I'm going to miss my Dodge and the TDR

[BSkinner]

I've really enjoyed the TDR and my Dodge truck. I've learned a lot on this site and enjoyed my interaction with the members but---



I decided to buy another truck. After a lot of soul searching I realized that I wasn't ever going to buy a 5th wheel and travel the country. One of the main reasons I bought the truck. In fact, after several years of retirement, I started working again (part time) in the methane gas field which means I won't have much time for traveling for several years.



We travel some really bad roads and "cow paths". The KORE Recon suspension helped smooth these horrible roads out considerably over stock. However, one day, I rode to and back from the well site with a co-worker who was driving a Toyota Tacoma. The lighter truck with the IFS took these bad roads much better which, at age 59, I really appreciated. I also now have a truck that my wife can drive. My wife is 5 feet tall and the tall Dodge with a six speed is something my wife just didn't want to drive. We visit Omaha and Denver to visit our girls and driving the big Dodge and parking such a big rig in the big city wasn't something I was looking forward to anymore. Now, if my wife needs to haul something to Denver or Omaha, she can go and I can stay here and work or fish Anyway, it's nice to have two vehicles that we can both drive.



I'm going to miss the great comfort of the Dodge seats, the confidence that comes from driving in this deer infested country with a Buckstop bumper on the front and the tremendous power that gets me up the mountain with no effort at all. I'm not going to miss having to stand on a plastic milk carton to clean my windshield and having to help short people get into the cab.



I've got my truck in the classifieds. If anyone knows of someone who would like a really clean 2003 Quad cab, send them my way as I'm selling my truck privately. In fact, I haven't traded with a dealer in 9-10 years. I get a good feeling out of selling a good vehicle to a private party cheaper than they could buy it at a dealer and I always get more privately than dealers allow on trade. I figure everyone wins and the dealer doesn't send a kid to college on what he makes on my trade-ins. Always a good feeling!



Thanks, everyone, for all of the help, knowledge and friendship.



Regards,



Bob Skinner



Buffalo, WY

 

[JRG]

Good luck! You will be happy I'm sure with the Tacoma or Tundra which ever you get. Big trucks don't fit EVERY need. Have fun and take care.



JRG

 

[MRosinski]

I have 2 toyota tacomas and they are TOUGH trucks when their size is taken into consideration. The 01' has 137,xxx miles and the 04' has 75,xxx miles. The only thing done to them was oil changes. Both have original rear brakes . Which is pretty good considering that theyre loaded to the max every day. Oh yea the 30mpg's isnt too shabby :-laf ARB makes some nice bull bars for them.



Check out www.customtacos.com some good forums there.

 

[BStoecker]

Toyota is supposedly introducing their diesel trucks in the US market soon.

 

[BSkinner]

I have 2 toyota tacomas and they are TOUGH trucks when their size is taken into consideration. The 01' has 137,xxx miles and the 04' has 75,xxx miles. The only thing done to them was oil changes. Both have original rear brakes . Which is pretty good considering that theyre loaded to the max every day. Oh yea the 30mpg's isnt too shabby :-laf ARB makes some nice bull bars for them.

Check out www.customtacos.com some good forums there.

I'm not expecting nearly that much in gas milage. The V6 will probably average around 19 mpg. I've averaged 17. 75 with my Dodge since new.



I do like the looks of the ARB. However, I probably won't mod this truck much if at all. State Farm doesn't give any discount when I install a "deer Vaporizer" bumper. To heck with them. They can pay to fix up the Tacoma if I hit a deer. (Saying that, the ARB does look pretty nice. I must learn to resist )



Thanks for the link to the Tacoma forum. I've looked at a couple forums already. They've got a long way to go to catch up to TDR, IMO. One of the Taco forums seems full of young, stupid kids. I was certainly never one of those (yeah, right).



Bob

 

[jwilliams3]

32k for an 03? Your dreaming.

 

[drewRoberts]

I still have a membership at custom taco's, but dont go there much since it is yes, full of punk kids.



but dont get me wrong, there are alot of guys there that know their stuff about tacomas as well on there. There's one guy that has a turbo'd taco thats freakin fast :--)

 

[MRosinski]

I'm not expecting nearly that much in gas milage. The V6 will probably average around 19 mpg. I've averaged 17. 75 with my Dodge since new.

