Car's dying. New trucks are expensive. Used trucks are freakin' expensive, too! Dammit.
My (12-year old) Element is worth about $1,500 and needs $1,500 worth of work. That's not happening. Was looking at some midsized trucks, took a used Tacoma out for a spin last night. And what I don't understand; I'm buying used, trying to buy something three or four years old. And I'm seeing full-size Tundras that are just as cheap as Tacomas? I need the four doors, which limits me somewhat. But I'm test driving tonight a '12 Tundra, which is a HUGE freakin' truck, and it's a couple grand cheaper than the 4-door '12 Tacomas they have on the lot. I don't WANT a huge truck, per se, but it's stupid to not buy the bigger one, right? I'm not planning on doing anything stupid like buy a boat than needs to be towed, but if I can get the V-8 and all that space... it's stupid to pay more to get something smaller, right?
EDIT: Looked at non-Toyotas, too, and there's not much out there I'm seeing that's any cheaper.
78k miles on this one, which I'm not loving. But it's only got four winters, which is probably more important out here than out by you.
My (12-year old) Element is worth about $1,500 and needs $1,500 worth of work. That's not happening. Was looking at some midsized trucks, took a used Tacoma out for a spin last night. And what I don't understand; I'm buying used, trying to buy something three or four years old. And I'm seeing full-size Tundras that are just as cheap as Tacomas? I need the four doors, which limits me somewhat. But I'm test driving tonight a '12 Tundra, which is a HUGE freakin' truck, and it's a couple grand cheaper than the 4-door '12 Tacomas they have on the lot. I don't WANT a huge truck, per se, but it's stupid to not buy the bigger one, right? I'm not planning on doing anything stupid like buy a boat than needs to be towed, but if I can get the V-8 and all that space... it's stupid to pay more to get something smaller, right?
EDIT: Looked at non-Toyotas, too, and there's not much out there I'm seeing that's any cheaper.
I LOVE my 2012 Tundra. Love it, love it, love it. It's way too big, I'll admit, but it rides nice, runs well, has four doors, and is just a great all around truck. It's in Texas with us now, and this is its fourth trip here. I bought new tires at 55000 or so miles, and had some oil changes but otherwise have put $0 into it. No problems with breaks, for example, which my 2004 Chevy chewed through. I think we've got near 80,000 miles on it now, give or take.
The gas mileage is right about 17 mpg over all. I like the way the rear seat folds, so we can have a "step" on one side for easy entry for kids and dogs. It can seat 6 (a very small butt in the middle in the front, but sometimes it's me) but definitely 4 large people very comfortably and 5 pretty ok as well. Usually, it's two adults in the front, and in the back either one 95 pound dog or that same dog and two car seats with kids in them. Better than most cars I've driven, that's for sure.
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Get one of these.
You know... I didn't think the turning radius was that bad. I was actually surprised at how good it was in the parking lot. One of my pet peeves on my wife's old Civic was how ****ty the turning radius was for a TINY car (the Element is pretty nimble in tight spots), and the Tundra I didn't think was half-bad. But, I'm not planning on towing anything.
Yes! get a "real" pickup just sayin
... New tires several times, and new spark plugs once. ...
... Bigger is always better and don't buy a boat unless you plan on losing your hair and doubling in size.
Pauly didn't double in size, he's always been that big.