Toyota Tacoma's

[Gnasher_PNW]

Overland Bound Members, Hello!

Ryan here,

My Discovery II isn't going to be my sole vehicle.
My Discovery II was never meant to be my only vehicle.
My Discovery II isn't a typical day-to-day vehicle.

Which leads me to,
Toyota Tacoma's.

I have long been interested in getting a Toyota Tacoma and upgrading it overtime. Mainly, I would like one for what I see being a cheap to maintain, reliable, vehicle.

My wife doesn't agree with me. She wants me to get a full size truck, like a RAM. I am not as happy with that idea as I used to be. Not that I dislike the RAM's as a whole, but I'd like to keep maintenance and hassle to as much of a minimum as I can, especially when it comes to a vehicle I probably would never reach use-capacity with.

A full size truck is too much truck, and I'd never have a reason for that much power or size. A Tacoma, is a nice fit. It's not too big, not too small, and is capable of handling the day to day rigors I'd throw at it.

a. Going to school an hours drive away everyday.
b. long distance adventures.

Stuff like that....

Am I crazy? I mean, I drive a Discovery II as a daily driver right now, so I may very well be crazy....

I'm not upset at my wife for not just hoping on board for the Tacoma, but I do wish she'd get away from the "Toyota is shit, just look at all the recall's"... as a mechanic, and having first hand experience helping friends tear down their 4-Runners and older Tacoma's, I've found them easy to work on (comparatively to my Discovery II), and am not concerned with most of those recall issues, considering the intent to upgrade all systems aftermarket (thus removing a lot of the factory issues/stuff).

I mean... Anyone have any reasons for why I should and or shouldn't go with a Tacoma?

Any suggestions on what year is more appropriate for turning into an Overland rig?

Anyone have one for sale in Washington State? :]

Don't believe I'd ever sell or trade Gnasher, and I don't mind having two rigs at all.

Gnasher is fast going to be a relic vehicle, and I very much so enjoy owning my Land Rover.

I appreciate your time, thank you.

-Ryan

 

[Adventure Ready]

Tacomas are a great platform. We recently began a project at the shop and I'd say it's looking good...
https://adventure-ready.com/2016-toyota-tacoma-dual-battery-system-alu-cab-equipment/

 

[Gnasher_PNW]

@Adventure Ready

That's awesome!

I love that color, and that is what I'm after.

 

[Adventure Ready]

We'll have another big Tacoma build over the winter.

 

[vicali]

What recalls are we talking about?

Because my 86 sr5 Xtracab was close to 300K trouble free miles when I sold it to someone headed off to Central America..



Our 2005 TRD Sport has been the easiest vehicle to own, and it had the entire frame replaced by Toyota.. cost to me; $12 to replace the locking lugnuts with regulars.
It is easy to daily drive, comfortable for our family of four plus dog, travels very nice on trips, handles any and all road conditions, carries a ton of stuff, looks great, and after having it for 5-10 years it will be replaced by another Tacoma - and it will probably sell for close to what we paid for it as well..

It's pretty hard to go wrong.

 

[ColoradoPacific]

I have 55,000 miles on my 2014 Tacoma (DCSB, 6-speed manny). Not a single problem that has required service/repairs.

Torture tests passed so far

1. Moved from Seattle to Denver last January, towing my '67 Camaro, with both vehicles loaded down with cargo. Only issue was having to drop into 3rd gear for the tougher hill climbs.
2. Drove 40 miles with a cubic yard of dirt (roughly 2,200 lbs) in the bed.
3. Two years worth of wheeling/crawling/overlanding on all stock suspension, loaded down by steel bumpers, winch, supplies & gear.
4. Got rear-ended by a drunk driver at about 30mph (Pelfreybilt bumper took the full force). No damage to body, frame, or any systems.
5. High-centered on driveshaft. Scratched it, but did not bend.
6. Winched another DCSB Tacoma UP a 40 degree slope (he was inches from rolling down the mountain!). Needed two FJ80s behind me as a land anchor, but the brakes, frame, winch, and bumper all held up to the strain.

Long story short... GET THE TACOMA!! If you're wife is set on a big truck, maybe compromise with the Long Bed (6ft) option. I often find the 5ft bed to be slightly inadequate, but 98% of the time I'm glad I don't have that extra foot of wheelbase!

 

[ce4460]

In my opinion, Full size trucks are somewhat limiting based on shear size. I can fit my standard cab manual Tacoma into so many places where a big truck can't go. Setting aside trail driving, in groups of rigs, similar to what you'll see in this group, camping/ parking can be a problem with a large truck. Don't get me wrong because big trucks have their place (I own a built up F-150 too). A Toyota Tacoma just does it all quite well.

