buying a new 09 tacoma trd ... should I ...

should I get the vsc a-track option or not? I have a 08 highlander and after on trip in the snow I want to trade it for a Tacoma, but is my problem oll of the electronic crap? vsc, snow button, etc?

thanks in advance for your help ...

snowed in in PA

 

hey there i have a 09 2.7 access 4x4, it is my understanding that all the electronics, "crap," are standard for 09, its the safty star program or whatever but if you don't want this "crap," you will have to get 05-08, but before you make that decision, maybe you should read this thread
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/27223-2009-vsc-trac-auto-lsd-snow-test.html

i know that your 08 highlander has trac and vsc, but the snow ect (Electronically Controlled Transmission) button is just an alternate shift program for your tranny, basically starts you out in second, (5 speed) and upshifts early to prevent slippage, also makes your pedel Less sensitive, so you dont gas it as hard, also to prevent slippage. i can be wrong, if i am let me know...
personally the vsc works awesome saved me big time against a buick, also its kida cool, my ass was slipping and went sideways a little, it started beeping, i felt the pump kick in for the brakes, and i was straight again, i did it a bunch of times on the same hill for fun and it was cool how it was able to straighten me out, and like i said it did help me against a buick, i'd be damned the day i hit a buick, not on purpose! that or minivan, anyhow hope this helps...
--mick

 

Hi nice to meet you! I didn't understand your question. Is it that you don't want any electronic crap or you want to trade your highlander in because it doesn't have any electronic crap and the Tacoma could come with Electronic Crap if you Order it with Said Crap? I like electronic lol

Does your highlander have an Electronic Crappy Enjoyment Source? Other wise known as Stereo?

I think if it has any kind of crap, i wouldn't buy it...

 

according to the toyota website depending on the trd package you get it can come w/o the electronic 'crap" anyway I am visiting the dealer tomorrow and we'll see how it goes.

as for my '08 highlander, the service mgr at the dealer admitted that the highlander sport model tires are worthless, only two manufactors make the tire for this rim size and they both are done at 30 k miles, i remember noting that when this car was new I thought the tread was shallow,

it completely sucked in the first snow storm we had, i turned off the vsc and it still acted like it was on skis.

anyway I should hve bought a truck in the first place - i just don't want to make the same mistake again with what I like to call '4wd for idiots controls' lol

 

LOL nice reply.

As for the crap, the highlander has the most craptastic JBL stereo in the world, and I mean that in the good crap way. It totally rocks!!!

But, my last experience with a 4wd was in the day when you locked it in and it went. My other car is a ford escape and for our snowy conditions here in pa it rocks.

The highlander on the on the hand (or at least the sport model with the literally crap tires) sucks whether the vsc is on or off. Forget the buick, I just about went over a crappily steep hill.

I just don't want to make another mistake and I am trying to be a more educated buyer

But one good comment about the highlander, on dry roads it will hug like a sports car on curves and it will set you back in your seat when accelerating... (relatively speaking - it is a big heavy xuv you know)

 

I have a 2008 TRD OffRoad and it DOES NOT come with any, "Electronic Crap!" Except Anti lock brakes.

Of course the 2009's came with Electronic Stability Control 2x or 4x depending on your configuration.

Right now, I have to practice sliding, braking, Wet Braking and Steering, and high speed braking so I know how to handle an emergency situation...

I think it's better to have the Electronic crap, but if you depend on it and you have exceed the laws of physics...The Electronic crap will not help...

Like Scotty on the Enterprise said, " I'm given her all shee's Goot, but I can Not Break the Law's of Physics!!"

Good luck on your choice.

 

Regardless of what TRD package you get you're still going to have some "electronic crap." Still going to have TC and VSC along with the auto LSD on the Sport model. Just get some different stuff on the OR model like the a-trac and they don't have the auto LSD. I'd base my decision on whether or not you're going to want the locker or not.

 

yea sounds kind of like tires may be more of the culprit than anything, if the xuv was a mistake, get a truck, try to test drive a new tacoma in the snow, see if it performs the way you like, thats the only way you will know its better than the highlander. also i know your getting the trd, but the tire choices for tacoma stock arent that great, dunflops on sr5, bfg rugged trails on O.R., and i wanna say michelins on sport, but im not sure, i do not like my dunflops at all, but they bite snow pretty well, pretty much because they are really narrow. if your highlanders tires are wide, and shallow, that may be more of a problem than the electronic crap, kinda like if they are hydroplaning... good luck!!!