My new MGM DCSB TRD Sport 6MT

Nice Truck!! Way to go getting a manual.

 

And unfortunately they aren't offered with Double Cab Manual.

 

Thats good the rubber is different. If mechanical devices are designed clever enough, then you can identify a control by touch and location without having to glance at it, which means you don't have to take your eyes off the road. Sadly with the touchscreen generation, most people don't even realize what a benefit that is. Text and crash on! lol.

 

The previous generation of Tacoma didn't have a substantial difference in feel between the fan control switch or the 4wd selector, they just happened to be a little farther apart. Personally, if a driver isn't able to remove their eyes from the road for a split second to identift then turn a knob, then refocus on the road, they probably shouldn't be driving period. Ever drive a class A or B CDL vehicle? Can't tell the difference between those switches or knobs either. Betchya not one commercial vehicle ever crashed because the driver couldn't tell what switch he was operating ...

 

Yeah I'll take that bet 1000 times over. I can't believe you honestly think that to be true. Not that a commercial driver crashed because of a switch caused him to crash, but that something happened on the road while "he/she" was identifiying a switch, or tuning a radio, or adjusting squelch or volume, look up and the road camber changed and now your trailer is half over the line( yeah you see that about once every 20 minutes in other drivers). 999 times out of 1000 nothing happens. You know well that most of those switches have nothing to do during normal driving other than turn signals, lights, and shifter. Do crashes happened when people are focused on the road or when the driver is distracted for a split second. Just because you can do it (take your eyes off and return to the road) doesn't mean you should have to, or that it's a best practice.

Yeah I have a CDL, have time in Cascadias, Concordias, Centuries, Internationals and Volvos(currently driving PT for Fedex in volvo). Never wanted a Pete and I think the rows of like switches (esp in petes and kw's) is relevant to this discussion. Switch between different trucks day to day and the problem is intensified. With the freightliners and volvos I still get annoyed by the similar placement and same lever switch between the lighting interrupt, 5th wheel slide and air dump switch, the amount of time I gotta look at the switch and make sure Im not moving my 5th when Im unhooking.

"edit...oh and our newer volvos with the automatics now have the jake control right on top of the wiper/washer stalk on a similar shaped stalk, now it's annoying trying to get the jake on without looking around the steering wheel to see which stalk Im touching or putting on the wipers. "

Maybe risk management isn't a strong point with some people. My real job is a pilot and for christ sakes I'm nowhere near any traffic and usually over 1000 ft from anything I might hit, and aircraft designers make the important and frequently used switches with different shapes and locations so that you don't mistakely trip a switch out of muscle memory. And yet the same attitude of apathy seems to be pervading aviation as well as the new aircraft come out and cockpit ergonomics is going out the window in favor of technology and geewhiz electronics which are increasing pilot workload in spite of intentions. When I was flying in the army we had blind cockpit drills in which we had to identify every switch in the cockpit by feel so that you could operate everything during an emergency and some switches you couldn't see if there was no lighting (electrical failure or need to maintain light discipline) or you flat out can't get turned around to see it due to tight quarters. Tell that to people without that experience and they have no clue as to the value of that and having switches different by feel.

Why do you suppose your parking brake and trailer supply switches are different shapes? And you usually aren't moving when you need to use those....

 

Be that as it may, with all sorts of various vehicles I've operated... Cars, pickups, boats, buses, freight liner, petes, Volvo tractors, hino straight trucks, western star quad axle dump, I've never felt like I was remotely at risk of an accident due to my need to look at/operate a control.

I'm also tired of so many people complaining about stuff on the third gens. Don't like it? Don't buy it lol

 

I don't think throwing your truck into 4x4 on pavement when you're trying to adjust the A/C will cause an accident but it certainly can be annoying when you realize if they made the knobs sufficiently different there would be NO mistaking them, versus making them similar forcing you to take a half second delay in "identifying" before application.

 

I think it funny how far people go to complain about it...but there again, they don't like, they aren't buying it, and yet their opinion as to why they aren't buying it is still valid.

I also think people that are passionate enough about a vehicle to be on a forum purchase their vehicle out of nostalgia, image, or looks and justify the mechanicals to suite their taste more so than someone who does an objective comparison shopping. I don't know who would end up in a midsize truck if someone crunched the numbers without emotion unless their only (and I mean ONLY) criteria was physical size.

 

My criteria:

4 full doors
4 wheel drive
A bed (not an enclosed cargo space like an SUV)
Decent towing capacity (could tow a car on an open trailer if I wanted)
A nice amount of features and a comfortable interior
Resale value
Reliability
Something of a particular size my fiancé could be comfortable driving

A Tacoma was a no brainier. I traded my 2014 Tacoma in for this one.

