tough truck

It was good up until now.The first year and a half I had no problems. Now when i put on the brakes my right turn signal comes on. The turn signal still works until I hit the brakes the it just stays on, it doesn't blink. Although I just leave the turn signal on and my third brake light(or the high mounted brake light) blinks along with the left brake light. I checked all fuses and checked all bulbs,even replaced a few that looked bad. If anyone else has had this problem please e-mail with the way to fix it.

Number one strength is the appearance. I purchased my truck in Radiant Red and decked it out with Stainless Steel Nerf Bars, a wind deflector, box liner, skid plate package and I have already added a few things of my own...VentVisors, and Door Sill Protectors. I am considering a light bar package. Hmmm.... The ground clearance of the truck is great. Everything is tucked up inside the frame and body perfectly. A lot of other trucks have everything hanging down. In my opinion, this truck can go straight from the showroom to the bog, no problem! The cabin is nice and simple. Everything is easy to reach. AM/FM CD Tape stereo is very good. Overall, the truck is a real eye-catcher. Fuel economy is better after the first three or four tanks.

Of course, the clock (but that is why we wear watches, right?). I would like to see the truck come with off-road lighting package. Headlights are nice and bright, but need more candles for off-road. It is very difficult to find a reasonably priced soft tonneau cover aftermarket (not worth spending $600 for one). To add to the sporty look of these trucks, all of the 4x4s should have raised white lettered tires. A 5-speed manual tranny would be optimum as well.

I love this truck. It is one of the sharpest trucks on the market. And, as long as I take care of it, at the end of four years, I could sell if for at least 2/3 of what I paid for it. A pretty cheap ride over a 4 year term! I am looking forward to seeing the 2005s. Preliminary pics are really nice. On top of everything, the dealership and service were the best!

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1992 Jeep Commanche 2WD. This truck was virtually indestructable. I put 425000 kms on it and it still ran like a top. The body was showing some wear though. I miss it, but am glad to be in a Japanese truck.

Everything, lots of horsepower, mileage is excellent, tight suspension, very strong

none so far, at 800 miles

First time i ever bought a japanese truck. The fit and finish are perfect. Every american made truck i bought had a sandblasted front window, even when new. Unlike american made junk, tacomas are very tightly put together. American trucks do not hold their value like jap trucks do. Buy an american made truck and trade it in the next day, you just lost 6-10k dollars. The horsepower is very good, so is gas mileage. No wonder they are selling 10 jap trucks to every 1 american truck. Im sorry to say american trucks blow. The so-called american trucks are made in mexico and canada anyways, and the steel is imported from other countrys, so whats american about them? Very little. I gave up on "american products", lousy mileage, alot of recalls,dealerships that dont give a damn.

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Dont buy american ca-ca. The japanese trucks hold their value, last forever, and get good milegage.

Off-road handling and power. Perfect size truck, not too big, easily manages logging roads and skidder trails where larger trucks are always too wide. The large cab holds my whole family easily, and comfortably, on long trips. This is the best combination of a made-for-off-road truck with some decent amenities for the passengers, which makes road trips bearable. I guess the best way to convey my impression is that the car has not had any failures, despite getting some hard use, and it has not shown any wear, either. It is extremely well made and does perfectly what it is designed for -- off-roading and getting around in rough conditions.

Main problem is that the HVAC system is very, very weak, both for heating (slow to warm up), and especially cooling (it has never been very cool and nearly fails in hot summer temperatures), and the fans are very weak. Gas mileage is low (I get about 19 MPG). This truck lacks the more refined aspects of an SUV, like rear seat heating and cooling, but maybe it's not designed for that kind of passenger. This truck would benefit from having composite side panels (and commensurate paint) that are made to take a beating. It's already unconventional enough that most buyers would appreciate that added toughness and not miss the "looks" of standard high-gloss paint. One key weakness is the 265-size tires, which are neither fish nor fowl; I had a devil of a time getting chains for them, and had to pay $110.00 when I finally located some. Also, hard to find a gun rack that fits in the back because of the sliding window. Also, the rubber moulding fell off my truck, and apparently that was a problem on others.

