So i'm considering buying a pickup so that I can haul some of my crap back to Canada once i'm done with school here in NY. I would like to do a tour of the US first, heading down south and then west, and finally north back to Canada. It would be a pretty long road trip so I'm looking for something reliable that is not likely to crap out on me. I also would like something with a class III hitch or greater so that i can attach one of those motorcycle racks across the back and carry my vtr as well. I would be nice if it was also fuel effecient....relatively speaking.

any ideas?

I've been looking at the Tacoma, frontier, dakota, explorer sport trac

 

Did you ever see the episode of Top Gear where they tried to kill the Toyota Hilux? Give these a look.

part 1
part 2
part 3

If that doesn't make you want a toy....


I have a Tundra, but it's definitely not fuel efficient.

 

Honestly, I don't think hauling everything across the country is the best way to do it. I would get a "POD" and then just buy a car, do the drive, and have all my stuff back at my house when I get there. Just an idea.

 

Tacoma was on my short list when I was looking for a truck. I ended up buying a 2010 Ford Ranger instead. The gas mileage on the toyota would have been better, but for the cost of a new Ranger, I can deal with the mileage. It's not terrible on gas, but I was used to a small car.
I've put two bikes in the back, and loaded it with gear and it handled it no problem. My brother has an '03 ranger Edge with those damned fender flare things that make the box smaller... don't really like that much. It is much harder to cram bikes in the back without the extra space.

 

Frontier for sure. Supercharged Mmm.....

Maybe an older Nissan hard body? Cheap to come by, reliable, and good on gas.

 

+1 on the hitch hanging VTR!!

And my 4.7 V-8 gets 16-17mpg! Surprised the 6 isn't better than that.

 

I'm telling you, get a car.
by truck, approx. $1000 in fuel if you do 5000 miles at 17mpg
by car, approx $550

The thing that will suck is hauling your crap behind you all the way and worrying about it being in the back of the truck at every hotel etc etc. I also highly doubt that you will be able to get much better than 15 hauling the load. The bike is 500, figure on a total of 3000 lbs coming out of a dorm room including the bike, leaving you with a car worth of hauling. Just my opinion.

 

I've got a 2wd 2005 Silverado with the 4.8L V-8 that's treated me very well. Usually get 18-20 mpg going out to the Los Angeles auctions pulling an empty trailer and 10-12 pulling 5-7 bikes back (uphill). Best MPG I've got out of it yet was 22.5 unloaded from Prescott to Tucson. It has 125k miles on it and hasn't required anything but gas and oil changes.

 

I agree w/ autoteach about 90%. On a recent trip to California (flew w/ family), I would have given...my left..pinky to have my VTR to ride the coastal highway and more. Is that worth 10%? Hell yes and more, but your point about fuel costs is very valid. If you can swing the gas bill, DO IT!

 

Buy sports car! Problem solved.

 

Seen 2 toyota T100's with just over 500,000 with normal maint. servicing (brakes, eng oil, trans oil, coolant and spark plug changes) done and are still running pretty good. Toyota for trucks are great. just my .02.

 

Ive started thinking about getting something like a tahoe, yukon, expedition now. It may be a bit more practical then a truck, be able to hitch the vtr on the back, and it should accomodate my wife and I comfortably. A new development is the possibity of sister and borther and baby in law that may join us on the trip.... not 100% sure yet. I'm not really looking to lug all of our crap back home. All the furniture is either going to be sold, donated or set on fire lol. Will only really want to take some of the kitchen ware, sentimental, clothing. Mainly want to get such a vehicle so I can lug the vtr, don't tell the wife

 

Sounds like you need a diesel excursion or suburban to me. Gets around 20-22 highway and doesn't care what you pull, and 7.3 last forever the 6.5 GM isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be and I get around 20 mpg with a 3500 4dr long bed dually.

 

I have a 2006 nissan Titan 4wd Crew Cab with 7 inches of lift on 35's and get abismal gas mileage, was getting 10, put intake, exhaust, and tune and get 13, this is City or Highway - 13 is BEST, it's usually about 12.8.

I LOVE the truck but the gas mileage sucks. I had a 5.3 ltr Silverado before with a Budget boost on it and 32's, I got 19 on the highway, and 17 in city and it had less power and torque than the Nissan but...

You want a fullsize or a midsize if you plan on hauling the bike.

 

I want to be able to do something like this.

The SMC-600 Motorcycle Hauler

 

Haha just so happen to have our bike on the back too huh, I can easily do that with my Titan

 

I had always bought gas engine trucks, had gmc,ford, and dodge always did fine for what I wanted but everytime I pulled a trailer the mpg would drop into the low double digits or worse, single digits. I now own a 95 chevy diesel 3500 long bed crewcab, which is a heck of a lot bigger but gets better mileage with or without being loaded down. Diesel engines are known to last longer and the transmissions are stronger as well. Both the excursion and suburban would have plenty of room for everyone and everything you've got and would'nt even feel the VTR on the back, just a thought.

As far as the racks are conserened, just check on the straps often and they work just fine. Use the triple tree and the sub frame and strap it down tight, keep a close eye on it and you'll have no problems with a 2500 or a 1500 with good suspension. I personally would get a 2500 burb or the excursion which is on the 3500 platform.