What year was the best for the Tacoma?

1998 & 2011.
That's the years I've owned, so they're the best years of 1st & 2nd generation Tacoma's.

 

05-08

that wasnt a tacoma.. and solid axle stopped in 85.

 

From what I'm reading it doesn't appear that there isn't any best year. Anyone that owns a Tacoma is happy with what they have.

That's good enough for me, makes me feel even better that I finally got one.

 

I had a 96 and that thing was a tank!!
http://www.lieblweb.com/cpg/thumbnails.php?album=12

I had it for 5 years (99-2004) and it had 110,000 miles on it when I sold it. It took about 4 years of offroad abuse too.

I just saw it on Thursday......still on the road after 17 years!!
(can't miss it...Red with TJM front bumper, custom rear bumper, sliders, etc)

The paint (red) looks horribly faded...If they would've spent some time to wash, buff, and wax it once in a while, it would still look good.

This photo was probably around 2000 at Paragon

 

I can say that my 2013 feels tighter and higher quality than my 2011 did...not that the 2011 was loose or low quality, just think the 2013's new I terror styling prob got better components...

The ride the same and everything else is very similar...then again, the 2011 was Mexican, and the 2013 is American...I think you'd see more of a difference in manufacturer locations than anything else...

 

This is why there is no true consensus on build quality for whichever years! I have seen a few people post that the 2013 has lesser quality components than 2011's. Glad to see someone say the reverse.

I love my 2013, and the only thing I gripe about is the damn dash. That thing scuffs and leaves chalky white marks if you even slightly graze it with something (for me I figured it out when I first used my gps with a windshield suction mount). No big deal as a damp rag will take the scuffs clean away.

I don't think you can really go wrong with any year as far as build quality.

 

I had a 93 or 94 Toyota pickup SR5 4WD (prior to it being called tacoma) and that thing was a freaking tank. One of the biggest regrets I have is
selling that thing. It was just a solid machine.

Don't get me wrong, I love my tacoma. But as for build quality, the older Toyota trucks were as good as it gets.

 

2004!!!

 

2009 pyrite mica

 

I'm perfectly happy with my 96, so I'll say '96 is my favorite year of the Taco. I love it. I'm not nearly as fond of the second gens. We don't have nearly as bad rust problems, and because they are older, there's less that can go wrong with them in terms of new/buggy technology and things like that. I'm a simple kind of guy.

 

I've had 15 different Toyota trucks over the last 25 years. 2 FJ40's, 2early SFA minitrucks, A few early ifs trucks, A couple 4Runners, and 6 Tacomas. 3 first gens and 3 second gens. I can say without a doubt the older they are, the better built they are. But that said of all the Tacoma's I have had my current 05 is my favorite. Once I get some nice wheels and tires and a set of 5100's on it I'll be a happy camper. Yes it's not anywhere near as trail-friendly as my first gens were but to be honest I hardly ever go off road anymore. I love the cab space, power, gas mileage, lack of TPMS and traction control, and the ease of disabling the ABS. Not to mention it's quiet and comfortable. My perfect truck would be a 89-95 gen double cab with a 3.4 and a 5 speed. But they never made it. I was very tempted to build my own out of my current 89 but it would have taken a long time and I'm done with projects like that. So I'm happy with what i've got.

 

I think it all depends on what you're looking for, but for quality and reliability I think the 80's and 90's with the 4 banger were the best. That is where they built their reputation. As with most anything unfortunately quality goes downhill as they try to cut cost to maximize profits.

I just hope the new ones hold up close to as well as the older ones did.

True^^^

 

2003 ext cab v6 FTW!!!

 

Any year is great! I love my 86 22r 4x4- Truck is a tank and keeps going like Betty White. My dad has a 85 22re w/ the solid front and still runs like the day he bought it new with a half a million miles on it- original clutch and finally had to go to a solid drive shaft because the carrier bearing finally went. And I love my 05, bought it a few months ago and definitely a night and day difference over my 86

 

Did Toyota fix the 'weak tailgates' ?? Or are they still the same weak tailgates from the earlier models?

Just curious....haven't seen many folks post about it (not that I've seen every post). I took my tailgate off today while loading up a hot water heater, cuz I was afraid I'd bend it while loading it in the bed.

 

Fixed after '08

 

I was thinking along the same lines, in gen2 it would be my 08, I know it sounds self fulfilling though.
Reg cabs in that year had 1490lb payload, about the best a gen2 4wd gets, then 09 add all the trac this n that buttons. Now for 2013s, its about 1345 or something.

 

The 2004 was the last good year. After that Toyota switched to plastic beds, plastic interior, crap carpet and seat material, plastic grill..the new ones are nice but the quality has taken a dive.

 

^^^
This. If only I had known six yrs ago.