 

[ColoradoPacific]

In my opinion, Full size trucks are somewhat limiting based on shear size. I can fit my standard cab manual Tacoma into so many places where a big truck can't go. Setting aside trail driving, in groups of rigs, similar to what you'll see in this group, camping/ parking can be a problem with a large truck. Don't get me wrong because big trucks have their place (I own a built up F-150 too). A Toyota Tacoma just does it all quite well.

 

[TreXTerra]

The Tacoma is a very good vehicle, but it is not perfect. At the risk of riling up the Tacoma owners, I've never met an owners group that was more defensive about their vehicles - maybe BMW R1200GS owners. The Tacoma is a good midsize truck, but there are others in the segment that can be had for less money that are equally reliable; some even surpass the Tacoma in various metrics.

I found the seating position of the Tacoma (regardless of generation) to be very awkward and more like a sports car with my feet extending out in front of me. The Gen1 was particularly bad for this because the firewall was so close to the seat that my knees were bent up and jammed between the wheel and the door. The Gen1 also had a distinctive knock or rattle in the steering column which can only be fixed by welding the collapsible joint and risking getting skewered by the steering column in a crash.

The big drawback for a Tacoma is the price, they are consistently one of the highest residual value vehicles on the road, which is a real detriment if you are buying used. A friend of mine has a Tacoma with low miles (he works at home and is meticulous about cleaning and maintaining the finish) and he won't even take it off road because it is worth as much today as when he bought it 5 years ago. If you are going to get a vehicle with such high residual value, it will often make more sense to spend an extra few thousand and buy a new one instead of one that is 3-4 years old - at least then you get a new vehicle with a warranty.

I'm not trying to dump on Tacomas, they are good solid mid-size trucks, but I think you can get a lot more for your money by looking at their competition.

 

[ColoradoPacific]

The Tacoma is a good midsize truck, but there are others in the segment that can be had for less money that are equally reliable; some even surpass the Tacoma in various metrics.

Definitely can't argue that other trucks are equally capable. I looked at Nissan, Ford, and Chevy when buying my truck. Each of them has it's strong points and weak points. I think it just boils down to what features you want, how much you're willing to spend, and which one suits your needs.

If you are going to get a vehicle with such high residual value, it will often make more sense to spend an extra few thousand and buy a new one instead of one that is 3-4 years old - at least then you get a new vehicle with a warranty.

This is VERY TRUE!!

I'm not trying to dump on Tacomas, they are good solid mid-size trucks, but I think you can get a lot more for your money by looking at their competition.

Jeeze, just sh*t all over the Taco community....

 

[vicali]

I hated the rearview mirror position in the 2nd gen.. every one I got into seemed to have it right in my face/fov.. and then we bought ours and 10 minutes on TW found ImMrYo making extensions to move it out of the way. That is another nice thing about Tacomas - close your eyes and think of a company.. I bet they make parts for a Tacoma.

 

[ColoradoPacific]

I hated the rearview mirror position in the 2nd gen.. every one I got into seemed to have it right in my face/fov.. and then we bought ours and 10 minutes on TW found a guy making extensions to move it out of the way. That is another nice thing about Tacomas - close your eyes and think of a company.. I bet they make parts for a Tacoma.

There's also THIS solution!!! I don't have mine yet, but drove a buddy's Taco that has them, and they are very very nice!

 

[stoney126]

Well if you wife is afraid of recalls then the ram is definitely something to avoid. I like the ram but Chrysler or Ram needs to get their act together. Aftermarket is somewhat limited for the 1/2 tons but with the introduction of the rebel perhaps that will change.

I think a Frontier would warrant a second look. Have a decent aftermarket look good and have good options.

You can't go wrong with a Tacoma though. They do cost more but retain value more later down the road. I've found out the hard that this helps if the car gets totaled.

I'm new to Toyota but am digging our 16 4runner, but was really eyeballing the Tacomas. If I didn't have my SD I'd be eyeballing a Tacoma or or frontier.

 

[TreXTerra]

The Frontier is a solid truck, especially 2009 and later. It also has a much heavier chassis than the Toyota since it is built on the Titan chassis. Imagine if the Tacoma was built on the Tundra chassis, it's a bit like that. The Nissan also lets to do cool stuff like Titan-swap the front end, giving you incredible lift and front end articulation and travel. A couple of my friends have Titan swapped XTerras (@Maxterra) and they absolutely float over harsh terrain at any speed. It's pretty awesome considering you can do most of it with Titan parts pulled out of junked trucks. Major performance on a budget.

