Unbiased random and initial thoughts from an “old guy” and his brand new ’17 Sport

UtahUtes · Oct 21, 2016

Great truck from one "old" guy to another. That's really great that your son prepped it for you. Nothing like keeping it in the family. I hope you enjoy your new truck.
And your Corvette is quite nice as well.
Cheers

Spare Parts · Oct 21, 2016

Nice rides, too bad you have a shadey mechanic, probably should get a second opinion.

Seriously awesome to have your son be the guy that preps your truck. Looking forward to the pics of the truck, bet the truck will stand out nice in the snow.

Tacuache345 · Oct 21, 2016

Great looking truck.

specter208 · Oct 21, 2016

I would be more impressed if your truck was spec'd with a 6MT.

melikeymy beer · Oct 21, 2016

3rail[OP] initial post: ↑

Hey guys. Here are my initial thoughts on my brand new 2017 Sport. Try to read this post for what it is, if you have no interest please move on. I appreciate your responses but no need to pick apart any of my comments or decisions that you may not agree with unless it truly makes you feel better. At 62 years old I will not be offended.

This is my 5th Toyota truck. (4) Tacomas and (1) Tundra. I had a 1992, 2006, 2010 Tundra (Rock Warrior), 2015 and now my 2017. Discounting the 2017, I liked my 2006 the best out of the original four.

But this is about my new truck so here are my first impressions. My son is a Toyo Master Tech with advanced certifications so I never worry about anything mechanical with the truck. He did the new truck prep for me and went over it from bumper to bumper. He found no issues…fluids, lubricants, fasteners, fit and finish were what we should expect from Toyota for a new truck. The truck runs great, tracks straight and true and the automatic transmission works effortlessly but does shift more than my ’15 on hilly roads and interstates. Not a deal breaker for me.

He also installed the “before purchase” accessories to get the full Toyota warranty on them. TRD Pro wheels (charcoal), 265/70R17 Nitto Grapplers (no rub), Pro grill, sill protectors, mud flaps, man step, Pro skid plate, TRD exhaust and Pro shift knob.

My new Sport is Inferno Orange. I love orange; I always wanted an orange truck ever since I saw the new 1972 1500 Chevy short bed step side with the 454 big block and GM atomic orange paint. 45 years later I realized my dream. I also like the Access Cab option that gives you the longer bed length without making the truck too long to park easily or fit comfortably in the garage. It is just my wife and me. I have no use for the bigger cab. I also happen to like the “non-functional” hood scoop as a nice styling cue on the Sport model.

I have no interest in off road adventures nor do I ever plan to. I outfitted my truck the way I did strictly for looks and my personal enjoyment, not off-road capability. Where I live it snows; sometimes a lot.

That is why the 4WD. If it gets too deep, I just stay home. I use my truck for hauling stuff and occasional towing. I am only a poser, a “mall crawler”, whatever that means. My truck will always looks pristine and that is how I like it.

I feel my ’17 is a much better truck than my ’15. It looks slightly bigger, certainly more aggressive.

Here is my upside.

Interior upgrades:

· Better seats (just feel more comfortable to me)
· Finally a black interior (no lighter gray)
· I like the new shifter, dash board layout and e-brake
· Overall, the whole interior received a major overhaul that was much needed
· Climate control system
· Outdoor temperature display
· “Push to start” feature

Exterior and power train upgrades:

· Heated rear view mirrors
· A tailgate that opens effortlessly without banging down or slipping out of my fingers
· A locking tailgate
· Rear cross traffic and sonar warnings (part of Tech package)
· More powerful and fuel efficient engine coupled with upgraded automatic transmission
· Better headlights

The downside list is pretty short. Yes, I feel the truck is not as “peppy” from a standing start as my 2006 or 2015. But then it is not a race truck….if I want to go fast I have other toys for that. And it is year 2016….when will they make “home-link” buttons standard equipment? I hate having to stow (2) garage door openers in the cubbies. My biggest gripe is still the sound system. It is better than my 2015 but still not up to par for my enjoyment. I could not get the JBL in an access cab so I went the aftermarket route. I have an OEM Audio Reference 450Q already ordered and should be shipped shortly. Once installed, I feel like I will have the perfect truck for me and plan to take it to grave.

Par for the course....it was a beautiful Indian summer day when I arrived at the dealership this afternoon. 1 minute after driving off the lot, the sky turned black, the temp dropped and it started to rain. Omen for all you naysayers? I will post some pics when the weather clears!

Donald
Click to expand...

Congrats and enjoy.

Pittrider · Oct 21, 2016

Great write up OP, and agree with you about this truck. Older guy here too (but not too old to wheel off road and have some fun) your post is bang on IMO. Based on my past '13, I too feel the same way.

Enjoy that new truck, congrats!

