Manual Transmission Owners? Downgrade from Full Size?

Glad I'm no the only one. My 2G auto was garbage and I refused to go automatic this time (which was easy given the negative reviews.)

I might be the only person in the world that doesn't care how fast the truck is or isn't. The power delivery is a bit wonky which throws me and honestly off the line feels like my old 22RE. That being said, unless I'm in stop and go or high speed highway use, I can easily get over 20 MPG with it, but I drive it like a grandma.

 

I bought a trailer at Home Depot to fix this, in fact even with my AC 6 foot bed, I still found that I needed a trailer once in awhile. The only difference is I now have a v6 instead of a 4 banger to pull the trailer.

 

You make some good points. I have a 6' bed now and have only once, maybe twice used all of the space. It would be infrequent at best that I might feel short on room. I camp a couple of times a year and usually fill my bed for that trip, but I'll probably get a small pop-up in the near future, which the Taco could tow with ease. I guess the consideration is, do I keep a full size for the 5% of my needs or go with a smaller truck that'll be better for the 95%.

 

As the owner of many full size pickups over the years, and most recently, a 2015 GMC sierra all terrain with the 6.2L and 8 speed auto trans, and now a 2016 Tacoma TRD OR auto, I gotta say I do miss having a full size. The power, and the feel going down the road with a full size, especially the last GMC I owned was fantastic.

With that being said, the Tacoma is much more maneuverable than the full size. Really easy to drive, and no comparison with the off-road capabilities. The looks, and reliability of the Tacoma's is really what drew me in. The biggest thing for me making the switch, was it really irritated me that my brand new GMC had to sit out, it wouldn't quite fit in my garage without kicking my wife's car out (which wasn't going to happen).

I really caution you in stepping down from a full size to a Tacoma. Test drive the heck out of them, compare to other full sizes that can be had for close to the same money. What are you going to use the truck for? The Tacoma is a fantastic truck, no doubt about it. However, I suspect sometime after my wife and I finish building our home, it won't be long until I'm back in a full size.

Best of Luck!
Scott

 

Agreed.
The double cab long bed manual OR. Now that's perfect combo ! Wake me when it happens

 

I bought the RAM initially because I love the power and I was sure I'd be using the capability of the truck more frequently than I actually do. I can only think of two times over the past year and a half that I filled the bed. Once for camping and once, or maybe a couple times for hauling some longer items that fit perfectly with the tailgate down. I haven't towed anything yet, but I will likely get a small camper and haul a couple of motorcycles in the next year or so. The vast majority of usage is my daily commuter. Suffice it to say, I really don't need a full size truck. There are just a few things about it that make this decision a little tough for me. The awesome power, high ride height, and spacious interior.

That said, I have always loved the look of the Tacoma, and I love an M/T. Of course reliability, resale, and better gas mileage are pluses as well. I have never done any sort of off-roading, but it has always intrigued me so it's probably something I'd give a go if I had a Tacoma.

 

Yes wonky a better way to describe it... glad others see it also.
Took me about 3 months to really get used to it. And I've been driving manuals and all kinds of vehicles for over 15 years.

On the flip side of that coin I went from a 2003 Ranger with the 4.0 to my Brand new 2012 Taco and hated that tranmission from the get go. Getting taller tires actually HELPED smooth the frantic shifting...
Who'd a thunk

 

I had a 2011 WRX and put over 180,000 miles on it. Got a great trade in on it towards the Taco. Love being in a truck again, but occasionally miss the Subie speed and community. Rally fan till I die.

Some trucks are performance machines. My childhood dream was a SVT Lightning... That said, the Taco will scoot when you rev it up.

I have been consistently getting 20 MPG with a mix of mostly 75 MPH highway, 55 MPH two-lane, and a good handful of city stop lights. I really enjoy when Mr. Hyde shows up

I hauled a bunch of building supplies two weeks ago. I cut some 2 x 6's to go in the slots in the bed to carry full width sheetrock sheets above the wheel wells. Works fine. I'm traditionally not hauling a lot and will be getting a tailgate extender in the future - Ready Ramp style most likely.

 

I previously had a Dodge 1500 w/Hemi. Yeah, you'll miss the power, but you won't miss the gas stations stops. As for practical use, I find the Tacoma much easier to get around with and parking compared to the full size. Unless you are a contractor who needs a full size bed regularly, having the smaller bed isn't bad at all. Will hold what you need for most Home Depot and Costco runs. You can always pick up a $400 1200lb 4x8 trailer from Harbor Freight for the occasional need of a larger cargo space.

As for towing, that really depends on what you tow. With the dodge, pulling a 4k lb camper was nothing. More effort for the Tacoma, but not bad at all. If you need 6k lb towing capacity or more regularly, keep the full size.

As an added bonus, the Tacoma is much easier to wash

 

For what it's worth, I bought the Tacoma "only" because of the manual transmission option. I love a stick shift and would have bought a hot hatch or wagon otherwise. That said, I've never owned a truck before (this truck is awesome) and I've used the short bed multiple times already. I wouldn't have got the long bed anyway since it would not have fit in my garage.

The manual drives nice. The clutch pedal is not too heavy and the throws are short for a truck. I'm not much of an engine guy, but second and third gear have plenty of power above 3500 rpms. It's also nice to have a center console to rest your arm on. I've only had the truck for one month so I'm still getting used to it, but man is it fun to drive! If you want to buy one, make sure to give your dealer advanced notice. The manual transmissions don't sit on the lots. My dealer hadn't seen one until I showed up. They had to swap with another dealer.

 

I say go for it! Lets say worst case scenario, you really regret stepping down from a full size. With the resale these trucks have, you could drive the truck for a couple of years and sell it and come out perfectly okay.

 

As mentioned.... creativity is fun! I an haul just about anything I need to including 2 13' kayaks at the same time with camping gear, beer and food. I'm talking completely loaded. Still able to hit 90+ highway speed to get us there.
I haven't tried drywall or plywood yet but that's coming.