Any love for the Toyota Tacoma?

We have a Tacoma here.

A friend just traded in his Veloster on a Tacoma that's a few years old, and loves it.  He's already well into making it look like the truck from Back to the Future lol.  I did "Toyota" vinyls and a car dealership vinyl logo for the tailgate.

In reply to Jerry :

Pictures? 

I did headgaskets on a 2015 last December (due to a freak accident, basically) and drove it around a fair bit, most time i've spent in one (because im a mechanic and they usually don't break). I thought it was ok but it's still very 'trucky' (stiff/bouncy) compared to a modern half-ton and the big engine didn't have as much part-throttle torque as I expect it to, even though it is defnitely adequate. I suspect they are pretty punchy with a stick. I doubt the newer 3.5 feels any kind of good with weight hooked to it. The 'shallow' interior someone mentioned was a thing with all the toyota trucks of that era and the 90s (early Tundra, T100, prior gen Tacoma) which i've driven and worked on all of. IF age/condition weren't an issue I'd take a first gen Tundra over a newer Tacoma. It's not much bigger but feels a lot better with the 4.7 (which does require more maintenance than the 4.0, to be clear) and i like its circa-00 camry-ish interior. 

Basically i think they are 'reliable but just ok otherwise' and i also think you should look at a Frontier, especially if you're leasing. Current model is going out the door and probably not selling for E36 M3 this year so i bet the lease deals are decent. 

In reply to LanEvo :

So my understanding is that you've got 5k lbs. The Tacoma has a 6k limit and the Ridgeline has a 5k. I'd be Ok pushing the limit if you intend to use it in a primarily flat part of the country. If it's more challenging topographically, the extra capacity is a good thing IMO. 

ztnedman1 said:

I got that exact spec you are looking at in 2014.  New truck provided by my company.  Got to option it out how i wanted and really like it for the first couple weeks.  No joke...i quit after 4 months because they wouldn't change it.

 

Rode like E36 M3.  Basically first gen Escape E36 M3.  Slow, too cramped with kids seats, E36 M3ty shallow too small bed.  Bad fuel economy and small tank. Its junk.  As a DD it is god awful.

 

Terrible vehicle.  I just dont get people who fawn over them.

The Ridgeline feels smaller than it is and more carlike. The Taco feels like a truck. A younger me liked that. One of my favorite vehicles ever was a shortbed standard cab SR-5 4x4 Toyota pickup (before they coined the Tacoma name). At 57YO I'd probably find the ride intolerable for a DD. 

spitfirebill said:

CyberEric said:

Any love for the Taco?! Are you kidding?! 

Around here people sell Tacos for extraordinary prices. No price is too high.

I just bought 3 tacos on Sunday after church...from Taco Bell. 

You are only leasing if they are from Taco Bell:)

The reason to get a Tacoma is that they're cool.  If you want to have the cool truck the trailhead with a kayak or mtb, then the Tacoma is the spec outdoor-lifestyle image truck. 

On Truck-only merits, you have to consider the Toyota Tax. I don't know how lease rates compare between trucks.  The residual value on Toyota trucks is so high vs other competitors that maybe you get a cooler truck for a given monthly rate?

When I have less kids to tote around I would love to be back into a Tacoma or Frontier. 

In reply to Tyler H (Forum Supporter) :

I would never want to lease one because I use trucks as trucks, which is to say that when I'm done they are mechanically sound, but the inside and outside is worn. Can you imagine the charges if you turned in a lease with scratches and dings all over? And what about that time your rocker panels got to know that embankment intimately?

Tyler H (Forum Supporter) said:

 

When I have less kids to tote around I would love to be back into a Tacoma or Frontier. 

I agree with this.

Kreb (Forum Supporter) said:

 

I would never want to lease one because I use trucks as trucks, which is to say that when I'm done they are mechanically sound, but the inside and outside is worn. Can you imagine the charges if you turned in a lease with scratches and dings all over? 

We have owned a 2001 Tacoma 4 door since new. 225K miles. Fantastic truck, excellent size. Will always be at home for our HD runs and pulling the cars to the track.

 We had added a 2004 Tundra (great 4.7L), buttery soft and great truck. Never got driven. 31k miles. We never fell in love with it. Just sold, and left last week to happy new owner. These have been our personal trucks. 

For our business since 2010, I have had 36 month -45K mile leases from Toyota. Trust me we use our trucks as trucks. Max tow all year. Bed is usually 1.5-2x payload overloaded. They live on farm. Beat to ____ and back. Never had a problem returning leases. Toyota/Lexus has a wear and tear clause. Costs me $450 over the 3 year lease. Never a question when returned. I do the interior detail ($80) before return. Outside, is just washed in 3 years, prior to return, that I do myself. 

If you look at my actual cost vs mileage (0.59c) = $26,550 is my write off from the government, when I use mileage.

Calculating my actual cost, $17230 (lease payment + insurance + gas)

Vigo (Forum Supporter) said:

 

 

Basically i think they are 'reliable but just ok otherwise' and i also think you should look at a Frontier, especially if you're leasing. Current model is going out the door and probably not selling for E36 M3 this year so i bet the lease deals are decent. 

