Any former Tundra owners

tonto340 · April 18, 2021

Tcoll267: The Silverado stops my Phoenix just fine: I've never felt out of control at anytime.

One thing I didn't know or think about before buying the diesel was the use of diesel exhaust fluid. The truck will use approximately 2.5 gallons every 1000 miles. The more you tow the more you'll use. DEF isn't expensive as long as you don't buy the GM brand.

Edited April 18, 2021 by tonto340

Transient · April 18, 2021

This is a funny thread. The Toy's 5.7 dated motor that it's best feature. Mileage is not as good because?????? You know all that crap you hate about a GM V8 like GDI and AFM/DFM/Auto stop start? All those things that make the GM mileage better? So pick one already. OR get an Ecoboost.

Where's Sunshine Bear. He hasn't blocked me yet. Why are we stuck with Grumpy Bear? Is it because misery loves company?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

ThatredneckguyJamie · April 27, 2021

2 of my 3 previous trucks were Tundra's had a 2008 Double cab 5.7 that I loved, put over 100k miles on and it did everything I asked but I got the itch for something new so I bought a 2015 GMC crew cab LTZ with the 5.3, the thing was a dog...in the beginning I was happy because of all the bells and whistles and fancy new tech it had over the Tundra..that quickly wore off especially hooking the boat to it. Drove it for a little over a year and decided to go back to a Tundra, bought a 2017 crew max, it had all the power I had been missing and a few nice features the 08 had lacked, but not as much unneeded extras the GMC had and I was happy...then they come out with the 2019 Chevys and I loved them. Debating for a while and when they announced the 10 spd 6.2 combo I had to pull the trigger. I ended up with a 2020 RST crew cab with the 6.2 and couldn't be happier. It has all the speed and power of the Tundra, better gas mileage, as much if not more room as the crew max, a bigger bed and just the right amount of creature comforts. The only thing I feel I have sacrificed is the offroad ability...I still think Toyota has a major edge there. Some folks might disagree with some or even all of that...but you asked for opinions so there you have mine.

SUMMIT-AT4 · April 28, 2021

Just traded my 2019 1794 4x4 in on a 2021 GMC AT4 with 3.0 duramax....the mileage is incredible, so far I havent had any issues with the GMC with about 2k miles, the tundra had zero issues biut was just old and dated and I was avg about 12-13 MPG on highway.....I know the tundra will last 200k+ miles just hoping I can get half that with the AT4.....The AT4 rides smooth and is a joy to drive

Gangly · April 28, 2021

4 hours ago, SUMMIT-AT4 said:

Just traded my 2019 1794 4x4 in on a 2021 GMC AT4 with 3.0 duramax....the mileage is incredible, so far I havent had any issues with the GMC with about 2k miles, the tundra had zero issues biut was just old and dated and I was avg about 12-13 MPG on highway.....I know the tundra will last 200k+ miles just hoping I can get half that with the AT4.....The AT4 rides smooth and is a joy to drive

With regular maintenance you should see closer to 300k-400k, if you chose to own it that long. Although there was the valve spring issue early on, the 6.2/5.3 LS/LT architecture has been around for over 20 years and is considered bulletproof overall.

Mandalorian · May 1, 2021

Very familiar with Tundras, a bunch in the family.

Pros and cons like everything else. The 5.7 is a beast of an engine, in the same league as the GM 6.2 and Ford HO 3.5 EB, especially with the 4.10 rear. The cabins are a let down. The 1794 leather is quite nice, but there's just acres of hard silver and black plastic. The driving feel is also much different, probably the most critical difference. I don't think the steering is as precise as a domestic truck (especially GM), the brakes are super touchy, and there's just more NVH. A GM truck is going to drive and handle a lot better, and IMO be less fatiguing to drive on long trips.

As for the 3.0, I'd skip it. To me, light duty diesels don't make a whole lot of sense. The US isn't a country where diesel has a massive tax advantage or an engine displacement tax. Yes, they're a bit of a novelty and put out good MPG numbers, but servicing is a lot more expensive. So you probably break even in the long run cost wise, but get a much slower truck.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Mandalorian

SVG · May 1, 2021

While certainly not as fast as the 6.2, the 3.0 is no dog. It made a whole lot of sense to me.

rlane88 · May 2, 2021

I just made the switch on friday. I had a 2020 Crewmax. Absolutely loved the truck but absolutely hated the fuel mileage. No matter how I drove I didn't get anymore than 15mpg. I put 20,000 miles on it within the first year so thats a lot of fuel consumption so I can imagine what you are experiencing in fuel. I purchased the Silverado RST with the 3.0 diesel. I am very impressed with the 10-speed transmission and the power from the duramax. I haven't gotten to tow with it yet but everything I have seen people love the way it tows with the torque numbers it is putting down. The 6.2 would be nice and is a solid motor but running premium fuel can run into a lot of money. I have known many GM fans that had gotten rid of suv's with the 6.2 for this very reason. I have never owned a GM product but am enjoying it so far.

