Ram. Used to be a die hard Chevy guy... But its all the same junk anymore. I just prefer Ram styling.

Go Ford, Chevy, or Dodge. Are you just driving or pulling, or pulling a lot....what’s the purpose of the truck

I have owned an F-150 for years, I have had six. I now own a 2017 F250 but the truck is pulling 80% of its miles, the larger engine is nice for hitting 75mph with a 30’ trailer.

If you want a smooth riding good fuel economy truck the F150 will do you well. If pulling a lot then the eco boost is NOT the way to go. If just pulling here and there, or light, ecoboost is very fuel efficient. It’s twin turbo charged v6 will pull with great torque and power, but the least efficient way possible....lots of air/fuel.

Dodge is definitely for the full time puller if you are going diesel can’t beat a Cummins, though many professional pullers use F250 or F350 if heavy duty is needed.

If you're not hauling stones, mulch or dirt, have you thought of something like a Suburban? If you take a 4 door truck and add a cap, that's basically what you have. Ours is 4wd, can pull 8500lbs and has an integrated brake controller.

I'm in the same boat. I'm gonna buy a new truck. Here is what I looked at so far and opinions.

Nissan with Cummins motor. Nice truck, interior was good and features were mostly what I would expect. No 8 ft box with a 4 door cab. Cant tow or stop enough trailer weight for me so I could not buy this truck.

For f350 diesel single rear wheel. Nice truck on the inside. Price was a lot compared to the last time I bought a truck. $83k with the equipment I thought I wanted. Will pull everything I need and can fit 3 car seats easily in the back seat.

Dodge 3500 Cummins single rear wheel. A little to Gody of an interior. Nice truck. Has all the features I want. Was about 15k less than the Ford and was offered in a manual trans which I like. They also offer a mega large cab which I liked but then no 8 ft box which is not an option.

GMC 3500 Denali single rear wheel. This truck seemed the nicest and tightest. Turned better and held the road well. Interior was lacking at 78k to be honest. I looked at a Chevy and they are basically the same and I assume cheaper. I do like it the best currently but am waiting to see what the 19s hold.

Overall after driving all 3 I like the GMC the best. Waiting to drive all 19 models but I will follow this thread to hear what others have to say.

Good luck!

I had has a tundra for the last 9 years or so. No complaints really, reliable but bad mileage. If you do not need a 3/4 ton, you may want to check out the ford raptor. Pricey but the 2019 have some new fancy shocks that supposedly can auto adjust.

Toyota. Very durable, Best resale by far. I like the smaller trucks.
Owned an 1983 SR5 4x4 22R (13 years), 1993 4x4 22RE (25 years & 305,000 miles), & currently driving a 2018 Tacoma TRD Sport 4-door long bed 4x4

#2 choice Ford, #3 Nissan, #4 GM, #5 Dodge

But of course it depends on that you are hauling, or towing.

I'll take my 2500 Chevy Van over any pick-up any day of the week. While you pick up guys are trying to keep machines dry in the bed I can safely load 4 machines in the back of my van and not worry about weather. When I was younger I owned several 4x4 pick up trucks but once I bought my first cargo van I never owned another pick up.

But better yet I can buy two new vans for what most pick ups cost so instead of just having a van I also have my daily driver that gets 30 MPG when I don't need the full size van. That daily driver is a Kia mini van which moves a pin or two nicely but can also carry a few passengers. The crazy thing is I have less invested in the buying both of them new than most pick up drivers have invested in one vehicle.

With trailer hitches on each I can basically move anything I need to with either van and my 6x12 enclosed trailer. Depending on the trip I can haul up to a dozen machines (out of the weather) with the Chevy & trailer or 9 machines with the Kia & trailer. And even adding the cost of the trailer I likely have less invested then you will spend on that new 4x4!

This is the 16th year driving my Tacoma. Like 265,000 on it. Parts replaced to date, 1 set of brakes, 1 set of spark plugs, 1 fuel pump, 1 O2 sensor, 2 sets of belts.

I used to be a Dodge Ram fan, owning four Hemi Ram's. Had an issue with engine blowing up with only 22,000 miles on it. The aggravation dealing with the repair and the Dodge dealer involved made me take the truck straight to the Toyota dealer for a trade in towards a Toyota right after repair. That was over 10 years ago now- once you go Toyota, it is hard to consider other manufacturers. Toyota's are expensive, but nowadays every truck is $30,000 plus, and what I like about Toyota's are the crazy resale value. They really hold their value because of the known reliability and quality.

