What DON'T you like about the Tacoma

How about the whoppin 1 1/2 inch travel for the tilt steering wheel.

 

I sold my '89 Xtra cab and bought an '08 Xtra Cab, both 2WD, 4cyl SR5. '89 was 5-spd; new one is auto. Ride is much smoother, quieter and better in '08, and I love almost everything about it, but toss it into corners and it feels/handles like a Buick, my old '89 handled more like an 240Z.

Granted, my '08 is bigger and heavier, but are there any mods/tips to improve handling for the base 4-cyl Taco? I've been Googling but everything seems to be for the Pre-Runner and 4x4.

BTW, I love my mileage, I get 25-30mpg highway on my '08, only 22-25mpg on my '89.

 

Tires have a huge affect on handling. Have you looked for an aftermarket sway bar?

 

How about the outside temp gauge being 5-10 degrees off?

 

The bank still owns it.

 

I love my boy to pieces but I am human & still nitpick in the back of my mind:

1) Orange dash (what's wrong with green??) Orange is hard on the eyes.
2) The dash stays lit whether the headlights are on or not. Five times I caught myself driving after dark in a well lit area without my headlights on (I have Indigo Ink too) as I assumed they were on because the dash is lit. This is a downright dangerous design idea to have passed into works.
3) The front turn signals are in the middle of the front end. People next to you cannot see your turns signals as they are supposed to be on the front corners of a vehicle... another bad design idea. I'm fixing this soon with turning-arrow side-mirrors.
4) The gas cap should lock or only be opened from a lever inside... (having key lock installed soon too)
5) No manuals in my area... I was stuck with an automatic.

I'm pretty nitpicky, so five is doing great. My list of favourite things about this truck is endless.

I agree with those who listed ipod & cargo light, but they would be bonus's not nitpicks for me. The price is steep, took me a long time to get into our Double Cab, but as with anything if you want the best you have to pay for it.

 

Would be interested also, does the X-runner have a rear sway bar, and would it fit.

 

I love my 2008 Tacoma but couldn't understand why they didn't come with the radio capable of being set up for satellite radio. The size of the radio space doesn't really let you buy a satellite radio that will fit right in (like it did on my RAV 4). I had to buy the additional radio and have it mounted underneath the dash. It would be nice to have an outside temp gauge and locking gas cap, but I can certainly live without it.

 

I'm not sure a locking gas cap would be best, but with gas prices going the way they are I can't believe they didn't do SOMETHING about that. Like maybe a remote opening door like on cars. No need for an extra key, and have to unlock the cab, open the door, and pull the lever to get in.

I also can't believe they didn't put a cargo light in the back.... It would be useless with my cap now, but look around! EVERY other truck has one!

MP3 capability would've been nice for those long trips. The 6-disc helps, but c'mon! MP3 playing should be a simple software/firmware change in the stock stereo so it should be free to incorporate at the factory. Low end Scions have it, and damn near everything on the lot I saw recently has it. Technology has been there for YEARS so it should be as standard as AM/FM tuning by now!

Heated mirrors as others have said. Someone asked why since "it's a truck". Well, duh. It IS a truck which means most people use the MIRRORS to back up. It's not a little Civic or Corolla where you can look out the passenger windows and see everything. Here in the north with frost, snow, and ice the mirrors are worthless unless you park in a garage. Hell, even foggy mornings covers them and makes lane changes that much more exciting.

 

If toyota had all these options that everyone is wanting, it would be a $40,000 truck. Who is really willing to pay that for something that isnt a full size? Then everyone would be complaining even more about the prices

 

changing your shocks out for aftermarket shocks will make a huge difference in sway and cornering...

 

I dislike the fact that I know longer have my Tacoma.

Count yourself fortunate that you do have one and not a Honda Civic. Like me.

I do get to drive the Subaru sometimes, though.

 

To me it's not the fact that it's hard to find.... It's the fact that the exact same switch is used in the 4Runners and is illuminated for the 4R's. So why would Toyota take the time/money to design a new version of the same switch instead of using the existing one. Also, why is it that the 4wd switch is the only switch in that area NOT illuminated?

It's one of those "wtf were they thinking?" things.

 

do we have to own one to complain? cause I can tell you why i didnt buy one...

size- its the same size as first tundra no longer a "toyota" sized truck
no manual with dc LONG bed..but you can with dc short bed WTF?

styling isnt the greatest but when i was looking for a new truck if it would have been same size as first gen..been avail dc long bed manual I'd have one

 

Funny, I got this gen because of the size, and didn't get a gen1 because of it's size! I tried a gen1 when they came out in 01, and it was too small. If I was driving, no one older than a 5 year old could fit behind me. Seemed kinda pointless to have something about the same size as an access cab with 4 doors. Now with my DC I can drive, and still have room for adults or larger kids behind me. Oh, and there was no manual option on the DC's when they first came out. Deal killer right there.

 

yeah i wasnt looking at one when they first came out I was looking for one like maybe a year ago before I found my grey 1st gen.. but if you like the size of the new tacomas then you would have loved the old tundra...in 01 you could have got a 3.4V6 tundra access cab and had a truck about the same size mpg etc ... just saying if i wanted something the size of a tundra I would have bought one... but now there is no smaller truck option

 

The cold weather package on my gen1 tundra which included heavy duty battery, alternator & heated mirrors was a measley $175. Heated mirrors are now standard on the tundras even the base models which are less expensive than some tacomas.

But boy do I have primo carpet mats! And only $199!!

As PT said, its safety, the mirrors suck in cold climates.

 

That's what I'm saying! You got all that for $175 while it costs at least that much just for aftermarket heated/turn signal mirrors. So don't tell me toyota couldn't throw heated mirrors in for much, much less. Especially when the mirrors are as big and required for maneuvering as they are.