What options should I be looking for in a 2012?

Hello, I am new. I am hoping to get some info on what to look for in a 2011 or 2012 Tacoma 4x4.

We are buying it for our son. He doesn't do off road....though he has taken his 1999 4runner all over the beach in the Outer Banks..(He swears he quit yesterday and won't do it with the new truck ....)

What are the package options? What are the "must have" things? I just learned from reading here that the "chrome" wheels are plastic. Not something the dealership tells you....

thanks

 

All Weather Flooring


/thread.

 

"He swears he quit yesterday and won't do it with the new truck ...."

Yes, yes he will.

Best thing I can suggest is go to the Toyota website and start poking around building different trucks. They haven't changed that much from 2011-13 and it will give you a good idea of what options are available on which models.

 

The SR5 package gave me everything i need in a truck, 4X4, V6, tow package. I added a tonneau cover, bed mat and weather tech all season mats. I don't have plans for any serious off roading either so i didn't bother with the TRD upgrade but my truck as is can handle light off road and the bad road conditions I deal with in the winter months and will be just fine should your son want to run the beach again.

 

Do you have any budget concerns?

The SR5 package is nice, and it is included in TRD packages - you may see older models that include both SR5 and TRD badges but thy stopped badging the SR5 package on TRD's in 2010 or 2011 I think.

 

thanks for your input. Did not know about the all weather floor....

He is moving from the East Coast to Dallas, TX in June....He'll be a long way from any beaches to surf, so we hope the truck won't be buried in sand the way the 4runner has ....

 

Oh....the budget is $28k..

.We are amazed to find out how expensive Tacoma trucks are. I drive a Ford F150 supercrew and could get him one in that price range (used).

He loves the Tacoma...the size...the way it drives. He has driven his 1999 4runner hard and at 130K miles...it's still like new (the engines anyhow)

 

It is tough to beat the third generation 4runner reliability. To me get him a 2wd Ted sport. Good onroad but prevents him doing hardcore off-road. Can be had for 28k New

 

New is definitely a better choice if your budget is 28k and you are realistically about 2-4k off a normal out the door price for brand new 2013 at a dealer. (depended on if you were to buy your son 4x4 or a PreRunner gauging by your budget you set) My parents bought me a 2013 Tacoma so I wouldn't have to worry about paying it off until I am done with med school in the future, and through my own research, new was the better deal. The good thing is that like Beavis said, I have maintenance covered for quite some time, and an extended warranty as well, and some free road side assistance stuff just in case.

Brand new also means that only HE has been the one to drive it (first owner I should say) and you have way less worries about the truck having an issue opposed to a used 2011/12 someone dumped off/traded for reasons unknown.

I ended up with a 4x4 Double-cab TRD off-road and really like it a lot. I don't get around to much offroading right now, but plan on it later, which is the main reason my parents went all out for me, so that when I take over the payments and then pay them back later, I have the truck I want and can drive until the wheels fall off.

You can definitely get a brand new PreRunner 13 right around that 28k, but a 4x4 will cost a little more. (1.5-2k or so, by what I have seen in the "what did you pay for your 2013" thread or whatever the title is)

 

You should definitely get a new one it is not worth buying a used one for about the same price

 

He won't need the TRD...you could get him a new SR5 access cab or possibly double cab for $28k.

Save money and get the cheapest rims and tires you can on the truck new...then let him go aftermarket. Stock tires are garbage. He will like the truck more because its "his".

Even if you go used...here are my other recommendations:

I would get the 4x4 for the simple fact that you live in VA and it may be good for snow...

Don't get carpet mats or all weather flooring. Save the $300 the dealer charges for carpet mats and spend half that on Weathertech Digital Fit Mats. Easy to clean, and protect the carpet like no other...

Tow package is a great deal from the factory...absolutely 100% get it...much more than just an aftermarket tow hitch will give you...

 

This...with incentives and lower interest rates, it will be about the same payment...

 

Yeah I'd agree on ditching any mats the dealer tries to sell you. Unless you just don't want to buy some weathertecs or equivalent, you should have them remove the mats and save $300 that can be put to WAY better/cheaper aftermarket mats like the weathertecs. BUT the all-weather flooring, NOT all weather mats, is actually pretty cool. It is a vinyl flooring akin to what FJ Cruisers have.

 

I would suggest an sr5 double cab 4x4.

And by the way, yes, in Dallas he will be far from any beaches. Closest is Galveston, about 5 hours south. I live in Dallas and since moving here, never offload (in the area at least). But I am originally from Houston, so I go down to Galveston every once and a while with friends from Houston

 

Definitely for that budget buy new.

One thing I really was t looking for when I bought the truck but I love now is the back up camera and home link. It's neat not to have a separate garage door opener and also parking is so easy with the camera.

 

We hadn't really considered a new one...I guess we thought it was a better deal to get slightly used.

He is in Winston Salem NC @ school right now and drove to see a 2011 with 17000mi on it for $26500. For some reason, it was sold but still on the website. They tried to talk him into a 2013 for about $2600 more. I was thinking it would be just stripped down with no options...but maybe we ought to look into new.

He is dead set on that magnetic gray color. I have to admit it's a great color. I just don't know what options would be included in a 2013 for under $30K.

Anyone out there near Dallas, TX? He will be moving there June2nd and we keep wondering whether it would make sense to just buy the truck there and have it registered/tagged there...rather that doing it twice....thanks

 

Can I ask one more thing....I think the truck looks better with the running boards...but are they just for show or are they useful. The height of the truck doesn't seem to need them...but they do look nice. How much extra do they cost on a new truck? Are they part of a package?

 

You can get a PreRunner with Sr5 in a double or access cab for about 23k otd last time I checked in MD. Just food for thought