TacomafromTacoma · Oct 21, 2016

Nice truck

Rambeaux · Oct 22, 2016

3rail[OP] initial post: ↑

Hey guys. Here are my initial thoughts on my brand new 2017 Sport. Try to read this post for what it is, if you have no interest please move on. I appreciate your responses but no need to pick apart any of my comments or decisions that you may not agree with unless it truly makes you feel better. At 62 years old I will not be offended.

This is my 5th Toyota truck. (4) Tacomas and (1) Tundra. I had a 1992, 2006, 2010 Tundra (Rock Warrior), 2015 and now my 2017. Discounting the 2017, I liked my 2006 the best out of the original four.

But this is about my new truck so here are my first impressions. My son is a Toyo Master Tech with advanced certifications so I never worry about anything mechanical with the truck. He did the new truck prep for me and went over it from bumper to bumper. He found no issues…fluids, lubricants, fasteners, fit and finish were what we should expect from Toyota for a new truck. The truck runs great, tracks straight and true and the automatic transmission works effortlessly but does shift more than my ’15 on hilly roads and interstates. Not a deal breaker for me.

He also installed the “before purchase” accessories to get the full Toyota warranty on them. TRD Pro wheels (charcoal), 265/70R17 Nitto Grapplers (no rub), Pro grill, sill protectors, mud flaps, man step, Pro skid plate, TRD exhaust and Pro shift knob.

My new Sport is Inferno Orange. I love orange; I always wanted an orange truck ever since I saw the new 1972 1500 Chevy short bed step side with the 454 big block and GM atomic orange paint. 45 years later I realized my dream. I also like the Access Cab option that gives you the longer bed length without making the truck too long to park easily or fit comfortably in the garage. It is just my wife and me. I have no use for the bigger cab. I also happen to like the “non-functional” hood scoop as a nice styling cue on the Sport model.

I have no interest in off road adventures nor do I ever plan to. I outfitted my truck the way I did strictly for looks and my personal enjoyment, not off-road capability. Where I live it snows; sometimes a lot.

That is why the 4WD. If it gets too deep, I just stay home. I use my truck for hauling stuff and occasional towing. I am only a poser, a “mall crawler”, whatever that means. My truck will always looks pristine and that is how I like it.

I feel my ’17 is a much better truck than my ’15. It looks slightly bigger, certainly more aggressive.

Here is my upside.

Interior upgrades:

· Better seats (just feel more comfortable to me)
· Finally a black interior (no lighter gray)
· I like the new shifter, dash board layout and e-brake
· Overall, the whole interior received a major overhaul that was much needed
· Climate control system
· Outdoor temperature display
· “Push to start” feature

Exterior and power train upgrades:

· Heated rear view mirrors
· A tailgate that opens effortlessly without banging down or slipping out of my fingers
· A locking tailgate
· Rear cross traffic and sonar warnings (part of Tech package)
· More powerful and fuel efficient engine coupled with upgraded automatic transmission
· Better headlights

The downside list is pretty short. Yes, I feel the truck is not as “peppy” from a standing start as my 2006 or 2015. But then it is not a race truck….if I want to go fast I have other toys for that. And it is year 2016….when will they make “home-link” buttons standard equipment? I hate having to stow (2) garage door openers in the cubbies. My biggest gripe is still the sound system. It is better than my 2015 but still not up to par for my enjoyment. I could not get the JBL in an access cab so I went the aftermarket route. I have an OEM Audio Reference 450Q already ordered and should be shipped shortly. Once installed, I feel like I will have the perfect truck for me and plan to take it to grave.

Par for the course....it was a beautiful Indian summer day when I arrived at the dealership this afternoon. 1 minute after driving off the lot, the sky turned black, the temp dropped and it started to rain. Omen for all you naysayers? I will post some pics when the weather clears!

Donald
Click to expand...

Great post. I thought logic and sensibility was dead and gone around here.

viking15 · Oct 22, 2016

3rail[OP] initial post: ↑

Hey guys. Here are my initial thoughts on my brand new 2017 Sport. Try to read this post for what it is, if you have no interest please move on. I appreciate your responses but no need to pick apart any of my comments or decisions that you may not agree with unless it truly makes you feel better. At 62 years old I will not be offended.

This is my 5th Toyota truck. (4) Tacomas and (1) Tundra. I had a 1992, 2006, 2010 Tundra (Rock Warrior), 2015 and now my 2017. Discounting the 2017, I liked my 2006 the best out of the original four.

But this is about my new truck so here are my first impressions. My son is a Toyo Master Tech with advanced certifications so I never worry about anything mechanical with the truck. He did the new truck prep for me and went over it from bumper to bumper. He found no issues…fluids, lubricants, fasteners, fit and finish were what we should expect from Toyota for a new truck. The truck runs great, tracks straight and true and the automatic transmission works effortlessly but does shift more than my ’15 on hilly roads and interstates. Not a deal breaker for me.

