Well after 4 tacomas just traded my 2016 sport after 5 months

Can't believe you took the $6k hit intentionally. I can't afford to do that myself that's for sure!

I'm not a 3rd Gen fan by any means. But Chrysler does not have a good record of making long term reliability a matter of importance.

That said, a Jeep Cherokee with trim upgrades and a Hemi is a very sexy looking beast. I hope it serves you reliably long term.

 

Buy a new 2nd gen now if you can or forever hold your peace.

 

Meh.

 

I know the feeling OP went thru. Had my 2015 TRD OR 4x4 for four solid months when it was sold. Actually, I made up my mind on the 3rd month when I placed the order for my current truck. A lot people on this board loves the 2nd Gen and didn't have issues. I didn't get the warm fuzzy feeling, had nothing but issues with my 2nd Gen. Both trucks had 2miles on the odometer at delivery and no I didn't take either for a test drive before purchase.

Anyway..I love my T3rd Gen M/T OffRoad. YMMV. Planning on keeping this truck for a while...or until the new Raptor comes along or new T4R is released.

Previous truck

 

This is a misconception. Most people test drive, but the test drives don't last an hour where you can find hills and interstate speeds to test things like the cruise control and how it shifts on hills.We just assume they work. The tranny shifting numerous times is when highway speeds are 70 mph or greater using cruise control and driving in areas with hills or overpasses; not just driving around town.

 

Almost 11,000 miles. I have a thread recording 1500 mile trip. I will update tomorrow on what dealership/service manager/tech etc said about tranny and poor fuel mileage.

My tranny only crazy shifts on posted 75 mph when going up hills or overpasses. If it is windy outside ... same thing. I am getting 16 - 17 mpg no matter what driving style. Sometimes 18 mpg if on secondary highway at 60 mph.

Edit: Forgot to mention this is only on Cruise. Regular driving at 75 mph, taco will slow down going up a hill and not go into 4th then back up going down the hill.

Also at 70 mph hardly ANY crazy shifting

 

That's true...but i would certainly try to go through all the gears and atleast try to use cruise control.

I hope he wasn't having shifting issues just using cruise control because that is bound to happen, especially on a brand new truck that hasn't been broken in. Also the fact this forum is full of threads with transmission problems. Water in lights is just unfortunate.

There are many factors that go into it...did he try out ECT, did he try shift mode? Could be low on fluid who knows.

Find it odd he had like 4 tacomas...then gets rid of it because of issues that have been stated numerous times for a chrysler of all vehicles.

Doesn't want to purchase a toyota vehicle anymore, but i feel like the 4runner would be without a doubt a better purchase than a brand new jeep.

Now if we were talking 1st or 2nd gen grand cherokees that would be another story.

 

A bad experience with a dealer will turn anybody away. I'm a huge Chrysler (FCA) fan. They are turning out awesome products. The ram 1500 is a really nice truck. We have all types of rental trucks at work, and everyone always fights over who gets the new Rams when they come in. I currently have a 2500 CTD, 15' SRT Challenger, and a Wrangler based rock buggy, and over the past few years a 2010 Wrangler Unlimited and a 2011 Grand Cherokee with the awesome 3.6L Penstar that screams and turned 24mpg in an awd 4,200lb suv. All have been awesome vehicles.

The Tacoma and Rubicon are both lifestyle vehicles. Neither is really practical, but owners absolutely love them (for the most part). I paid 24.4k for my 2.7L SR access cab 4x4, it barely gets out of its own way, yet I love it. Before I bought the Toy, I looked at a 16' Ram 1500 club cab Big Horn for 26.6K. Ram can tow 10'000lbs and has 400hp, and gets 21mpg.

That being said I like my plan Jane tacoma so much I think in the next year or so might order a DC TRD Pro. I like how solid and confident these trucks are.

 

Well they just keep getting worse as they get younger #firstgenmasterrace


It's pretty amazing that real world MPG is 18.x for the v6. That's what the 3.4 in first gens get...so in 20 years they haven't figured out how to make it more fuel efficient while keeping the performance the same. I know Toyota doens't like to do quick changes, but shit..

 

That's why I wait a few years when a new generation comes out. Work out the kinks. But a Chrysler?!

 

I bet if we had a time machine and as many people use forums as they do today, we could go back to 2005 and look at all the 1st gen people crapping on the 2nd gen. Just saying.

 

Bullshit. Who is "we"? That may be what most people do, but I also consider most people marginally competent at driving, and their jobs, if not worse. When I searched for my 2015, I drove to a few dealers about 45 minutes away to be in the Sierra foothills where these things would really matter and be revealed for full loads in the bed and towing up steep mountainous grades and drove it on a variety of road types, highway to country. The way I would use the truck. I spent at least 1/2 hour on each drive and minimized salesman chit chat.

This was after I did the same for 1st gen double cabs which only come with an automatic. Coming from a very capable 1st gen 5-speed, which I sold only with tremendous reluctance but practical need, I was shocked at the loss of performance on grades, and immediately decided this was not an option and to go try 2nd gens. I didn't even want to wait or bother with a 3rd gen because it is a first year model change prone to teething problems.

People have historically been drawn to Toyotas for reliability and durability (despite the apparent downward trend over the last decade), and they usually are in it for a buy and keep long-haul purchase. For the 99%ers, it's only the second major purchase after a home. Why would you half-ass it?

Caveat emptor.

 

It sucks to hear about this stuff but kind of not surprised with this being the first year of the model. Like people are saying the issues get more attention than the ones without. Hopefully Toyota makes improvements, time will tell.

 

My apologies, I stand corrected, I should have said "some" people assume; as I have been on this forum since last Sept 2015 reading 3rd Gen threads, and I have not read many posts on someone doing such a thorough test drive as yourself. Last Sept there were very few 2016s and NO 2015s anywhere to test drive as people were buying them up immediately upon arrival at the dealerships in the Dallas, Texas area. There were literally people standing in line to test drive the 2016 Taco for 15 - 20 minutes only. Then someone would buy it, and then there would be NO test drives until another one could be found and brought to the dealer. At the time both of my vehicles were down, and I had done "Internet research" and needed a vehicle so I purchased what I could get.

I wish I would have had YOUR advice and not gotten the Taco without that thorough type of a testing like you did. "I" made the assumption from friends and Toyota's service record that I would be happy. I would have definitely gotten a manual tranny or a Raptor. In the future I will also now do that type of thorough testing!

 

Wow, I've not ANY of these issues with my truck

 

Also depends on how your commute is. If you are able to keep it in the 45-55 mph zone and keep it in sixth gear, you'll get better gas mileage over time. I think that's what they used to get their "highway" mpg. I can barely get 21 on the interstate and constantly get 18-19 in stop and go city traffic

 

Ditto

 

No problems with my trd, just the tranny always in the wrong gear but that's every car now a days always in gas saving mode, needs Superchips. That woke my wife's jeep right up

 

Yes. What he is saying is Toyota quality is not what it used to be.

 

You have some of the same problems as other 2016 owners you just don't realize it ha ha. Seriously some people are not as sensitive to some of the noise and vibration as other people are.