Because we lease our trucks, I particularly don't care if its not a Tacoma. I want lowest monthly payment only. I have shopped Colorado (horrible numbers), and I have shopped Frontiers (always 1.5x or more than tacoma per month). As much as I want to give other trucks a try, the insane low lease deals Toyota provides, due to high residuals ($236 a month for Access cab and $330 a month for loaded true 4 doors), the Frontiers and Coloardo just doesn't come close, in my experience. Heck Tundras are being given away at $350-$375 a month. 

I do the Toyota 1 pay, and used to do the Toyota max MSD prior. 
 

mine is back from farm (you can see in background), for its free service. Next May when lease is up, I am changing up to a TRd Offroad 4 full doors. 
 

The Tacoma won't let you get a crew cab with a 6 foot bed. 

The Colorado will. New Colorados are pretty much the k1500s of the 90s in terms of what they're capable of in terms of towing *and* cargo capacity.

Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón) said:

The Tacoma won't let you get a crew cab with a 6 foot bed. 

 

Incorrect.

My upcoming order is a DCLB 4wd, AT. 

 You can't get a LB with a manual on a crew cab in the US. 

I love them, and while I've never had direct experience with one other than a few test drives, I have had a lot of time in 2 different Tundras and 3 different 4Runners.

My problem? I could never get past the Toyota Tax, and it seems to be the worst on the Taco and the FJ. Every time I do an anlysis on one, I come back with the conclusion that the 4Runner is the better DD, the Frontier is 95% of the truck at 70% of the cost, Tundras are about the same cost for more truck and not any less difficult to drive unless you live in the city and parallel park every day, the Big 3 full size trucks are all more truck for less money... 

I think the Taco may be the best overall vehicle, but it sure isn't the best overall value when you're buying it. That being said, it works both ways, so an overall cost of ownership is probably pretty low when you consider its resale.

FWIW, I bought a 2019 Ranger last year for the price of a 3 year old Tacoma with 88000 miles... and I get better mileage.  (Full disclosure it is a 2 wheel drive crew cab.)  Tow rating is 5700 pounds but I've not had anything that heavy on it.

A good friend of mine had a 16' Tacoma for a few years and we compared back and forth with my 12' Frontier for truck stuff pretty often.  I'd buy the vehicle that does the 95% of your needs well but has the capability for the last 5% - for me that would likely be a Ridgeline but the Frontier had the cheaper buy in and a six speed manual. 

The Nissan is old as dirt, feels much smaller, and has a more basic interior.  Due to the age it also has nearly all of the bugs worked out and issues are rare. The seating position is more traditional than the low floor tacomas too.  The Nissan 4.0L is a better truck engine than the Toyota 3.5L but both will get the job done.  I much prefer to tow 5k pounds behind my Nissan than the Toyota.  The Toyota will always be worth more and has a better dash/infotainment system that is more up to date.  The nissan has a steel bed with a coating and the Toyota is a composite - which is a bit slippery but good for sliding things in and out of.

mr2s2000elise said:

Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón) said:

The Tacoma won't let you get a crew cab with a 6 foot bed. 

 

Incorrect.

 You can't get a LB with a manual on a crew cab in the US. 

 

 

I stand corrected: only certain trims won't allow the long bed option.

Tyler H (Forum Supporter) said:

The reason to get a Tacoma is that they're cool.  If you want to have the cool truck the trailhead with a kayak or mtb, then the Tacoma is the spec outdoor-lifestyle image truck. 

I didn't buy my Tacoma to look cool at the trailhead, or anywhere else. I bought mine because my last one was pretty much trouble free for 14 years, which is exactly how long I plan to keep this one.

My first Tacoma was a 2005 SR5 Double Cab, V6 4x4 Long Bed. The 2019 is a TRD Off Road, Double Cab V6 4x4 Short Bed. I was seriously concerned that the combo of short bed and off-road package would be a terrible combo for daily driving, but it is far more comfortable than the old truck, almost car like. I enjoy driving it more than I expected to. The old one was kind of tedious as a daily.

And I chose to go with the Off Road package because it comes with a selectable electronic locker in the rear, and I have a plow.

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to Jerry :

Pictures? 

In reply to Jerry :

that's incredible.. 

I looked for a used one for mulch/rock duty after selling my Ranger but they are just going for too much.  Ended up with an old F150 supercrew with the 5.4V8 that I could tow lots with but I'm selling it now so I can get back in a smaller truck.  I just like the feel /handling of a smaller truck.

I never forgave the tacoma for not being more like the hilux. There's  just such a spongy feel to the driving experience, my hilux is very rigid feeling and responsive in comparison. Everything feels softly rubber mounted on the taco, like they thought Americans wanted a ranger driving experience instead of a precision instrument like the rest of the world got. They're still the best option available to us in my opinion but I'd do a bunch of poly bushings, Icon or king MotorSports E36 M3, something to get rid of the wallowy feeling. Also it's a damn shame they never came with the gx470/460 v8 (the 5.7 iforce is too much to even hope for lol). 

How do you have a Hilux? Canada?

In reply to CyberEric :

my 86 pickup was effectively the same as a hilux

CyberEric said:

How do you have a Hilux? Canada?

https://landcruisersdirect.com/cars/1984-toyota-hilux-sr-1170/

These guys have been importing 84-89 ones all the time. Great group of guys. Got us a  PJZ70 a few years ago.