3 Weeks of Owning a Tacoma from a former Raptor owner... Here is my review

Midknight · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] said: ↑

I did look at the Power Wagon and don't really feel it fits my personality. I have the money for the Raptor, but it would be foolish to spend that much. The tacoma is the smart choice. The wagon is just a huge truck and I wanted something a little smaller, but just as agressive. I also question the reliability of a RAM.
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Makes sense to me. Have fun with it

hookembevo · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] said: ↑

Have you ever driven a miata? So many people bash all these cars without any experience behind the wheel. It does exactly what it claims to do. It's a super peppy, small convertible, with an amazing shifter, that puts a smile on your face everytime you drive it.
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Not to mention, it's probably the most popular club racing vehicle in the US.

c4lvinnn · May 3, 2017

It's funny when people are laughing at the Honda/Mazda comment, yet they have zero inclination that they produced the worlds best drivers cars for quite a long time.

the DC2 Civic/Integra to be one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced
the S2000 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the Miata to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the RX7 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (coupes) ever produced

pkolanko · May 3, 2017

tomwil said: ↑

Good choice in the OR. You're not affected by the rear diff recall, where they can confiscate your truck.
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They confiscated my acura with the airbag recall and gave me a BMW for a rental. 2 months later and it was fixed and I was able to enjoy my acura again. NBD.

Freegolf · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] said: ↑

Have you ever driven a miata? So many people bash all these cars without any experience behind the wheel. It does exactly what it claims to do. It's a super peppy, small convertible, with an amazing shifter, that puts a smile on your face everytime you drive it.
Click to expand...

It's a proven vehicle since 1989 or whatever. You don't have to justify anything.

Overland_Odyssey · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] said: ↑

Have you ever driven a miata? So many people bash all these cars without any experience behind the wheel. It does exactly what it claims to do. It's a super peppy, small convertible, with an amazing shifter, that puts a smile on your face everytime you drive it.
Click to expand...

One of the biggest car guys I know (he also has a 2016 TRD-OR) has a Miata and drives the shit out of it.

Kennedyusmc · May 3, 2017

SocalOC said: ↑

Serious car guy and mazda miata dont belong in the same sentence
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Bullshit. Take yourself to Lime Rock speedway and they teach you to cross country in one. They're excellent handling little go carts.

It won't scratch your masculine ego-

Tacowin1013 · May 3, 2017

SocalOC said: ↑

Never a miata dont think id fit... smallest car ive ever ownwd was a 350z touring edition
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Just put the top down

pkolanko · May 3, 2017

c4lvinnn said: ↑

It's funny when people are laughing at the Honda/Mazda comment, yet they have zero inclination that they produced the worlds best drivers cars for quite a long time.

the DC2 Civic/Integra to be one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced
the S2000 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the Miata to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the RX7 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (coupes) ever produced
Click to expand...

I wish honda would go back to it's 90s and 2000s roots. Those were amazing cars!

Freegolf · May 3, 2017

c4lvinnn said: ↑

It's funny when people are laughing at the Honda/Mazda comment, yet they have zero inclination that they produced the worlds best drivers cars for quite a long time.

the DC2 Civic/Integra to be one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced
the S2000 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the Miata to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the RX7 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (coupes) ever produced
Click to expand...

This

pkolanko · May 3, 2017

Tacowin1013 said: ↑

Just put the top down
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I am 6'3 and my head touched the roof... but when it was down, i had enough headroom lol

musher · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] initial post: ↑

I am a first time owner of a 2017 Inferno Tacoma OR. I am a serious car guy. I have owned a Ford Raptor, Subaru BRZ, Mazda Miata, Honda S2000, and numerous acuras and hondas. I purchased a Tacoma for the looks, the build quality, and the off road capabilities, specifically snow driving. I traded in a 2015 Acura RDX that ran pretty much flawless. Great engine, tons of power, and no transmission issues. The issue was I could barely haul anything with it and it's snow driving wasn't ideal. Plus, every 50 year old woman drove one lol. I owned a Ford Raptor before the Acura and it had gobs of power, looked awesome, but was gigantic and got horrible fuel economy. I would have kept the Raptor, but I actually sold it for more than I paid brand new, so it was a no-brainer.

