so I moved on.

GM, both Chevy & GMC make a great truck, I think the Vortec/LS Platform is one of the most reliable engine platforms ever designed, next to the 3UR of course. My father drove many Yukons, had three of them over the last few years, which is really just a Sierra anyway. They always drove well and did very well on gas for the size and heft they had to tote around. However I always thought the interior build quality was lacking. Poor finish on trims panels/buttons. Poor fitment on panels, etc. They're also to common, I live outside of Atlanta but I see GM trucks everywhere I turn, I wanted something different. I think they look really good, especially the High Country and Denali trim levels although I'm a little skeptical about the latest redesign.

The Titan never did it for me. My boss has had three of them over the last three years and they were all new from Nissan, one was a 15 and the last two have been 16 and 17 model years and they have all had drivetrain problems within 25k of ownership. The 15 had rear end problems, and the 16 and 17 have both had major transmission problems that Nissan themselves have been unable to solve, hence why they gave him a new 17 model to replace the 16. Now the 17 is acting up as well...enough said. I never really cared for the Titan's styling either.

Finally Toyota, I always liked the Tundra since one of my Uncles bought a First Gen X-SP Tundra. He still has it and it is still in excellent condition. He has done no major repairs to it other than routine maintenance and it has never left him stranded. Of all the trucks I see come and go Toyota is definitely the one I see the least of. I have a customer who is in the contracting/construction business who hauls heavy box trailers with his 2007 5.7 Tundra, he has over 165,000 hard miles on it and after doing pads and rotors on it last week the truck is back to driving like a dream. I have several other customers with Tundras from First to Third gen and they all just seem to hold up better no matter what you throw at them. I feel like the build quality on Toyota is just better across the board both interior and exterior. Everything fits well and it works when you need it to. A lot of people say the Tundra is the most dated of the 1/2 Tons and that may be but everything still works, Toyota is adamant about testing their tech before releasing it to the public and I think it shows. Many other manufacturers just throw something in there because they are so caught up with that all the other manufacturers are doing and they feel like they have to keep up and have the most tech, even if it doesn't work properly. I picked my Tundra because it checked all my boxes. The CrewMax cab is huge, several road trips in my first year of ownership and everyone is always comfortable. It is reliable as a wood burning stove, I think it drives very well given its size. Sure the mileage is not the best and the features may be a little behind all the latest redesigns but at the end of the day my Tundra is going to keep going when the others fall short. I've seen it proven time and time again.

 

Reliability in the short, mid and long term. Made in the USA. Cost comparatively to the others. Styling and looks. Toyota warranty. Value retention over time. It's what a half ton truck should and needs to be.

 

x2 here!

 

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I'm guessing by this time the OP has made his truck choice but this thread is gold for some, so here's my take. I have had many vehicles (going on my 20th and I'm 27), not because of crashes but because I like the hustle and building vehicles. I mostly ran Jeeps but had a few truck experiences.

I had an 2004 GMC Sierra (4.8 litre 5spd) that had more problems than my Jeeps. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose for that body style; speedometer failure, tie rods, ball joints, rotor/calipers, headlights, power steering pump ect. I had a Ford Ranger, no comment. My 2016 Ford F150 Screw 5.0 Coyote was a beautiful truck with endless power when that Coyote is strapped to an aluminum body but that was the truck's weakness-the aluminum body. My body as well as three other friends with aluminum F1's had body panels and doors that would just not line up. Not from collisions or offroading; the body panels just flex so much that they can come out of line. When I was truck shopping again I looked at another 16 F150 but noticed the box was pushed into the P cab corner. Not from a collision, but because they flex way too much. Driving an aluminum truck just felt like I was driving a glass fish bowl. I was so worried about denting or damaging it because of the nightmare they are to get repaired. Total opposite from my armor plated Jeeps.

My family runs Rams for their personal and work vehicles (logging company in Maine) ranging from 1/2 tons to 1 tons with mixed results. One 2015 3/4 ton had a rear end go out early in life. One 2017 1/2 ton Laramie had a transmission go around 20k. The 2016 1 ton has had electrical gremlins since ownership. Another 2015 1/2 ton has done well up to 90k miles, then the "Eco" mode has had significant lag and audible noise when coming out of Eco mode (yet to be fixed). The other 2016 1/2 ton is used lightly but has had no issues other than recalls.

