Help me decide

[bledsoe3]

I'm thinking of buying a new truck. I do drive 50 miles round trip to work so gas mileage is a concern. I also have two kids so I want 4 real doors. Towing the tear shouldn't be an issue for a mid size truck. So what's your opinions of the trucks I'm considering?

All would have 4 doors, V-6 and 4X4.

[Juneaudave]

Ooooh...ooh...ooh...uh....Me too, I want one....Are your tires going to leave the pavement? Is a F-150 in the the mix? They have zero percent financing and big time rebates right now, ya know....

Ahhhh....uuh...how much are you going to carry or tow? Number of family members? First or second car...or is this a "hauler" for weekends...two or four wheel drive????

Bottom line is...before I could vote for any of the choices, I would need to know how the truck fits into your needs and lifestyle...so much of the choice of trucks, or any new vehicle (for that matter) is a personal choice of utility and style!!!!

But I am (believe you me) happy for you and your ultimate choice!!!

[Steve E]

Our vote is Toyota. Hard to beat in our opinion....

[bledsoe3]

Ooooh...ooh...ooh...uh....Me too, I want one....Are your tires going to leave the pavement? Is a F-150 in the the mix? They have zero percent financing and big time rebates right now, ya know....

With the mileage being a factor I think I want a smaller truck.

Ahhhh....uuh...how much are you going to carry or tow? Number of family members? First or second car...or is this a "hauler" for weekends...two or four wheel drive????

I will be towing the tear of course. I know the Honda and Toyota will tow at least 5000 lbs. It will be my daily driver and I do want four wheel drive.

Bottom line is...before I could vote for any of the choices, I would need to know how the truck fits into your needs and lifestyle...so much of the choice of trucks, or any new vehicle (for that matter) is a personal choice of utility and style!!!!

But I am (believe you me) happy for you and your ultimate choice!!!

Thanks.

[raprap]

If you are comfortable with one, get one with a clutch pedal. I drug my oversized tear with a a big Bike in the back (R1150GS) over the front range in Colorado with a 6 cylinder Dakota and never got over 3500rpm using the clutch and the 5 speed. Granted sometimes I was going 25mph, but the truck never complained and I consistently bettered 18 miles per gallon (empty it gets 22) and this truck is approaching 300,000 miles (I want half a million).

Dakotas are good trucks--this is my second. But then I do prefer transmissions attached to a left pedal.

BTW I don't have 4WD--I've had it in the past, but in my experience it will only get me stuck in a worse place.

Rap

[madjack]

Jim, I was researching just this issue last spring and my choice is not on your list...the Nissan Frontier w/4 real doors, 22mpg rated and a 265HP(?) V6............
madjack

[asianflava]

The Ridgeline is the most carlike.
The Taco is a pretty capable off roader.
Dakota is OK haven't heard anything bad (except the V8 is a gas hog)
The Colorado is smallish compared to the rest of your choices.

The funniest thing I've heard was someone called the Ridgeline a, "Big ole' Japanese El Camino". Mileage (for any of these) is gonna be worse than the Outback. Like MadJack suggested, the Frontier is a nice choice too.

For you, I chose the Honda considering all the women you have to deal with. Carlike will probably be most important for them. Thank God I have running boards on my truck or getting in/out would a bone of contention for somebody.

[Woody]

Nissan Titan is the way to go 4 door with trailer package. Roomy and strong. Saved my cookies several times on the road with the performance while towing a trailer to gatherings plus with a 9500 lb pulling capability for a 1/2 ton ya can't really bet it. Plus it is one of the only import trucks that there are lots of after market parts already availible compared to others. It does burn gas but heck I really don't care it gets me where I want to go. I also own a Honda Ridgeline it is a new vehicle and has plenty of power. The wife loves it and it has pulled our teardrop with little to no effort at all. They both are very well thought out vehicles in my book and I always have been a GMC truck fan for 26 years until now. I still like GMC's but they are way to pricy for trucks now adays

[elmo]

Not that it matters, but my next truck will most likely be a Toyota. I need to pull stuff and throw in 2 kids also. I have two friends that own them and never heard a complaint, but we also have a pretty good dealer here to back the product.

[Mike C.]

I like our F-150 basically a two door club cab with a back seat. Have a couple of buddies that owned and loved the Nissan Titan.

I guess the decision is yours, drive them all and then decide.

And good luck.

[elmo]

Titan would probally be my second option.

[Gaelen]

I voted Toyota Tacoma. The Nissan Frontier is also a fine truck, and something I'd consider. I haven't looked at the Chevy Colorado yet, but I'm on my third S10 and really like Chevy's small trucks. Mine is all paid for, though, and only has 60K on it, so I really can't justify truck shopping right now...I'll have to just tag along on your excitement!

My brother had a 4WD Tacoma that he used in St. Louis and that he did a lot of heavy work in while renovating a house and a condo there; when he moved to NYC, he was able to get almost 20K for the truck even with 4 years and 50K miles on it. They have an excellent resale value. I drove it when he was in CNY and loved it. I DID need the running boards, though...I'm only five feet tall. And one of the guys at work, who commutes from central NJ to central NY twice a week, has one and loves it.

The only thing that bugs me about Dakotas is that they're not standard small truck size...they're a little bigger. So nothing is interchangeable. Bedliners, truck boxes, caps that can be made to work between the Ranger, Colorado, Frontier and Tacoma are too small/short/narrow for the Dakota. Sometimes being unique has a price.

I rented from Enterprise a year ago when my own truck was in the shop and got a Nissan Titan. Geez Louise, that is HUGE for a 'small truck.' It's small compared to an 18 wheeler, but compared to a Chevy S10 it was ridiculously big and drank gas. It was a PITA to park in supermarket lots, had too high a clearance to park in my carport, and just didn't maneuver the way I want a small truck to move. And I am used to driving and parking ambulances, which are really boxy and kludgy to handle. I do have a problem with vehicles that drink gas these days, too.

Like Rap, anything that comes with a stick shift automatically jumps a few points on the scale on my rating system...although continuing issues with my lower back and left hip may mean that I eventually have to give up my manual transmission.

But since I've no experience with a Colorada, I'd vote Tacoma. YMMV.

[asianflava]

You could always go with the CrewMax, more room in the back seat than the front. I get 17-18.25mpg, considering that it is a 5600lb truck with 380hp, that is not bad.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Jim,
I see the Toyota has jumped out to thelead on your pole...
Might ask Kevin A's opinion... He's a head specialist. (As in engine heads, not people heads like Guy thought...)

[Rarin2go]

I voted for Dodge Dakota because that is what I own. I do not consider it a gas hog even though it has a 4.7 V8 magnum. I now pull a Zoom 19 ft. travel trailer and will soon be towing our new tear.