Mandalorian · May 3, 2021

4 hours ago, rlane88 said:

I have known many GM fans that had gotten rid of suv's with the 6.2 for this very reason

I never got this. Someone can afford a $70k vehicle, but not an extra $0.25 a gallon?

Icetracer · May 7, 2021

I went from a 2008 Toyota Tundra DC 5.7L TRD to a 2020 GMC sierra 1500 SLT with the 3.0L diesel. Night and day difference. I too was waiting for the newer Tundra but after 12 years, I just didn't want to wait any longer. I also had some issues with the Tundra I won't get into here. Onto the differences!

Ride quality and driveability: The ride quality of the 1500 is much smoother and feels more planted than the tundra did. Also the 1500 feels much more nimble in handling. Feels like driving a smaller vehicle. The engine and transmission are much more sensitive, downshifting is quick when needed. But also because of the torque, there are many times I thought the truck would downshift to go up a hill, but never had to. Quieter ride as well.

Fuel mileage: This is one thing that really stood out, as you probably have seen from the other posts. I average 21 MPG city and over 28 MPG hwy with aftermarket wheels/tires with a truck topper, so around 24 MPG combined. My tundra averaged 13 MPG combined with just aftermarket tires (LT). On a few long road trips, I have gotten over 30 MPG.

Engine: I really like the 3.0 diesel from GM. I test drove the ram diesel as well and found the turbolag and fuel economy restriction annoying. From a dead stop, turning onto a hwy or faster side road, there was a good approx 1-2 sec lag from when I would hit the gas peddle and when the power would kick in. On my test drive, that lag almost made me miss my window, the on coming traffic had to slow down for me. I promptly drove back to the Ram dealership and returned the truck. The lag from the GM diesel is much less restricted and feel like it gives you some power to start with when you hit the peddle at first, then really gives you power as the turbo kicks in.

Infotainment/controls: The infotainment/controls aren't as fancy as some of the other trucks (Ram/Ford), but I think the transition from the Tundra to the 1500 is a nice bump in convivence. Still touch screen and very responsive at that. But you still get the tactile knobs and buttons for most the stuff you don't need touch screen on. Compared to the almost all touch screen of the 12" display ram, which I hated and actually think that it's a danger to driver attention. For me the 1500 was the easiest transition in terms of buttons/knobs and touchscreen infotainment. You will notice the steering wheel controls are in different positions from the Japanese vehicles.

Offroad/hunting: Although I have the SLT and not the AT4, which should more offroad capable, using the truck to get to hunting camp and driving offroad is much more enjoyable. Hill descent control, auto 4WD, backup camera (AT4 I think has 360, would is even better), front and rear sensors, all help getting around in the backwoods without damaging the vehicle.

Truck bed: One thing that sometimes gets overlook is the truck bed utility. Inside the truck bed on the 1500 has multiple (12 total) tiedown hooks and additional areas to add more hooks. Also has bed lighting and plug available and pop up handle to get in/out of the truck. These are great additions and I've found myself using the multiple tie down locations alot.

THE BEST THING EVER: Multi-pro tailgate. I would say this one thing is the coolest item on the truck. So convenient and I use it almost all the time. Not just for getting in and out, but also for carrying lumber/wood products where I would have had to have a regular tailgate all the way down, I can use the multipro with the top portion down and quickly secure it and be on my way. Also it will save your back. I've loaded 50 lb bags of sand/gravel and pavers and it was a huge difference to be able to stand closer to the truck bed.

Towing: I have not towed with the 1500 yet.

I don't think you will be disappointed in making the switch. Goodluck!

aliveguy5 · May 7, 2021

On 5/2/2021 at 11:02 PM, Mandalorian said:

I never got this. Someone can afford a $70k vehicle, but not an extra $0.25 a gallon?