I initially wanted the new Raptor, but did not want to spend $60k plus on a truck. Although they look and perform awesome, I wasn't in the market to waste that much money. I decided on the Tacoma because I felt it was as close to the Raptor as I could get within a reasonable amount of budget. Owning a Raptor means you can't even park in normal spots. I would double park everywhere I went due to how wide the truck was. The Tacoma fits in a spot perfectly.

I went to the local dealer to test drive one and I immediately noticed the lack of power when driving. I said to the sales rep, "Wow this has no power." However, I still purchased because I felt a 6 cylinder truck wouldn't have the same power as a Raptor and I really liked how aggressive it looked. I ended up spending $36k on my Tacoma OR with a list of $40k. I didn't even bother looking at the Pro, due to it's cost and the fact there is nothing upgraded in the engine or trans. It's an OR with some aftermarket items. It wasn't worth another $8k.

The first week of driving, I hated the truck. I have a 25-mile commute to work and the thing had zero power. The seat was almost unbearable. I am 6'3 and it just put so much pressure on my hamstrings that I would get numb while driving. I honestly though to myself, "did i make a huge mistake?!?!" I also noticed a burning smell when I opened the door after driving the truck. I smelled this on the test drive vehicle and the one i purchased. Both were OR. I remember thinking how happy I was when I bought the Raptor and had none of those feelings with this truck.

I am not sure what happened after the first week, but the truck has become much better now. I notice the truck has more power, which I can only attribute to me getting used to the pedal. The pedal requires a little more pressure to accelerate, but the power is there if needed. You do hafta rev it a little more than most vehicles to achieve this power, but it doesn't lack anything. The seat is actually more comfortable now too. I am not sure if my body weight has compressed the foam padding or what, but I don't notice it being uncomfortable anymore. The shifting has also changed as well. I truly think the truck learns to operate based on my driving habits and has made modifications to suit my needs. (This may be completely wrong, but it at least feels different now).

Here are my thoughts on the transmission.... Toyota makes quality vehicles that last forever. No one can deny that. People that preach how the Colorado is a far superior vehicle don't take into consideration long-term ownership costs and issues. If the tacoma doesn't shift ideally as some of us would like, but lasts for 300k miles, i'm ok with that. IF the Colorado has more power and shifts smoother, but ends up being a POS, then what did that accomplish? The tacoma transmission has been designed to get maximum fuel efficiency. Don't blame toyota for doing exactly what they intended to do. The auto gets better fuel economy than the manual, which proves this theory. I didn't buy a tacoma for the amount of power it put out. I could easily buy a Raptor again and burn rubber everywhere and get 11 MPG. I bought it because it was a more practical version of the Raptor and would be more reliable long-term.

My hopes are that Toyota made a new engine that will last forever, get great fuel economy, and still have enough power when you need it. Their only downside was they didn't make it user friendly like other vehicles. The driver has to work a little to unleash the power. Well worth it if I can keep it forever with minimal issues.

Side note pertaining to the diff recall....ALL VEHICLES have recalls. It doesn't mean the vehicle is crap. There are tons of F150s, Tundras, Colorados, Rams, and the like that have recalls. How many vehicles have been recalled due to the takata air bag issue? I'd rather a company recall a vehicle than let the consumer be at risk or unhappy.

