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Slider33 Newbie
Joined: Oct 26 2004
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4
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Location: United States
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Posted: Oct 26 2004 at 5:10pm | IP Logged
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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. I know they just came out in 2004, and there are some
quality issues for various reasons.
I do want something that's going to last, and I know it's impossible to
tell how that will turn out because the Titan hasn't been around for
very long.
I was also considering a Tundra, because I know that Toyota has a
pretty good reputation for quality in general, although every brand has
their share of problems.
So should I be concerned as a buyer of a new Titan about the quality of
a first year product? I've heard that the interiors rattle, are
poorly made and I've heard there are some brake issues as well.
Which, doesn't seem all too drastic, but it is dissappointing to buy a
new vehicle only to have it rattling early on.
Any known problems with the drivetrain? I've also heard that the differential has problems also.
I know that the JD Power and Assoc. report gave it poor ratings....not sure why exactly.
I am looking to have this truck for a long time, and only time will
tell so that's a risk I have to take. The dealership I am
thinking of buying from has a 10yr/100,000 mile warranty that covers
the drivetrain. I'll be getting more detailed info on that
soon. I think that is a very good warranty, but I'm
guessing/worried I'm going to run into a lot of other smaller flaws
that may not be covered by such a warranty.
So is it worth it? Reliability is going to be a big issue with
me, as I have been having problems with my car @ 102,000 miles and 7
years of driving, the transmission went out on it last year. I do
want something that is going to last, and I can only speculate how the
Titan will be since it's so new.
Another question, would it be better to buy a 2005 model as opposed to
a 2004? I'm assuming that the 2005 may have a few kinks worked
out, but that may be a false assumption anyway.
Another question, about the tow package. I won't be doing much
towing, but I will want the ability to tow a boat/trailer on the rare
occasion. Does the Titan come with a standard trailer hitch, or
hitch hookup? Or does only the tow package have the hitch?
May sound silly, but I assume just about all trucks come with a trailer
hitch but I could be wrong, and I did see a truck (not necessarily a
titan) the other day w/o a visible hitch connection. Just wanted
to make sure in case the non-tow package didn't happen to come with a
hitch hookup.... If it does, then great, I don't really need a tow
package, if not, I'll probably go for the tow package.
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The Engineer Groupie
Joined: Aug 17 2004
Online Status: Offline Posts: 66
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Location: U.S. - Florida
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Posted: Oct 26 2004 at 9:18pm | IP Logged
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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.
__________________ 2004 Titan SE Kingcab
-Smoke Gray
-Popular w/ power captain's chairs
-Big Tow Package
-Bed Extender, Mudflaps, Titan Floormats
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thepuffman Senior Member
Joined: Aug 17 2004
Online Status: Offline Posts: 673
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Location: U.S. - Georgia
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Posted: Oct 26 2004 at 10:01pm | IP Logged
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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.......
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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!!.
__________________ SE Kingcab Smoke Gray, Big Tow, K&N filter, Silverstar lamps, Peragon hard tonneau, (Sirius SR, 350W Alpine amp, Polk spkrs, 2 RF 8" subs, custom box)
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Slider33 Newbie
Joined: Oct 26 2004
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4
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Location: United States
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Posted: Oct 27 2004 at 10:13am | IP Logged
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Thanks so much for the replies! I am more concerned with the
drivetrain, not too worried about a few rattles here and there etc. if
and when it does happen, those things (to me) are minor things.
I'm very excited about getting one, I've pretty much made up my mind to
get one but now my concerns are at ease! So thanks again, it
helps a lot. I just wanted to ask those few questions above
before I made my final decision.
And yeah, I don't need the tow package, but the aftermarket hitch
hookup seems like the best approach, hadn't thought of that. I
will rarely be doing any towing, and probably will never tow anything
bigger than a small trailer or small boat.
As far as looks, the Titan is by far my favorite, and I was shocked at
how much room both the king cab and especially the crew cab had.
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fox92020 Groupie
Joined: Sep 09 2004
Online Status: Offline Posts: 56
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Location: U.S. - California
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Posted: Oct 27 2004 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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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!
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