Mid-size trucks

SHOdown220

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After buying our first home I am seeing more and more that I need a pickup truck. Would rather something new or slightly used. I have always just considered the full size truck market but I'm considering a midsize option.

Needs to be crew cab to hold my family with 2 kids in car seats
Needs to be 4wd
Will not be a daily driver or main family hauler.
Will see light off road use, no trail crawling, mostly driving around my property.
I have no interest in chevy, nissan or jeep.
No towing except maybe the very occasional lawn mower, or light trailer hauling stuff to the dump or taking stuff out of the field.

What do you guys have and/or recommend?
 

Crimson2v

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You can’t go wrong with a crew cab tacoma if you want something small, or step up to the tundra. The first gen tundra is a little smaller than today’s full size trucks.
 

365 Saleen

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F-150. There are so many engine options. 2.7 Ecoboost, 3.5 Ecoboost, 3.3 N/A V-6, 3.0 Diesel (not a fan of that one) 5.0 Coyote. All available in Crewcab and 4x4. About a dozen different trim levels. Prices can go as high as $70K+ if you want to. They can also be in the low $40K range.
Unfortunately, at this time, there is a premium on used trucks across every brand so you are not really in a good buyers market.
If you can wait, the market will "normalize" and used prices will come back down. I have seen a 2020 used F150 with 10K miles sell for more than new MSRP because there is way more demand than supply.
 

robvas

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Wouldn't want to put two car seats in a midsize. Especially if either is rear facing
 

SHOdown220

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You can’t go wrong with a crew cab tacoma if you want something small, or step up to the tundra. The first gen tundra is a little smaller than today’s full size trucks.

I have been looking at the Tacoma’s, something about Toyota interiors bores me to death but I’m still keeping it in the running because I know they are great trucks. Have been looking at the ranger tremor too, wish there was a raptor version.

F-150. There are so many engine options. 2.7 Ecoboost, 3.5 Ecoboost, 3.3 N/A V-6, 3.0 Diesel (not a fan of that one) 5.0 Coyote. All available in Crewcab and 4x4. About a dozen different trim levels. Prices can go as high as $70K+ if you want to. They can also be in the low $40K range.
Unfortunately, at this time, there is a premium on used trucks across every brand so you are not really in a good buyers market.
If you can wait, the market will "normalize" and used prices will come back down. I have seen a 2020 used F150 with 10K miles sell for more than new MSRP because there is way more demand than supply.

yeah the plan is to wait until the market chills out, hoping for later this year or next spring. F150 is on my radar but if I’m going full size I may go ram since I work for an auto chain that has ram across the street from me. Employee pricing on the truck and accessories plus maintenance and repairs is a big plus.

Wouldn't want to put two car seats in a midsize. Especially if either is rear facing

I planned on taking the car seats to test fit them before buying and this won’t be the main family hauler as I’m about to pick up a pilot for the wife, but they still need to fit reasonably well in there. So if it’s too tight I’ll nix the midsize truck idea.
 

1Kona_Venom

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I bought a new 2008 F150 Lariat black on black in 08 for $32k. 5.4. Its now long paid off, with 101k miles, lifted etc.

The best truck is a paid off truck. My advice, just like a garage, you can never have enough space, so try and just go full size. Leather seats for durability and odor deterrent.

I honestly have not heard many good things about fords eco boost line in f150s but this is about the most advice I can give.

Lastly, I feel my wife is safer and much better protected in our truck should there be an accident. So dont rule out a F250 either

After buying our first home I am seeing more and more that I need a pickup truck. Would rather something new or slightly used. I have always just considered the full size truck market but I'm considering a midsize option.

Needs to be crew cab to hold my family with 2 kids in car seats
Needs to be 4wd
Will not be a daily driver or main family hauler.
Will see light off road use, no trail crawling, mostly driving around my property.
I have no interest in chevy, nissan or jeep.
No towing except maybe the very occasional lawn mower, or light trailer hauling stuff to the dump or taking stuff out of the field.

What do you guys have and/or recommend?

Sent from my SM-G975U using the svtperformance.com mobile app
 

03cobra#694

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I don’t know. 30K on my little 18 150 2.7 EB, and it’s been great. Around 23MPG, all city. Has some ass to it too. Supposed to be diesel tough in the build reliability, and least the newer ones. @SID297
 

SHOdown220

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I bought a new 2008 F150 Lariat black on black in 08 for $32k. 5.4. Its now long paid off, with 101k miles, lifted etc.

