Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and red99naz
Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2007
- Messages
- 13
- Age
- 68
- Vehicle Year
- 1999
- Transmission
- Manual
Hi guys,
Please help me decide which truck to keep (apologies in advance for the loooong post).
I have 2 similar trucks, and can’t keep both (insurance cost and lack of parking):
Truck 1: 1999 Step side, XLT sport, regular cab. 2.5L, 5 speed. Purchased in 2004 at 71,000 miles. It now has 102,000 miles. My daughter used it, but she has nowhere to park it at college this year, so I have it.
Truck 2: 2002 standard bed, XL, regular cab. 2.3L, 5 speed. Purchased 6 months ago at 67,000 miles. Now has 71,000 miles. Bought because my daughter took the other one, and I needed a truck.
Both have plusses / minuses, so I am looking for opinions. The 1999 is a nicer, better optioned, truck, and has more usable engine power, but the ’02 is clearly in better shape; more so than the 30,000 miles and 3 years would suggest.
Here are my (rather verbose) thoughts:
The 1999 has better low and mid-range power, and seems to get better gas mileage (contrary to what I read here), but it isn't as smooth (surging, etc.), and definitely runs out of breath sooner (lower RPMs). The '02 is smoother, but when hot (I live in AZ) and A/C is on, it is frankly dead gutless below 3000 RPMs. For example, on a trip, A/C on, head wind, freeway between Phoenix and Tucson, my wife had it floored, and was barely able to hold to the 75 MPH speed limit. Of course the mileage was only 24-5 for that trip
Now I suppose down-shifting might have helped, and if I were driving…
The Transmission on the ‘99 is hard to put into gear at idle when hot (have to go to 4th, then work into 1st). My guess is the pilot bearing? Also, the clutch engages quite high - I fear I may need a new one sooner. The 2002's clutch is firmer, requires more foot pressure, and engages noticeably lower (mid travel).
The 2002 is more attractive (the ranger step side is nice looking in my opinion), and its red color is prettier than the plain silver of the 2002. The '99 has the nicer 15" allow wheels instead of the '02's plain steel. It also has nearly new Toyo premium radials. The '02's tires are fine, just not quite as good. Also, the '99 is XLT Sport so has painted bumpers vs. "argent". But, in that my daughter learned on it... It was rear-ended, pushed into another car, so it needs a front bumper/grill, has minor bed damage on both sides and a slightly bent rear bumper - bumper was bent 90 degrees to the license plate faced the ground, but the other car left on a tow truck. The bumper mount brackets were replaced. Also, the headlights are faded. The '02's body is pretty much perfect, and has a matching fiberglass camper shell.
The interior on the '99 is XLT, so while the seats are sagging a bit as compared to the '02, and the center arm rest is more warn, the seats are a bit nicer/more comfortable (the '02 does have the cloth upgrade).
The 1999 has an interesting gremlin - the wipers periodically / randomly do a wipe, even though off. More an interesting conversation piece than an issue, but... it may signal the need for new switch gear. Oh, and someone tried to steal the '99 once, so the plastic outer part of the ignition key falls off - minor nuisance, but worth noting.
Even though I would expect the suspension to be the same, the 1999 does seem to have a plusher ride, while the '02 seems stiffer and rougher. And though it is very subjective, the 1999 seems quieter - could be due to having carpet??
In that my wife decided to no longer be my wife, I need to reduce my vehicle count, and whatever I keep may need to be my only vehicle, and be reliable enough to get me around, and take trips to see my dad in CA - 750 miles away.
I do haul stuff occasionally, but not heavy loads. None of the items above are really deal breakers for me, and I like both, though for different reasons. My daughter prefers the red truck (nick named “Jacob”) and thinks the ’02, with the camper shell looks like an old man’s truck (well duhhhh). That’s a factor, but it is MY truck, and in the end, I simply have to be able to trust it, and won’t have a garage to fix it in.
One other bit – the 1999 was originally from Wisconsin – has surface rust on the frame rails, but no evidence of cancer. The 2002 was and as near as I can tell, has always been an Arizona truck
I think I could fix all the present significant issues of the ’99 for not much more that the difference in what I can sell the two trucks for (about $1,000 difference I think), but then what? Oh, I had to do a total replace of the A/C in the 2002 when I bought it, so that is new.