Awesome off-road capabilities. Expensive for a truck, but also a very high quality machine. The shift-on-demand 4X4 feature is really useful. I hit three deer simultaneously one night, and despite $7,000 in damage to the front end, the truck actually drove another 70 miles home, and wouldn't start in the morning, which shows how strong it is. Bed works well with all tie-downs and bungie cords, and the after-market roof rack fits perfectly. I carry a canoe a lot, and the Tacoma is just the right size for getting it on and off easily. One thing I have noticed is that the rear differential lock does not seem to add a whole lot of severe off-road ability, and I have seen heavier American trucks benefit significantly from the rear-differential lock. Maybe it's a lower weight thing.

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American 4X4 trucks

reliable, good looking, strong, and comfortable for when i drive 5 hours streight to Az

nothing really but to much plastic and the paint they use on the body scratches easy

this truck is amazing and even though ive had a bit of trouble at first with it but within the first 6 months everything was worked out of it. when i first purchased it i was having problems with the rear end on it and it was tearing my tires up quick and after a lot of fighting and yelling with the dealler it was finally fixed but ill admit that i had started thinking that i got the wrong truck. After all that i only had little problems like the rattle in the dash, and a squeaky clutch pedal and thats been it except for things ive done. just remember tis happen because im 18 and i like going fast and do race from time to time plus i have a KnN intake and a Power Aid trottle body spacer but let me tell you with these two upgrades alone made my truck like a 206 and at least an extra 20-30 ft lbs of torque so its snappy but since i did that ive gone throw two ring and pinions from toyota but only because i was abusing them. I do everything in this truck like extreme off-roading, i pull two bikes in the bed with a trailer that we put 3 bikes and 1 sometimes 2 quads on it with hardly a sweat and this is in the mountains because i live at 5,500 ft. elevation. I really dont have anything i can say bad about it. If you get one i recomend the 3.4L with the trd package and 4x4 if you can because you may not need it but i almost gaurantee that you will use at least once and i have the 5 speed manual and love it. ive had 0 problems with it

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a 91 toyota pick up

Excellent looks

POOR customer service POOR fit, finish. Too much interior plastic such as dash cheap leaf springs( if you do get one get a TRD)

Went into purchasing a Tacoma with a "I can't go wrong with a Toyota" attitude. You never hear anything but good things about Toyota. That is changing, I think in part due to the fact that thay are the second largest car manufacturer in the world now and the Tacoma is no longer made in Japan. I have had nothing but poor experiences with my Tacoma so far. I could go on about the dealership I bought from but more important is the product. I have had 6 things go wrong with my Tacoma by 20,000 miles. Heater motor went out (warranty), Dash rattles (in three times until I finally got mad enough and compalined to service manager). He admitted there is too much plastic in the dash now so they put a felt liner under the dash. I recommend you have this be part of your buying deal. Clutch was engaging strangely, again had to fight to get it replaced. All four turn signals were filled with condensation. Defrost duct was damaged in the repair of rattle and it was rattling and had to be repaired. Rear left spring is sagging. Engine knocks and pings when pulling a hill occasionally. Beware of these trucks as they are not what they used to be. Also beware that if you ever have an intermittent problem you will get a response of "could not dupilcate at shop" if you bring it to the dealer for a warranty repair. They will not dig deeper than they have to, in essence calling you a liar if it doesn't happen for them. I went to arbitration to get a new vehicle. The representitive at the hearing from Toyota (Jim Nortz) was horrible. He apologized to me one time for the problems and then tried to place all the blame on the dealership. Funny thing is, the dealership puts all the blame on the manufacturer. The arbitrator denied me a new truck because the engine would not knock and ping for her. She said all the other problems had been fixed so they would not count in a lemon law case. Bottom line, do not buy one of these trucks!!!!

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honda pilot

Smmoth ride, good stereo, great heater and A/C, amber-colored turn signals (statistically safer), nice dash instrument visibility. Good engine, Toyota reputation and quality.

I'm lucky when it comes to the infamous clock. I just happen to be the right height so that it is visible above the wiper control lever when looking through the wheel. If I was two inches shorter or taller the clock would be useless. The seats could be a bit longer for more leg support but are no worse than most other vehicles. It's more comfortable than my old Geo Prizm on longer trips. There is noticable wind and road noise, but it is a truck after all.