So enter my search. When I sold my last Jeep in September I was in the market for a 1/2 ton and was really liking the Ram Big Horn. I liked all it's bells whistles and smooth direct power. However, Mopar and fancy WORKING electronics seldom have a long term relationship. I test drove the Big Horn and liked it but it wasn't special and it didn't really "wow" me. I went to drive a 2016 F150 but noticed the body imperfections (as said above). A few friends have Yotas and I've seen one friend go 190k on his 2nd gen Tundra and basically only feed it gas and oil. The other two had new 3rd gen TRDs that have proven themselves to be tough as nails in the northern Maine woods both on off-grid moose hunts and remote ice fishing trips. I've always been secretly curious about Toyota trucks but I never really drank their Cool Aid.

Alas, one Saturday I sat in an unlocked SR5 Tundra at the dealership (score). I immediately liked it! The truck felt like it was built like a brick sh!t house. It was simple (with the bench seat I like) yet felt like a real truck. Sure they don't ride as nice as a 4 coil Ram, but that's what I think of when I think truck -a heavy duty tool that is as dependable as the driver who owns it. A few days later I found my Blazing Blue 2016 SR5. I liked the fact it came standard with an LSD 4:30 rear end, ATRAC, strong powerful motor, large side mirrors, backup cam, comfy stylish interior ect.

I hope this is helpful. In the end, different strokes for different folks. But you come to Taco Bell they're going to sell you tacos. And who doesn't like tacos..I mean Tundras! Cheers.

 

Reliability. I owned a 2000 tundra which I loved but I needed something which could tow and haul more. Gravely disappointed with both my chevy and ford (Note no capitalization for proper noun is intentional. They do not deserve the respect). Now own 2016 Tundra. Carries and tows well enough. Nice thing is it never fails.

 

I've had Rangers, Jeep XJs, Nissan Altima (loved), and a VW Golf (dieselgate).

Loved the XJs (2) and the Rangers (3) but I wanted to pull a small camper. The Altima I put 145k miles on so I looked at a Titan (2013-2015 model years) and was let down. I went from the Altima to the Golf mainly because I didn't need a truck, but then I bought my 3rd used Ranger and put 50k miles on it (234k miles, sold it recently to a high school kid).

I've always had a truck, but mainly some beater I would drive in the winter or to help a friend move. Finally after letting VW buy the Golf back I thought I should just get a 1/2 ton truck for a daily driver. I test drove the F150 (eco and non), Chevy/GMC, Dodge, and a Titan. I really wanted the new Chevy/GMC Colorado/Canyon diesel, but didn't like the price. I'm glad I went with a full size.

I didn't test drive a Tundra. I bought the tundra without a test drive. As someone mentioned, you can't really get a feel for something on a 10 minute drive. I sat in it, had a big dumb grin and bought it.

I don't want all of the fancy things. Navigation comes from my phone. I don't hate the stock radio/speakers. I can pull my little 18ft camper and always check to make sure it didn't come unhitched because I can barely tell I have a trailer. Double Cab is plenty of space for my needs. I added a remote start and a few other bits. When I get in and turn the key there's never a delay, there's never a worry.

But, as other have said. Reliability. Friends & family have purchased F150s or Rams, repeatedly. I'd hear them complain, or see their FB posts about "stupid truck" and some repair. I bought my Tundra and one cousin attempted to make fun of me for buying a "jap brand". We bet $500 that his would be in the shop for a non-routine-maintenance repair 5 times before mine would be.

I made him pay me in $20s and count each one.

 

Very informative thread. I know it’s old, but a good read for prospective owners.

I love mine for all it’s old school charm. Drives smooth with TRD OR, plenty of space for people and me junk, use the bed for a dumpster for projects, put my 16, 14,12’6, and 11’9 canoes/kayak in the bed, mulch/soil, tow 19’ boat, and etc.

I owned a 2010 F350 Supercab 5.4, but was rusting pretty bad and pain to park. Always worried something would fail. Got lucky up to 130k with just leaky/rotted manifolds. My friends with Big 3 trucks say that a lot more of their trucks are sold, hence why problems seem common.