You need to ask yourself-"What do you want to do with the truck"? Are you going to haul toys like a boat or camper? Ok then may want a V8. Do you want to haul pinball machines with ease, ok may consider a long bed. I recently sold my big lifted Tundra and traded towards a Tacoma because the Tundra was too big, had horrible gas mileage and was difficult to park at places like Costco. (-Ford Raptor is really wide and even more difficult to park) I can now pull into any tight spot and park with no problems, and the gas mileage is considerably better. I honestly think the Toyota Tacoma is the perfect truck-I am very happy. The only other trucks that I might consider would be a Chevrolet Colorado, Honda Ridgeline and a Nissan Titan with a V6.

Hard to beat a Tacoma for reliability and resale. Ford, Chevy, and Ram are all about the same to me.

I love my Chevy pickup.
I work on construction sites somewhat regularly, so I need 4wd and the ability to haul equipment around.
The Chevy rides better than the Dodges (O.K., Rams) I previously had.
No real problems with either, but I do think that the Chevy rides better than the other full size trucks.
Also, my dad has a GMC, and they are identical. If you decide on GM, Chevy vs. GMC is pretty irrelevant.

Another vote for Toyota. The reliability is second to none. I have a 2015 Tacoma and it’s bulletproof. Also if you’re a 6 speed manual guy then you can still get a manual in a Tacoma (that’s what I have) its awesome! Obviously it won’t tow or haul as much as a full size truck but if you’re just driving around and loading random things into the bed (pinball machines, dirt bikes, kayaks, washer dryers, etc) then you really need to ask yourself if you “need” a full size truck. Toyota’s hold their value like you wouldn’t believe also. Compare a 2008 Toyota to a 2008 Ford, Chevy, or Dodge and you will be pretty surprised.

Good info here. I’m A city guy that doesn’t pull or haul unless it’s an occasional trailer for the mower etc. I have an F-150 FX4 King Ranch. I totally love it!

Part of it is what’s comfortable. I’ve driven a Ford Expedition for years. The Ford truck was more comfortable than changing to Toyota or Chevy.

Toyota seems to be well rated, but just didn’t feel right.

As others have said, it really depends on your needs. However, it sounds like yours may be similar to mine. I don't have a boat or trailer, so towing is not a consideration for me. I do haul things like mulch, plants, furniture and lumber on occasion. Went with a Ridgeline. My reasons were. If you have a tricky back, the two-way tailgate is a godsend since you don't have to lift over the tailgate to put bags of mulch in the bed, it rides like a car so if you plan to take it on road trips, it is very comfortable. The interior was, by far, the most comfortable (compared to the top trim levels of the Canyon, Colorado and Tacoma) we test drove. The ability to lay 4x8 drywall or plywood has also been nice as is the locking bedtrunk. Best of all, my wife loves it, which means she runs errands in it so we're not putting the miles on her car.

From a practical, analytical point of view it was by far the best option for me. What I had to get past was the exterior aesthetics. I much prefer the exterior of the Canyon or Tacoma. So as soon as I got the Honda I had to add a lift kit, eliminate the rake, XD wheels with AT tires, and roof rack. While still not as 'pretty' as the others, it is certainly acceptable to my eyes.

Working for a heavy highway contractor for over 15 years I will try to sum up my experience without bashing each manufacturer. Every company has their pros and big cons. Let me start by saying I drive a company truck, so I don't have a say as to what manufacturer truck I drive.

Ford: I have seen many Ford F150s drop engines before 100k miles and for that reason I wouldn't go that route.

Chevy: I considered myself more of a Chevy guy than any other brand, but really I'm not brand loyal as I don't purchase the truck (company does). I am currently driving a 2017 Chevy 1500 and the fuel mileage is good when unloaded. The towing capacity is adequate. I have a crew cab which reduces the box of the truck by quite a bit, but the extended cab just doesn't have enough room in the back seat. The negative for this truck is the rumors about their transmissions. The transmission in my truck will clunk every once in a while, which the GM says is normal. Was talking with a foreman on my site that is driving a 2014 Silverado and he had the same clunk in his truck. The next day the transmission went out on him. He found out through talking with repair shops, this seems to be a problem with 2014 to 2018 chevy trucks. Something to research if you want to go with GM.

