Looking for some advice

Let me start by saying I am completely new to the Tacoma world. I will be buying a 3rd Gen Tacoma before the end of the month. This will be my first Tacoma and first truck.

Here is my dilemma..

I was originally set on getting a 2017 TRD Sport MGM Double Cab Long Bed with the premium tech package. I worked out a price with a local dealership which I thought was fair. Approx. $2,400 under MSRP out the door. To get a good price I was shopping between the different dealerships in my area. Apparently there are only two of these locally and one is allocated for me.

One of the other dealerships that was competing for my business called me yesterday to tell me about a another truck he could get for me. He said he could secure a 2017 TRD Off Road MGM Double Cab Long Bed with the premium and tech package, tonneau cover, and all weather mats for the same price as the other dealer mentioned above. This would be just over $3,000 off MSRP out the door.

The second offer seems like a really great deal and I would be foolish to pass it up. I was going to by all weather mats and a bed cover so this saves me hundreds of dollars. The bed cover I was going to buy was approx. $400 and the mats about $100.

My concerns are that I am not sure I like the wheels/rims on the Off Road. I also don't see myself going off road very often (occasional camping trips and other misc adventures a couple times a year). I also don't like the black fenders as much as painted fenders. Also, does the TRD sport get better gas mileage? Anecdotally from some of the posts I have read on here it appears it does.

I want a truck that is going to get decent gas mileage, last long enough for my son to drive it (13 years) with as little maintenance as possible, and get me to and from work (split highway and city). I would love to hear others thoughts on this.

 

Sounds like you want the Sport over the OR, go with what you feel better with and don't look back.

 

Had the same thoughts and do very little off-roading, other than the
locker and crawl feature, they're pretty much the same truck, that
and I like the look of the scooped hood.

 

If you're like most people, you will be owning the truck for a MUCH greater time than you end up waiting for it.

IMHO it's silly to buy something different from what you want just to have it sooner.

About the MPG - looking at the 2017 ebrochure (google it) there's no difference in estimated MPG specs between the Sport and Offroad for the Auto transmission. With M/T the Sport lists as 1mpg higher for highway.

 

+1 If you like the Sport, go for it. That way you won't regret later. You can ask the first dealer to throw in a tonneau cover and mats too. Goodluck!

 

Go sport. Just cause its a good deal doesn't mean you have to buy it if it doesn't have exactly what you want. Buy a cover and mats from your local Tacoma thread and get a little better price and then youll have exactly what you want

 

I hate it. Personal preference.

I don't offroad that often, but when I do it's typically solo camping in national forests in North GA/TN/NC. I've had a rear locker has come in real handy on wet georgia clay a couple times. So for me, the choice was easy.

 

I'd buy the first truck. You like it better.

Add Husky floormats and a real aftermarket tonneau, and you'll be better off than with OE bits in those areas.

Can't imagine why there would be any MPG differences between models.

How long they will last remains to be seen. All the whizz bang electronics seem risker for those of us in the 20 year ownership pool.

Tip. You have no clue what your son will be interested in, want, or deserve 13 years from now. Buying 'for' him is your wish, not his. He might want it. Or not.

 

If the wheels/tires are a deal breaker for you, I will trade you my 200ish-mile set of TRD Sport wheels +/- cash.

 

MPG is not an issue to worry about between the two. Your driving style will determine that. Have you driven both trims yet?
The suspension is different. The sport will do what you want to as far as camping trips, etc.
Test drive, then decide.

 

OR but then again I'm biased. Sorry no help

 

I must be an azzhole dad. My kids got the vehicle that was handed down to them. Youngest one got the rawer deal since he got the m/t car that the daughter had driven for a while.



(Of course they were free to go buy something else if they wanted to earn the money for it, but they seemed to think they had other things to spend their money on)

 

Well, I'm worse I guess. Mine got what they earned and paid for.

On the surface, that sounds cruel. But it was better than that.

They had 2 ways to pay, earning $ from me with success in school that led to scholarships, and of course working.

I would help them with the shopping, act of buying, insurance etc etc. As well as routine maintenance (different than abuse). I'd provide labor and parts.

The good news is they both survived, they both learned some economics and work/reward principles.

 

Easy get hime the bed lights which he will definetly need regularly....less than a hundo

 

That's right and if he doesn't match the deal you'll go get the other one and take it from there. I wouldn't let him know that you're partial to his Sport either if you know what I mean. Good luck !

 

Again keep in mind I am new to all this and have no experience with mods. If I went with the Off Road and bought 17s would that throw off my gas mileage and odometer? What can be done to keep the fenders from fading?

 

You talking about the black matte flares that come on the TRDOR ? If so there are tons of product out there for this application. There's that 303 stuff, McGuiars makes good products, there's Pinnacle detailing products etc. yesterday I just had a friend of mine that owns a high end detail shop give my truck a real nice work over and he used this stuff called Reload Silica Spray Sealant on my flares and they look great.

 

about the same here, I just didn't go into the details. Worked out well on each count.

 

I have the sport and have no real complaints. I want the OR though. Just because really.

And don't sweat the rims/tires thing too much. You can always replace after market.

 

The masculine "I gotta be prepared for the end of the world" side of me thinks I'd be tougher and women would throw their panties at me if I had the uber-capable OR, but honestly because 99.5% of my driving is on-road I know that I made the right choice with the better-riding, more fun to drive TRD Sport. The fact that all those mall-crawiling OR guys eye my scooped hood like a virgin at a biker rally is just icing on the cake.