 

[Gnasher_PNW]

What recalls are we talking about?

Because my 86 sr5 Xtracab was close to 300K trouble free miles when I sold it to someone headed off to Central America..
Our 2005 TRD Sport has been the easiest vehicle to own, and it had the entire frame replaced by Toyota.. cost to me; $12 to replace the locking lugnuts with regulars.
It is easy to daily drive, comfortable for our family of four plus dog, travels very nice on trips, handles any and all road conditions, carries a ton of stuff, looks great, and after having it for 5-10 years it will be replaced by another Tacoma - and it will probably sell for close to what we paid for it as well..

It's pretty hard to go wrong.

Honestly, I'm not sure. All I know is that she was adamant as hell about recalls.

Her father used to drive a 94' 4-Runner that he rolled three or four times. The thing was invincible. Ever since owning that, he's had nothing but issues with Toyota, and since went to Subaru. She's basing her issues with the maker and model off of letters her father apparently gets all the time, for models he doesn't even own, nor has she had experience with!

I've helped tear down a Taco before, and a 4-Runner. Easy maintenance and easy to keep alive.

Nothing against my wife at all, I appreciate her concerns, but like @stoney126 has mentioned in a lower post, the RAM's are high on the list for problems !

I have 55,000 miles on my 2014 Tacoma (DCSB, 6-speed manny). Not a single problem that has required service/repairs.

Torture tests passed so far

1. Moved from Seattle to Denver last January, towing my '67 Camaro, with both vehicles loaded down with cargo. Only issue was having to drop into 3rd gear for the tougher hill climbs.
2. Drove 40 miles with a cubic yard of dirt (roughly 2,200 lbs) in the bed.
3. Two years worth of wheeling/crawling/overlanding on all stock suspension, loaded down by steel bumpers, winch, supplies & gear.
4. Got rear-ended by a drunk driver at about 30mph (Pelfreybilt bumper took the full force). No damage to body, frame, or any systems.
5. High-centered on driveshaft. Scratched it, but did not bend.
6. Winched another DCSB Tacoma UP a 40 degree slope (he was inches from rolling down the mountain!). Needed two FJ80s behind me as a land anchor, but the brakes, frame, winch, and bumper all held up to the strain.

Long story short... GET THE TACOMA!! If you're wife is set on a big truck, maybe compromise with the Long Bed (6ft) option. I often find the 5ft bed to be slightly inadequate, but 98% of the time I'm glad I don't have that extra foot of wheelbase!

View attachment 8485

I wouldn't mind the standard 5' bed.

That's a nice list of accolades, thank you for sharing!

Some of those items would have been absolutely disastrous in others makes!

Owning a vehicle as resilient and maintainable s that would lessen the stress of my owning the DII. Though, I do love my Discovery.

In my opinion, Full size trucks are somewhat limiting based on shear size. I can fit my standard cab manual Tacoma into so many places where a big truck can't go. Setting aside trail driving, in groups of rigs, similar to what you'll see in this group, camping/ parking can be a problem with a large truck. Don't get me wrong because big trucks have their place (I own a built up F-150 too). A Toyota Tacoma just does it all quite well.

You're quite right about that.

I don't see myself ever needing a full size truck, and not being limited on where I can go with it, isn't appealing.

The Tacoma is a very good vehicle, but it is not perfect. At the risk of riling up the Tacoma owners, I've never met an owners group that was more defensive about their vehicles - maybe BMW R1200GS owners. The Tacoma is a good midsize truck, but there are others in the segment that can be had for less money that are equally reliable; some even surpass the Tacoma in various metrics.

I found the seating position of the Tacoma (regardless of generation) to be very awkward and more like a sports car with my feet extending out in front of me. The Gen1 was particularly bad for this because the firewall was so close to the seat that my knees were bent up and jammed between the wheel and the door. The Gen1 also had a distinctive knock or rattle in the steering column which can only be fixed by welding the collapsible joint and risking getting skewered by the steering column in a crash.

The big drawback for a Tacoma is the price, they are consistently one of the highest residual value vehicles on the road, which is a real detriment if you are buying used. A friend of mine has a Tacoma with low miles (he works at home and is meticulous about cleaning and maintaining the finish) and he won't even take it off road because it is worth as much today as when he bought it 5 years ago. If you are going to get a vehicle with such high residual value, it will often make more sense to spend an extra few thousand and buy a new one instead of one that is 3-4 years old - at least then you get a new vehicle with a warranty.