LOL! This! Hahahahahahaha. I never met anyone that had the 6.2 that regrets it.

Chebby · May 11, 2021

I chose a '21 Tundra (the last of the 5.7 v8!) over the 6.2 LT Trailboss. I really enjoyed the 6.2. That's the funnest engine in all the half-tons, in my opinion. But I made the decision I made, and I do not regret it, even with fuel prices creeping up.

Factors driving my decision include:

1. The test drives. The 6.2 TB was a beast and a total blast to drive. But it had some minor rattles and squeaks inside and out, and the interior is just as abysmal as the Tundra's. It did not feel as well put together as the Tundra. I know the Tundra's numbers are dated (mpg, low payload), but it drives smooth and feels unstoppable. It is almost as fast as the 6.2 TB despite weighing 1,000lbs more. I'm a fairly conservative driver, but I like to test what it's capable of regardless. The Tundra's interior, while looking outdated, was dead silent. Still is, 6 months and 8,500 miles later.

2. Data gathered at Dashboard Light (they inspect 100s of 1,000s of vehicles and rate them on long term reliability metrics). No surprise that Toyota/Lexus is on top. But full size GM vehicles fare pretty well also.

3. Forum chatter. A minor factor, but a factor nonetheless. The difference between this forum and the Tundra forum is staggering. Here, it's issues (the ubiquitous leaky rear window, transmission problems, weird stuff like insane high revs on startup, the truck completely freaking out electronically, etc...). At the Tundra forum, it's mods and loads of huge off-topic threads (home improvement, hunting, firearms, smoking/grilling, mountain bikes, homemade knives, not to mention the camping, off-roading, and build threads). This just goes to show that once you run out of mods, the topics move to activities that are adjacent to your truck. Many people who sell their Tundras (to move to an HD truck, for example) stay on the forum because it's just a cool place to hang. Most members understand its apparent limitations and don't care if you drive something else.

Tundra Pros:

• You can see 300-500k miles without ever returning to your dealer. (I do my own maintenance)

• Cheaper to own over 5 years than comparable domestic half tons according to Edmunds.com.

• My old-ass truck has some modern stuff like CarPlay, dual climate, lane departure warning, smart cruise, etc...

• No rattles or squeaks inside or out. Solid.

• Extremely tight turning radius for a half ton.

Tundra Cons:

• Fuel economy

• Payload (rated low for a half ton, but owners exceed it daily for years without issue)

• Interior styling makes no sense. There are different shades of gray, different textures of black, and CHROME.

• Factory stereo is lifeless.

• Weak stock leafs.

• Interior storage is lacking.

I bought a Tundra because I basically wanted to buy a truck and never see my dealer again. It's not guaranteed, but I have the best chance of that with a Tundra. I like the old-schoolness of it. Don't care about mpg because I save a ton every year in maintenance. I use my truck more for off-road adventures than work. I still pretty much only trust Toyota to get me home from the middle of nowhere every time. Our other vehicle is a Yukon. It has been pretty reliable with a few issues that I'd consider more than just minor fixes in its 140k miles (motor mounts, electrical issues, limp mode, P0307 code, prob AFM related). Plus, the interior is so noisy. Rattles everywhere. Seems like I heard and felt the beginnings of that in my 6.2 TB test drive, and that truck only had 16 miles on it.

Edited May 11, 2021 by Chebby

Dunn · May 11, 2021

Before 2019 I owned tundras since 2000...I had 2, the first was champ not a single issue, the second not too bad but more issues than the first (all past 100k miles)...they were kinda plain and I didn't really look at any other trucks, I didn't like the looks of it and always bothered me but wanted reliability.....2019 tundra is same as it has been forever, full MSRP, MPG is horrible....My whole family since I was a kid was GM, My brother had 3 or 4 GM 1500s and not a single issue....Toyota reliability has always been good (had 5 total) but wanted bit more truck for the price.....in the end buy what you want or like the best, if you don't it will always be in back of your mind, it was fir me

My 21 GMC looks sick!, everytime I walk out to it, I think it's best looking truck hands down.....never felt that way with tundra but someone else might feel completely opposite..

Guy above made a good point as well....I hate going to dealerships, and do my own oil changes to skip them, lol

Edited May 11, 2021 by Dunn

Vtecluder617 · May 11, 2021

10 hours ago, Chebby said:

I chose a '21 Tundra (the last of the 5.7 v8!) over the 6.2 LT Trailboss. I really enjoyed the 6.2. That's the funnest engine in all the half-tons, in my opinion. But I made the decision I made, and I do not regret it, even with fuel prices creeping up.

