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Thinking about selling the Titan and getting a Tundra

15K views 129 replies 37 participants last post by  mudking 
#1 ·
I have a possible opportunity to get a well cared for 08 Tundra for Wholesale/Trade In value. It has 44k to my 80k miles. My plan all along has been to run my Titan to between 150-200k. But recently I've been less than pleased with my Titan. My paint is peeling bad and I'll need a new paint job if I plan on keeping it (I drive it for work, so it has to stay nice), I've always kept the truck waxed so it hasn't failed due to lack of care. I also have a few other items that will need attention if I keep it such as shocks and tracking down an exhaust leak (probably just need to weld my Stillen exhaust instead of clamp).

When it's all said and done I will probably have $10k into "upgrading".
The Tundra is an SR5 CrewMax model (5.7L) so it is better equipped than my XE, it also has tasteful rims and a few other add ons. Part of me just wants something different since I've had the truck for 6 years and I definately like the idea of a few more creature comforts. I also recognize that the Tundra will be worth more in future resale value. I also suspect that it will be more reliable.

I know it is a loaded question since this is the Titan forum, but any thoughts?
 
#3 ·
I wouldn't say I've made up my mind yet.

The downsides are having to re-"setup" a truck to my liking, which usually means dropping $1k or more in add-on's, plus having to drop the initial cash.

I wonder, has anyone here owned both?
 
#4 ·
If your Titan was a SE, PRO4X or an LE I would say put some money into it and keep it, but your moving up to a much better equiped truck, nothing wrong with that. But I would also say that you should expect to have some problems with the Tundra, regardless of whether it was well cared for or not. Sounds like you cared for the Titan and still had issues, so I wouldn't necessarily buy into the "only 44k miles and well cared for", stuff happens to all vehicles.
 
#5 ·
There's a lot of variables here. What's the difference between what you can (realistically) sell your truck for vs. what you pay for the Tundra? Have you ever drove a Tundra and do you like it? Do you park in a garage and is there enough room for the Tundra? When you say your paint is peeling bad, is it just the clearcoat peeling or the color coat? If it's just a clear coat, a sand and shoot won't be bad at all, probably a grand or maybe a hair more. Obviously a full color repaint will be worse. So I don't know if I see the $10k you're talking about on upgrades, unless you're thinking of other creature stuff that you haven't mentioned.

If the numbers worked out well, it's probably something I would consider, and I don't really like the Tundras that much, but only because you have an XE. So I could see it from that point of view. The Tundras are good trucks too and will have decent resale value.
 
#7 ·
To answer these questions: I think I can get 11 for my truck and probably pay around 19 for the Tundra, then I have to pay registration, tax, etc.

I've driven his Tundra maybe once, ridden in it a number of times.

The clearcoat is peeling on the fenders but the roof has been bad for a while so the paint has faded. I actually found a local guy that will do a complete respray for $1,200 and I was about to pull the trigger when this potential deal came along.

The $10k is the difference between what I think I'll sell my truck for and what I'll have into the Tundra.
 
#6 ·
Fishn, you are right. No vehicle will be without it's issues. I have been very strict with the maintenance on my truck as I expected to keep it a long time. The truck I am looking at is my Brother In Laws truck, he is a take it in for service guy so I don't expect any surprises.

Lately I've been putting 20k a year on my truck (I moved much further from work and my jobsite have been very spread out) so I need to know that whatever I am driving it'll be good for the long haul.
 
#8 ·
You are replacing a used truck with another used truck. I wouldn't expect it will be worry free.

I am not very familiar with the Tundra, but know they had some finicky things like the Titan, as in some had problems with a few things and some didn't.

Tundras are petty good trucks though. Good luck if you make the jump to the Yota.

If you don't haul a lot of large things, and with the long commute, if it were me I would strongly consider going to a Tacoma or Frontier.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Personally, I'm not a big fan of doing a unilateral trade. If your looking at a 10k split, which is what you said, I would hold onto the rig you have and just put that money into your current rig. Yes, you would be gaining 40 plus thousand in miles and a nicer interior...but is all that worth 10k?

Sent On The Fly & From Behind The Wheel!
 
#10 ·
^^I agree with this, actually. Now having more information, $10k is a lot of money for $40k miles. That's 25 cents per mile, which is a huge amount of money when I do CBA's. Most of my vehicles end up being 5 cents per mile or less.
 
#11 ·
I agree with this, on the surface it is a lot per mile. He and I got our trucks at the same time. He paid nearly exactly $10k more for his than I did mine, so it is a more expensive truck, so the comparison isn't exactly apples to apples. If you change the mileage on my truck to match the Tundra it makes my truck worth about $3k more.

It's really an $8k difference but I added in $2k for taxes and upfront mods. If you take out the mileage difference you are looking at $5k. If you take out the paint job that I need and the other items that need to be taken care of it puts the cost difference close to $3k.

So the question I have to ask, is it worth it to me to upgrade for $5k. I suspect the resale value will be better down the road so I would potentially recoup some of that cost, but probably not all.