Dodge: Not much experience here, I have a few friends that have both diesel and gas engines. They don't tow much but they do like them a lot. I have a tough time getting over the transmission problems they had about 10 years ago, but have not researched if they are still a problem now.

Tundra: By far the best truck I have had. The company I work for bought a fairly basic model with the smaller 4.7 engine, but I was able to tow anything I needed with this truck. When I passed this truck on to the next person, it had 165k and ran like it was new. No issues with it while I drove it for 5 years. Biggest problem with the tundra as mentioned above, is the fuel mileage. I probably averaged around 16 mpg with the smaller engine on this one. Also the tundra was by far the less expensive truck. If I was buying a truck for myself I would buy a Tundra.

Also I would not buy anything less than a 1/2 ton as the capacity drops of drastically compared to the price difference between midsize and full size trucks.

Good luck as your head will spin as you get in the middle of your research.

Given the OP is not really looking to pull or haul heavy loads, the need for a Heavy Duty 3/4 Ton truck may be over kill. 1/2 ton models such as F-150, Chevy 1500, Dodge 1500, Toyota Tundra would be more than adequate. Spending the extra $10k and reduced fuel economy of the larger engine may be uncessary. I will say the HD models do last longer, but it’s a much rougher ride!

I'd like to see you put a yard or two of mulch in your van.

Actually this is what I meant. I did not mean 3/4 ton. I meant 1/2 ton rather than the mid-sized truck. The OP definitely should not buy a 3/4 ton truck.

I used to own a Nissan Frontier. Bought it for low $20ks. Strong engine, decent mileage.

Had an amazing tie down system.

Downside, 4×8 sheets took some fiddling g. Had an engine issue developing after 90,000 miles.

If I were to buy today I'd get a full size with bucket seats or 4 door (can't stand proper seating posture). 1/2 ton is fine for your needs. Dodge may have a lifetime service contract, which means anything that's not wear and tear goes wrong costs you $100 per visit. Forever. Worth looking into.

I miss my truck.

The two work trucks we have are a Chevy Silverado, and a Toyota Tacoma, both brand new.

I don’t daily drive either, but I drive them both enough to easily favor the Tacoma. It’s easier to park, holds all my stuff, and feels way more refined. Both have 4x4 and both have extended cabs.

Granted, the Silverado has a massive V8 that has a ton of power, but feels less refined that I’d expect. The Tacoma has a V6 that’s pretty smooth and does the job nicely.

I guess it all depends on what you’re going to be doing. If 90% of your driving is just a commute and “around the town” business, the Tacoma is the one I’d choose. It’s resale value, refinement, driveability, and reliability make it a clear choice.

But if you really want to get down to business, and haul and tow lots of stuff often, opt for a larger truck.

I’ve had two Toyota Tacoma’s. The first was a 1990 with the 22R four banger. Put 225K on it before the engine went, put another 50K on it with a rebuilt engine. Got a 2001 and upgraded to the six and 4WD. 280K on it now and still going, she’s showing a bit of wear at this point but can’t beat the value. Whatever you do, i’d recommend going with at least a six if you’re not getting a full size, trade off in the gas mileage but less stress on the engine and better acceleration and performance from my point of view.

I would narrow my choices to 2 different manufacturers and then go rent them if this option is available. My local Enterprise has the Ram and Ford trucks. I've rented both of these for less than 50 a day. One truck had less than 100 miles and the other less than 1000. For about 100 I was able to drive both trucks with unlimited miles for a day each. I was purchasing pins that were out of town and got a great feel for the trucks by actually driving them.

That is what they make open trailers for! I'll take the protection of my stuff safely inside a van over a good looking pick up any day of the week. Guys that think pick up trucks are the best way to haul stuff have never owned a van. In my "young & dumb days" I would have never even considered a van but after owning both I would never own another pick up especially at today's inflated prices on them.

This Spring I bought a NEW Chevy Express 2500 for under $30k with a 6.0L Vortec V-8 --- complete with towing package & trailer hitch already installed from the factory. I can tow up to 7800 pounds haul up to 2 ton in the back of the van. A week after buying that van I brought 14 machines and over a ton of parts home from Texas with that and my 6x12 trailer staying in motels several nights without worrying about have thousands of dollars worth of machines in the back of an open truck or trailer. But better yet I didn't have to unload right away when I got home since everything was tucked safely inside my van & enclosed trailer.