Both of my tacomas are 2wd reg. cabs w/ 2. 4l 5spds. I also put 16" wheels w/ load range D's and run them at max psi. for extra weight support and better mpg's. For a 4x4 v6 double cab 19 sounds bout right.

 

[KBennett]

I had a 2002 Tacoma with the TRD suspension. It performed much better than the Dodge off road but there was no comparing the power of the Cummins to the little V6. Mileage was not that much better than the Dodge and the only reason I sold the '02 was to pull a 4000lb. travel trailer that was given to us.

I like the look of the new Tacoma and I will say it again... . if Toyota came out with a diesel pickup that pulled 10K and got 30+MPG unloaded, I would have a hard time staying with Dodge. The Dodge has been a good truck so far but the Toyota was built much better.

 

[vciesielski]

We Have an 05 Tacoma 2wd prerunner non-TRD it get 19(city)-26(highway).

 

[TX Gooseneck]

32k for an 03? Your dreaming.

:-laf

Makes my 04. 5 with a ton of mods look like a bargin at 27k, even with the miles

 

[RKerner]

I still have a membership at custom taco's, but dont go there much since it is yes, full of punk kids.



but dont get me wrong, there are alot of guys there that know their stuff about tacomas as well on there. There's one guy that has a turbo'd taco thats freakin fast :--)

Another Yota online forum solution is here:



tundrasolutions website



About the same price as the TDR site without too many 'punks'.

 

[BSkinner]

32k for an 03? Your dreaming.

Kelly Blue Book retail value is $32,170

Kelly private party is $28, 395

Edmund's retail is $25,883



I thought, perhaps, I might be able to recoup some of the "add-ons" expenses.



Did you miss the OBO? Maybe I can price it at $15,000 and work my way up? Sheesh, ya got to start somewhere. I can always work down (very easily). It's a little hard to go the other way. Where would you price your rig if you wanted to sell it?



Anyway, thanks for your very helpful commnents.



Bob

 

[BSkinner]

:-laf

Makes my 04. 5 with a ton of mods look like a bargin at 27k, even with the miles

Well, because of all of the power mods, your truck wouldn't be worth anything to me or a lot of other people. Brand new truck, hottroded? with no warranty? Not interested. Thanks.



Because of all you spoiled sports, I'm dropping the price in the classifieds to $30,000 OBO. Better?



Bob

 

[KBennett]

I thought, perhaps, I might be able to recoup some of the "add-ons" expenses.

You are allowed to ask any price you want and if other people on here feel otherwise then I would ignore them. You may not be able to recoup the money for the accessories unless you find someone that really wants them and will pay for them. From my experience you will lose at least 50% of the initial cost.



It looks like a nice truck and I hope you get what you are asking.

 

[DF5152]

Good luck! You will be happy I'm sure with the Tacoma or Tundra which ever you get. Big trucks don't fit EVERY need. Have fun and take care.



JRG

yeah they dont fit into the those compacts parking spots... . other than that...

 

[TX Gooseneck]

Well, because of all of the power mods, your truck wouldn't be worth anything to me or a lot of other people. Brand new truck, hottroded? with no warranty? Not interested. Thanks.



Because of all you spoiled sports, I'm dropping the price in the classifieds to $30,000 OBO. Better?



Bob

Didn't add what I did for hotrod purposes. More from the standpoint of hauling all over the country and looking for better performance/mileage/etc. I have a B&W turnover, a 'real' receiver hitch instead of the one DC sells, aux. fuel tank and so on. Then again, I live in an area that has a lot of young lads with well to do parents, that would take a spin in my truck and go running to their parents for a blankcheck.

 

[Huskerman]

2004. 5 BlackSport. F1 Helix2 CAM. F1 ValveSprings. FloorIt Stg2 CP3. ATS 5KTurbo&Man. BanksTechnicooler. SBCDD 3850. Fluidampr. DSS. Timbrens. Weight Rack. TSTCR. FASS. Pullin Hitch. ARPStuds. DDP 90hp. PutnamVHitch. MTII's. Front Hitch. Traction Bars. SRTPillar&Hood. BDDL. TSRamifier. AFE. Stroud Blanket.

I'd give Skinner $30k for his before I would give Mr. Williams $15k for a truck that has absolutely no warranty and been used for sled pulling.



Huskerman

 

[jwilliams3]

My warranty is still intact... ... Never been to the dealership for anything... :-laf :-laf

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Bob, good luck with your new truck. It has been pleasant meeting you, aka another WYomingite, via the TDR.