Drove the Titan

[Rowski]

The big problem with the plastic intakes is keeping them sealed to the heads and/or blocks. Seems like the auto industy just can't get enough of sealing two different materials!

 

[BIGUN]

I have owned four trucks, all bought new:

’74 Ford Courier (actually a Mazda) (1800cc-4cyl)
’84 Ford F150 Super Cab (300 cid- Straight 6cyl)
’92 Chevy C1500 Extended Cab (350 cid-V8)
’01 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab (318 cid-V8)

They have all been pretty good trucks, although each had it’s own problems. I liked the Chevy the best of all. I think mainly because of its fuel-efficient torquey engine. That is why I think I will love getting a new Titan. I haven’t driven one yet, but based on the specs I believe it will be a joy to drive, as is my wife’s Nissan Altima V-6. The Hemi Dodge looks good too, but it requires purchasing a very expensive trim truck for that option to be available.

 

[Tractors4u]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( but it requires purchasing a very expensive trim truck for that option to be available.
)</font>

That is what bugs me about buying a new vehicle these days. Let me get what I want. My wife was looking at the Titan brochure and she was saying to get option X I have to get the 350 watt Rockford Fosgate stereo package. We don't need a 350 watt stereo to listen to a Wiggles CD. It is bad enough having to hear it at 100 watts. Like I said, let me pick what options without having to buy something totally unrelated.

 

[jyoutz]

Robert I have the same truck. What an awsome powerhouse! And it performs while getting 18-20 MPG! Once you go diesel, you will never drive another gasser pickup.

 

[TresCrows]

Please don't think I am running the new Ford down. The old Ford flunked the crash tests--unacceptable--period /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif., no excuse. The new 04 unit should do much better /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif. I have not driven the Ford new model F150. The PM test said it was an excellent truck. It has certain qualities that are hard to put on paper that despite it having the least horsepower (save for the smaller Tundra engine), the slowest zero to sixty I think and several other things they also said it had a quiet and pleasent ride and so on and a super stout frame with a very nice cabin quality. The Titan was faster than all the other trucks --EMPTY---when the Titan had 1,000 lbs in the bed. Yes, the 4 door Titan has the short type bed whereas the Access cab Titan has a full size bed. I think the full size bed with 4 door cab is probably coming next year when Toyota announces an upgraded Tundra.
Transmission fluid---I have never checked that---or the oil--if it cannot go 5,000 miles between service without checking this and that then I don't need it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I cannot remember the last time I personally opened the hood on my Tundra, I think it was 50,000 miles ago when I bought it /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. You see, that is a difference I notice between domestic owners and import owners--you domestic owners are reconciled to maintenance and breakdowns whereas we import owners are spoiled by no maintenance or break downs (that is sure to send poison arrows my way /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif). The Titan, by the way, is built in Canton Mississippi, USA.
Did I mention that it has front and rear limited slips Dana axles, I think a locker is optional and it has active brake traction control. The unit I looked including dealer add on and prep was 32,500 (approx--loaded 4X4 with towing and offroad packages) which is about 4,000 cheaper than the Chevy which did not have nearly the equipment of the Titan. Did I mention the Titan 4X4 has Rancho off road shocks? The Titan had more torque than all the others also.
Quotes from PM, "Under the massive hood is a 5.6 litre DOHC 32 valve V8 that churns out 305 horsepower and 379 ft lb of torque-----The Titan packs the biggest V8 punch of the bunch----At the track the Titan was a beast-----With 1000 lbs of ballast the Titan could still beat an empty Ford, Chevy or Toyota (egads /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif)---The Titan frame feels so stiff you could use it as a lever to lift your house----the Titan placed at or very near the top in just about every performance test we threw at it---edged out some highly developed veterans to land at the top of our score cards."--end quotes.
Also, the Titan was faster and had more torque than the hemi Dodge which has 375 lb ft of torque and ran 8.21 zero to 60 vs the Titan at 7.73 and as I said 379 lb ft--the fastest of the 4X4 trucks--all crew cabs including the Titan. The Titan had a tow rating of 9400 lbs as equipped vs 8300 for the Ford----??now exactly why would I want to buy a Ford F150? Nothing against the Ford but it looks like, at least in the PM test, the Titan sent them all packing with their tails between their legs howling like scared pups, what am I missing here? Like their adds say, "Bring it On". J (ducking and running for cover /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif)

 

[wroughtn_harv]

While I bleed GM blood, think the HEMI is too kewel, and am intrigued by the Titan, Motor Trend picked the 04 F150 as their Truck of The Year.