We all bought the tacoma because we thought it was the right choice. Instead of focusing on the negatives, which every vehicle has, focus on the positives. The tacoma looks bad-ass and can go off-road anywhere, plus it's been documented to be extremely reliable in previous generations. Enjoy the things you buy in life. Living with regret only affects you. If you don't like it, sell it. I've bought and sold 15 cars over the last 20 years. All had positives and negatives and differences to them. I don't regret any purchase and I don't regret this Tacoma.
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Welcome to TW. Great write up! Thanks for the insight. I came back to a Tacoma after a 3/4 ton and went through the same doubts. Loving it now though!

c4lvinnn · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] said: ↑

I wish honda would go back to it's 90s and 2000s roots. Those were amazing cars!
Click to expand...

I don't miss any car I've ever had as much as I miss my DC2 Integra

Sand_taco · May 3, 2017

pkolanko[OP] initial post: ↑

I am a first time owner of a 2017 Inferno Tacoma OR. I am a serious car guy. I have owned a Ford Raptor, Subaru BRZ, Mazda Miata, Honda S2000, and numerous acuras and hondas. I purchased a Tacoma for the looks, the build quality, and the off road capabilities, specifically snow driving. I traded in a 2015 Acura RDX that ran pretty much flawless. Great engine, tons of power, and no transmission issues. The issue was I could barely haul anything with it and it's snow driving wasn't ideal. Plus, every 50 year old woman drove one lol. I owned a Ford Raptor before the Acura and it had gobs of power, looked awesome, but was gigantic and got horrible fuel economy. I would have kept the Raptor, but I actually sold it for more than I paid brand new, so it was a no-brainer.

I initially wanted the new Raptor, but did not want to spend $60k plus on a truck. Although they look and perform awesome, I wasn't in the market to waste that much money. I decided on the Tacoma because I felt it was as close to the Raptor as I could get within a reasonable amount of budget. Owning a Raptor means you can't even park in normal spots. I would double park everywhere I went due to how wide the truck was. The Tacoma fits in a spot perfectly.

I went to the local dealer to test drive one and I immediately noticed the lack of power when driving. I said to the sales rep, "Wow this has no power." However, I still purchased because I felt a 6 cylinder truck wouldn't have the same power as a Raptor and I really liked how aggressive it looked. I ended up spending $36k on my Tacoma OR with a list of $40k. I didn't even bother looking at the Pro, due to it's cost and the fact there is nothing upgraded in the engine or trans. It's an OR with some aftermarket items. It wasn't worth another $8k.

The first week of driving, I hated the truck. I have a 25-mile commute to work and the thing had zero power. The seat was almost unbearable. I am 6'3 and it just put so much pressure on my hamstrings that I would get numb while driving. I honestly though to myself, "did i make a huge mistake?!?!" I also noticed a burning smell when I opened the door after driving the truck. I smelled this on the test drive vehicle and the one i purchased. Both were OR. I remember thinking how happy I was when I bought the Raptor and had none of those feelings with this truck.

I am not sure what happened after the first week, but the truck has become much better now. I notice the truck has more power, which I can only attribute to me getting used to the pedal. The pedal requires a little more pressure to accelerate, but the power is there if needed. You do hafta rev it a little more than most vehicles to achieve this power, but it doesn't lack anything. The seat is actually more comfortable now too. I am not sure if my body weight has compressed the foam padding or what, but I don't notice it being uncomfortable anymore. The shifting has also changed as well. I truly think the truck learns to operate based on my driving habits and has made modifications to suit my needs. (This may be completely wrong, but it at least feels different now).

Here are my thoughts on the transmission.... Toyota makes quality vehicles that last forever. No one can deny that. People that preach how the Colorado is a far superior vehicle don't take into consideration long-term ownership costs and issues. If the tacoma doesn't shift ideally as some of us would like, but lasts for 300k miles, i'm ok with that. IF the Colorado has more power and shifts smoother, but ends up being a POS, then what did that accomplish? The tacoma transmission has been designed to get maximum fuel efficiency. Don't blame toyota for doing exactly what they intended to do. The auto gets better fuel economy than the manual, which proves this theory. I didn't buy a tacoma for the amount of power it put out. I could easily buy a Raptor again and burn rubber everywhere and get 11 MPG. I bought it because it was a more practical version of the Raptor and would be more reliable long-term.

