First let me state, I don't think anyone builds a finer vehicle than a Toyota, the reliability is unquestionable. That said, I have never ridden in a Toyota that I thought was truly comfortable. I recall a trip I made several years ago when much younger and not as stiff as today. I pulled into a large service station on the Ms-La line to gas up, there must have been 40 pumps, after fueling I went inside to pay. I told the Lady at the counter that I was driving the red Toyota out on pump number 49 (or whatever), she looked at me and said I figured that was what you were driving, I ask why she said that, she said, "I can always tell when a big guy is driving a small vehicle because when they come in here to pay they are all bent over." I didn't realize it, but there I stood with my shoulders slumped.
As for considering the operational cost for a diesel and a gasoline engine, it may be cheaper to buy fuel, it may be cheaper to do oil changes, and they may work the same to a large degree, but when you consider the longevity of a diesel engine compared to a gasoline do you really think you come out ahead by buying a gasoline vehicle? I agree that some gasoline vehicles have accumulated a lot of mileage, but it is rare that you find a gas engine that has run for over 3000,000 miles and never had a bolt turned on it. Of course, a lot of engine life depends on maintenance and upkeep, so it is possible, but I have found that the average person does not maintain a gas powered vehicle like a diesel owner does.