So, Opinions???
Please help me decide which truck to keep (apologies in advance for the loooong post).
I have 2 similar trucks, and can’t keep both (insurance cost and lack of parking):
Truck 1: 1999 Step side, XLT sport, regular cab. 2.5L, 5 speed. Purchased in 2004 at 71,000 miles. It now has 102,000 miles. My daughter used it, but she has nowhere to park it at college this year, so I have it.
Truck 2: 2002 standard bed, XL, regular cab. 2.3L, 5 speed. Purchased 6 months ago at 67,000 miles. Now has 71,000 miles. Bought because my daughter took the other one, and I needed a truck.
Both have plusses / minuses, so I am looking for opinions. The 1999 is a nicer, better optioned, truck, and has more usable engine power, but the ’02 is clearly in better shape; more so than the 30,000 miles and 3 years would suggest.
Here are my (rather verbose) thoughts:
The 1999 has better low and mid-range power, and seems to get better gas mileage (contrary to what I read here), but it isn't as smooth (surging, etc.), and definitely runs out of breath sooner (lower RPMs). The '02 is smoother, but when hot (I live in AZ) and A/C is on, it is frankly dead gutless below 3000 RPMs. For example, on a trip, A/C on, head wind, freeway between Phoenix and Tucson, my wife had it floored, and was barely able to hold to the 75 MPH speed limit. Of course the mileage was only 24-5 for that trip
Now I suppose down-shifting might have helped, and if I were driving…The Transmission on the ‘99 is hard to put into gear at idle when hot (have to go to 4th, then work into 1st). My guess is the pilot bearing? Also, the clutch engages quite high - I fear I may need a new one sooner. The 2002's clutch is firmer, requires more foot pressure, and engages noticeably lower (mid travel).
The 2002 is more attractive (the ranger step side is nice looking in my opinion), and its red color is prettier than the plain silver of the 2002. The '99 has the nicer 15" allow wheels instead of the '02's plain steel. It also has nearly new Toyo premium radials. The '02's tires are fine, just not quite as good. Also, the '99 is XLT Sport so has painted bumpers vs. "argent". But, in that my daughter learned on it... It was rear-ended, pushed into another car, so it needs a front bumper/grill, has minor bed damage on both sides and a slightly bent rear bumper - bumper was bent 90 degrees to the license plate faced the ground, but the other car left on a tow truck. The bumper mount brackets were replaced. Also, the headlights are faded. The '02's body is pretty much perfect, and has a matching fiberglass camper shell.
The interior on the '99 is XLT, so while the seats are sagging a bit as compared to the '02, and the center arm rest is more warn, the seats are a bit nicer/more comfortable (the '02 does have the cloth upgrade).
The 1999 has an interesting gremlin - the wipers periodically / randomly do a wipe, even though off. More an interesting conversation piece than an issue, but... it may signal the need for new switch gear. Oh, and someone tried to steal the '99 once, so the plastic outer part of the ignition key falls off - minor nuisance, but worth noting.
Even though I would expect the suspension to be the same, the 1999 does seem to have a plusher ride, while the '02 seems stiffer and rougher. And though it is very subjective, the 1999 seems quieter - could be due to having carpet??
In that my wife decided to no longer be my wife, I need to reduce my vehicle count, and whatever I keep may need to be my only vehicle, and be reliable enough to get me around, and take trips to see my dad in CA - 750 miles away.
I do haul stuff occasionally, but not heavy loads. None of the items above are really deal breakers for me, and I like both, though for different reasons. My daughter prefers the red truck (nick named “Jacob”) and thinks the ’02, with the camper shell looks like an old man’s truck (well duhhhh). That’s a factor, but it is MY truck, and in the end, I simply have to be able to trust it, and won’t have a garage to fix it in.
One other bit – the 1999 was originally from Wisconsin – has surface rust on the frame rails, but no evidence of cancer. The 2002 was and as near as I can tell, has always been an Arizona truck
I think I could fix all the present significant issues of the ’99 for not much more that the difference in what I can sell the two trucks for (about $1,000 difference I think), but then what? Oh, I had to do a total replace of the A/C in the 2002 when I bought it, so that is new.
So, Opinions???