I've owned various full sized trucks, several gasser silverados, an 05 duramax, an f150, even had a couple s10's, an Isuzu pick up. Never have I enjoyed a truck as much as the Tacoma. It's off road capable, it's a great size for a person who lives in a suburban/metropolitan area, looks good, is equipped well, and holds its value better than any other pick up truck out there. To be honest, I contemplated a tundra crew max but ultimately felt parking could be a chore, I didn't want to feed its hefty fuel appetite, didn't need the towing capacity it's capable of, and may have been on the large side for my fiancé. They hold their value well, but not like a Tacoma.

Of course, most of this particular post I am making is objective, however it is definitely a fact they hold their value better than any other truck on the road.

 

FIFY.

Agreed on last point, I didn't think of that one, they do hold their value but that only applies to tacomas, not all midsize.

 

Of course. Look at the comparisons. Let's go back to 2003 when the mid size truck market had copious amounts of options. The Nissan Frontier, ford ranger, Chevy s10, Toyota Tacoma, dodge Dakota (which was kinda bigger than the aforementioned trucks). All but one of those disappeared, and I believe it is a combination of full size truck fuel mileage increasing, and the Tacoma dominating.

You say you don't see how someone can crunch numbers without emotion and settle on a mid size truck, but I say I don't see how people can crunch numbers and settle on a full size if they don't need the power.

 

That is a huge criteria to deal with I think. I don't think I understand your point about what 2003 has to do with the discussion (im thinking 2003 had better criteria favoring compact trucks because of fuel mileage). But with fuel mileage being near equal, all other possible criteria point towards full size..other than a constraint of physical size, such as parking space, fiance driving abilities, metro areas like you said. More power is more better. More interior space, mo betta. I can't think of a full size that doesn't beat Taco on interior/ comfort features; like where is our heated seats, heated mirrors, power seats, et al. more towing is mo betta. Reliability I think is too abstract to prove and points towards nostalgia (my 15 has spent almost 3 months at the dealer and been in 4 different times, I could lemon law it by now if I wanted). Offroad ability might go either way depending on how you look at it or "write" the criteria, whether it's angles or subjective comparison or nominal ground clearance (taco transfer case/exhaust is offroad best???lol oh and how big of a tire can I fit without mod?)

I laugh as I write this because I'm here as a longtime toyota and 2 time taco owner too...And I think I love the new 2.5 gen.

 

My 14 had 25k mikes at trade in, never had an issue with it. My friend has an 07 Tacoma with zero major issues aside from weak leaf springs and he's at 106k miles. As far as everything else you said, it's all a subjective opinion. Bigger interior space could be better, but I have zero complaints about the space I have. More power is better but I don't have a use for it. I've driven newer dodges and don't like their seats at all... Too stiff to me. Fords are so so. I loved the interior of my 05 Silverado. But the size of the truck started to become a nuisance. So the Tacoma was a great choice for me. It's not a great juice for everyone, but that's not my problem. It was for me, I'm thrilled with my purchase, so I took pictures of it and made this post to share my excitement with anyone else excited about these trucks.

 

Great looking truck .Would look even better without the dealer plate holder.

 

I don't see how what I said is subjective at all...Interior space can be measured and compared. Power can be measured and compared. Mileage measure and compared. Towing measure and compared. Size measured and compared. List of interior features listed and counted out.
While your personal "comfort" is admittedly subjective and I mentioned that offroad capability is likely a subjective opinion, and mentioned reliability a subjective opinion, the rest of what I said is not subjective.

 

Yup power can be measured and compared. To me, more is unnecessary. Better? Maybe. To me, unnecessary though. Interior space cannot be increased without physical size of the truck increasing, which I do not want. It's towing capacity is enough for me. Of course everything in life can be bigger, more, or "better". Better being subjective. Obviously there's a market for smaller vehicles, otherwise the entire world would be driving full size trucks, suv's, and cars and things like the RAV4, Prius, Corolla, or Tacoma would have no place in the world.

Long story short, I bought what I want and am happy. I also admittedly do not care how you feel about the 4 wheel drive selector because it's a non issue to me. So I'm not sure exactly what you continue to argue. I've acknowledged your opinion. If you wish to continue pushing your opnion, go open your own thread.

 

I don't like you... You paid less than I did and still got the premium package...

 

Lol I gotta have some perk for working at a dealership. How is your truck equipped/configured and what did you pay?

 

TRD Sport 4x4 DCSB V6 Auto
-tonneau cover
-chrome tube steps
-mud flaps
-floor mats
-v6 tow package

MSRP: $36,814
OTD: $35,195

 

Are the 6MT inherently cheaper than the 6AT because I'm still trying to figure out how your MSRP was lower than mine with the tech package...