My love affair with my Tacoma

Well, I thought I would bore you people about my experience of getting my truck Friday.

Okay so I dealt entirely with the Internet manager, got what I believe to be a good deal. Spent lots of time (2 months) deliberating between 9 dealers.

So on to Friday the 27th. I had two appointments reschedule whilst both got mysteriously sick that day. I was supposed to get the Tacoma Saturday but Whoohoo! I was going Friday!

So, I get to the dealer which is an hour and a half away (Is it me or does it seem like everyone is going 20mph when you are getting your new truck?) and walk in to one of the nicest dealerships I've seen. I mean it, man they put money into this sucker! All computerized screens with interactive interfaces showing their cars. Also, you can take a cyberdrive in some cars...neat! By the way, what's up with that Scion boxmobile...it has one cool interior and I love the position of the shifter.

But I digress...

So I seek out the IM and another woman named Kelly is going to help me she says. It was weird, I called ahead yes but it was like they had the red carpet out for me. I already agreed to buy the dang truck. They were exceptionally nice. They deserve the 5 star rating they got on a dealers rating site I saw. I give Stokes Brown Toyota kudos.

But to be honest I never drove one since 2005. I halfway didn't know what I would feel. I loved it then, but how about now? I was confident since they hadn't changed much that I would love the 07.

But Kelly asked me if I wanted to see it (I had been waiting over a month since they had railroad problems with shipping the truck)...duh! Yes! I said, and she began to talk to me about something or other...

I walked outside and I couldn't hear another word she was saying. Holy crap. It was alone under a garage. It was and is the most beautiful truck I'd ever seen! I mean it man, I am not trying to sound stupid here but the frickin Radiant Red Tacoma access can Prerunner is gorgeous! Now I knew if something was wrong with it I would be crushed.

Okay so trying to act professional I asked to take a ride to make sure everything was okay. I asked for a truck with under 10 miles on the Odometer and no dealer stickers. I was pretty picky about everything during the negotiations. They messed up on the dealer stickers but quickly removed them.

I could have stared at her the whole time...I was hers...(the truck I mean). She owned me at that moment. My wife was there...I think.

I got in her and she wood me. I heard tons of crap about her ride and her noise and her seating position from bellyachers in various magazines. The traterous vile wretches who belitteled her in the face of more "luxurious" trappings like the Nissan Frontier and the (UUUUGH!) Honda Ridgeline. I paid attention to any rattles and any signs of surging (I got a manual so that was no biggie), shifting from first to second & integrity. I watched her glide effortlessly down the highway with no noise, great seating position and the best looking exterior on the damned road.

She told me not to worry, she told me to screw everyone who said she was disloyal. I was moved. She didn't flinch. I rode her hard even though I wanted to treat her gently. She was too beautiful to mess up, I felt she was too fragile. I learned later how wrong I was.

I was done with the test drive, I wanted to leave and drive home...me and her...alone. I loved her ride, her damned seat height! and her lack of noise in the cabin. She impressed me, I had fallen hopelessly in love.

We arrived back after the ride and I met with some clown named the finance manager. I was paying in cash so he let out a sigh when I came in. But that didn't stop him from trying to tack on 4 more years and some warranty nonsense. He tried to make her a "thing," something to be purchased and sold like a worthless whore. He didn't know her like I did...after all I had been waiting on her for two years. He just met her two days before when she came in...or he may not have met her at all. I said to him...she is a Toyota, I think we will go way beyond 7 years. I wanted to get out of his office asap. I felt I was ripping him off after meeting her.

I drove her home and we played. I realized she was dangerous indeed. She was brilliant red and she feels as if she is going much slower than she actually is. I used her cruise control to help me keep my control. She watched out for me the whole time. We passed many police cruisers...she kept her cool although I was antsy.

I couldn't wait to get out of work Friday. I needed to be with her...it was so new.

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I have been with her for 3 days now. We have gone only 200 miles together so far.

Someone on this forum stated something about the Tacoma diet...I understand him very much. I park so far out of the way I can barely see the store sometimes. I had to explain to her this was for her protection and not to avoid others seeing her & I together. I explained I was afraid of envious owners of inferior mobility. She understood...she is used to others staring. Every speck of dirt pisses me off, she said I need to let go of my jealousy. I got her windows tinted today and they left streaks on her and I wanted to kick the ever loving shit out of the guy who did it! I still cannot understand why people leave on the A/C and radio when they turn her ignition off. I would not do that to her.

I know I have to lighten up. I keep telling myself to relax. She will get dirty sometime. Getting dirty can be fun too. But my dogs are pissing me off too.

I got her new OEM Nerf bars, Sill protectors, tint, FM transmitter, Mobile phone holder, Hood protector and vent visors, Genesis tonneau cover and more.

We are going to have some good times.

I know someone always has something they don't like about something. It is human nature. I have only one improvement that I know of. I would have liked the back windows to prop open like my old Nissan Pickup (Yes, I am coming from the dark side. I loved that pickup, she was a 1997 and she was at 200,000 and did me well). But like the Navajo tribe who would always leave a slight imperfection in their intricate tapestries so as not to offend the Gods...so it is with my Tacoma. If she did not have at least one imperfection she may upset the gods.

I will be posting pics of her soon.

 

Can't wait til the wife gets home and reads this, she thinks I baby my truck(s). Free at last free at last.

 

yeah, no kidding....mine does too!!

 

eh, all in good fun. In truth my wife loves the truck. I think she may be more concerned than I am about messing it up. Hahaha!

 

Viper-2, I don't know what you do for a living, but you definately seem to have a flair for writing. Good stuff....

 

who needs a gf or wife....... I have my truck

 

Viper- i said the same thing you did when i was offered the extended warranty. i told the guy the reason i was willing to pay for a Toyota was because i wasn't expecting any problems in the first 7 years, and if i do, i won't be buying another one whether its covored under warranty or not.

Just out of curriosity, why do you cut off the AC and radio before turning off the ignition? i can understand the AC as it puts extra strain on the engine but still, is it really that bad?

 

I enjoyed reading the words that my mind has thought ever since my love affair began in Feb. It does me good to know that others share my affliction.

 

I completely agree with everything you said (now that I have had 15 minutes to read it ).

Most especially I agree that the back windows should prop open - ESPECIALLY since the doors don't open beyond 100 degrees.

 

Well, To be honest I am not 100% certain. I suppose the techies around here would need to answer that more accurately. But I am going with what appears to be common sense for me.

The largest drain on the battery is during startup. it just seems it cannoit be healthy for a battery to be put through starting + whatever else it has to power via startup. I realize a radio has little drain so I am uncertain as to how deeply this would affect it. But the AC seems like a bad idea.

I always turn everything off before I shut the engine down...I suppose I just trust my instincts.

 

I always turn off my lights and A/C before starting the vehicle. It is mostly out of habit from having much older cars with small engines. It is better to not load down the starter. I am sure the Tacoma can handle it fine, but like I said - habit.

 

Just curious, is the spark still there after all these years? Is that fierce red beauty still in your life?

Notice your last post was a while ago, so there is a good chance you wont reply, but your post made me wonder! Sorry for bumping such an old post up, but I couldn't help myself!

 

*LOL*

 

Nice.
When I bought my truck with only 2 miles on it, I told my wife that I would leave it stock. 3 weeks later I installed a 3" FOX lift and all new tires.