The best truck is a paid off truck. My advice, just like a garage, you can never have enough space, so try and just go full size. Leather seats for durability and odor deterrent.

I honestly have not heard many good things about fords eco boost line in f150s but this is about the most advice I can give.

Lastly, I feel my wife is safer and much better protected in our truck should there be an accident. So dont rule out a F250 either



Sent from my SM-G975U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

I didn’t take into account the safety improvement stepping up to full size so thanks for that point. I did briefly consider a ram 2500 my buddy works for a local dealer that’s been order tradesmen trims in crew cab 4x4 with a couple options and selling them discounted for 41k. I can’t even find new 1500s for that cheap
 

Blk04L

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Brother just picked up a Ranger Tremor.

Not bad imo. I can fit comfortably in the rear(5'11) and I think I could fit car seats in the back without moving the front seats too far up.

The 2.3+10 speed is dialed in.
 

robvas

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I don’t know. 30K on my little 18 150 2.7 EB, and it’s been great. Around 23MPG, all city. Has some ass to it too. Supposed to be diesel tough in the build reliability, and least the newer ones. @SID297
Both guys I know with 2.7's have had the plastic oil place replaced, one of them has had it replaced twice
 

ZYBORG

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When you said “2 kids in car seats”, it was obvious to me that you would be better off in a full size. Mid size will be an inconvenience. Go full size.
 

01yellercobra

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I daily an F250 that was the main family hauler for a couple years. My two main buddies are 6'2" and 6'4". They've both been in the back seat for a couple hours at a stretch and didn't complain. But then I'm short at 5'8" so the seat isn't that far back.
 

Balt21

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If you're looking midsize and don't want Chevy, Nissan, or Jeep you're only left with 2 options - Tacoma and Ranger. Well, there's the Ridgeline as well, but I don't think that would fit either.

IMO, it just comes down to what size truck you are willing to deal with and what you prioritize. Full size would definitely be nicer with car seats. Midsize is nicer in parking lots and trying to fit in a normal size garage. You would think that midsize would get better MPGs, but it seems to be a toss up. In a normal buying environment (not 2021) they are pretty close price wise. MSRP has a big gap, but full size gets bigger discounts (again in a normal year) than midsize that seems to bring the price close enough together that it really isn't a deciding factor unless your looking at Platinum, Limited, etc trims that there really isn't an equivalent of in the midsize market.

I have a midsize and it fits my needs fine as I don't have people in the back seat with any regularity, it fits in my garage, and I can maneuver it a lot easier at work which has a really small/tight parking lot.
 

SHOdown220

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If you're looking midsize and don't want Chevy, Nissan, or Jeep you're only left with 2 options - Tacoma and Ranger. Well, there's the Ridgeline as well, but I don't think that would fit either.

IMO, it just comes down to what size truck you are willing to deal with and what you prioritize. Full size would definitely be nicer with car seats. Midsize is nicer in parking lots and trying to fit in a normal size garage. You would think that midsize would get better MPGs, but it seems to be a toss up. In a normal buying environment (not 2021) they are pretty close price wise. MSRP has a big gap, but full size gets bigger discounts (again in a normal year) than midsize that seems to bring the price close enough together that it really isn't a deciding factor unless your looking at Platinum, Limited, etc trims that there really isn't an equivalent of in the midsize market.

I have a midsize and it fits my needs fine as I don't have people in the back seat with any regularity, it fits in my garage, and I can maneuver it a lot easier at work which has a really small/tight parking lot.

I have been mostly looking at Rangers, namely the xlt fx4 or tremor package. I have considered the ridgeline, I work for Honda so it would be the easiest choice for maintenance or repairs and I know if I had an issue I would pretty know immediately what it was. They have been very reliable in my observations. They actually drive really nice, and are comfortable. I don't much care for the look of them, although the latest facelift made a big improvement. That being said there are some parts of my property that I would like to be able to access via truck and I don't think the ridgeline has the ground clearance or ability to make it there with the unibody design and small all season tires.

I am planning on waiting for the inventory to catch back up and see where the prices land at, but I think I'll check out the Ranger in person and if it feels too small just going full size.
 

thomas91169

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Tacoma TRD. They're all crew cab.

The only con is the interior.

The pros are that it'll hold its value insanely. My buddy bought a 2017 and has offers for buying it back greater than his off the lot price was. Used ones right now with 30-50k on them going for same as new bc hard to find new in specific trims and colors.

A Tacoma TRD in any flavor (sport, off-road, pro) will be my next purchase. Preferably army green, cement, tan or white.
 

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