My hopes are that Toyota made a new engine that will last forever, get great fuel economy, and still have enough power when you need it. Their only downside was they didn't make it user friendly like other vehicles. The driver has to work a little to unleash the power. Well worth it if I can keep it forever with minimal issues.

Side note pertaining to the diff recall....ALL VEHICLES have recalls. It doesn't mean the vehicle is crap. There are tons of F150s, Tundras, Colorados, Rams, and the like that have recalls. How many vehicles have been recalled due to the takata air bag issue? I'd rather a company recall a vehicle than let the consumer be at risk or unhappy.

We all bought the tacoma because we thought it was the right choice. Instead of focusing on the negatives, which every vehicle has, focus on the positives. The tacoma looks bad-ass and can go off-road anywhere, plus it's been documented to be extremely reliable in previous generations. Enjoy the things you buy in life. Living with regret only affects you. If you don't like it, sell it. I've bought and sold 15 cars over the last 20 years. All had positives and negatives and differences to them. I don't regret any purchase and I don't regret this Tacoma.
Click to expand...

i will say toyota makes quality motors, i had a 2011 tc 6speed (same 2.5 thats in a camry) and it got driven VERY HARD motor was subjected to wot all the way to redline in multiple gears almost every time i drove the car, sold the car with 60000 miles on it and the motor ran like it was brand new. If that motor put up with all the abuse i put it through i have no doubt that with proper maintenance this motor will last a long time

c4lvinnn · May 3, 2017

digitaLbraVo said: ↑

Click to expand...

SocalOC said: ↑

Serious car guy and mazda miata dont belong in the same sentence
Click to expand...

The irony is still making me laugh.

pkolanko · May 3, 2017

Sand_taco said: ↑

i will say toyota makes quality motors, i had a 2011 tc 6speed (same 2.5 thats in a camry) and it got driven VERY HARD motor was subjected to wot all the way to redline in multiple gears almost every time i drove the car, sold the car with 60000 miles on it and the motor ran like it was brand new. If that motor put up with all the abuse i put it through i have no doubt that with proper maintenance this motor will last a long time
Click to expand...

correct!! it's like the people i work with who complain about their investments losing money. Who cares what happens today!! If that investment earns you $100k then it's worth it. Look towards the future.

Sand_taco · May 3, 2017

c4lvinnn said: ↑

The irony is still making me laugh.
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Its not a name its an acronym
Miata
Is
Always
The
Awnser

and a miata is one of the best low budget sports cars ever made

IndyZen · May 3, 2017

c4lvinnn said: ↑

It's funny when people are laughing at the Honda/Mazda comment, yet they have zero inclination that they produced the worlds best drivers cars for quite a long time.

the DC2 Civic/Integra to be one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced
the S2000 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the Miata to be one of the best RWD handling cars (roadsters) ever produced
the RX7 to be one of the best RWD handling cars (coupes) ever produced
Click to expand...

Boo - everyone is forgetting the great driving Datsuns (240, 260, 280 and original 280Z)...I have had a 240 and an original 280Z both stick and both were among the best driving vehicles I have ever been in (and both were reasonably priced, and reasonably trouble free/reliable).

c4lvinnn · May 3, 2017

IndyZen said: ↑

Boo - everyone is forgetting the great driving Datsuns (240, 260, 280 and original 280Z)...I have had a 240 and an original 280Z both stick and both were among the best driving vehicles I have ever been in (and both were reasonably priced, and reasonably trouble free/reliable).
Click to expand...

Datsun/Nissan wasn't mentioned as far as the guys "laughing" at owning a Honda or Mazda

Harley08 · May 3, 2017

Welcome to TW! Great write up

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