Which Tacoma to buy

I fully agree the 3ed gen is awesome. Some are bashing but read the threads from 2005 when the 2nd gen came out. Same thing... bla bla bla bitch bitch bitch. People ripped that truck apart but its s great machine. Just like the 3ed gen is. Some people have nothing better to do. Seriously get the tranny tsb done and enjoy.

Ive driven tacomas since 99ish and and am really picky to say the least. These 3ed gens are freakin sweet. It baffles me that i even try to complainThe interior is comfortable and options are amazing.

If u r considering a 2nd gen buy 2011 or older. 12s and newer build quality is not up to par. Corners were definitely cut.

Read the forums with a grain of salt, but dont take advice on 3ed gens from non 3ed gen owners.

Only complaint on my 16 is the pre tsb transmission mapping. Other than that i have had no issues.

 

Don't buy the used 16, some one might have unloaded due to issues

 

Oh I didn't notice this was a 3rd gen thread.

OP, I take back everything I recommended in response to your specific needs that I asked you about.

Instead, get a third gen so everyone in this forum doesn't get offended.

 

I like 2014 drivetrain and I like 2016 exterior and interior updates.
Good luck with your decision!

 

No matter which year you buy, if you are going to be getting in to wheeling, get one with a locking diff.

I would stay away from the 1st model year of a new vehicle no matter what it is.

 

There is someone with a gen 3 and 45K miles.

 

Yep, definitely go over it with a fine tooth comb. Could be hidden problems. Could be a lemon-law car (though here that's supposed to be prominently mentioned). Could be it was wrecked/repaired and traded before the wreck hits Carfax.

Or it could be a creampuff. It may be that divorce/death/illness/job-loss caused it to go on the market. Something like that happened with my sister-in-law. She'd bought a new car and loved it; but she was then diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and died within six months. Her husband sold the car to carmax after she was gone.

My point being that I'd be very cautious with use prior or current model year sold as used; it's there for a reason outside the typical reasons used car are on the market. Find out why.

 

OP

Pay no attention to the crybabies.
The truck could be perfect and they`d still find something to wine about.
Go test drive as many different models as you can and buy the one that you like.

 

I'm confused? Cry babies? I'm sorry I like my truck to have balls and not be able to get beat out by a mini van truck in a drag race. Only person crying is the guy trying to tow with a 3.4. Good luck with that

 

Some of those complaints are real and and too many ppl are having issues here.

OP, If you have any doubts on the ’16, just avoid the tacos all together because the 2nd gen has most all the same issues minus the faulty CSP sensor, and humming rear diff.
I have non of those issues myself and except for the CPS, I feel at easy driving it and don’t regret my purchase because It’s the perfect size for me DCLB V-6 4x4 auto and at this point at 11k miles on the clock I’m still loving it.

But if size is of no concern to you and good gas mileage is, look into the GMC Sierra 1500 as there aren’t many complains on it. The only thing I have against the Tundra other than size is the poor mpg for it to be a DD.

Hope that helps
Cheers!

 

Is there anything special I can do during a test drive to see if everything is ok.

 

just read @Aussiek2000 signature.

Don't be so scared of a few issues. The 2nd gen had plenty of them as well when it first came out and look how many say they are great now. in 10 years when they make a 4th gen everyone's going to say the 4th gen is terrible and the 3rd gens were great.

People having issues are 50/50. Most of them have been fixed, the low trans fluid just have the dealer check. and there is a TSB for the programming which many have said fixed the trans issues.
The howling diff seems to be the only big issue right now that still hasn't had a TSB.
I've been looking at the 3rd gens since they came out and still have no hesitation to buy one. As soon as the dealer calls me with one in for me to test drive (mainly because I want to see the DCOR here in canada since 2016 we didn't have it) and we work out a deal I will be placing my order for one. Even with all the threads on here saying they are terrible.

One of the reason's I waited for the 3rd gen was I wasn't fond of the dated interior of the 2nd gens, and having worked with many that have 2nd gens that all said they are great trucks, they also said the MPG is terrible on them. The new ones are supposedly getting a lot better MPG (minus those that drive with a lead foot and have bigger tires)

 

Get either one. The 2nd gen and 3rd gen are both great trucks. Most of the threads on here complaining about the problems with the 3rd gens are the same hand full of people. If your looking for power, go find something else. Neither generation is going to win a drag race, but I am also coming from an F-250 with 675lbs of torque.

 

I hate to break it to you, but that mini van truck aslo smokes the shit out of the 2nd gen tacoma in 0-60 tests. Both 2nd and 3rd gen Tacoma's are slowest in class in acceleration.

 

I have been on this forum for over a year. My Taco never shifted properly since day one, poor mileage and only 15/16mpg. From all the negative posts on here; I then hated my Taco, and was going to sell it. My wife ended up driving it to her work. After a month she asked why I didn't want it back. I said it was a crappy truck. She looked at me and called me an idiot! I had waited 4 months last year for the first 2016 Tacos to hit the lot, and I got one of the 1st ones at the dealership.

I wanted all the new features the 3rd gen had, and I wanted the 4x4. And that was it, I forgot why I knew the Taco was awesome. For Offroading! Boom, I went out, got in the Taco and went to the city by way of the washed out back roads and missing bridge. Wow what a blast! Took 3 hours to pressure wash off the underside the next day .

A few months later the tranny TSB came out, and it drastically improved my shifting and helped increase mileage to 18/19mpg. At 16,500 miles; my Taco rocks!

 

Hammer, I agree some of them are real but when so many others are crying wolf, making up usernames etc just to create drama, along with the idiotic comments by 1st and 2nd Gen trolls, it`s gotten old.

I just call the idiocy for what it is, laugh at them and move on, I`m not arguing with the idiots.

 

They do have a lot of issues and no toyota is not fixing them as quickly as you make it sound. The only TSB they have released is for the transmission software and the lower control arm plugs.

 

This may of be some help. The poll shows that most 3rd gen owners are not having any issues.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/maybe-an-interesting-poll.451830/

 

Actually this poll is a better representation

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...oise-howling-when-feathering-throttle.442341/

 

2016 TRDOR with 13k no issues, and I love it!