Kevin Van Dam Forums

I am starting to get sucked into Toyota’s advertising campaign. At first, I held the “It’s not American” view, but that view is slowly starting to erode. The more I research this truck, the more I am impressed with it (maybe that’s why it’s the truck that’s changing everything ) . About the only thing the Tundra appears not to kick tail in is in the mpg. Wondering if there are any Tundra owners who could dispel a rumor I heard in that while doing “normal” driving the Tundra does pretty much like any other truck on gas, but once you start to tow, the gas really gets sucked down (hmm…seeing that KVD just made the drive from MI to SC, maybe his insight would be good here!). The advertised “cruising range” from the Toyota site shows the Tundra at 396 miles on a tank of gas compared to Chevy’s 442 and Ford’s 420 (sorry Dodge lovers, didn’t compare the Ram for some reason). However, the towing capacity totally kicks the butt out of the rest (in some cases, of course, depending on engine, etc). While I don’t tow any 10,800 lb items, I know some people who have the Chevy 1500 who wished they had something with more towing capability while towing campers, race cars etc which weigh much less than that (wouldn’t having a Tundra with the towing capacity be fun to hook up to your buddy’s camper and out tow their truck, just to prove a point?).

With all that being said, wondering what everyone else is thinking. Things that I have considered about Toyota are the fact that Toyota has increased the payouts in the Toyota Tundra AOY and has stepped up promotion in various other sports as well. Toyota also has introduced the “Toyota Trucks Bonus Bucks” program just for having a Toyota Tundra or Sequoia tow vehicle for your tournament boat. Other “important” things I am considering is that Toyota is the official truck of BASS (which I am a member of), Bass Pro Shops (my favorite bait shop), and Tracker Boats (which I love). Because of this, Tundra is also a sponsor of our favorite angler, too (who here doesn’t dig KVD?). Other than KVD, does anyone else have a Tundra? If so, I’d like to get an owners perspective. I haven’t made it onto a dealers lot…yet, but before I do, I wanted to gain more insight.

I notice that in the magazine ads, KVD appears to be standing next to a “double cab” truck (which is also very cool looking rig, by the way). They appear to have more room than the “extended cab” that Chevy has (not sure if my eyes deceive me though). Wondering if anyone has any thoughts/experience with that. I am liking the Toyota Tundra crew max model, and really like the fact that I can build one on-line with ALL the whistles and bells (that I want anyway) for about $36,000, which is at least a couple thousand less than a comparable Chevy crew cab without the “whistles and bells” (i.e. - bug shield, running boards, add those and I am sure the savings would be more).

OK…I am ready to read your thoughts on the Tundra. I am trying to work up the courage to head to the dealers lot and actually take a look at this bad a$$ looking truck (my opinion, of course).

Chevy ALL the way!!!!!!

Toyota tundra is the badest stock truck out there right now. We have a fair in our county every summer that has a pickup truck pull. All the local guys that have something to prove can enter and pull their rig. Well, this guy has a Tundra that was 2 weeks old, and it out pulled every truck that was there by like 60 feet. They are also fast. Friend of mine bought one last summer and he took me for a ride. Darn thing will do a hundred in like 10 seconds. He also pulls a big 28 foot big water fishin trawl with it to and has no complaints. That’s my next ride, I am sure!

When Toyota makes a diesel I might get one…but for now I think chevy makes the best diesel truck!!!!

I just got to test drive one at the Toyota experience at the classic and one of the best riding easiest handeling smoothest trucks I have ever been in.  Has me thinking of buying one in a year.

i’ve always been Chevy man, but i would love to have a Tundra!  my aunt has one, and it really is the baddest truck i’ve driven!

FORD rules…........

i owned a toyota and was pleased. need a bigger truck so got a chevy. pleased also . my wife ownes a sequoia and real nice. so i think it’s what you like. i am pleased with both types i bought.

I own a 2000 Tundra and a 1991 Toyota truck. The Tundra has/had a few problems and not that great of gas mileage, but what V-8 engine does? You might gain some with another brand, but there’s two many stock stories out there to believe. I get 15/16 at best. Towing, maybe 12/13, I don’t recall checking. My 1991 has a V-6 with 340,000+ miles. It’s got cancer real bad because of to many Wisconsin winters. I use to pull my 17ft. Lund all around with it until I got my Tundra. It got around 19/21 not towing. Still runs and has been very reliable, never put much mechanical money into it, other than hitting a deer. Go to Tundra Solutions.com it might have more insight in the forums on the new Crew Max. I know I went there after buying my Tundra and it might have changed my mind after reading about it. Just a series of problems with 2000-2003 Tundras’. Would I buy a newer Toyota, I would definitly reseach it before buying it. One forum said it blantly! It’s not made overseas anymore. Speaking about overseas I do think Toyota might have a diesel if I recall, but not available to us.

One more thing about a Toyota, they’re hard to keep looking good, cheap paint, chrome, and metal. I wish they all came with vinyl wraps or have the whole thing Rhino coated.

yo new2…. you might consider going to the dealers you’re really interested in and test drive them. be up front with the salesman, tell him you want to check out the difference between the toyota, chevy / gmc, and the ford. sometimes just sitting and driving a model will help make your mind up.

towing caps….hmmmm how much do you tow?  how often….how far?  i went all thru this a couple of years back.. when i really wanted a diesel…but really couldnt justify the big jump.  my camper stays at the lake, i tow my boat back and forth when we go….200 miles round trip..maximum. and then, the boat aint that heavy…BassTracker ProTeam175.

the chevy-gmc models have plenty of horsepower on the new models…compared to my 2001 GMC @285hp…i believe the new hp is well over 300 now…..then you gotta ask…how many times do you race the guy at the traffic light, while towing your boat???? OR how quick do you need to get up the boat ramp?  just a few things to consider for you…..

Sorry N2, I’ve got an 03 chevy 2500 HD. Pulls my 19 ft Champion like no tommorrow.

Profisher and I are on the same team. FORD all the way, baby!

I have a Dodge 1500 not the Hemi but I don’t have a problem pulling my boat. I drove the Tundra at Bass Pro Shops and that thing is pretty dang fast for a truck and has tons of power to pull a boat. It also has a 6 speed transmission which is good. Just my 2 cents.

At work, I make parts for the steering columns on the Tundra and I see why Toyota products are far better than American vehicles. They expect 100% perfection. My advice would be to buy one. I dont have one, but them again if I had $40000 lying around, I would have a 21 ft Triton in the driveway.

Toyota Tundra thoughts.

I think its a shame that something as American As BASS is
“offically” sponsored by a foreign vehicle.

Am I the only one that thinks or would hope for a American Vehicle as a offical sponsor??