He also installed the “before purchase” accessories to get the full Toyota warranty on them. TRD Pro wheels (charcoal), 265/70R17 Nitto Grapplers (no rub), Pro grill, sill protectors, mud flaps, man step, Pro skid plate, TRD exhaust and Pro shift knob.

My new Sport is Inferno Orange. I love orange; I always wanted an orange truck ever since I saw the new 1972 1500 Chevy short bed step side with the 454 big block and GM atomic orange paint. 45 years later I realized my dream. I also like the Access Cab option that gives you the longer bed length without making the truck too long to park easily or fit comfortably in the garage. It is just my wife and me. I have no use for the bigger cab. I also happen to like the “non-functional” hood scoop as a nice styling cue on the Sport model.

I have no interest in off road adventures nor do I ever plan to. I outfitted my truck the way I did strictly for looks and my personal enjoyment, not off-road capability. Where I live it snows; sometimes a lot.

That is why the 4WD. If it gets too deep, I just stay home. I use my truck for hauling stuff and occasional towing. I am only a poser, a “mall crawler”, whatever that means. My truck will always looks pristine and that is how I like it.

I feel my ’17 is a much better truck than my ’15. It looks slightly bigger, certainly more aggressive.

Here is my upside.

Interior upgrades:

· Better seats (just feel more comfortable to me)
· Finally a black interior (no lighter gray)
· I like the new shifter, dash board layout and e-brake
· Overall, the whole interior received a major overhaul that was much needed
· Climate control system
· Outdoor temperature display
· “Push to start” feature

Exterior and power train upgrades:

· Heated rear view mirrors
· A tailgate that opens effortlessly without banging down or slipping out of my fingers
· A locking tailgate
· Rear cross traffic and sonar warnings (part of Tech package)
· More powerful and fuel efficient engine coupled with upgraded automatic transmission
· Better headlights

The downside list is pretty short. Yes, I feel the truck is not as “peppy” from a standing start as my 2006 or 2015. But then it is not a race truck….if I want to go fast I have other toys for that. And it is year 2016….when will they make “home-link” buttons standard equipment? I hate having to stow (2) garage door openers in the cubbies. My biggest gripe is still the sound system. It is better than my 2015 but still not up to par for my enjoyment. I could not get the JBL in an access cab so I went the aftermarket route. I have an OEM Audio Reference 450Q already ordered and should be shipped shortly. Once installed, I feel like I will have the perfect truck for me and plan to take it to grave.

Par for the course....it was a beautiful Indian summer day when I arrived at the dealership this afternoon. 1 minute after driving off the lot, the sky turned black, the temp dropped and it started to rain. Omen for all you naysayers? I will post some pics when the weather clears!

Donald
Click to expand...

Nice truck. I plan on setting mine up the same way. TRD pro wheels and Nittos. How many miles do you have on it

Normagene · Oct 22, 2016

Wicked Nice! Great color choice too! I went back and forth between the White and the Orange. Ended up going white, orange seems too young, like for kids in their 30s & 40s. Hahaha

Access Cab all the way! Just looks better proportioned and I (we) don't have a use for a backseat other than to toss junk back there.

Perfect accessories, love the TRD Pro Grille! Got mine waiting......now all I need is my darn truck to arrive.

So......since its your last truck......as you stated its going to take you to the grave, well then......got a nickname for it yet?

Grave Digger is already taken.

How about Grim Reaper, it did after all start off with an omen.

I'm sure you'll come up with something clever. I already have mine named, and the truck isn't even in my possession yet. 3rd week of Nov it should be here! Can't wait to start the mods!

bradwhitenikki · Oct 22, 2016

Very nice truck. Congratulations.

3rail · Oct 22, 2016

Hey guys. Thanks for all the replies....they are much appreciated.

I was going to try to "quote" a lot of the questions but lack any serious skill in that area.

My '15 was nice...pretty much looked brand new after 27 months of ownership. I got what I thought was a good deal and it made me happy so that is all that matters.

Out the door....including PA sales tax, title, transfer, etc,.......$7985.27 plus my truck. My Company allows us to "cash in" PTO. I sold back 160 hours which put a BIG dent in the balance.

MSRP with $940 shipping is $37,078. This did not include the TRD and Pro stuff. I am quite happy with my deal.

I agree with the Entune comment and also the fact the 4WD "wheel" is so close to the climate control.

I cannot comment on the tires just yet, I only have 30 miles on them.

I like the idea of a name...cool idea. I will give that some thought but "Grim Reaper" is right up there. Thanks Normagene.

No 6MT for me, my days of shifting gears are over. Both my knees are shot. These things happen.

Take it easy boys.....if you get to southeast PA you may see me cruising around the blacktop.

