# Used tacoma, tundra or ridgeline? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265 "2014-07-28T21:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![headonastick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@headonastick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/headonastick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/1 "2014-07-28T21:28:54Z")
I’ve got a '93 Toyota Pickup (the pre-Tacoma). Love the 4x4 extra-cab with the (almost) never die 22RE engine (230,000 miles). Unfortunately, with climate warming happening, and the recent purchase of a T@B trailer (used of course), I need something with A/C and a larger engine for pulling the long grades of the northern rockies. I’m looking to spend $10-15,000 and don’t need a “full-time” truck. I am thinking maybe I should go with a 8-10 year old Ridgeline instead of a same age Tacoma. Alternately, given very similar gas mileage, should I consider a Tundra? Given my major concern, mechanical reliability, how concerned should I be regarding vehicles with 150,000 or 200,000 miles? Thanks for your help, headonastick ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/2 "2014-07-28T21:37:12Z")
I would go with a Ridgeline since you don’t need a “full time” truck. For that budget you should be able to get a 2007 with close to 100k miles, plenty of life left in it. It will be more versatile than a Tacoma/Tundra and should be very reliable. [http://www.edmunds.com/honda/ridgeline/2007/consumer-reviews.html?sub=crew-cab&ps=used](http://www.edmunds.com/honda/ridgeline/2007/consumer-reviews.html?sub=crew-cab&ps=used) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/3 "2014-07-29T00:06:11Z")
If you’re going to be towing, the weight of the trailer has to determine your choice. Especially in the mountains. The Tundra with the V8 and a tow package is the best choice of those you listed. Although the Ridgeline will tow up to 5,000 pounds with the tow kit. Whatever you find, since you’re looking at used vehicles be sure you get it checked out thoroughly including making sure it has a properly installed tow kit of a sufficient “class” (hitch class). You don’t want to lose your camper in the middle of the highway. What’s the trailer weigh? ---
**Author:** ![headonastick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@headonastick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/headonastick)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/4 "2014-07-29T02:23:00Z")
Trailer weighs about 1600#. What about concerns of buying a high mileage vehicle? ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/5 "2014-07-29T02:40:13Z")
“What about concerns of buying a high mileage vehicle?” People usually dump high-mileage vehicles when they’ve lost confidence in them (read: more frequent breakdowns). Always have at least $1000 in your “hooptie account.” ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/6 "2014-07-29T03:55:02Z")
Don’t buy a vehicle with 150k-200k miles. A $15k budget is perfectly adequate to buy a Ridgeline with around 100k miles. And a 1600 lb trailer will be no problem for it to tow. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/7 "2014-07-29T05:38:39Z")
If any of those vehicles you’re considering, have a timing belt, you’d best find out if they are due or overdue And I agree about the mileage. 150K or 200K sounds kind of high ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/8 "2014-07-29T07:58:23Z")
If you are considering a Tundra, you should think about a Silverado or F150. Both outstanding trucks. Be sure the Tundras you look at don’t have the frame rust problem found on Tundras. I believe the problem resulted in a recall for years 2000-2003. ---
**Author:** ![MarkM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@MarkM](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkM)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/9 "2014-07-29T13:06:17Z")
I like the Ridgeline if it’s up to the towing. You’re more likely to learn that on trailer sites. Otherwise, with the Ridgeline you get a very comfortable car, complete with locking trunk and a small bed for messy stuff. It’s got a place for everything. Take you to work all week, to the dump on Saturday, and shopping on Sunday (what did you think I’d say - church?) The others are not as comfortable as cars, though they’ll do if you need them to. In recent years trucks have become much quieter and ride better. Older trucks like you’d be looking at don’t have those enhancements. Except the Ridgeline, which is more car than truck. ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/10 "2014-07-29T21:04:34Z")
With that light a load the Ridgeline would probably do just fine, It’s mostly Honda Pilot underneath with some changes to the rear suspension and structure. Rated for up to 5,000lbs although 3,500lbs or a little less is a safer bet. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 9:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/11 "2014-07-30T09:04:02Z")
I agree, the Ridgeline would be fine for a 1600lb trailer. Jt, I suspect you meant to reference the Tacoma. That was the model with the instant-rot frames. The Taundra was fine. Excellent point, however. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/12 "2014-07-30T17:04:19Z")
I thought the frame rust was the T100’s. ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/13 "2014-07-30T23:54:16Z")
the Tacoma trucks also suffer from frame rust at least for 2001-2004 models, may be more. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/14 "2014-07-31T00:43:26Z")
Tacoma was the model with the ready-rot frames. For the record, the late '70s Toyota pickups (pre-Tacoma) suffered from the same malady. They’d solved the problem by the late '80s (still pre-Tacoma). My '79 pickup’s frame rotted through, my '89’s frame remained in excellent shape for its life of… I guess it was some 18 years or so before my daughter got hit in it. I thought Toyota had solved the problem for good, but unfortunately I guess I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/15 "2014-07-31T03:34:43Z")
Mountainbike Jt was correct The tundra is also a rust bucket For our collective reading enjoyment . . . [http://media.fixed-ops.com/Toy\_Campaigns/D0D-phase1.pdf](http://media.fixed-ops.com/Toy_Campaigns/D0D-phase1.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/16 "2014-07-31T03:35:59Z")
More proof > **[toyota\_tundra.pdf](https://static.reuters.com/resources/media/editorial/20100324/toyota_tundra.pdf)** > > 1632.72 KB ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/17 "2014-07-31T03:53:25Z")
Hmmmmmm … I stand corrected. Live & learn. I wonder of the affected frames all came from the same supplier. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 4:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/18 "2014-07-31T04:25:33Z")
Dana was the supplier of the rusty Tacoma frames: > **[Report: Dana coughs up $25M to Toyota over rusty Tacoma frames](https://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/report-dana-coughs-up-25m-to-toyota-over-rusty-tacoma-frames/)** > > 1998 Toyota Tacoma ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/19 "2014-07-31T04:35:19Z")
I wonder of they made the Tundra frames too. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265/20 "2014-07-31T04:37:28Z")
Yup, Tundras too: > **[Toyota Tundra Frame Supplier Dana Off The Hook, No Rust Fix Yet](http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/toyota-tundra-frame-rust-dana/)** > > UPDATE: As of May 2010, Toyota has extended the warranty on 2000-2003 Tundra frames. Please see Toyota Tundra Frame Replacement Program for more details. While this is not the news that the owners of Tundras with frame rust were hoping for, Toyota... [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/used-tacoma-tundra-or-ridgeline/86265.md?page=2)