New to Trucks

Hello Everyone,

I've been debating buying a trucks for a while now. After long research on truck, I finally decided on a Tacoma TRD Sport, 4x4, DC, LgBD. I hope I made a good decision but in reading many of the good reviews on TacomaWorld; I'm confident that I did.

My previous four cars believe it or not were from the BMW line of cars, sporty, fast, and great track handling. My most recent car that I sold to get the Tacoma was a Mini Cooper Type S Turbo; it was a little rocket and handled like a "Kart" (lots & lots of fun) but I couldn't use it to carry my Kayak to the beach (Kayak was 4' longer than the mini) or pack my landscape photography equipment and drive to Death Valley for couple days in the desert.

So I came to the conclusion that it's time for a change, thus the Toyota Tacoma was in my driveway a week ago. I'm still in a panic mode trying to convince myself that I made the right decision; my wife and family thinks so (I know they wouldn't lie to me).

I guess it'll take time for me to adjust to this change. I'm used to driving fast, and spend less time at the Gas pump. Going from a 36+mpg car to at best 12mpg is huge but most of you will agree that the latter is a condition of buying a truck. Some may question why 12mpg on a brand spanking new Tacoma; I don't know, maybe you could enlighten me. Since I acquired it last Wednesday, it had 19miles. Today my odometer reads 171 with little over 1/4 tank left. The dealer filled up the tank when I drove off the lot. So technically I drove 152 miles on a full tank and so far and only little (two small notches) over a quarter tank. My driving in the Tacoma has been very slow, coasting most of the time, and less than 2k RPM (mostly at 1500RPM), 50/50 highway/city and on top of that I installed a K&N drop-in filter to allow better breathing. I read that some of you are getting close to 21mpg so I'm not sure how this is possible or why the big variations in numbers; I'll be lucky to reach 200 miles on a full tank and based on a 21.1 galons; I'm closer to 10 (something wrong here...)

Anyhow, I'm pretty satisfied so far with the awesome quality of this truck and glad to know that it can take me places I couldn't be before without any hesitation or fear poor dependability. I'm just disappointed with the bogus EPA estimates of 16-21mpg but will get over it soon. Who knows maybe I'll get fed up with it soon and post it in the classified section in a year or less Keep an eye!

Thank you,
Lacroix

 

Welcome to TW from Ferntucky, NV
1. Dealers don't actually fill the tank (just until it says it's full, I get 50 to 70 miles on a full tank before it reads below full)
2. You will have 4 to 4.5 gallons in the tank when the fuel light comes on.
3. Milage will improve as it breaks in & you learn how to drive it. Winter gas sucks.

With my lifted 4x4 4Banger I've gotten over 480 miles on a tank with summer gas & over 430 miles on a tank with winter gas.

 

Welcome !