I want a big truck! Tundra vs Silverado

You want a table saw that makes no noise, in other words.

Large pickups are intended for people who make money with their vehicles (carpenters, masons, landscapers), so the expenses are a normal part of running a business. If you want one, but it doesn't give you back money, then you want the wrong vehicle.

Also might be that the Silverado mileage might be off a bit?

You are NOT , in any vehicle I've every owned anyway, going to get the current EPA ratings.

In my Highlander from Redding to Sacramento and back, I averaged a bit over

20mpg (EPA 18/22) (its an 02). When going to Idaho, I consistently get 22+ with Oregon and NW gasolines. As you go several times/year, why don't you have a equipment in both places and get real fuel efficient vehicle for the trip?

Ron

I'd get the Tundra simply because GM trucks are absolute junk now. They just don't build them as durable as they used to.

The 2WD Silverado with the 4.3 liter V-6 gets 17/21 mpg, with 195 HP @4600 RPM and 260 pound-ft torque @ 2800 RPM.

The 5.3 liter iron block V-8 gets 16/22 MPG, with 315 HP @ 5200 RPM and 338 pound-ft torque @ 4400 RPM.

The Tundra with 5.7 liter V-8 gets 18/20 MPG with 381 HP @ 5600 RPM and 401 pound-ft torque at 3600 RPM. That is a pretty big difference in horsepower and torque.

My guess is that the 2 trucks will get similar fuel economy. The Tundra also has a 6 speed transmission vs. the 4 speed in the Silverado. If EPA highway MPG is important to you, the Silverado's is higher than the Tundra, although the Tundra's EPA city MPG is better than the Tundra's.

You might also want to check out the Tacoma, with 21/27 MPG if the Double Cab's smallish bed is large enough for your needs.

What is your source for this? As far as I know all vehicles made today last longer than older generations on average. At the very least they don't require as much maintenance and easily last over 100,000 miles.

I think the solution is for your truck manufacturers to look at direct injection turbo diesel technology; for the equivalent torque (not HP) you would typically get a diesel engine to give well over 30MPG. As top speed is not all that important (as I understand your highways are restricted to 60MPH?) then most diesel cars/truck/vans top speed of a little over 100Mph shouldn't be a big problem. All apart from the macho aspect of having a car/truck with a massive V8 :-)

Chris

There is no Tacoma double cab that gets 21/27 MPG. The DC is V6 only, rated @ 19/22.

To the OP: Why not just rent a full size pickup or SUV for your trips? The local Enterprise lots here in CT rent F150 4x4 quad cabs, often with unlimited mileage. The money you save on gas the rest of the year will probably cover the rental.

Buy (or rent) a cargo trailer and a V6 Camry, WBMA ;)

mike

Good advice, Ray O.

A friend has a Tacoma 2WD access cab, and we got 24 MPG on a trip at high speeds (70 mph) and with it fully loaded. Not bad.

However the back seat is very uncomfortable for one, unbearable for two.

The double cab Tacoma is available with "long" bed, just over 6'. I did not know that. The pictures always show it with a short bed. That one gets 19/22 EPA, or 18/21 with 4WD.

There are some excellent diesel engines available for full size trucks, the Dodge (Cummins) being the best, and they do offer good fuel economy.

However diesel engines are a very expensive option, and diesel fuel costs quite a bit more in California than gasoline, so I would never save money over the period of ownership.

Also, diesel is very polluting (particulate matter) and noisy.

WMBA = World Moustache and Beard Association ?

WMBA = Winnepeg Minor Basketball Association ?

WMBA = Westchester Mountain Bike Affiliation ?

Looks great. Your use of present tense implies it is in showrooms now. Can I buy one TODAY?

I pulled up the tsb's on a friends 2004 Chev Tahoe. There must be 50+ of them. I don't think I would consider the Chev trucks .50,000 miles needs a rear U joint. Ron