Of course all this is a moot point for me. The only way I'd own a half ton would be if my financial situation became where there was too much money to spend. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now if you're talking pickemups. Let's talk pickemup

 

[Tractors4u]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I cannot remember the last time I personally opened the hood on my Tundra, I think it was 50,000 miles ago when I bought it )</font>

The last Toyota we owned was a 1990 4runner. It waited until the warranty was over to blow a headgasket. $900! We took it to an independent import repair shop that we often used. The owner said "wow that is the 3rd 4.0L Toy engine with blown headgaskets in a month". He asid his buddy at the local Toy dealership said they had seen the same thing. Then the engine decided to throw a rod. We bought a used engine from a rolled truck. Guess what? That engine decided to blow a headgasket. I decided it was time to to call Toyota and ask them if they knew what was going on. The pimply faced punk on the other end of the phone line was so obnoxious and rude. Is there a recall I ask. Toyota does not have recalls he says. Well why don't you take my information down just in case someone else has a problem and it might turn in to a recall. Look dude, I don't know what you want me to do for you, Toyota does not have recalls, we do it right the first time, he tells me.

I bought a 1991 Nissan 4X4 truck that had a bad valve train in it when it was delivered. It spent 21 days in the shop the first month I owned it. The Nissan people were as courteous as they could be. They tried everything and finally put a new engine in my new truck and gave me a 100,000 mile warranty for free. They knew how to take care of the customer.

Needless to say, we are boycotting Toyota for life. I know what happened to our 4runner is not typically of a Toyota, but customer care should be better. A National Guard buddy of mine had a 4runner and was aware of our problems and he had a headgasket let go on his. Toyota eventually had a recall because of the headgaskets and re-imbursed you if you had the work done prior to the recall. Only problem was you had to have it done at a dealership.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The unit I looked including dealer add on and prep was 32,500 (approx--loaded 4X4 with towing and offroad packages))</font>

I wish I could find a Titan here at that price. The 2X4 here was $33,500.

 

[CTyler]

My 99 Silverado ext cab 4x4 with 4:10's runs upper 7.7x per the G-tech pro if I don't spin the tires to much or to little. Typical is 7.8's. Dealer Mech's have commented about it's power, must have a good one. The Titan has some spunk. Did PM do this 87 octane? I know mine will back off the timing on 87 octane and run slower especially when its' hot out.

I haven't read that the Titan has a Dana rear end. It says its' based on the Dana. Sounds like a nice truck though.

 

[RobertN]

My truck is great! I have been really happy with it. I went with 4.11's and an auto; I get 14-17mpg when I light-foot it. That diesel does not need the 4.11's. If I did it again, I would go 6-spd too.

It sure pulls my tractor well though. I've had the truck and my trailer loaded up with lots of wood and dirt too. It pulls it right along.

 

[BIGUN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I cannot remember the last time I personally opened the hood on my Tundra, I think it was 50,000 miles ago when I bought it /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. You see, that is a difference I notice between domestic owners and import owners--you domestic owners are reconciled to maintenance and breakdowns whereas we import owners are spoiled by no maintenance or break downs)</font>

This reminds me of an article I read a few years ago about how new Rolls Royce cars came with their hoods locked closed and could only be opened by the dealer. The logic, was to bring it in for servicing at the specified intervals and there would be no need to open the hood by the owner. What if I just want to look at my expensive engine or even though I am rich, I like doing my own service work? Maybe they would sell me an optional key for a few hundred dollars. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Well, I know invincibility is the image portrayed by Toyota and many Toyota owners and for good reason no doubt. But, don’t think just because you buy a foreign make you are guaranteed a trouble free vehicle. My brand new ’83 Toyota Camry was the worst new vehicle I ever bought. It had a defective engine computer which would cause it not to start, warped brake rotors, damaged brake line, failed power antenna, A/C compressor that would shut itself off for no reason, a recall to have the timing belt replaced (then this belt broke about 60k later), and a failed ignition module which left it dead on the side of the road. I could fill a page here and to make matters worse the mechanics were incompetent too. I could fill two pages on this.
I am hoping this isn’t the case with Nissans since my wife owns a new one (so far, 16k miles, it has been very good) and I plan to buy a new one soon myself. But when I hear someone say how foreign cars are so perfect and bullet proof and domestics are all trouble prone I always think, “Yeah, right.” You can get a lemon in any brand and as someone used to say, “They can make a million perfect ones and you get the lemon, all that matter to you is, you got a lemon.”