Looking to purchase 3rd gen tacoma soon, have a few questions

Hello all-

I currently own a 2005 Tacoma TRD Off Road. It is a 2WD with the Pre-Runner & SR5 packages Black DC with the 4.0 V6. I love the truck but I am in the market to purchase a new 3rd Gen this Fall/Winter.

As far as my questions - what is the transition from 2nd Gen to 3rd Gen like? Any major differences worth noting?

Another question - I am stuck between Black, Silver Sky Metallic, and Super White. I gotta say, Silver Sky Metallic seems to be the best looking to me so far, but my girl loves the Super White (I know, I know - it'll be my truck, but still want to hear 3rd party opinions). I plan on getting the TRD Off Road 4x4 DC with premium tech package.

How do the 3rd Gens ride? and are there any notable issues to take into consideration?

Finally, any tips/recommendations are welcome!

 

ride quality is good, ive taken mine on a few snowboarding trips (4+ hours on the highway) and it was comfortable the whole way, my father owned and 08 trd off road 4x4 and the interior is a big step up from the second gen, the only thing i will say if that the truck in at config does has some shift patterns that take some getting used to, just make sure that have done tsb 0077-16 rev 1 on the truck your going to purchase and you should be fine! And one other thing this truck has surprised me with how capable it is out of the box for off road use

 

Go for it! The ride is great. I recently got back from a trip starting in Charlotte, NC to Boston, MA and back to Charlotte. 1800 miles total, very comfortable in the OR for a truck. I love the engine/transmission combo and have ZERO complaints. It does exactly what it is supposed to do and gives you the power when you needed it with no problem. My brother in law has a 2nd gen with the 4.0 (2007 prerunner) and it just feels stiff and old. The only difference in power I can tell is in first gear, we both have the AT. After that, the 3.5L power band is much more constant as you get up to speed. It feels much smoother. Good luck, you won't regret it.

Also, I have not had any TSB's done and again, have ZERO issues.

 

They drive very differently with the new motor/trans combo in the third gen. Some greatly dislike the third gen for this, others don't mind. I'd suggest taking an extensive test drive, try to get it overnight, so you can decide for yourself how you like it.

 

If you are wanting an Automatic make sure you get an overnight test drive. I had 2 2nd Gens before moving to my 3rd Gen which is way more quiet and comfortable, my main complaint would be the noticeable lack of low end torque.

 

The premium & tech package is a great option. Also, in your configuration, the manual transmission is available.

 

Thing you will notice

3rd gen has nicer interior
ride feels the same (doesnt have as much of the boaty feeling the 2nd gen has)
initial power sucks (ECT button will save you)
transmission shift points will give you a headache for the first 5000 miles

You will wish the 3rd gen had the power ratio feeling of your 2nd gen but at the end of the day with styling you will love the 3rd gen more but still want to pull your hair out with power ratio and shift points.

 

Well if you're going for the off-road, the ride is great (IMO).
Out of the colors you listed, I'd go for the silver. I got white, but my first two choices were silver and quicksand.
Do you plan on getting auto or manual?

 

Get a manual to avoid all the headaches.

 

• Auto transmissions on both are irritating in my opinion. I drive a 2nd gen for work, and I own a 3rd gen so I regularly drive them back to back. I'd say the 2016 is more "shift happy", but if you don't want the sloppiness of the auto I'd recommend a manual.
• The ride was just fine for me. Not a cushy as a full size, but not uncomfortable by any means. I swapped suspension shortly after purchase so it rides a bit stiffer than stock, but if you aren't expecting luxury car ride quality then I'm sure you'll like it just fine.
• There is currently a recall on the rear differentials for some models (though from what I know OR models are not affected - yet?)

 

I plan on getting the auto, but should I go with the manual due to the shift point issues?

 

The "issues" are all relative. Just drive them both and see what you think. I came from a 6 speed Jetta TDI and I love this AT in the 3rd gen. It goes into the overdrive gears to conserve fuel economy and gives power when you need it. It is pretty simple and it is not an issue. if you want to drive like a race car, ECT is there if you need it. Also, I am 29 years old and drive like a normal person.

EDIT: the AT has a "sport" mode that limits the top gear. This could be helpful if in a lot of stop and go traffic or driving in the mountains.

 

One thing I love about the 4.0 on my 2nd Gen is that low end power. It has some serious pickup for a midsize truck. I enjoy MT vehicles but more for cars and jeeps, I like AT on trucks. I honestly think I am gonna go with the auto, but I will be sure to test drive both configurations.

 

The MT is the smoothest I've ever driven.

 

The silver has really caught my eye. I think it looks so good. Plus, it doesn't show imperfections as easily as black.
I plan on getting auto, but after the feedback I will be sure to test drive the MT as well.

 

if its a daily driver I would recommend the auto tranny, I have a manual trans and using it as a daily driver and it gets very old shifting, especially stop and go/city traffic

 

NOT TRUE! After a year of daily-ing my truck I would still pick it over an auto. Every time.

 

different strokes for different folks, Im tired of shifting my next and future rides are going to be all Autos

 

I love the silver myself, not your average silver as the metal flakes make it seem almost cement in low light and really bright when it's sunny which is cool.

As far as the buy - the AT tranny isn't too bad once you get the software update done. I'd inspect the vibrations closely if you feel any, make sure the transmission fluid is filled properly. I'm having a lot of issues w/ suspension/front diff right now that have me concerned, but brand new my only issues were - 1. Vibrations in the gas pedal around 2,000 rpms and 2. crazy shifting of the tranny - which the TSB helped significantly. The vibes have grown far beyond that now though so until resolved I can't fully recommend....

 

Also, I had a very hard time even finding a MT to test. If you can find one, definitely check it out. I am seeing some more people say they are having "issues" with the MT but again, it is all relative and nothing detrimental to the truck.