I bought my new Tacoma the day after Christmas. I just turned 1000 miles on it yesterday and so far I love this vehicle! I have the extended cab so there's good interior storage for my gear, laptop, etc. I was initially turned off by the off-road TRD package as I don't really need it, but they didn't have any others on the lot without it that still had everything I wanted. After researching it further I decided to get one with TRD. The truck sits higher so visibility is better and it's great on rough roads. My coffee hasn't spilled yet. According to Consumer Reports the TRD model is more stable on turns and has a shorter stopping distance, so they recommend it. The truck handles well and is comfortable on longer trips. I have to make a 200 mile trip every two weeks over a mix of road conditions. The truck is great on curvy mountain roads as well as interstates. I've used the 4WD three times, twice in snow and ice and once in a mudhole while driving a dirt road enroute to a hiking trailhead. One complaint (as others have noted) is that the 4WD is sometimes hard to disengage. I hope to keep this truck for several years and expect it will hold up for the long haul. I looked at the Nissan before buying and there was really no comparison. I feel the Toyota was worth the extra 4k or so.

Quieter than our Nissan Maxima at 80 mph, extremely reliable

ride, comfort, four wheel drive mechanism and traction when not in 4WD.

I have a love/hate relationship with this vehicle. It is incredibly reliable and runs perfectly ...I now have over 21K miles with absolutely no problems...but, it is an uncomfortable truck....the seats kill my butt on long rides, the suspension is extremely taut...and, although in the snow when the 4WD is engages it has incredible traction, when in the 2WD mode, it slips all over the road, as I guess most pickups do. Also when you engage the 4WD and turn sharply the truck jerks and balks...also on several occassions I could not get the vehicle out of 4WD.

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Chryslet minivan

Great reliability,inexpensive for the kind of quality you get.Dealer is great on getting the trucks in and out for oil changes quickly.Also got us the truck and color we needed in one day.

cant think of any

I own a pest control company and have tried one mitsubishi product and one nissan.they never gave us the reliabilty of the toyotas.We had a 1995 that had 250000 miles on it and it still had the original water pump,altinator,starter, ex we had it painted once, (IT WAS RED AND IT FAIDED)We all had bets on how long it would last,it was in an accident and got totalled,but it performed flawlessly for 7 years,we change the oil every three thousand miles at the dealer or jiffy lube.The bodies hold up better than they used to,no rot at all,we have the trucks waxed professionally twice a year.The older trucks suspension was weak,the new ones are much better.The trucks are great fleet vehicles,I have never had so much as a ball joint need replacing.JUST CHANGE THE OIL.it will out live you.

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nissan truck. mitsubishi truck,

Power. Performance. Agility. 4x4 will go ANYWHERE. Toyota reliability. Long-drive comfortable (not worn out after 6 hours behind the wheel). Incredible heater -- it's blowing hot air in about 1 1/2 minutes when it's zero outside...and it's blowing cold from the AC in about the same time when it's 100 out.

Factory tires...obviously the lowest bidder. Toyota is not in the tire business...get them changed out before 20 thousand. There's a disclaimer and a warning in the owner's manual about going over 85 with THESE tires...don't do it!! Get yourself a set of Michelins.

Incredible. I inherited this truck from my father, who made this one his 4th Toyota truck in 15 years or so. I WAS a Ford 4x4 fan until I started driving this little red screamer. The thing just won't quit. The Ford can't hold a candle to it. Quality is beter all around in the Toyota, and now I'm hooked. I've talked to people who have put 300--400--as many as 700 thousand miles on THEIR Tacomas. One guy at work sold his after 725 thousand miles...told me there wasn't anything wrong with it, he just wanted a new truck. I'm told with regular oil changes, it's gas and go. The tires from the factory left a little to be desired. Everybody I've talked to about their trucks said the tires were shot in 20 thousand miles. I run this thing 135 miles one way to work every day, and thus far it still runs like a brand new truck. The interior's nice, the CD player works great...great sound system...quality radio. AWESOME LITTLE TRUCK. Thus far, it's forded a creek, gone through mud up to the axles (to drag a deer)...gone up the side of a mountain (and in West virginia, we have some of those)...where there WAS no road...hauled heavy loads of lumber -- and it'll still clean up nice and go to Church on Sunday. The V-6 engine makes this thing cruise down the interstate at 85 with no trouble whatsoever. Gas mileage is around 21 --22 (and that's at high, interstate speeds, mountain driving, and city -- it goes to Washington, DC every day).

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Ford F-150 4x4/ Ford F-250 4x4/ Jeep Cherokee/