I would not choose a truck for commuting that far.
Tacoma owner with 300k+ miles describes his journey
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Patman
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Originally Posted by ClarkSuper100
Glad to see a guy taking car maintenance seriously and keeping track of it. But why wait 90,000 miles before changing out a $12 engine air filter? Penny wise?
He's obviously doing things right if he's made it to 300k though. Perhaps he was removing the filter and checking it periodically and found it to be fine. In my experience my air filters go a very long time before they get loaded up with dirt, so it would be a waste of money for me to be changing them every 30k when they have been going double that distance or more.
I'm a big believer in proper maintenance, but not going overboard either and not spending way more $$$ than is necessary to keep things running smoothly. (a perfect example of over maintaining would be someone that changes their expensive iridium spark plugs every 50k)
Glad to see a guy taking car maintenance seriously and keeping track of it. But why wait 90,000 miles before changing out a $12 engine air filter? Penny wise?
He's obviously doing things right if he's made it to 300k though. Perhaps he was removing the filter and checking it periodically and found it to be fine. In my experience my air filters go a very long time before they get loaded up with dirt, so it would be a waste of money for me to be changing them every 30k when they have been going double that distance or more.
I'm a big believer in proper maintenance, but not going overboard either and not spending way more $$$ than is necessary to keep things running smoothly. (a perfect example of over maintaining would be someone that changes their expensive iridium spark plugs every 50k)
Didn't lube the u-joints often enough so he had to replace the driveshaft? Guessing there was something else going on there.
IMO he did it wrong. It's a free world and all, so that's probably too strong of a statement that I should make. Perhaps I should just say "I wouldn't do that." But he points out that he spent $40k in gas. Seems to me he could have bought a used Prius and a used Taco for about what he spent on a new Taco, driven the Prius whenever he didn't need bed space or 4WD. Maybe it would have come out to the same cost in the end, but I suspect it might have been cheaper.
I base that on my driving habits (32k/year) and my beater Camry (not nearly the mpg of a Prius) basically breaking even (mpg savings over my Tundra pays for reg&ins on the Camry)--I'd think at high annual miles the cost savings would start to show up.
But maybe he just likes driving the Taco. Free world and all.
IMO he did it wrong. It's a free world and all, so that's probably too strong of a statement that I should make. Perhaps I should just say "I wouldn't do that." But he points out that he spent $40k in gas. Seems to me he could have bought a used Prius and a used Taco for about what he spent on a new Taco, driven the Prius whenever he didn't need bed space or 4WD. Maybe it would have come out to the same cost in the end, but I suspect it might have been cheaper.
But maybe he just likes driving the Taco. Free world and all.
Originally Posted by supton
But maybe he just likes driving the Taco. Free world and all.
I'm thinking this is part of it.
My friend has 230k on his Jeep Cherokee XJ (same year/options as mine). He has driven it cross country multiple times and just enjoys driving it. Personally I wouldn't want to drive my Jeep more than a few hours at a time.
But maybe he just likes driving the Taco. Free world and all.
I'm thinking this is part of it.
My friend has 230k on his Jeep Cherokee XJ (same year/options as mine). He has driven it cross country multiple times and just enjoys driving it. Personally I wouldn't want to drive my Jeep more than a few hours at a time.
The vast majority of high-mileage vehicles are driven a ton of miles during the early years, before moth and rust doth corrupt.
There are a few examples of older vehicles being driven a ton every year but they are the exception.
There are a few examples of older vehicles being driven a ton every year but they are the exception.
Originally Posted by supton
Didn't lube the u-joints often enough so he had to replace the driveshaft? Guessing there was something else going on there.
IMO he did it wrong. It's a free world and all, so that's probably too strong of a statement that I should make. Perhaps I should just say "I wouldn't do that." But he points out that he spent $40k in gas. Seems to me he could have bought a used Prius and a used Taco for about what he spent on a new Taco, driven the Prius whenever he didn't need bed space or 4WD. Maybe it would have come out to the same cost in the end, but I suspect it might have been cheaper.
I base that on my driving habits (32k/year) and my beater Camry (not nearly the mpg of a Prius) basically breaking even (mpg savings over my Tundra pays for reg&ins on the Camry)--I'd think at high annual miles the cost savings would start to show up.
But maybe he just likes driving the Taco. Free world and all.
Meh, driveshafts and carrier bearings are a weak point on these trucks from what I've found out. Even so, soon as I bought mine I greased the joints.
I understand your point about fuel usage, but personally I would spend a little more on gas than drive a Prius. I can get 10 more mpg in the GTI, and about 7 in the Camry, but we've gotten to like driving the Tacoma more. My commute is only 62 miles a day times 4, so not near as much as most. At the current rates it's close to $40 a week in the truck and $35 in the GTI since it takes premium, but I'd rather put the miles on the truck.
Didn't lube the u-joints often enough so he had to replace the driveshaft? Guessing there was something else going on there.
IMO he did it wrong. It's a free world and all, so that's probably too strong of a statement that I should make. Perhaps I should just say "I wouldn't do that." But he points out that he spent $40k in gas. Seems to me he could have bought a used Prius and a used Taco for about what he spent on a new Taco, driven the Prius whenever he didn't need bed space or 4WD. Maybe it would have come out to the same cost in the end, but I suspect it might have been cheaper.
But maybe he just likes driving the Taco. Free world and all.
Meh, driveshafts and carrier bearings are a weak point on these trucks from what I've found out. Even so, soon as I bought mine I greased the joints.
I understand your point about fuel usage, but personally I would spend a little more on gas than drive a Prius. I can get 10 more mpg in the GTI, and about 7 in the Camry, but we've gotten to like driving the Tacoma more. My commute is only 62 miles a day times 4, so not near as much as most. At the current rates it's close to $40 a week in the truck and $35 in the GTI since it takes premium, but I'd rather put the miles on the truck.
Originally Posted by DGXR
The vast majority of high-mileage vehicles are driven a ton of miles during the early years, before moth and rust doth corrupt.
There are a few examples of older vehicles being driven a ton every year but they are the exception.
I tend to agree with this, I think it has to do with safety/reliability. When the miles start getting over 200,000, you start to worry about breaking down on your long commute to work, especially in the winter. I speak from experience. So you start parking it and relegate it to a second hand car...and only end up putting 10,000-15,000 a year on a car that you'd normally put 30,000-50,000.
The vast majority of high-mileage vehicles are driven a ton of miles during the early years, before moth and rust doth corrupt.
There are a few examples of older vehicles being driven a ton every year but they are the exception.
I tend to agree with this, I think it has to do with safety/reliability. When the miles start getting over 200,000, you start to worry about breaking down on your long commute to work, especially in the winter. I speak from experience. So you start parking it and relegate it to a second hand car...and only end up putting 10,000-15,000 a year on a car that you'd normally put 30,000-50,000.
Originally Posted by 2strokeNorthstar
I would not choose a truck for commuting that far.
I made the switch to a truck for my long commute, love it, wish I do it sooner. It's just a comfortable highway ride, with a better vantage point. Fuel economy has been good...much better than I anticipated. These modern trucks will really surprise you with highway fuel economy. I'm averaging 24 mpg over 29,000 miles
I would not choose a truck for commuting that far.
I made the switch to a truck for my long commute, love it, wish I do it sooner. It's just a comfortable highway ride, with a better vantage point. Fuel economy has been good...much better than I anticipated. These modern trucks will really surprise you with highway fuel economy. I'm averaging 24 mpg over 29,000 miles
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