Legal load capacity on a 2500 series van is 3000 pounds but they will handle a lot more. (That is only a few hundred pounds less than a 3/4 ton pick up about 300 pounds to be exact). I hate to admit it but I have had in excess of 5000 pounds in the back of my vans more than once with no issues. Towing capacity is 7,800 pound compared to a pick up at 13,000 but how many people tow trailers bigger than a 8x24 car trailer weighing 7,000 pounds anyway?

For style & luxury a decked out pick up is great but if you are truly looking for the best way to move machines around you can't beat a van. Another nice thing about moving machines in a van is deck height is about a foot lower so one guy can load a machine with no issue into the back of a van. I am 64 years old and do it by myself all the time. Try doing that in your 3/4 ton 4x4!

And a few more things great about vans:

First - I can move 12' lumber without having rear doors open as long as it fits between two front seats. That is great when picking up materials for a project ahead of time and not wanting them hanging out of my truck on the way home.

Second - regardless of my load I don't ever have to worry about wind damage, stuff falling out of the van etc - unlike guys with a pick up trucks that always seem to leave part of their loads on the highway.

Third - side door and never having to climb up into the back of a semi loaded vehicle and having to climb over stuff to get to what is in the front of the bed.

And lastly I can check my load without having to pull over - just look over my shoulder and everything is tucked safely inside my vehicle.

Looking for a cool ride buy a pick up but if you are looking for the best way to move machines and other valuable cargo around buy a van you will not be sorry. But if you do buy a van buy a Chevy or GMC because they are the only two vans with progressive rear springs so they ride as nice empty as full.

I see your point, but I find a trailer to be a PITA most of the time. Denied certain roads (parkways), tricky maneuvers needed on narrow roads/driveways, storage area, time.

I love a truck's convenience. I'll certainly agree a van offers many upsides though.

Toyota Tacoma, best resell

Just got my first P/U. Always wanted a Tacoma. Got a 17 off road/long bed/dual cab.

Mainly wanted it for hauling my kayak around. I like it so far. Could use a bit more engine under that huge hood, though.

My wife is into horses. Whenever her friends come over, they all show up with their giant horse trailer hauling rides. Makes me feel inadequate. lol.

I like that the taco (for my needs) has an accessible bed. I can easily reach in and grab stuff. I walk around her friends trucks and you need a f'ing stepladder just to reach over the sides. Seems kind of dumb to me to make them that tall.

My wife an I are also looking at trucks. In our case, I feel like the traditional husband / wife roles are reversed on this issue. I don't think we really need a truck, but she really wants one. I don't feel we haul things often enough to justify the cost. We also need a vehicle that can haul at least four people, so we're looking for the crew cab. After our first round of research we are leaning towards a Ford F150 XLT with 2.6L Ecoboost. With all of the incentives that seems like the best value. If we take a truck out of a loaner program we can get it down to about $37,000 pre-tax. If someone happens to know of a better value, please post them here.

To me the only reason to own a pick up over a van is the "cool factor". When you are younger there is nothing better than a "big bad 4x4" with a nice set of tires & wheels on it. But as you get a little older and start looking at things from a more practical standpoint a van wins hands down in my eyes. As I said earlier I have owned both more than once and would never own another pick up after using a van to move cargo. Unless you are working construction and moving "bulk material" that needs to be loaded with a loader it isn't very often a van will not do everything you do in a pick up better.

And if you find the right suppliers you can find stone, mulch, etc on skids in those big bags (whatever they are called) that will slide right into the back of a van anyway. I just moved 4 ton of stone that way a few days ago working on a drainage trench for my son - all right in the back of my "new van" without even a scratch. Yes I paid $45 a ton for stone I could have purchased for $30 a ton bulk but for the extra few dollars I'll keep using my van and protect my cargo!

You will not like that "crew cab" when it comes to trying to park it when shopping. The extra length doesn't fit into most modern parking spaces so you have to park way out and take up two spaces because of that extra couple feet. Even just a full size van or pick up can be tough in "modern" parking spaces but once you go beyond those it is two spaces for sure. Think twice before buying something longer than normal!