I'm not trying to dump on Tacomas, they are good solid mid-size trucks, but I think you can get a lot more for your money by looking at their competition.

Wow, that first part sounds pretty extreme. I mean, fingers crossed that the odds of that happening are low, but still...

I have been looking at the Frontiers, and I do like the pricing I am seeing, and the capability (and there are diesel variants!)

The thing for me with buying a brand new vehicle, is that it would take forever to pay off, and I wouldn't be able to do anything to it for a long ass time, wouldn't I?

Well if you wife is afraid of recalls then the ram is definitely something to avoid. I like the ram but Chrysler or Ram needs to get their act together. Aftermarket is somewhat limited for the 1/2 tons but with the introduction of the rebel perhaps that will change.

I think a Frontier would warrant a second look. Have a decent aftermarket look good and have good options.

You can't go wrong with a Tacoma though. They do cost more but retain value more later down the road. I've found out the hard that this helps if the car gets totaled.

I'm new to Toyota but am digging our 16 4runner, but was really eyeballing the Tacomas. If I didn't have my SD I'd be eyeballing a Tacoma or or frontier.

This. Exactly what I told my wife.

I work with several Marines who are certified technicians with Diesels and such through Ford and Dodge, and they all have RAM's from 08 and up.

I've watched them time and time again have to do heavy duty maintenance on their rigs due to factory issues, and drive train problems. Especially transmission issues.

There also is the fact that they need 7 gallons of oil for their engines.... if we're talking about saving money, that's not going to cut it.

With the suggestions on top, I'm not sure I want to invest into a brand new rig. I rather like buying used and building up/working on them.

The Frontier is a solid truck, especially 2009 and later. It also has a much heavier chassis than the Toyota since it is built on the Titan chassis. Imagine if the Tacoma was built on the Tundra chassis, it's a bit like that. The Nissan also lets to do cool stuff like Titan-swap the front end, giving you incredible lift and front end articulation and travel. A couple of my friends have Titan swapped XTerras (@Maxterra) and they absolutely float over harsh terrain at any speed. It's pretty awesome considering you can do most of it with Titan parts pulled out of junked trucks. Major performance on a budget.

I've heard about this before, and it sounds pretty awesome.

I've driven in a few Titan's before, and they're pretty stout. Do you recall how difficult it was for them to do this? Cost? And what year Frontier were they using?

 

[ce4460]

It should be said your wife's concerns, wants, and needs are completely valid. It's right that you should take her observations seriously, something you obviously are doing. Personally, I'd never buy a vehicle without my wife's blessing. That said, don't buy something you don't want, you'll regret it.

 

[Gnasher_PNW]

It should be said your wife's concerns, wants, and needs are completely valid. It's right that you should take her observations seriously, something you obviously are doing. Personally, I'd never buy a vehicle without my wife's blessing. That said, don't buy something you don't want, you'll regret it.

She told me later that day "I just don't like hearing about the recalls, but I trust your judgement. As long as you can maintain it and it doesn't break constantly, I'm good with it". She just really had her heart set on a big ass rig.

I hear you on not stepping on the wife's toes.

I also hear you on not getting something you don't want. I'm definitely interested in getting a Tacoma, just not sure what year is right. Had my eye on some 2005's.

 

[ce4460]

If you have any, post a pic of the 2005(s). I'm sure you'll get plenty of feedback.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Actually, I don't know about the Ram issues....

I have been lurking at Tacoma World for a WHILE deciding on MY next truck. The 3rd Generation Tacoma's have literally MOUNTAINS of issues and, since I drive an '05 Ram, started lurking at the Ram Forums as well. I'm seeing far LESS issues with the Rams.

I'm used to my large truck, but like the idea of putting a topper on a Tacoma for an inexpensive (fuel wise) truck to show my wife some parts of the Country I got to see as a kid, and I like the size for getting around my hunting land.

But the full size is handy from time to time I must say, and the ride is awesome.

Good luck on your decision, I'm in the same boat !

 

[stoney126]

I looked for used, but when it comes to toyota they retain a quite a bit of value. something 3 years old with 35k miles would only be a few grand less then new....at least with the 4runners. I never consider fuel consumption, the difference is maybe a few mpgs at best, with gas anyway and of course other things may sway those numbers in different directions. lol my 7.3 SD CC gets the same mileage as my buddies tacoma, well on the highway anyway :D