I spend a good bit of time in the truck so I like being in something nice, so that is worth something to me.

Regarding going smaller. My job pays for my fuel so that isn't a huge concern for me, I wouldn't want to get less MPG but I suspect I'll get the same with a Tundra. I also have to haul stuff out to jobsite from time to time and the Titan bed is as small as I would possibly want to go. I also have to tow occasionally so I need something with real power.

On the other hand the Titan has treated me pretty well so far, is comfortable and has all my toys installed. Maybe it's just that this is the longest I've ever driven a vehicle, just getting the itch...
 
#13 ·
If your feeling the itch and can afford it go for it. Or simply go look for new Titan in the same price range as the Tundra and trade for that. Gets you the nicer interior and most likely your upgrades will fit in the new one. Plus you know what to look for in the Titans so you can gauge repair costs.
 
#16 · (Edited)
As a former Titan owner of 5 years, that has now owned a Tundra for 3 years, here's my take:

My Tundra has been more reliable than my Titan, and is a little faster when comparing stock vs stock. My 05 Titan started going to hell around 78k. I bought my Tundra with 36k on the clock and now have around 73k miles. No problems yet.

The Titan has a better ride and handling, IMO.

Aftermarket for the Tundras suck. Bullydog finally released a tuner that is nothing more than a paper weight for Tundra n/a trucks. The only worthwhile mod for the Tundra is the TRD supercharger, which is comparable to a full bolt on Titan.

I prefer the throttle response on my Tundra as it feels linear. My Titan drove me nuts with how it lagged until 40mph, then felt like a mini turbo kicking in. Uprev nor any of the other tuners completely eliminated this annoyance.

My reasons for swapping over to the Tundra was reliability and I wanted a RCSB.

So if you are looking for something different and more reliable, the Tundra is not a bad choice. Just test drive it first to make sure you are ok with the ride.
 
#17 ·
As a former Titan owner of 5 years, that has now owned a Tundra for 3 years, here's my take:

My Tundra has been more reliable than my Titan, and is a little faster when comparing stock vs stock. My 05 Titan started going to hell around 78k. I bought my Tundra with 36k on the clock and now have around 73k miles. No problems yet.

The Titan has a better ride and handling, IMO.

Aftermarket for the Tundras suck. Bullydog finally released a tuner that is nothing more than a paper weight for Tundra n/a trucks. The only worthwhile mod for the Tundra is the TRD supercharger, which is comparable to a full bolt on Titan.

I prefer the throttle response on my Tundra as it feels linear. My Titan drove me nuts with how it lagged until 40mph, then felt like a mini turbo kicking in. Uprev nor any of the other tuners completely eliminated this annoyance.

My reasons for swapping over to the Tundra was reliability and I wanted a RCSB.

So if you are looking for something different and more reliable, the Tundra is not a bad choice. Just test drive it first to make sure you are ok with the ride.
I understood everything you wrote until I came upon, "...and I wanted a RCSB." What is a RCSB? Inquiring minds want to know.
 
#18 ·
Regular cab short bed. Common term for trucks.
 
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#21 ·
221K on my Titan. Only one repair since 89K miles and that was an axle seal at 160K. paint looks likes hell. It is my work truck and gets used like it. Best vehicle I have ever owned. My wife's 2005 Titan is slowly becoming the 2nd best truck I have ever owned.

I made a mistake way back in 1994. I traded my 1992 Nissan Hardbody 4x4 reg cab for a 1992 Toyota 4x4 Kingcab. Regreted it the next day. It wasn't a bad truck and I actually made money on the deal but swapping for same year just wasn't smart to me after I thought about it.

Good luck with your purchase. Yota makes a good truck, no doubt there. If it will be a cash deal then go for it, if not then your stuck making payments with interest, there goes any advantage you had with the deal.
 
#22 ·
If you want something different, that tells me you want anything but a Titan again. The Tundra is not a bad truck. They come with a little more power stock, but they are still gas guzzlers with the 5.7L. The factory header style manifolds, no WOT restriction and a deep 4.10/4.30 rear gear are the main reasons why they are a little faster than a stock restricted 2.94 gear Titan. The exhaust manifolds won't crack and they're not known to have any problems with the rear axle.

However, they do have problems with the steering racks failing when you lift them even with a leveling kit. The dash boards are known to sag in the middle on top. The paint tends to chip very easily on some trucks. There are problems with bed to cab alignment on some of them. And of course, the infamous AIP (Air Induction Pump) problem which hasn't been solved by Toyota yet.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. They also have an open C-channel frame under the bed with riveted cross members. So, you will get a lot more frame flex than a Titan. If you happen to be off road or parked on uneven terrain for any reason, the tailgate may have difficulty opening and closing. There is also an issue called the "pogo effect" when the truck is driven on certain concrete highways.

