On this list of "cars to avoid" for 2016

Interesting thought..."Top Gear" drove a Toyota to the North Pole, but had a hard time getting a "Velociraptor" Ford, and a Silverado Chevy up a mountain in Canada...
For what it's worth.

 

Yup me too. I like that it actually RIDES like a TRUCK. Hopefully it stays that way.

Look what Honda did with the ridgeline. One reviewer never would have guessed he was in a truck if he hadn't looked in the rear view mirror and saw a bed. Not necessarily a bad thing just not for me.

Maybe that is what the market wants and us truck guys are hosed come a decade from now when everything rides like a damn car.

 

I find mine a pleasure to drive. Not a chore to drive.

 

Popularity seldom correlates to quality. The chick with that annoying song about cherry chapstick was the top-grossing musician last year, and our presidential nomination process has produced an orange reality TV star with the sentence structure of a 4th grader for one party and a Wall St. puppet married to an avowed sex addict for the other party.

Many of us like the Taco for what it is, but it's not objectively 'good' by modern automotive standards.

 

Those facts are true about the Gen3 regardless of the non-reputable source

 

Exactly my friend

 

Tell these twats to go back to their soccer mom clunkermobile. Like seriously, my FJ Cruiser was on so many of these idiotic "avoid" lists but I spent less than $500 total on maintenance over 4.5 years of ownership. Then I traded the "must avoid" FJ in, losing only $400/year in depreciation. No soccer mom Shitty Unusable Vehicle can do this!

 

I've never put much stock in Consumer Reports as an unbiased source.

 

"Chore to drive"? hahahahaha. LOVE how my 2016 drives

 

So who do you consider an unbiased source (if any)?

 

Not really any of them, they all seem to have a particular slant one way or another to try and influence my decision making process.

If I'm interested in a car or other vehicle to purchase, I don't READ about how a car or truck drives to influence my opinions, I DRIVE them myself to see how they feel then I make my choice.

It's worked for me so far, 35 years behind the wheel.

 

Exactly. Like when I drag my feet to stop like Fred Flintstone.

 

There is a lot of irrational tribalism/fanboyism on this forum (or any product specific forum).

Criticizing "shebudgets.com" is one thing but some TW members bashing current owners because of they are pointing out issues with their truck is just a sad commentary on human nature. One could easily say that these type of "fanboys" work for Toyota and are trying to crush any negative messages about their product.

Information (i.e. good or bad experiences from owners) is inherently valuable. When I purchased my truck I looked at a number of different makes and models and did a good portion of my research on forums like this. The good things I was hearing about the 2nd gen swayed my choice to the Tacoma (vs. the Frontier which was having the transmission cross contamination issue at that time).

People really need to get a life and realize not everything out there and that you read and encounter is going to be comfortable or in agreement with what you "believe". Maybe it's a millennial thing?

 

Fair enough but I still find these publications useful. I've used some of the vehicle quirks and problems pointed out in reviews on test drives and paid particular attention to these when test driving.

I've been burned before with reviews as well. I purchased my old Galaxy S6 based upon all the reviewers saying how great the camera was and how quickly if focused - only to find out the camera had terrible focus. Have to take them with a grain of salt.

 

Millennials are probably exposed to more information than any prior generation, so they are probably more likely to be able to consider conflicting views than those of us that grew up in insular environments with near-homogeneous worldviews.

Case in point; you'll have a much easier time convincing a millennial to taste pig's feet than you would convincing an Appalachian to taste tofu.

 

This is called "ground clearance". It's one of the reasons for driving a truck.

 

These are not shortcomings they are desirable features.

 

Nothing wrong with research, but just take whatever you find with a grain of salt. Like I said, they all seem to have a particular slant one way or another so your own personal experience should be your best guide to what you want or think.

No one can really tell you what feels good to you, they can only relate what feels good to them to you. Your tastes might be completely different so what's good for them may be nothing you like. Only you can really know what you like so use that as your compass.

As you said, you could find the "best" thing in the world based on reviews but if YOU don't like how it operates, it won't be the best thing for you.

Then it sucks and you post about it.

 

I guess since "shebudgets" she can't afford running boards to get in

 

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