New in Massachusetts

Hi All-

New guy in Massachusetts here (~20mi west of Boston) just put a deposit down on a new Tacoma so I though I would join up. We are currently waiting on delivery of a special order 2014 DCSB TRD Sport OffRoad (4x4 V6) w/tow package in Spruce Mica Blue Ribbon Mettalic .

This is going to be the first pickup Ive owned so Im pretty excited. Before the Taco Ive been driving an Acura hatchback and we only had my wife's Honda Pilot to haul stuff.... which was a pain as we have twin toddlers and you had to take the car seats out and leave one of us home with the kids to carry anything. We also had the issue that only I can drive the manual in the Acura.

We had been wanting a truck for projects since we bought the house and due to telecommuting Im only putting on 7500 mi a year or so on each car, so the need for a gas miser sedan isn't so pressing, hence out out with the Acura and in with a shiny new Tacoma! We had been debating acess vs. double cab and of road vs. sport but realizing that its just not gong to be practical to drive with car seats in the access and our driving is 90% pavement and some dirt roads it seemed like the double cab sport fit the bill better. As much as Id like a longer bed we opted for the SB so it will fit in the garage. I figure its easy enough to get a bed extender for lumber yard runs.

Usage we plan for the Taco:

• Me commuting a couple days a week year round
• Hobby hauler - I fly large R/C planes and helicopters and need a vehicle to haul them in and get into our airfield which is down a 1/4 mile dirt road that floods out a lot
• general household hauling (lumber yard for renovation projects, dump runs, mulch runs, firewood runs, etc)
• Possibly camping trip car with the kids if I can get my wife into it

Plans for the truck...
Immediately: better tires (sell stockies and get a mild AT with good winter performance), bed extender, tonneau, tailgate lock. Figuring Ill do some of the simple mods like the yellow wire as that seems to have no downside

Possible in the future: dual battery (we use them in RC hobby to drive powerful battery chargers and other gear on the field), maybe better speakers for the sound system if i cant stand the stock radio.


My only reservation is I wonder if I will if once I own it I will want to try out more offroading and regret not ordering the TRD OR. It seems every other taco I see is an offload but 90% them only drive on the road. I doubt that I'm ever going to take it anywhere more rugged than forest service roads in the White mountains so I figured I didn't need the locker and the sport setup would be more livable as a DD. I guess Ill find out as time goes on..... ?

Now Im on the countdown to no more stick shift as we wait to get our delivery date confirmed... That I will miss!

 

the more I think about it the more I feel Id regret going for the sport... Id prefer GO (offroad) over show (sport)... even if I never use 100% of the capability.

So I called up my dealer and turns out they have a blue Offroad coming in their next allocation that I could swap with the one they ordered for me (which would not get here until July).... And I went for it.

I should be in my new truck before the 4th!!!! Psyched!

 

Welcome ! Excellent choice going with the off-road. You won't regret it!

 

After two months, we got the call from the dealer while on vacation in the white mountains! I drove to our dealer 2 hours after getting back, and shes finally home!

The kids approve

 

Nice truck! I'll bet the first time you're stuck in traffic on the turnpike or i-93 you won't miss the manual trans.

 

Congratulations on the new ride! I like that new Blue Ribbon Metallic color; it's pwetty.

 

Time to start putting her to work. Ive got access to basically unlimited free firewood at the town recycling center, just cant cut on site.

First load was small to get a feel for how it rides with a load. Feels like I can handle a lot more, maybe a 1/4 cord at a time. Only 5 miles from the house