Toyota Tacoma upgrades

[Zundfolge]

For the life of me I still can't see why Toyota (and other foreign car makers, especially those that build cars in the US) don't make their Diesel variants available in the US market.


You could always run narrower tires.

[Graves]

Everybody makes claims of their 3/4-1t diesels pulling 20+ MPG's but in reality it only happens when it's totally unloaded running 65-70mph down a smooth interstate without the sight of a hill. All my years of working on them have shown real world results closer to 15-17mpg's which IMO still isn't bad. Biggest problem comes to new regen trucks that are bought only as a daily driver. That's pretty much why I went with the Hemi, all conditions being perfect I've seen 22mpg's in my quad cab.

[Irving]

Do the gray wire mod. Won't help with gas mileage, but maybe the mud. For $250ish you can get on-board air. Then you'd always be able to air down for the bumpy dirt roads and mud, then air up for better gas mileage.

[DD977GM2]

For the life of me I still can't see why Toyota (and other foreign car makers, especially those that build cars in the US) don't make their Diesel variants available in the US market.


You could always run narrower tires.

Diesals are special purchase/order from Japan. Its expensive and can be done, but I have no idea on mpg etc and spare parts I think would be interesting at best.

[Irving]

Diesels don't get made here because powerful, important people must not want them here. Why there aren't 100 VW Passat turbo diesels on the road to every 1 Prius is a mystery to me.

[Ridge]

For the life of me I still can't see why Toyota (and other foreign car makers, especially those that build cars in the US) don't make their Diesel variants available in the US market.


You could always run narrower tires.

EPA regulations

I'd stick with a K&N filter and be easy on the gas. Relatively cheap and can make a real difference in performance and fuel consumption.

[Irving]

I'd stick with a K&N filter and be easy on the gas. Relatively cheap and can make a real difference in performance and fuel consumption.

+1

When I drive my truck, I'll get 220 miles to the tank. When my wife drives, she can get 300 miles.

[ray1970]

18 to 21 seems pretty reasonable for a truck. I had a Nissan truck with the V-6 and the 5-speed. It never got over 18 mpg. I got rid of it and got a full size truck. Figured if I was going to get crappy mileage I might as well have a little extra room in the cab to get comfy in.

Don't get me wrong... I am definitely not suggesting you get a different truck. I am just saying the gas mileage you are getting seems about average.

For what it's worth, if I had more free time and money, I would love to take an older Toyota pick up and transplant a Volkswagen turbo diesel into it.

[Zundfolge]

EPA regulations

Yep ... in particular CARB (which is California).

Government ruins everything.



Back to the OP, you might also consider running premium gas ... I've found that on the highway I usually get enough extra mileage to offset the higher cost (in town its not enough though).

[hollohas]

All the small bolt-ons mentioned do help a little.

I don't understand why the Tacoma doesn't get better mileage. My Tundra gets 17 MPG combined and it's a 5.7L V-8. I have gotten up to 24 on the highway. Seems wrong that the V-6 gets the same mileage.

BTW, not sure where the Tacoma is made but the Tundra IS Made in America. #9 top American made vehicle in 2011. Assembled in San Antonio and somewhere around a 85% domestic parts content. Not a dually or even a 1-ton but a capable work truck.

And the F-150 didn't even make the Made in America list in 2010 or 2011...only 55% domestic parts content according to cars.com. The best selling vehicle in America isn't even that American anymore. It was the #1 American-made vehicle only a couple years ago. What a shame. Still a nice truck though.

(the Toyota Camry is #1).