Posted: Oct 26 2004 at 9:18pm | IP Logged

lotsa questions, I will try to help:

On the quality issues, yes there are a few kinks to work out like interior rattles, radio fade and power window motors failing. Nothing related to engine and drivetrain as far as I know, which is very good. The titan beats a Tundra hands down in terms of features, looks, and not to mention power. 5.6L engine vs the Tundra's 4.6L I think.

As far as the towing thing, the Titan does not come standard with a hitch or hookup of any kind. If you want to tow something, you CAN get the tow package, but that's kinda for towing large boats or perhaps even another vehicle. Its not just a hitch and receiver, its the wiring harness, prewire for electronic brakes, VDC, bigger side mirrors, etc.... lotsa other things in the package. It would be cheaper to get the truck without those things and just buy an aftermarket hitch and have it welded on, especially if you don't plan on doing a lot of towing.

If you get the Titan, I know you will love it. Everyone here seems to as well, I know I sure do. You get more truck for the money. Nice features, big throaty V8 engine, awesome interior, more room inside even on KingCab models... Its no wonder it was named 2004 Truck of the Year.

2005 adds things like a power rear window, which i think the Tundra already has, and it also adds rear gate assist, which is good cuz that thing is heavy! Most of the issues should be fixed on any 2004's you see on the dealer lot, there have been TSB's out for them. Its really up to you to decide.

Posted: Oct 26 2004 at 10:01pm | IP Logged

Slider33 wrote: Hi, new member here, and I've been very interested in purchasing a Titan for quite some time. I do have a few questions though, a few concerns before I take the plunge. I've heard there are some quality problems with the Titans and I was wondering if this was a widespread problem, or a reason not to get one.......

Heres my 2 cent worth....I love my Titan and haven't had any of the problems that some in this forum have had....(no rattles...none that I can hear over the radio at least, no break problems, no mechanical problems, no power seat or window malfunctions, no antifreeze smell/leaks...etc) My dad owns a Tundra and I have driven it, as well as test driven 2-3 others over the years. The Tundra is an excellent truck. For my needs the 4.6 liter would have been more than enough power, and the ride is unequaled.

My main reason for choosing the Titan over the Tundra was price/features...(as I recall, a comparably equipped Tundra would have been about $3K - $4K more and beyond my means). Other reasons include the styling (I liked the aggressive styling of the Titan better) and the 5.6 V8 (even tho I don't need it, it seemed a shame to pay more $ for less truck). With gas prices constantly spiraling up-wards, it is worth mentioning the Tundra should give you around 2 mpg better fuel economy just truckin down the Hwy. (at least my fathers does compared to mine)

As for the 04 vs 05 debate, it is true that the tailgate is pretty darn heavy, and at times can be inconvenient to shut with one hand, esp when you're holding something with your other one. It is also my opinion that the sliding rear window is all but worthless to me, as I never have anyone riding in the back seat and I can not reach it from the front. So of course it stays closed all the time. But the power sliding window on the 05 will surely be an optional feature and prolly an expensive one...possibly even packaged with other options that altogether I wouldn't be able to afford. So for my needs,  there would be little reason for me to opt for the 05 model...not to mention the fact that if you're willing to pick from a dealers stock, you can prolly get a much better deal on an 04 this time of year. If I could only save $1000 by choosing the 04 model, the tailgate assist would not be worth near that much IMO.....gl with your truck hunting!!.

Posted: Oct 27 2004 at 11:16am | IP Logged

Slider33,

I think you've pretty much got your answers, but I just wanted to add another 2 cents worth.

I owned and totally loved my '00 Toyota Tundra for over 5 years (got it 6/1/99 on the first day out) and was all set to get an '05 Tundra Double Cab. I had promised myself to get exactly what I wanted this time(options and equipment-wise) and would not settle for what Toyota had on their lots. To make a long story short, I found a dealership who promised to order-build what I wanted and waited 4 months to find out that the factory would not do it. It was like pulling teeth to get Vehicle Stability Control and Side Air-Bags. So I bought a Titan on 8/23 and do not regret it at all.

The Titan came exactly how I wanted it, plus more. The dealerships have much more of a variety of trucks with totally different option groupings than the Tundra.

I really, really enjoy my Titan Crew Cab LE. It does have a few more rattles and squeaks than I'd like, but that's pretty minor. In my opinion, Nissan has much better customer service than Toyota. They seem to listen to what the customer is saying in my experience.

So best of luck to you in your decision. I don't think the Titan will do you wrong!