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Old 10-02-2021, 10:30 PM   #1
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Nissan Frontier

Im doing some heavy research on a replacement for my beloved 2010 Tacoma. 50k towing miles and now we're dealing with tranny problems. Anyway, the mid size contenders are a weak field to tow our 21. A 2021 or 22 Nissan Frontier, 3.8L is the finalist but the 9 speed trans give me concerns for performance and reliabilty. Anybody have experience with the newer 3.8L Frontier OR towing with 7-9 speed trannys?

Greg
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Old 10-03-2021, 07:16 AM   #2
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I believe the multiple gear units perform better and the result is better MPG, towing or not...
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Old 10-03-2021, 07:50 AM   #3
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OD Towing!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greggo View Post
Im doing some heavy research on a replacement for my beloved 2010 Tacoma. 50k towing miles and now we're dealing with tranny problems. Anyway, the mid size contenders are a weak field to tow our 21. A 2021 or 22 Nissan Frontier, 3.8L is the finalist but the 9 speed trans give me concerns for performance and reliabilty. Anybody have experience with the newer 3.8L Frontier OR towing with 7-9 speed trannys?

Greg
Hi: Greggo... We towed with a 2010 4X4 Nissan Frontier 4L V6 with a 5spd. In hilly areas I used 4th. and always tried to stay around 2,000rpm. Put 172,000 kms on that truck. We now have a 2016 4X4 3L Ram EcoDiesel with an 8spd. That's really two over drive so 7th and 8th are both overdrives. I try to stay with the 2,000 rpms and limit the tranny if it starts searching to much and keep it in 7th. Towing mileage is much better in the Ram... but then it's a diesel, and I'm spoiled by the luxury of the truck. The transmission is the same one used in Rolls Royces so it can't be all that bad Eh? Alf
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Old 10-03-2021, 09:39 AM   #4
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At least until it needs to be repaired...............I remember some early RR commercials where they fly in a team of mechanics in the middle of the desert to repair your RR.....
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Old 10-03-2021, 09:57 AM   #5
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A shame to see the mid sized truck fleet going wimp with all these smaller engines. People are buying small RVs by the thousands but dont want a full sized truck.

I'll be buying the Frontier today, hoping the Frontier will become the new towing standard Tacoma gave up on.
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Old 10-03-2021, 11:13 AM   #6
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There’s reviews of the new 2022 Frontier out now, it looks greatly improved .
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Old 10-03-2021, 11:34 AM   #7
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Im opting for a left over '21, same truck as the '22 but without the ugly styling and really hard "back breaker" suspension AND I can swap my Leer camper shell. 4x4 this time. All the connectivity and electronics mean nothing to me. Fingers crossed.
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Old 10-03-2021, 12:30 PM   #8
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At least until it needs to be repaired...............I remember some early RR commercials where they fly in a team of mechanics in the middle of the desert to repair your RR.....
Hi: cpaharley2008... Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chevy, Dodge, Ford, &RR, among others can't be all wrong. The ZF 8HP Transmission is the best IMHO... untill I get the R&R bill.!!! Alf
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Old 10-03-2021, 03:01 PM   #9
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ZF is certainly a capable transmission manufacturer. The 8HP is (so far) their ultimate automatic, and very widely used. Although both Ford and GM have used ZF designs for earlier transmissions, they don't use the 8HP; Ford skipped over 8-speeds and eventually went straight from six-speeds to the joint Ford/GM 10-speed, and GM had its own 8-speed, also being replaced by the Ford/GM 10-speed.

ZF's 9HP transverse transaxle is used by Honda and Nissan, but the 8HP didn't make a dent in the Japanese market - Frontiers (at least for North America) have used Jatco automatics, and since 2020 has a Mercedes 9G-Tronic built by Jatco as the JR913E under license from Daimler.

For the reliability record of the 9G-Tronic (now used in the Frontier, Titan, and Armada - and to be used in the Nissan Z - one could look for reports of any issues in the various Mercedes models with 9-speeds since 2015.
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Old 10-03-2021, 03:01 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greggo View Post
Im opting for a left over '21, same truck as the '22 but without the ugly styling...
...
All the connectivity and electronics mean nothing to me.
That would be my reasoning, too.
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Old 10-03-2021, 08:47 PM   #11
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Quote:
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50k towing miles and now we're dealing with tranny problems.
As a gen3 Tacoma owner I'm Super curious about this: can you share the total miles on the Tacoma vs. tow miles? Also, at what miles did you (if ever) have the transmission serviced? If serviced was it at a dealership or other service location?


Quote:
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towing standard Tacoma gave up on.
Interesting comment in that the gen3 3.5L V-6 Tacoma has equal torque, greater horsepower and tow capacity than the gen2 4.0L V-6 (disclaimer: according to Wikipedia). Can you elaborate on what it is they "gave up on"? I'm driving one so I'd really like to know!
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Old 10-03-2021, 09:44 PM   #12
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Richard, Tacoma's been great, 2010 TRD Sport. 163k, regular service and very proactive with the drive train service. On a 5000 miler in Aug, I noticed a "bump" underneath a couple times at stop signs. Last week, I started it, parking break off, shifted into drive and it wouldnt move. Gas and 500 or so rpm's and I heard a loud metallic "clunk" and the truck lurched forward. Whoa!!

Trans shop had some ideas, none good, but we wont know til Tues.

Re new Taco's, Im just going from what others say. Low end power not the same and too many hi RPM downshifts and hills in 2nd.Your experience? I favoring the Frontier because its a low tech "truck" 4x4, power (3.8L 310 hp vs 3.7L 278) and torque is good. AND it doesnt have a $5k dealer markup.
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Old 10-03-2021, 10:30 PM   #13
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Quote:
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Richard, Tacoma's been great, 2010 TRD Sport. 163k, regular service and very proactive with the drive train service. On a 5000 miler in Aug, I noticed a "bump" underneath a couple times at stop signs. Last week, I started it, parking break off, shifted into drive and it wouldnt move. Gas and 500 or so rpm's and I heard a loud metallic "clunk" and the truck lurched forward. Whoa!!

Trans shop had some ideas, none good, but we wont know til Tues.

Re new Taco's, Im just going from what others say. Low end power not the same and too many hi RPM downshifts and hills in 2nd.Your experience? I favoring the Frontier because its a low tech "truck" 4x4, power (3.8L 310 hp vs 3.7L 278) and torque is good. AND it doesnt have a $5k dealer markup.

My prior truck was a F-250 7.5L v-8 (12 MPG empty) so as far as small trucks go I've no comparison. I agree the downshifting is abysmal. I love my Tacoma, and my profile comment notwithstanding I've been pleasantly surprised at the ease of towing the '21. WD hitch makes all the difference. I forgot to put my mirror extensions on last outing and didn't even notice until after arriving at the campground.

Sorry to hear you've the trannie problem, especially after regular service.

I expect to upgrade my tow vehicle eventually. An electric/hybrid is what I'm hoping for, a full-size pickup with greater tow capacity and a 25-30 MPG rating. but with only 67K on the Taco I'm in no hurry to swap out.
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