The only problem with getting a pre '14 Tundra is that the '07-'13's now look old and dated since the re-skinned '14's came out. The Titan doesn't look dated in comparison to older Titans because Nissan never changed the damn thing. The Titan only looks dated compared to the newer trucks out on the market.

I drove the 5.7L Tundra when they first came out and it really didn't impress me compared to my Titan. In fact, my Titan felt considerably more nimble and better handling than the Tundra. The Titan drives like a much smaller truck than it is. The Tundra did feel a little faster, but that's when I still had the stupid WOT restriction in place on mine.

$10K is a lot of money. You can get a way better than factory paint job on your Titan and the mods to beat that stock Tundra by truck lengths for that kind money. However, if you're just plain sick of the Titan, nothing will change that until you get something different. It's your money.
 
#25 ·
You just never give up on that Tundra frame do you? It's a non-issue for the majority of Tundra owners.

Toyota Tundra Bed Bounce Issue: Our Position | Tundra Headquarters Blog

Toyota FINALLY Addresses Bed Bounce Complaints With TSB | Tundra Headquarters Blog

Ever hear about the GM 2500 bed bounce?

GMC HD Suspension BOUNCE (expansion joints) - Diesel Place : Chevrolet and GMC Diesel Truck Forums

The minor issues you mention...I'll take over failing differentials and manifolds any day of the week.

And unlike Nissan...Toyota took care of its customers regarding the air induction pump.

Toyota Warranties Air Pump System - Reimbursement Available | Tundra Headquarters Blog

When is Nissan going to step up to the plate and offer us Titan owners 10 years/150,000 on Manifolds and differentials?
 
#23 ·
Guys, thanks for the input, you've given me a lot to think about.

I met with a paint guy yesterday, whether I sell or keep the Titan I am going to get paint work done. I think with the paint work done my truck will be worth a good bit more so it'll probably reduce the cost gap by $2k.

I should find out hard numbers today.
 
#24 ·
The clear on my 05 Alert red Titan is starting to delaminate and you can tell on a humid cool morning with the patchy areas of cloudy moisture under the clear coat. When it dries out and warms up it disappears. This has been a issue on the Alert red trucks for a while from my research on the issue. To be honest the paint on most cars suck from the factory its just the way it is these days. My carpooling buddy has a 2010 Tundra and I have drove it several times and did not like the feeling of the truck. Its like driving a boat "huge" and does not have the sports car feel like the Titan. Even with the issues I have had I still love the Titan and would go with another one if in the market. The only thing I do not like about Nissan is the dealerships...
 
#26 ·
Well I have an XE with preferred package and I'm not really wanting for creature comforts. I'd prefer to have captains chairs but it's not like the current setup is uncomfortable. The stereo sucks but once I upgraded I'm happy.
 
#27 ·
Looks like the deal is going to be good enough that it makes sense for me to do it. I am going to drive to my BIL tomorrow, test drive the truck, if everything is good I'll be coming home with it.

This means I'll have a few things up for sale.
Fibermax BakFlip- Make offer (local)
BDGT only comes with OBD plug in and cable- $225
Bluetooth harness for a factory radio (possibly the bluetooth kit as well, Novero Trustyone)
Stillen Exhaust (Local only, You come and swap out your good condition 08+ exhaust plus throw me $100)

Probably a few other things as I think of it
 
#31 ·
Please tell me how many Tundra frames are breaking and cracking and how many Tundra owners are bringing their trucks back to the dealer because the frame is bad.

If anyone is drinking Kool aid...its you drinking the Nissan Kool Aid. While I may own a Titan, unlike you, I realize it's faults and also realize the Tundra is a better truck right now.
 
#32 ·
i agree the new tundra is better, has fancier gizmos etc. but for people who don't need that i believe its not better.. especially not for a lot of more money. But hey if you want a truck with the ugliest front end I've ever seen fly at it
 
#33 ·
I did it.

Once everything shook out I'm really only about $5k into it, so it really seemed like a no brainer.

It has 22" KMC Slide's on it, which I not really a fan of big wheels from the ride/handling standpoint but they look great. I am actually surprised how well it rides, probably as nicely as my Titan with the 18"s.

I will miss my auto/up down on both the passenger and driver windows.

I'll open up a seperate for sale thread.
 
#34 ·
I will chime in on this one. I bought a crewmax tundra 5.7. To be honest, I have my titan up for sale. It just doesn't compare to my tundra. The tundra seems to have more power, I have towed with it a couple times and forgot the trailer was even there. The crewmax is freaking huge compared to the titan, or most trucks for that matter. I just love everything about the tundra. If you don't turn off the nannies it will pull power bad when shifting to second gear, but cut them off and the truck is a beast. The titan is a good truck, but if I am going to have bad gas mileage, I may as well have it in a nicer truck. I shopped around for a new titan, new silverado, new ford, and a new dodge. After driving this one, I just didn't want any of the others.
 
#35 ·
id rather have a new f-150 over a tundra. but they are all good trucks. they are all personal preference. so get whatever you want. opinions are opinions. your truck is your truck not ours.
 
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