I'm in the market for a used compact pick up, 2008 or newer. After reading myself into a coma, I've narrowed it down to a Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier. I really like the Tacoma, but there are not many available around here, and they seem to command top dollar. I need 4WD, prefer an automatic, and am leaning toward 6 cylinders vs. 4. Basic creature comforts, but definitely don't need all the bells and whistles.

I'm looking for comments and suggestions to sway me one way or the other. Is there any reason to consider other makes like Dodge or Ford or Honda? I tend to keep my vehicles for a long time and don't rack up excessive mileage. (My 2002 Subaru Legacy has only 75,000 miles on it.) I'd like to keep it around $20K.

I'd get the Tacoma because, well, any other choice does nothing to further my quest for world domination. What a great name for a truck!

Joking aside, since you keep your vehicles a long time and some of the others are really not very compact, I'd get the Toyota.

Depending what you want to use a truck for, the Tacoma would probably be the better choice between the two you mentioned, Joe. Toyota trucks are generally quite reliable if not pricey. I've found the compact trucks to be more-less the same price as full size with marginal improvement in economy while sacrificing usability...towing, payload, roominess, ect.

As far as full size, my preference is Chev/GM truck. I feel they offer the best combination of reliability, payload, towing, economy(relatively speaking), and power. I've owned/driven several pickup trucks, mostly full sized, and in a nut-shell this is what I gathered....I liked the way the Dodge's drive and make decent power but couldn't get past their reliability issues despite attractive pricing....My brother owned a Ford F150 and my neighbour bought one recently, both had several problems with them in the first few months of ownership(electrical problems, leaks through the roof/windshield, air con ect), Ford, from my own experience(I've owned several of their cars) don't stand behind their products as well as some other co's(google 5.4L spark plugs/heads as an example), also they change their engine line up too often as far as I'm concerned. I've never owned a Toyota truck, but a friend of mine has a Tundra and has had no issues to speak of with it, I'd wager that their Tacoma would be of similar reliability.

Again, it depends on what you want to use the truck for, but my experience is that you don't really gain anything by going compact. They're pretty much the same price as a full size and don't really give you back much in economy. That's just my opinion, of course, good luck with whatever vehicle you decide on.

Another vote for the Tacoma, but the Frontier is not a bad truck either. The Tacoma commands top dollar because, well it says Toyota on it whihc is the main reason, second being high demand and low numbers as you have found out.

As far as reliabilty historically the Tacoma is slightly more reliable than the Frontier but depending on each manufacturing year they tend to swap rankings.

Me too. +1 Tacoma. I have a 2001 that I bought a couple of years ago and the only person who dislikes it is my mechanic because it runs like it's brand new. I can't speak for newer models and can't compare it to any others as it's my first pickup but I can confidently say that mine was worth every penny of the small premium I paid for it.

A friend of mine has a Frontier and he says it's a gas hog for what it is, he's the only person I know with a frontier. My son had a hand me down 4Runner for several years that would just not die, I have a couple of friends with Toyotas and they love 'em so based on that alone I'll also suggest the Tacoma.

Thanks for the input. All things being equal, I'd definitely choose the Toyota. I just haven't been able to come up with a good enough reason to justify the extra $4-5K. I suppose in the long run, I might make up for it in repair costs.

Maybe resale value as well?

Go with the Tacoma. A friend has had one for years.

Looks like both are assembled in the USA, if that's important to you.

Sorry Joe and don't take this personally but I had to laugh out loud just a bit because you just reminded me so much of my wife. If given a tough purchase decision, she will poll all of her friends via phone, in person, facebook, emails etc. Then she promptly goes and buys whatever she was leaning towards in the first place.

I realize you are actually trying to put logic into the decision instead of emotion, but it still made me chuckle.

With a little luck and some good timing, I found a very clean 2007 Tacoma with 60K miles that had just been traded in by the original owner. I appreciate the suggestions, and think the Tacoma is the right choice. I'll pick it up in a couple of days, as soon as the dealer fixes the ding next to the rear wheel.

Now I need some opinions on a tonneau cover.

Nice truck Joe!

As far as covers go I personally have an Extang Trifecta that I like because I can take it off in a hurry if I'm hauling anything big in the bed and it keeps the bed nice and dry for everyday use...

http://4wheelonline.com/ExtangTrifectaSignatureTonneauCovers.64977

I know several folks who have Roll-N-Lock hard covers who keep valuables in the beds of their trucks, it gets high praise from those I know who have them...

http://www.tonneaucoversworld.com/roll-n-lock-tonneau-covers.aspx?gclid=CI_hoKXI060CFcac7QodujEdUQ

I have an Extang on my F150 and love the fact I can just roll it up when I need use of the bed and it doesn't take up any space inside the bed.

That's a very nice looking truck!!!

EDIT: I had the wrong model. Corrected.
I was primarily concerned with adding secure storage and being able to actually add a kayak rack that doesn't use the stake pockets, thus making a tonneau cover not fit. The Backflip CS (contractor series) solved both problems.

I am completely satisfied as it looks clean and it stays water tight in combo with the built in drain tubes for the gunnels where water would collect. It is very secure paired with a tailgate lock and it is strong enough (supports 300lbs) to walk on when closed to make it easy to secure stuff on my kayak rack if I need to do something unusual up there.

The way it is engineered with external gunnals where the rack arms slide into means that you don't have to choose between a secure cover and a full rack.

I couldn't find a picture of it closed with the rack but the cover closes perfectly with the rack in place as they are secured externally to the sides of the gunnels.

Advice on what not to buy...
Do not buy the Toyota model of 'Pop & Lock's' aftermarket tailgate lock. It is flimsy junk. Without much effort, you can actually just accidentally turn the key hard enough by hand to bend it's mechanisms and open the supposedly locked gate. Unless it has changed significantly, IT IS USELESS! Pay the extra for the stock Toyota item if you want security.

Last advice. If any hard cover I've seen is folded up into it's last, wide open position, it will block the rear window so you will need to be comfortable backing up using the side mirrors, which you probably are anyways lest we deduct a man point or two.

For my needs, I think the soft cover would be a better choice. I like that it rolls up out of the way. Thanks for the heads up about the tailgate lock. I was actually looking at the Pop & Lock and it seemed kind of flimsy. I'd rather pay extra for something that I only have to buy once.

I think my very first purchase will be a remote starter. I park outside, and my least favorite thing in the winter is scraping ice off the windshield at 5:30 in the morning.

Awesome truck, Joe!

I love to learn from you guys.

Indeed! That oughta fix your Metro problems right up. But "toneau" is French, so you're still on shaky ground a bit.


Toneau or not toneau, great luck with it, Joe and use it to do what it was made for Americans to do with it----buy BIG sh!t that won't' fit into an SUV!

After buying the truck and adding the French cover, rather than buying more big stuff, I'll have to find big stuff on the side of the road to put in it.

If I get a gun rack and a houndawg, can I work off a few more points?

So it's a done deal. Sweet!
60k is barely even broken in, in Tacoma years (like dog years but the opposite). You should get lots of life from this rig.