Donald

Pittrider · Oct 22, 2016

3rail[OP] said: ↑

Hey guys. Thanks for all the replies....they are much appreciated.

I was going to try to "quote" a lot of the questions but lack any serious skill in that area.

My '15 was nice...pretty much looked brand new after 27 months of ownership. I got what I thought was a good deal and it made me happy so that is all that matters.

Out the door....including PA sales tax, title, transfer, etc,.......$7985.27 plus my truck. My Company allows us to "cash in" PTO. I sold back 160 hours which put a BIG dent in the balance.

MSRP with $940 shipping is $37,078. This did not include the TRD and Pro stuff. I am quite happy with my deal.

I agree with the Entune comment and also the fact the 4WD "wheel" is so close to the climate control.

I cannot comment on the tires just yet, I only have 30 miles on them.

I like the idea of a name...cool idea. I will give that some thought but "Grim Reaper" is right up there. Thanks Normagene.

No 6MT for me, my days of shifting gears are over. Both my knees are shot. These things happen.

Take it easy boys.....if you get to southeast PA you may see me cruising around the blacktop.

Donald
Click to expand...

Hah...if you think that button is close to the climate control, I'll bet you push the 4WD button instead of the Start Engine button way more often!

dman100 · Oct 22, 2016

Pittrider said: ↑

Hah...if you think that button is close to the climate control, I'll bet you push the 4WD button instead of the Start Engine button way more often!
Click to expand...

After almost 25K miles I've got used to those buttons. And I can find the mirror and seat heater buttons ok now too. But the unlit ECT button located between the lit BSM and parking alert buttons drives me nuts. Compiled by the fact that ECT enabled causes a lighted symbol in the speedo, but the others are lit/unlit buttons. A major human factors fail in my opinion.

From another old guy who is liking my '16 more and more.

mlatner · Oct 22, 2016

You have heated rear view mirrors? I didn't think that was an option? My 17 TRDOR with tech doesn't have them. Beautiful truck anyway!

SR5 BRI · Oct 22, 2016

Hey 3rdrail I used to work a cemetery How about Rest In Peace ! Or just RIP

3rail · Oct 22, 2016

mlatner said: ↑

You have heated rear view mirrors? I didn't think that was an option? My 17 TRDOR with tech doesn't have them. Beautiful truck anyway!
Click to expand...

Yep...button right next to (lower left) of the fan speed knob. See page 376 of owners manual. Also page 21 of "Quick Reference Guide".

Donald

delta0014 · Oct 22, 2016

mlatner said: ↑

You have heated rear view mirrors? I didn't think that was an option? My 17 TRDOR with tech doesn't have them. Beautiful truck anyway!
Click to expand...

The 17 PRO has them too. Weird the sport and pro would but not the off road.

After a month in mine, my biggest complaint is the transmission shifting too much on the interstate and the road/cabin noise. Other then that, it's been great so far.

Normagene · Oct 22, 2016

3rail[OP] said: ↑

Hey guys. Thanks for all the replies....they are much appreciated.

I was going to try to "quote" a lot of the questions but lack any serious skill in that area.

My '15 was nice...pretty much looked brand new after 27 months of ownership. I got what I thought was a good deal and it made me happy so that is all that matters.

Out the door....including PA sales tax, title, transfer, etc,.......$7985.27 plus my truck. My Company allows us to "cash in" PTO. I sold back 160 hours which put a BIG dent in the balance.

MSRP with $940 shipping is $37,078. This did not include the TRD and Pro stuff. I am quite happy with my deal.

I agree with the Entune comment and also the fact the 4WD "wheel" is so close to the climate control.

I cannot comment on the tires just yet, I only have 30 miles on them.

I like the idea of a name...cool idea. I will give that some thought but "Grim Reaper" is right up there. Thanks Normagene.

No 6MT for me, my days of shifting gears are over. Both my knees are shot. These things happen.

Take it easy boys.....if you get to southeast PA you may see me cruising around the blacktop.

Donald
Click to expand...

"GRIM REAPER" Ya it would make a great graphic if you can get a guy, or find one already designed, with the Reaper Sickle in hand. Not too big, maybe 6"X6" or so somewhere on the back window or even the tailgate.

Mine is Officially named: "MUTANT TACO"

Since it is a Sport model (Super White) but I will immediately paint the fender flares and front valance black just like the Off Road model. Also adding the TRD Pro Grille like yours. Going to probably remove the TRD Sport decal on the bedsides. And blackout all the badges, plus add my "Texas Edition" badges.

So at first glance, especially if you really know your Tacoma models, you'll definitely do a double take.
Like huh.....what the heck model is that......hahaha.

Normagene · Oct 22, 2016

Donald,
Just looked, a gazillion decals, some for the entire back window, the entire hood, or more like what I would do, small 6"x6"

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Unbiased random and initial thoughts from an “old guy” and his brand new ’17 Sport

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