Diesel prices

Well, we did buy a Toyota for my wife. I definitely wouldn’t snub Toyota. I’ve always liked the Tacoma…never been in love with the Tundra, though. Less so now that it’s a turbo six cylinder.

1 Like

So you are saying that the Chevrolet ZZ527 has a better chance of pulling 80,000 lbs over Donner pass than a Semi?

1 Like

If tuned for higher torque at lower RPM, it could do better than a diesel pick up truck. It could run at WOT for days at 3000 RPM with no issue. Diesels have higer torque for the same dispalcement due to higher compression, but with different gearing the gasoline engine could put out the same power just at a bit higher RPM. If course it will wear out faster and cost more to operate, but as far as performance it should beat the diesel, as long as the right transmission is put on it.

If a turbo is put on a gasoline engine the torque curve can be flattened.

If you think the trucking world has made some big mistake adopting diesels over gas engines, you’re off on another wild goose chase.

4 Likes

Nope! Lower fuel consumption. Dependable power for a million miles. Excellent partial load efficiency. A flat torque curve that reduces the need to shift gears. Diesels are great work horses!

They just don’t provide a lot of light weight power. So airplanes and performance cars use gasoline engines. Torque is just a substitute for an insufficient number of speeds in the transmission.

Wait! Turbo Tacoma? You mean supercharged rather than turbo, updated - not from the factory, right?

The other day at the store I noted Crisco cooking oil was 24 dollars for a 1 gallon jug so that might make the use of it a bit prohibitive due to cost.

As for Fords, they have been my main make of vehicle over the past 30 years. All have served well into the the high miles range. Current Lincoln has almost 300k miles; runs/drives like new. Prior Lincoln had 250k miles until some color blind guy :wink: ran a red light.

Prior Ford product was an 87 Mercury that had 410k miles on it and still carried 160 pounds of compression on all cylinders before I unloaded it. Storm threw a tree limb through the windshield so I decided to get rid of the car rather than spend 25 dollars at pull a part for another piece of glass.

My 15 year old son plays baseball competitively and it’s not unusual for us to spend 4-6 long weekends every summer out of town for tournaments. A 4 day trip with hotels and food gets expensive, so my wife has been pricing travel trailers. She found a nice 28 footer that was affordable. I then explained to her that we would also need a 3/4 ton Duramax diesel to tow it.

So that’s one reason why someone would buy a diesel.

2 Likes

Negative, ghost rider. Torque vs horsepower is a magical thing. Easiest explanation is chain saw (hp) vs tractor (torque). Both are great, and both are related, but there’s a different purpose for each. A formula 1 car is awesome and makes insane power. But my lawn mower will tow better lol.

2 Likes

Sorry, did I say Tacoma? No, the new Tundra is a turbo six vs the outgoing 5.7 I-force V8 (top engine choice). Fuel mileage regulations and all…

Which is intriguing, because it’s a Toyota, but off putting, as there are early turbo failure complaints. I kind of had high hopes for it, because “Toyota”, but the reviews aren’t great.

Toyota is usually on the opposite end of bleeding edge tech and super reliable. In this case, I think they bowed to mpg standards and the engine is kinda “meh” as far as power delivery and reliability.

Ford’s were great (although kinda weird and their parts didn’t interchange as well) before variable valve timing. They’ve really had some issues with their timing, timing chains, etc, since then.

Search “5.4 3 valve cam phaser problems” or “ecoboost timing chain rattle”.

That engine (V35A-FTS) has been used in the Lexus LS500 since 2018.

That is great, and like I said, I had high hopes. Reviews aren’t that great and I’ve seen reports of turbo failure early. Might be a manufacturing issue, but even that’s odd with Toyota.

I’ve been out of touch last few years…
Nothing is perfect. Even Toyota. My 2021 Rav4 Hybrid is an excellent vehicle but it has a couple or totally ridiculous “features” I sincerely hate. For example, Toyota replaced a convenient cruise control lever with a set of funky buttons… Otherwise, I totally love it. And to avoid potential defects, I only buy those made in Japan - they are a lot better built especially better than those (Tacomas, for example) made in Mexico.

There are a lot of reasons to stay away from ford. For example, it takes SPECIAL intelligence to put a clutch cylinder INSIDE the bell housing (f150)…
Another reason I would never come close to ford is not technical:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/nov98/nazicars30.htm
so any association with this outfit is harmful to one’s Karma.

1 Like

For crying out loud . If those buttons you don’t like are on the steering wheel like both of our vehicles they are easy to use.

1 Like

I did not say they CAN’T be used. I am saying they are way less convenient than the traditional lever I have on both of my 4Runners. Any change should be an improvement rather than some fitful action for the sake of a change. Oh, I also don’t appreciate absence of variable intermittent wipers - every single vehicle I’ve see (even chrsyler!!!) has had them like… forever. Why did Toyota made a luxury out of it?!?
Again, don’t defend Toyota - I value quality and longevity over occasional dumb move, and I insist that Toyota today is the only brand worth considering.

The vehicle comes with intermittent wipers or rain-sensing wipers. With rain-sensing wipers, there is no need for an intermittent setting, the wipers actuate based on the amount of water on the windshield.

I have not noticed any speed variations…

I have had several people approach me outside my home, asking if I would be willing to sell my 2000 Silverado. So far, people have offered between $5k and $6k for a truck which I paid $1800 for, and put about $1000 worth of parts and repairs into. Still, I have no desire to sell, because it’s a great truck, and it runs well.