Factors driving my decision include:

1. The test drives. The 6.2 TB was a beast and a total blast to drive. But it had some minor rattles and squeaks inside and out, and the interior is just as abysmal as the Tundra's. It did not feel as well put together as the Tundra. I know the Tundra's numbers are dated (mpg, low payload), but it drives smooth and feels unstoppable. It is almost as fast as the 6.2 TB despite weighing 1,000lbs more. I'm a fairly conservative driver, but I like to test what it's capable of regardless. The Tundra's interior, while looking outdated, was dead silent. Still is, 6 months and 8,500 miles later.

2. Data gathered at Dashboard Light (they inspect 100s of 1,000s of vehicles and rate them on long term reliability metrics). No surprise that Toyota/Lexus is on top. But full size GM vehicles fare pretty well also.

3. Forum chatter. A minor factor, but a factor nonetheless. The difference between this forum and the Tundra forum is staggering. Here, it's issues (the ubiquitous leaky rear window, transmission problems, weird stuff like insane high revs on startup, the truck completely freaking out electronically, etc...). At the Tundra forum, it's mods and loads of huge off-topic threads (home improvement, hunting, firearms, smoking/grilling, mountain bikes, homemade knives, not to mention the camping, off-roading, and build threads). This just goes to show that once you run out of mods, the topics move to activities that are adjacent to your truck. Many people who sell their Tundras (to move to an HD truck, for example) stay on the forum because it's just a cool place to hang. Most members understand its apparent limitations and don't care if you drive something else.

Tundra Pros:

• You can see 300-500k miles without ever returning to your dealer. (I do my own maintenance)

• Cheaper to own over 5 years than comparable domestic half tons according to Edmunds.com.

• My old-ass truck has some modern stuff like CarPlay, dual climate, lane departure warning, smart cruise, etc...

• No rattles or squeaks inside or out. Solid.

• Extremely tight turning radius for a half ton.

Tundra Cons:

• Fuel economy

• Payload (rated low for a half ton, but owners exceed it daily for years without issue)

• Interior styling makes no sense. There are different shades of gray, different textures of black, and CHROME.

• Factory stereo is lifeless.

• Weak stock leafs.

• Interior storage is lacking.

I bought a Tundra because I basically wanted to buy a truck and never see my dealer again. It's not guaranteed, but I have the best chance of that with a Tundra. I like the old-schoolness of it. Don't care about mpg because I save a ton every year in maintenance. I use my truck more for off-road adventures than work. I still pretty much only trust Toyota to get me home from the middle of nowhere every time. Our other vehicle is a Yukon. It has been pretty reliable with a few issues that I'd consider more than just minor fixes in its 140k miles (motor mounts, electrical issues, limp mode, P0307 code, prob AFM related). Plus, the interior is so noisy. Rattles everywhere. Seems like I heard and felt the beginnings of that in my 6.2 TB test drive, and that truck only had 16 miles on it.

You make some really solid points. Not going to lie, I was hesitant buying a GM product after only owning Hondas for close to 2, headache free, decades. I needed a full size pickup, so naturally needed to look outside of Honda .

The Tundra's reliability and bullet proof reputation is what first led me to look for one. I had my heart set on a TRD Pro, but god, those are so hard to find (even in a big metro area where I live), and when you do find one 100 miles away, they're asking full MSRP with no discounts or incentives.

So naturally, I start researching the other major truck brands. I think out of the Ram, F-150, and the Silverado, the later seemed to have a "better" reputation as far as reliability went. So I took the chance and pulled the trigger on a '21 Trail Boss LT. I love the look of it, and think it is one of the most attractive full size trucks right now on the market. And the price was right, was able to get close to $10K off of MSRP when I bought in January (before the chip shortage). I am cautiously optimistic about my purchase, and at this point just trying to drive and enjoy it, without the constant worries of "what ifs".

Now that being said, if it ever has to go in for major warranty work (transmission, the lifter failures we are hearing a lot about now, etc), I will most likely end up getting it fixed, and then selling/trading it in for a Tundra. I have no regrets giving Chevy a chance to earn my trust. But all they'll get is that one chance

BossTaco2020 · May 11, 2021

12 hours ago, Chebby said:

I chose a '21 Tundra (the last of the 5.7 v8!) over the 6.2 LT Trailboss. I really enjoyed the 6.2. That's the funnest engine in all the half-tons, in my opinion. But I made the decision I made, and I do not regret it, even with fuel prices creeping up.

