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Pickup Trucks for Women (Experiences/Opinions) - READ ONLY

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Honda, Interior, Truck

Messages Page 14 of 18

#122 of 171 Leo by kcram HOST

Apr 24, 2002 (4:42 pm)

I went to college in Pittsburgh in the mid 80s, so I know western PA very well. No mountains, but that side of PA is very hilly. I only had to drive a stick out that way once (my cousin's 1981 Accord), but that was enough. Double-downshifts were the norm, not the exception when a road hit a minor hill. If you're going to have the weaker 4-banger, the automatic will be easier on you too.
 
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#123 of 171 kcram by leomort

Apr 25, 2002 (4:47 am)

small world! I drive into Pittsburgh, Oakland to be more specific, every day for work. 30 miles one way. Yep, it can get hilly around here. It can be tough on us manual users. But since the wife has a significant influence on our next vehicle purchase, it will more than likely be an automatic.

#124 of 171 mtngal by leomort

Apr 25, 2002 (4:53 am)

I don't know if any seats can be more uncomfortable than my seats in Toyota Paseo. They're ok for the 1hr commute to work, but much longer than that and your back feels it. But I'll definitely take a careful look at the Taco's seats.
 
I might do what your doing, and see if I can wait until sometime next year to buy. But a '94 Toyota Paseo w/ 186k+ miles, starts to make me consider getting a new vehicle this year. Hmm. we'll see if Toyota runs any of those special financing later this year and play it by ear.
 
             Leo

#125 of 171 leomort by mtngal

Apr 25, 2002 (5:57 am)

Sounds like you are in the same boat I am. I find the 2000 Taco's seats have no back support at all. And I also have a problem that my head is forced forward because I'm short and the head restraint is tilted forward just where the back of my head hits it. My 6' husband doesn't have that problem, so make sure that the seats are comfortable for both you and your wife. I haven't looked at the 2002, so those redesigned seats may have corrected both problems.
 
When I took it in to the dealership for the radiator, I asked if there was a more comfortable seat they could replace mine with. They said they outsource their seats for leather (or whatever).
 
On the other hand, it is cheaper to keep fixing things on your '94 unless you start having tranny problems. I'd probably still be driving that '88 Nissan hardbody if I hadn't started having tranny problems - everything else wasn't that bad to fix, the truck ran great and the seats were far more comfortable.

#126 of 171 mtngal by leomort

Apr 25, 2002 (7:26 am)

You're right in that it's cheaper to fix the '94 Paseo than buying a new vehicle and having payments. Recently, the car has started burning oil about 0.5 quarts per oil change (every 3,000 miles for me). I'll see how the car does during inspection/emissions this May.
 
Isn't it addicting to look at all those new cars when at the dealer?! Get me thinking about a new vehicle.
 
                       Leo

#127 of 171 leomort by mtngal

Apr 25, 2002 (8:33 am)

Have you got that right! Looking at all those new cars is addicting. This past weekend when we were looking at the Ranger the dealer had a 3/4 ton diesel parked right in front of it. Sigh! I don't think my other half will look at anything else now. I, on the other hand, love looking at all those new cars and trucks, even if I'm only mildly interested in them.
 
It doesn't sound good, but are you sure that you don't have a leaking seal somewhere? We started using oil with the Nissan and tracked it to a leak, not an engine problem. Of course it was one of the more expensive seals, but still less than a new engine or a new tranny.
 
Saturday I'm going to drop him off to pick up the Taco while I get an oil change and tire rotation done on the Wrangler. I'm afraid he might come home without the Taco and with something else. It might be an interesting Saturday!

#128 of 171 mtngal by leomort

Apr 25, 2002 (9:27 am)

I haven't bother to track the problem with the oil leak. About 140K, mechanic said one of the cylinder has low comprension. Change timing belt at 160K because water pupm problem...they found the head gasket appear to have leak. I've been keeping an eye on the antifreeze level and it's not using any so the head gasket and antifreeze aren't mixing. It's now at 186K. The burning oil occured around 180K. Any idea what seals would be leaking? How expensive is it to fix?
 
                Leo

#129 of 171 Leomort by mtngal

Apr 25, 2002 (12:35 pm)

I'm not a mechanic, but I think you should be trading it now rather than later. It sounds like you might have multiple problems - all of them expensive. One of my coworkers suggested a problem with the rings or valves or something along that line.
 
I can't remember which seal it was on the Nissan we had replaced - it was over 5 years ago when it was my husband's work truck. It seems to me that it was around $800 then.
 
Good luck with it!

#130 of 171 mtngal by leomort

Apr 25, 2002 (12:51 pm)

The burning oil might be to the head gasket finally starting to give. The toyota mechanic said it wasn't unusual to have low compression in one of the cylinders w. cars over 100K. Low pressure probably due to valves or rings or something like that. So you're probably right.
Oil problems are never a good thing.
 
Thus my thoughts about getting a new truck this summer/fall. Keep an eye out for the special financing. Think they usually have those good rates around Labor-Day time frame.
 
                  Leo

#131 of 171 Leo by mtngal

Apr 25, 2002 (7:26 pm)

Or maybe cash back. That's sometimes a better deal than special financing. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you make it that far.
 
Are you going to leave the bed open or put something over it? I love having a shell on, but it is limiting. I sort of suggested leaving the next pickup we get open and hauling the dog in a crate instead of the shell/back combination we've been doing now. From his reaction, I don't think that will happen! The funny thing is that I had to talk him into getting a shell for our first pickup (a GMC S-15)! It was an old camper type top, much heavier than today's fiberglass shells. Ours has windows with screens - very useful for keeping the dog comfortable but still not letting him get his head all the way out the window.

Messages Page 14 of 18

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