Hell yea one for every day of the week

 

I was looking at the Nissan Trucks before everything but the consumer reports on that talked about a huge recall on a coolant leak into the transmission and then I was like nah.. lol How have both the trucks been for you?

 

I looked at the Froniter as well. I haven't done extensive research on them though.

 

If you're going to do that regularly... get a Tundra. No way that Ridgeline (nor would a Taco) will hold up to that if that is your normal way of transporting bikes. Once in a while, yes... but not regularly. Not without airbags.

Also, something to consider.... resale and aftermarket support. You'll have a lot with Toyota... not so much with the Ridgeline...

 

oh ok well basically Nissan has a radiator that leaks coolant into the transmission but this can be fixed with purchasing an aftermarket radiator this is for the 05'-10' Pathfinder Xterra and Frontier

 

The Nissan vq40 also had a timing chain tensioner issue in those earlier years. I like them because they are simple, but their interiors are 12 years behind the competitors. It's really aparent when I get out of my xterra and get in the 2017 Tacoma.

Personally I don't like Toyota's seats in the current and previous gen for long trips. I spend about 12 hours a month on long trips in one and it's just not my favorite. Also though it does handle better than the outgoing model, and that new engine revs much better than the old one, it's still not like driving a car. I would guess the Ridgeline is better day to day if you don't have to go over rutted roads all the time.

 

The Frontier has been virtually unchanged since introduction, which was 2005. 2005 to 2007 should be considered the early models. 2009 they had a slight refresh. At this point, I would suggest looking at 2009+ if your budget will allow for it.

The transmission runs a line through the radiator as a cooling measure. Over time, defective soldering on the lines could lead to coolant getting into the transmission and killing it. The internet calls this SMOD (Strawberry Milkshake Of Death). You can confirm it is happening by looking at the transmission fluid or the radiator cap. If you see a frothy strawberry milkshake like stuff in those places, it is usually already too late.

It mainly affected the 2005-2006 years. There were still reports of it in 2007. By 2009 there have been no reported cases.

If your radiator did not develop it, you can do the "bypass mod." I can give more details on this later but will 100% prevent the problem. I did it to both my Xterra and my Frontier immediately after I got them and have been driving them with no issues. But I also made sure to check that they were not already suffering SMOD before I bought them.

The early models (again, 05-07) had potentially defective timing chain tensioners. This was an annoyance more than an actual issue. My Frontier developed this and I drove it for another 20,000 miles before I took apart the timing chain case and fixed the problem myself for about $200. The timing chain was improperly machined and had a burr that would slowly wear down the plastic tensioner shoes. This led to a whine that was vaguely similar to a supercharger whine. Once the plastic shoes are worn down, the timing chain is sliding on the metal part of the shoes, but this can apparently happen indefinitely with no real issues.

As far as ownership experience, I think the Frontier represents a great midsize truck option. My problem with the Fronty is mainly with my changing needs vs any actual problem with the truck. I acquired a 22' boat that I regularly tow and while the Fronty can do it, a bigger truck would make it more pleasant. Also I find myself hauling ever larger loads and the short bed (5') is a bit too small. Finally, as my kid gets older, he no longer fits comfortably in the back seats anymore even though I have the quad cab (this is a problem on the Tacoma too).

My dad has a 2G Tacoma (2005). I can give a quick pros/cons of the 2G Tacoma vs Frontier:

Pros of the Frontier:

More power for towing. The utilitrack system on the Frontier is superior to the Tacoma's track system. The Frontier's front seats are more comfortable. The Frontier models with the roof racks make it even more useful (I actually use mine semi-regularly). Interior is basic but utilitarian.

Cons of the Frontier:

Very small aftermarket support vs what's available for the Tacoma. Lack of bed storage. Rear seats are virtually straight up and down. Not good for long trips.


Pros of the Tacoma:

Slightly better gas mileage vs the Fronty. Huge aftermarket support. Bed has two compartments for storing things (perfect for straps, bed hooks, etc). Better resale (good if you're selling, bad if you're buying).

Cons of the Tacoma:

Taco's utilitrack is flimsy and feels like fisher price toys. Interior feels like a Camry. No factory roof rack options (actually they did come out with roof racks at some point but they look very low and not as useful as the Frontier's would be). Huge poser crowd (V6 PreRunners are by far the most common trim sold). Front seats are underwhelming. Rear seats are virtually straight up and down and not good for long trips.

 

I work once a week on the weekends at a Honda dealership which allows me to purchase any Honda basically for a crackhead level price unless its a super exclusive car like the Type-R. With that being said, I just bought a brand new Taco two months ago.

What is comfortable to some might not be comfortable to others, so you'll need to check whatever you buy out in person. I personally find the Taco to be very comfortable. If I didn't, I wouldn't have even considered buying it.

One thing I still can't wrap my brain around is how well Toyota trucks hold their value. A buddy of mine is a claims adjuster at a Geico shop and he said the other month he had a 2005 4Runner come in with 388k miles on it. They ruled it a total loss and gave the owner $7.5k. He said he thought it was a glitch in the system haha.

 

You have a new Tacoma. The 2G one has generally been regarded to have poor seats and an interior that is not suitable for a working truck.

 

Yes, they hold their value very well.

 

X2. I would 't call that comfortably at all IMHO.