Currently have an 18 Z71 Colorado Extended Cab V6 8 Speed auto with the tow package and other goodies. Sticker would be 38.5k on it. Have over 6k miles on it and just spent this weekend towing a trailer. Loaded 5x8 Uhaul trailer managed 17.5 mpg going 70 for 500 miles yesterday. without a load I averaged 20mpg city and highway though highway I do 23mpg with ease.

That said it is my second Colorado this year. The first was a 17 Z71 Extended I4 6 Speed Auto. The radio did not work from day 1 which I did not learn till after I bought it. There was no am reception. Fm would be 1 or 2 stations that would go in and out as soon as you started driving. The satellite radio would cut out for minutes at a time. It took Chevy two attempts and over 3 weeks to fix. They never fixed the satellite radio. After I got it back and started driving it in town I found out it shook badly at idle. Felt like an old car. MPG was worse than the 4 cylinder which to hit 70+ had to run at 4k rpms and was buzzy. I cannot imagine towing with it. I had it two months, fought with GM Priority care and having nothing good to say about the experience. I still have a chevy because it came down to them cutting me a good deal on the replacement truck or getting a few thousand off the tacoma, but losing 1500 on my trade in. Truck only had 650 miles when I traded it in.

The tacoma, is not worth it. It makes less hp. It gets worse mpg. You get less options configuring it and even better is that depending on when you order it what few options exist may not be available. It is a 15 year old truck underneath a redesigned exterior and it feels like it. Really really wanted to love it so I could get a v6 with a stick, but it is way overpriced for what it is.

In response to too-many-pins I have a truck because I work on my house. Hauling loads of used 2x4's, brush, old insulation, used toilets, etc is not going to work well in a van. I debated getting a jeep renegade, but it would have required a trailer that I did not want to store. It would also struggle not allow towing a sega f355 challenge deluxe which I did in the last year. I have a 4x4 simply because I live on a hill and both the rwd ranger that this replaced and my miata had multiple instances last year where I could not get up. So no, it is not about having a big bad 4x4. I'd prefer the extra mpg of a rwd and the cost savings, but the truck gives me the flexibility I need.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Modern vehicles have back-up cameras. It guides you into the spot and you know exactly when to stop. So no, parking is not an issue with a truck.

A van fits your needs and thats great. Some of us need to be able to handle bulky items that are too messy or too difficult to load and unload in a van. Some of us live in places were 4x4 isn't just to show off. Some of us need to pull trailers that a van can't. I seem to be able to get my GMC Sierra Denali crew cab into 1 parking space... and I look cool doing it.

I would warn against anyones blanketed statements of a brand or model. It really has started coming down to a generation or year of vehicle. For example the Tacoma's HUGE rust issue where the frame would rust out and had to be replaced. Ford's 5.4L that had spark plug issues (but this is only a select range of years, not all). Ram's trans problems, etc.

I know a few guys with ford ecoboosts and love the mpg etc for daily driving. The ram is a gorgeous truck and the new trans and engines are holding up. Chevy seems to be solid as well except their 6.2L having some pcv issues.

Really you should as recommended above, get a few models and try them out. Then work it down until you pick one.

I bought a new truck at about 8 months ago. My first. Needed full-size because I'm 6'5" and I occasionally tow. Chose a 2018 Silverado Crew Cab. Best tip I can offer is the Silverados and Rams are all-new for 2019, so if you can find a 2018 it should be heavily discounted. Sticker on mine was $45k. I paid $32k. Nicely-optioned 4x2. 8 spd w/cylinder deactivation and e-assist has excellent fuel economy, similar to the Ford Ecoboost V6, without having to drive a V6.

Could've gotten a 2018 4x4 Ram Big Horn for about the same price, which is A LOT of truck for the money. But I didn't like the styling. Dated front end, too much chrome/bling, too tall, interior styling less refined. Also MPG was about 20% less vs the Silverado.

Happened across two generation's of tacomas. Also something to keep in mind is that also happened to two generations of Forerunner's but toyota wasn't forced to do a recall on them so Forerunner owners got stuck with the bill or scrapped them.

I have back up cameras on both of my vans but backing up isn't the issue and if you know how to drive you don't need them anyway. The issue is modern parking spaces are too short for extended cab vehicles to fit into the space. So unless you want your truck sticking out into the driveway a couple feet it just doesn't work. "Modern" spaces are 2 foot shorter and about a foot to 18" narrower than spaces were 15 or 20 years ago and are designed for smaller vehicles. Since I have always driven "full size vehicles" I hate them but if you are driving a compact car they are great.

