I vote for the 01-07 Toyota Sequoia 4x4. I really like the 05-07 with the vvt power and extra gear on the trans. This is a great tuff car for hauling family, goofing around off road, and looks presentable. You can get a small lift with Bilstein 5100 front shocks and a rear spacer to gain 3" and clear 33" tires which makes it less "Soccer Mom". The limited's get leather and other cool **** for cheap on the used market. the 2UZ motor is an iron block 1UZ which is super popular as a swap motor because of reliability. Its not uncommon to see 250k-350k used Sequoia's on the market.

Known common problems: Rear window motor and door latch, over sensative traction control under 10mph, front rotors.

 

I am going to get a scooter.

 

lol, check the frame and make sure it wasn't a 2 stroke in a previous life.

 

Horse and buggy?

 

He'd probably find that someone had swapped out the powerplant for a mule.

 

lolling IRL

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tijuana_Zebra

Ricks new ride.

 

New Dodge

Drive Nice (actually great for a truck), big if you get 20 and 4x4s probably sit up as high as your excursion (if you like that), dead nuts reliable, pretty (ram boxes in bed are optional if you dont like them). Interior is nice, when it came out one of the magazines said it was the first truck where you paid 30K and got the same level interior that you would get in a 30K car. Plus you can put a sweet sticker on it that says "Yah its got a HEMI"
Interior Shot


Or if you want something hardcore, dont buy a **** ford (Raptor) buy a power wagon. No bent frames hehe.
Stock

 

The only gas truck I would consider owning is a Ford Ecoboost. I know two people who have them, I've driven one, it's awesome, gets outrageous fuel economy, is outrageously comfy, quiet, and hauls legitimate sports-car levels of *** in a straight line (like 14.6 at 94mph in the 1/4).

Honestly an F150 Ecoboost would probably be the perfect truck for Rick. Quiet enough to keep his wife happy, HUGE backseat for the kids, fast as hell, incredible fuel economy (21mpg at 75-80mph unloaded), and not built from 3-4 different trucks

 

Im just curious about the eco boosts reliability. Ford trucks have been horrible for a while. I wouldnt consider one,. until they have been out for a few years and reliability has been proven.

Problem with ford was they made simple **** overly complicated, now they actually make a complicated engine and Im worried its gonna be a disaster.

 

I'd be fine with it as long as its under warranty, and the ecoboost engine in question has been out for a while right?

 

This is what Rick really needs.

 

As long as you're not really into towing. If you tow, the turbo holds boost like a diesel and gets crap mileage. For a DD truck that doesn't really get used as a truck, they're pretty nice.

 

I totally know what he buys.

 

I think it just came out in 11. I maintain a big fleet of fords at the shop and all their '10s have 4.6s and 5.4s Im only seeing the ecoboosts on the '11s.

Also Ive seen both new dodges and new tundras run 14 flats, so the ecoboost running a 14.6 isnt really anything huge.

 

I was under the impression that the engine in the F150 Ecoboost is the same one thats in the Taurus SHO.

 

My buddy gets ~16mpg towing an S2000 on a steel flatbed at 65-70mph, which is about what my LLY Duramax gets pulling the same load. He definitely beats me in unloaded mileage (I get ~18-19mpg unloaded, he gets 21-22). For someone who tows a single-car open trailer 15+ weekends a year and uses the truck to drive to work the rest of the time, the Ecoboost is perfect.

If you tow big stuff on a normal basis (enclosed car haulers or campers), then yeah, a diesel is still what you need.

 

Agreed 100%.

I'm really eying an ecoboost once out of school.

 

That's really good, impressive even. The reviews I've read show getting significantly worse mileage. I get ~13 under the same conditions.

 

Domestic and not a 6.0 diesel or excursion.

Though I love the idea of the school bus, wife would totally hate it.