Well, I just traded in my 2016 Tacoma. Here's why...

I've worked for 25 years as a Finance Manager at car dealerships. I have always drove Ford trucks during this time as I mostly worked for Ford stores. LOVED them and never any issues. About 5 years ago I got my appraiser license and since then have worked for my self. I continued to drive Ford F150s during this time. Well, this past winter I started seeing all the commercials on TV for the new 2016 Tacomas. I had a couple 1st gen Tacomas and even a couple Pre-Tacoma 4x4 trucks years ago and they were all amazing vehicles for my needs at those times. I had not bought a NEW truck since 1997. SO, my wife said you work hard, make enough money, if you want one, get one. So I did. I bought a Black Limited Double Cab 4x4. I(thought) I loved it for almost 2 months.

The Toyotas are different animals, I get that. Of course mine had the mysterious buzz in the wheel, AND it had a couple other quirks that just drove me nuts. The more I drove it the more I noticed them. I called Toyota Corp about the buzz. They had me take it to my local dealer. Dealer found nothing wrong, The tech even pulled around a TRD Sport they had new on their lot and it did the same thing...BUZZZ........BUZZZZ.......BUZZZZ....between 40 and 60 mph when engine running in lower rpm range. Corp finally called and said that was just a normal characteristic of that truck. I called BULLSHIT and they never called me back.

Additionally, whenever I would start to speed up, for instance, I live in a small rural town. When I start to get out of town and the speed limit goes from say 35 to 55, gradually just pushing the gas pedal gets ya nowhere fast in this thing. For some reason, unless you mash on the accelerator this truck is doggy, to say the least! At my 5,000 miles service last week I asked the service mgr about this and he said the transmission was designed to get in and STAY in the highest gear possible for best gas mileage as QUICKLY as it could. He suggested always driving with the ECT button engaged, which helped slightly, but still not the optimum fix. FYI there is no way to have the ECT button engaged at start up, So whenever you'd forget to engage it, you'd notice it dogging and quickly be reminded. The other problem area for this trait is coming down the on ramp on the interstate. This drove me nuts!!

Finally, I am about 6-1 and 250 and this truck is just NOT big enough! When the wife and I go out, I wanna take the truck. She tells me it's a guy thing. Maybe it is but that's what I want. Often we go out with another couple. For my wife and the other guy's wife to be comfortable in the backseat, we had to be uncomfortable in the front seat. There was no getting around it.

I think Toyota has 90% of an amazing truck in the new Tacoma....90%! They need to fix some stuff! They really need to address that buzz and get it fixed. They really need to address the mapping of the power delivery system so the power comes on without having to mash the pedal to the floor and Gas Mileage....??? The gas mileage was to be 18-23 and average 20??? My display NEVER showed I was getting mileage over 19....EVER! I had 6751 miles when I traded it in today. Most of the time it showed I was getting 16-17 mpg. The dealer also told me that was about what he was hearing from everybody else, too. Toyota needs to make that damn backseat a little bigger. Make the truck 6 inches longer and incorporate the additional 6 inches into the back seat area. The very DAY I brought that truck home my wife opened the back door and said 'wow, not much room back here!'
The one thing Toyota does right on these trucks is somehow...they hold their value so damn well. My Tacoma's MSRP was $40,884....invoice was $38,300. I paid $39,000. I traded it in today for a new 2016 F150 SuperCrew XLT 4x4 with the 2.7L Ecoboost. The MSRP on the Ford was $47,635...the dealer had it marked down and Ford had $5050 worth of rebates on it. From the marked-down price they gave me $37,000 for my trade. Thus I traded for just over a grand! And in my opinion, I got a HELL of a lot more truck than I traded in. I couldn't pass this deal up. They said they had several wholesalers bid my truck for #36,500 and one really wanted it and stepped up to$37,000. That is amazing that it was still worth that much! Anyway, I love this Ford and it is rated at the same mpg the Tacoma is, and it will WALK OFF AND HIDE from any other truck on the road, except the Ford ecoboost 3.5L. My son has that in his truck and runs like a scalded dog!

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy your Tacomas. It's a great truck in many respects. Like I said...about 90% terrific. I just couldn't get past some of the issues and it was just too little.

Drive safe and have a great summer!!

 

It would be interesting to see how you like the F150 in 7000 miles. You can't really compare the size of those two trucks though as one is a midsize and one full size.

 

SteelerJim

You wanted a Ford so enjoy it. best of luck.

