Taco vs. Tundra

I'm divided. I was always leaning towards the Tundra (dream truck), but the Tacoma is appealing too. Here's what I see to be the pros and cons of each:

Tacoma Pros:
-Better Gas mileage
-More compact (better parking / city driving)
-Will tow what I want to tow for now

Tacoma Cons:
-Loss of bed space with 4 door (long bed 4 door is too long for my liking)
-Lack of luxury options (leather, remote start, in dash navi)
-Bed size not as great as full-size pickup (ability to carry as much as I would like???)
-Cost (Can you even negotiate a Tacoma price???)

Tundra Pros:
-Spacious interior
-Double cab = plenty of room without loss of bed space
-Great power
-Smoother/refined ride?
-Luxury upgrades
-No need to upgrade down the road (bigger toys, babies?, dogs?)

Tundra Cons:
-Luxuries (Can get expensive quick)
-Gas mileage (slightly lower... but not much)
-Maintenance (more oil=higher cost)
-Poor maneuvering (although better than other full-size trucks)
-Higher taxes / insurance costs???


This is turning into a difficult decision. The Tundra is a dream truck, but it's more costly. Then again, in 5 or so years I'll be looking to upgrade if I go with the Tacoma. Why did you chose one over the other??? If I can limit the check boxes, I can get a Tundra for roughly the same cost as a Tacoma.
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Fellow taxachusetts resident!

I don't think that you can go wrong with the Tacoma. If you want to get rid of it in 5 years because your toys have gotten bigger and need more truck it will still have excellent resale value. In the meantime you can enjoy not fueling way more engine than you need.

 

Get the Taco and when you want the Tundra sell the Taco. Tacos hold their value very well. It would be like leasing the Taco for a grand or two for a few years because you would get almost all of your money back,(excluding taxes and Insurance of course -) from the sale

dealers still want to sell these things and get them off the lot so you can talk them down some on the price

 

Tacoma 4x4 double cab baby all the way!!!!! I love mine!!

 

Good point, any dealer that won't ... well ... deal on a tacoma is smoking glue. You've got a lot of options in your area, too.

 

I say the tacoma. You will probably end up falling in love with it and paying it off. Then later down the road if you decide to get a Tundra you could keep the Tacoma as well since you wont want to part with it.

 

I was at the dealer getting my front end aligned and spoke to a owner of a 2008 Tundra 5.7L Quad Cab (don't know what The Tundra calls it) I asked him what he thinks, he said it isa great truck and he loves it, other then have both the front & rear diff replaced and xfer case, he loves it..

He was there to get another drive line part replaced...

While I waited for my truck I sat in the Tundra on the floor...impressive truck but it is a GIANT of a truck, I have friends that own 05 and below Tundra with the V8 and they love them but they will not buy the new ones because it's just to stinking big of a truck...

Love the features but I just like the "mid size" truck, even a F250 super duty is smaller (IMHO) then the tundra, and you can even get a 6 cylinder option for that big beast????

 

See, I'm against getting the double cab. I like the feel of an access cab more. It's hard to explain, but it is what it is! For some reason double cabs don't scream "Pickup" to me.

Plus, I'm not a huge fan of the way the double cabs look. Don't get me wrong, your DC looks amazing (as do most of the others on here...), but I would be keeping it in its stock form, which depending on which color aren't too good looking. Form wins over function in my book, I guess.


The girlfriend insists on getting the DC though. She thinks it'll be better if we want to carry along friends (true...but that's what her accord is for, no? ). It would be nice to drive friends up to the mountains in Maine for ski trips, but I think you'd need to angle a snowboard to get it to fit in the 5 foot bed... (Taking up more room).


Decisions Decisions!

 

Tundy gas mileage is typically reported worse than the EPA estimates.

13/16 is the rating. The guys I know with 5.7L 4x4 Tundys report 10 around town and maybe 14 highway. You could obviously go with a smaller powerplant, but I never saw the point in basic trucks. These things are supposed to be asswhoopers, so once you've picked your weight class, start pricing the top end stuff.

Before committing to the cost of ownership you're looking at with a Tundra, be sure you need that kind of towing and payload. I shopped both, but just didn't need that much truck and didn't care one bit for the mileage.

 

I chose double cab Tacoma mainly because it was big enough for my family and it fit in my garage.
I really did like the Tundra's ride and comfort but just too big for around town driving.
I know someday i will have a full size truck but not until I have a bigger garage.
I think realistically your Tundra mileage will be lots lower than you think.

Good Luck

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=39227&stc=1&d=1256697709

 

I agree, the access cab is a nicer looking truck. But really, both are a little ugly (in a good way!), but the usability of the double cab is way better.

 

I voted the Tacoma DC. Snowboards fit in the bed no problem!

 

I see that every one of your sentences start with an I
I know exactly what your saying

 

Wait...you're saying the Double Cab Long bed is too long for your liking???

Tacoma DC Long bed overall length of 221"
Tundra Crewmax (short box) overall length 228"
Tundra double cab long bed is 246"
Tundra double cab (short box) overall length 228"

 

All up to the driver and his needs.. I went from an 04 Tacoma to an 08 tundra... it was a great truck.. capable and quality... But for my use I had to go back to a Tacoma. Much happier

 

Yep... I said it... I ran the numbers too, and the Tundra is definitely bigger... But I feel without a lift, the long bed double cab looks like a stretch limo. I'm not a fan at all.

 

It's too narrow widthwise and too low for how long it is. You get what I saw one reviewer call the "Weiner Dog Effect", which is the perfect term for it IMO.

The longer Tundra works fine because of the added width, and it's also a taller vehicle. It stays proportional. If they'd made the DCLB Tacos a few inches wider, it would've looked fine, but then you have a whole other can of worms involving vehicle weight, new frames, axles, body panels, beds, window glass, interior, etc...

 

From reading what you have wrote...you should get the Access cab. I went through the same thing...but I got the double cab in the end...If i had to do it over I would still get the DC. I replaced a Long Bed Tundra. If people complain that their tacoma is hard to park...you have no idea. I really didn't think the Tundra was all that bad. Get what you want not what people think you should get. I use the cabin more than the bed...another reason why I went with the DC over the AC.

Good luck

 

Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off Road 4x4...you'll love that full locker

 

Was not on the list but I agree 100%

Locker is well worth it...you can paint your truck to look like a sport...getting that E-Locker on there later is not as easy