So my car is wearing out (a 2004 Hyundai Elantra with 210K on it. I am in process of selling my house and moving to a more rural area with more property, so I have decided that I need to replace it with a truck. .
Initially I was looking at Toyota Tacoma's because I don't really need to tow anything and I've had great luck with my wife's Toyota our families have had great luck as well. My main issue with the Tacoma was that it was going to be around $30K used for a newer model and it would get like 20 MPG. Then I stumbled upon the ecodiesel. I like the idea that I can get a full size truck that will beat the mpg and maybe even the price of a used Tacoma. The added benefit of a larger passenger compartment, bed and increased towing capacity was also alluring.
Based on looking at this forum and my personal preferences I've gleaned the following:
- GDE Tune ASAP
- Extended Warranties are available and potentially very useful if your engine decides to grenade itself
- The sooner the GDE tune, the less likely said destruction is to occur.
- A tune will usually not void your warranty because it is unlikely to come up (and supposedly FCA has to prove the tune damaged the truck).
- You can get 30+MPG if conditions are right and you have a tune
- The Laramie is worth the extra money
- 3.55 gets better mileage than 3.92.
- I plan on driving this vehicle into the ground, so I would like to get 250-300K miles out of it before it decides to die.
Given those parameters, I have a few questions:
1. Is it worth paying more for a lower mileage truck in order to get an extended warranty (it looks like they are only for trucks under 48K miles)?
2. At what mileage should I be wary of purchasing a truck that has never had a GDE tune due to the potential damage from the EGR (30K, 80K, 130K)?
3. One of my main interests in this truck is fuel economy. Is 30MPG really doable with a tune and no towing? I see most people in the 22-25 range on their Fuelly signatures, but there are a few over 30.
4. If I get a GDE tune early, what other catastrophic failures do I have to worry about?
5. Anything else I may be missing or challenges to my preconceived notions?
Thanks!
Initially I was looking at Toyota Tacoma's because I don't really need to tow anything and I've had great luck with my wife's Toyota our families have had great luck as well. My main issue with the Tacoma was that it was going to be around $30K used for a newer model and it would get like 20 MPG. Then I stumbled upon the ecodiesel. I like the idea that I can get a full size truck that will beat the mpg and maybe even the price of a used Tacoma. The added benefit of a larger passenger compartment, bed and increased towing capacity was also alluring.
Based on looking at this forum and my personal preferences I've gleaned the following:
- GDE Tune ASAP
- Extended Warranties are available and potentially very useful if your engine decides to grenade itself
- The sooner the GDE tune, the less likely said destruction is to occur.
- A tune will usually not void your warranty because it is unlikely to come up (and supposedly FCA has to prove the tune damaged the truck).
- You can get 30+MPG if conditions are right and you have a tune
- The Laramie is worth the extra money
- 3.55 gets better mileage than 3.92.
- I plan on driving this vehicle into the ground, so I would like to get 250-300K miles out of it before it decides to die.
Given those parameters, I have a few questions:
1. Is it worth paying more for a lower mileage truck in order to get an extended warranty (it looks like they are only for trucks under 48K miles)?
2. At what mileage should I be wary of purchasing a truck that has never had a GDE tune due to the potential damage from the EGR (30K, 80K, 130K)?
3. One of my main interests in this truck is fuel economy. Is 30MPG really doable with a tune and no towing? I see most people in the 22-25 range on their Fuelly signatures, but there are a few over 30.
4. If I get a GDE tune early, what other catastrophic failures do I have to worry about?
5. Anything else I may be missing or challenges to my preconceived notions?
Thanks!