 

The Tacoma is big enough, maybe too big depending on who you ask...saying it should be bigger is nonsense. That's why Toyota makes the Tundra. People survived in compact trucks for decades up until 10 or so years ago when they stopped making them in our market. It just sounds like you should have gone with a bigger, more powerful truck to suit your needs to begin with. Say, the Tundra?

I guess it just grinds my gears a little to hear people complain about how the Tacoma "isn't big enough"...I mean really? You yourself said you had some original Toyota pickups and first gen Tacomas back in the day, those things were half the size of the Tacomas now. What did you expect?

Not to bust your balls but it just sounds like you really wanted a full size truck to begin with, which the Tacoma is not, and Toyota has never pretended that it was one. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your new truck and hope it makes you happy.

 

I don't have a 3rd gen, for these two I still show more love towards my Tacoma but both serve its purpose well. Yota the name of quality and trust

 

^^^that is a beastly lift on your 1st gen.

 

As for the OP, dude... did you even test drive the truck before you bought it?

 

OP, I don't question 90% of what you said, however:

1) You're a Ford guy. That's OK. Why did you stray in the first place?

2) Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc. have those markdowns because it's what they must do to sell vehicles.

3) Let's talk in a 150K miles or so. Anecdotally, my boss just traded his F150 (for a Toyota) when it wouldn't pass inspection because of frame rust (Ford told him he was SOL) and a few years after having to replace the tranny just outside warranty.

 

You made your wife sit in the back so some other guy could sit up front?!?

 

I also have always been a ford person and currently still have a 2005 f250 super duty but have always liked the tacoma so I just bought a 2016 trd sport dbl.cab I knew going in that I could not expect the same truck being that the tacoma is a midsized truck I only have about 2000 miles on my tacoma but I love it so far and my average fuel economy is 20 mpg which compared to my f250 that only gets around 8 mpg is great I just don't think you can compare a midsized truck with a full sized truck my boss has a new f250 with the 3.5 liter ecotech turbo and it's a really great truck but I knew going into buying a tacoma it's not the same I'm looking forward to having my tacoma for the next several years

 

Being at a car dealership for 25 years, figures you would stay again from 1st year released models. Second, seems like you should have always gotten a full size truck and if you wanted Toyota...should have gotten a Tundra double cab.

I should have taken my own advice but I wanted to switch cars soon to avoid the maintenance cost that was coming with a sports car so I got a BRZ and I lost quite a bit with that deal. Losing only a grand on a Taco trade is not the first I've heard of it. Seems you made out with a truck that you prefer. Ecoboost are great motors, but the mustangs had some issues with heat dissipation... it's something you should look out for.

These days all manufacturers don't make vehicles like Toyota of the 80s and 90s including Toyota. I think the 3rd Gen Tacos are a marvelous step up in creature comforts, but the direct injection engines are going to take years for Toyota to get right. The BRZ had design flaws. BMW (MINI)...Audi had for years issues with direct injection. I would stay away for at least 3 to 4 years to see any improvements with 3rd gen Tacos.

Big Kudos for Ford to making small motors to have mega amounts of torque with Turbos...I just hope they are reliable. I would have loved an ecoboost motor in a regular cab Taco. Great mileage with plenty of torque and peppy acceleration. Hope you and your wife enjoy your new truck. Your resale value will not be the same as the Tacos. I'm always blown away at Tacos resale value. The only car I've seen have a higher resale is the BMW 1M, it actually went up in money because it was a limited edition run (cost more years later used than new). There are hundred of thousands Tacos but still have the highest resale. I doubt the Ford trucks will have that kind of resale.

 

good luck with the new truck, sorry the Tacoma did not work out for you but at least you gave it a chance I'm sure someone else will enjoy it.

 

I have heard from many a Ford F-150 owner that the Eco boost, while powerful, doesn't get nearly the Mpg's they claim. Like in the mid teens or worse. However sounds like the new Tacomas are far from expectations on quality issues, bummer. My cousin has 15 tundra and the back seat is absolutely huge! The mileage sucks but has loads of power with the 5.7 ltr. We dragged raced an eco boost ford and were neck and neck for the first 1/4 mile then the ford slightly out gunned the tundra. The ford had street set up and the tundra had off-road set up. Ultimately comes down to what you can live with and the resale value. Hope you enjoy your ford. I'll stay with my little Tacoma.

 

Bye Felicia!!!!

 

You trader!!!! (See what I did there)

 

Disappointed when the bigger Tacoma's came out, but bought one when needed. 260k miles later, still love it, but still would rather have the smaller one. Sounds like you made the right choice. Good luck.

 

Well said, thanks for your post! I am currently going through a very similar experience.... I have a "Buy-Back" case/complaint open and waiting to see what Toyota Corp decides.