If you are hauling stuff to the dump pick up trucks are great but we are talking about hauling machines worth thousands of dollars here on a pinball forum and I much prefer hauling stuff with value in something enclosed. Learn how to drive towing a trailer and spend twenty or thirty dollars on a U-Haul open trailer when heading to the dump from time to time makes more sense that risking moving machines in an open truck.

Like with anything else in life - everyone thinks they know better than the next guy. I'll keep using my van and laughing at you guys with open trucks when I pass you in the rain! The longer everyone thinks pick ups are the way to go the longer I can keep buying vans cheap!

I think you're correct that vans are more practical. But it's kind of like dating an ugly chick.

I deal with undersized parking spots everyday due to the parking garage at work. So do dozens of people with fullsize trucks. Nobody has an issue. We know how to drive, but thanks for telling me you can't park.

We are talking about vehicles we use daily. They aren't just for hauling pins. I have hauled pins worth thousands of dollars in a truck without damage, surprise surprise many people on this forum manage to do the same. I hauled 4 cabinets in a trailer this weekend. A trailer I could see around because my side mirrors were designed with towing in mind. A trailer I hauled with ease because I drive a truck which is setup for towing. A truck I can have trailer breaking if I want to haul a larger trailer. Oh, and I don't have to worry about damaging the interior of my van pulling things in and out of it that it was never designed to hold.

If you want to drive vans good for you, but they are hardly the end all be all of vehicles. If you want cheap pin moving buy a mazda5 or a more common mazda3. Pull the head off your game and suddenly you can take two people and a pin while spending far less than any van will cost in gas.

I do agree some people need 4x4 trucks and if you are working construction, hauling trash, or live on a farm they make a lot of sense. But 95% of the people I see driving them wouldn't have a clue what mud was or how to use a 4x4 if they needed it. I am a "country boy" and love a 4x4 if you need one but again we are on a pinball forum talking about the "best vehicle" to move pinball machines with and in my eyes a van wins hands down.

I do have to say watching the Mud Bogs at the Washington PA Fair this past Saturday night was a blast. Now there is something my van wouldn't be worth a shit for but 1/2 the guys trying couldn't get their 4x4's through it either! The funniest one was the guy in a military Deuce and a Half that didn't make it as far as the guy in the Geo Tracker.

I agree 100% but that "ugly chick" still has all the same fun parts so lets not go down that road! Like I said several post back "in my young & dumb days" a decked out pick up was my only choice. I had more invested in my first 3/4 ton 4x4 than a new Lincoln cost back in the day. Between the turbo, lift kit, shocks, wheels & tires, and more I could have likely bought two 4x4's for less money. Now that I am older a base model work van is fine.

Yeah, I'm not to worried about parking. It's 18" longer then what we're currently driving, but our area is pretty rural. I'd say trucks are more common then cars, so it's not like it will stick out in a parking lot. Plus that would be a selling point for my wife. It's odd, but she loves parallel parking in tight spaces. No joke, she's actually received a standing ovation from a group of strangers who watched her park. My biggest issue is really the cost. We have a Subaru Forester that works fine for hauling pinball machines, so if it were 100% up to me we'd get a mid-size car at a savings of around $15,000. If we get a truck we're pretty much set on getting a 4x4. I think you'd have a much harder time selling a two wheel drive vehicle in this area.

I didn't want a backup camera on my last vehicle, but it came with the package. Not going to lie, it's spoiled me. I think it's great for knowing exactly where to stop when backing up.

I think the only thing we are going to agree on is that jacked up trucks are pointless. After years of trying to move things with a hatch back or a miata the truck is a god send. I work as a programmer, but since I do my own work on my house it is a necessity full stop.

Just remember one thing vans are fine as long as you don’t plan on EVER driving in the snow or off paved roads.

One word-

Toyota

2015 V8 Chevy Silverado 1500 here. Really love it. I also have a 2014 v8 Chevy Suburban that feels similar.

If you’re buying used, bring your car by a dealership for an oil change and hit up the tech for advice on which model years are reliable. They will know!

If you do that at Toyota, they will tell you all years.