Factors driving my decision include:

1. The test drives. The 6.2 TB was a beast and a total blast to drive. But it had some minor rattles and squeaks inside and out, and the interior is just as abysmal as the Tundra's. It did not feel as well put together as the Tundra. I know the Tundra's numbers are dated (mpg, low payload), but it drives smooth and feels unstoppable. It is almost as fast as the 6.2 TB despite weighing 1,000lbs more. I'm a fairly conservative driver, but I like to test what it's capable of regardless. The Tundra's interior, while looking outdated, was dead silent. Still is, 6 months and 8,500 miles later.

2. Data gathered at Dashboard Light (they inspect 100s of 1,000s of vehicles and rate them on long term reliability metrics). No surprise that Toyota/Lexus is on top. But full size GM vehicles fare pretty well also.

3. Forum chatter. A minor factor, but a factor nonetheless. The difference between this forum and the Tundra forum is staggering. Here, it's issues (the ubiquitous leaky rear window, transmission problems, weird stuff like insane high revs on startup, the truck completely freaking out electronically, etc...). At the Tundra forum, it's mods and loads of huge off-topic threads (home improvement, hunting, firearms, smoking/grilling, mountain bikes, homemade knives, not to mention the camping, off-roading, and build threads). This just goes to show that once you run out of mods, the topics move to activities that are adjacent to your truck. Many people who sell their Tundras (to move to an HD truck, for example) stay on the forum because it's just a cool place to hang. Most members understand its apparent limitations and don't care if you drive something else.

Tundra Pros:

• You can see 300-500k miles without ever returning to your dealer. (I do my own maintenance)

• Cheaper to own over 5 years than comparable domestic half tons according to Edmunds.com.

• My old-ass truck has some modern stuff like CarPlay, dual climate, lane departure warning, smart cruise, etc...

• No rattles or squeaks inside or out. Solid.

• Extremely tight turning radius for a half ton.

Tundra Cons:

• Fuel economy

• Payload (rated low for a half ton, but owners exceed it daily for years without issue)

• Interior styling makes no sense. There are different shades of gray, different textures of black, and CHROME.

• Factory stereo is lifeless.

• Weak stock leafs.

• Interior storage is lacking.

I bought a Tundra because I basically wanted to buy a truck and never see my dealer again. It's not guaranteed, but I have the best chance of that with a Tundra. I like the old-schoolness of it. Don't care about mpg because I save a ton every year in maintenance. I use my truck more for off-road adventures than work. I still pretty much only trust Toyota to get me home from the middle of nowhere every time. Our other vehicle is a Yukon. It has been pretty reliable with a few issues that I'd consider more than just minor fixes in its 140k miles (motor mounts, electrical issues, limp mode, P0307 code, prob AFM related). Plus, the interior is so noisy. Rattles everywhere. Seems like I heard and felt the beginnings of that in my 6.2 TB test drive, and that truck only had 16 miles on it.

I get what you're saying about the interior rattles. It's one of my pet peeves too. My TB has an annoying rattle coming from the back seat between 15-35 mph, but my money is that it's related to the Katzkins that I had installed. Other than that, my truck has been dead silent (except for the tires which is to be expected). This is the first GM truck I've owned after having a few Tacomas (for the most part pretty solid except the one that developed engine sludge) and an F150 EcoTurd (never again). I owned my Tacomas up to about 100K miles and my F150 started having problems at 100K as well. Hopefully my TB lasts to 100K and I'm hoping beyond.

Also that Dashboard-light website seems suspect to me. The data they have on the Tundra past 2015 just shows no years and 100% reliability. That is obviously false, as I'm pretty sure there's at least one 2015+ model that has had a problem. I put zero trust on that website.

Edit: Also wanted to mention that I hope you enjoy your Tundra! I do like the styling and I almost got one, but I was dead-set on a TRD-Pro and I couldn't find one anywhere, plus I'm kinda doubting they'd negotiate on the price. IMO the Tundra's poor transmission/MPG and towing ability were why I ended up with the Silverado. My 10-speed is like BUTTAH!!! That said, both the Tundra and Silverados are good trucks, hope yours serves you well!

Edited May 11, 2021 by BossTaco2020