Considering buying a tacoma

What do you drive now?
We can tell you more based on what you have now.

 

My 2 cents get a tundra. No issues, more power, more room for friends and family and smoother driving. Price difference is somewhere around $3k or so?? Also mpg on tacoma suck actually gets less thab tundra. Terrible transmission/engine combo on taco. You can read all about it on the forums.

 

Some of this is operating as designed and some of this is nit pick and some of this really pisses me off.

Differential whine: I've already had the TSB done which reduces the noise and it varies across all the trucks. Some have it loud as hell and some may have a whisper. Mine was loud as hell and even after the TSB the noises is progressing in loudness and speed range. 8" or 8.75" rear end, manual or not manual AC or DB it does not matter. It's reduced now but without the parts they threw on there It'd be a loud MOFO at this point. Diff leak.
Leaf springs are weak.

HPFP chrip: My F150 and this Tacoma do it. My Honda and Nissan did not.

Transmission, This transmission want's to drop in to 4th on hills/headwinds due to gear. The stock exhaust is just loud enough you can hear it and it bugs you as it repeatedly does it for every little friggn change in altitude or wind resistance . The wife could sneeze and the truck will shift to 4th. Pretty bad ass gearing on trails and fire roads doing sub 55mph. OAD

Drive line thunk, almost every time I come to a stop the truck the trans shifts down and makes a thunk and jerks. Transmission feels like it completely disconnects and loads back up too fast. Sometimes coming to a stop it down shifts and it feels like you lunge forward.

When it rains I hear a loud ringing resonating sound from under the truck when accelerating. Probably cheap flimsy heat shields and or skids.

Gas mileage is poor but what ever. If Toyota did not tout its efficiency i wouldn't even bring it up. It's not efficient Toyota hang it up. The 4runner is 18 combined and it's 500ccs larger with a 5 speed and no Atkinson.

Entune system wont stay connected to my phone a S8 or the wifes IphoneX. The Qi charger cuts in and out and disrupts signal. I spend more battery life on it trying to charge my phone than actually charging.. My wireless call mic is trash I don't even hook it up anymore or accept calls using it. The stock radio loses reception constantly. Entune freezes. Entune is restrictive and Toyota does not keep up with the app.

4x4 has trouble engaging , Gave up on diff lock working. ( yes I read the goddamn manual )

Window rattles , panel rattles, rear window rattle, tapping from underneath the truck. Missing plugs, loose UBOLTS , condensation in front headlight .

Major issues? I believe that rear end is major but that's me. Will this truck make it through the warranty and loan period? yes.

This truck as a whole in my opinion has been a nightmare. Maybe it will get better. At this point I don't really even care. I am in not in a position to get rid of it or I would have. then again I don't even know what I would be getting myself into if I got something else. I know I've bought used Jeeps, Fords and Dodges that were better than this.

There are people who have good trucks apparently and I believe that. Mine is not but will it run till I can get rid of it? I believe so.

So , those are just some of my problems major or not. All anecdotal evidence, Toyota doesn't care . The people with good trucks will say "this guy is lying Toyota is great!" and you may or may not buy one and if you buy one you may or may not get a good one.

Did I mention extended test drive?

 

I've got a 17 auto OR. I just crossed 10k miles and I've had no issues at all. At some point I'd the transmission tune though.

 

wow.......
i have a 2017 and have never had any issue whatsoever.
i love my tacoma.
my other truck is a fx4 f150
both work just fine

 

Right now I drive a Subaru Impreza. Never had a truck before, but driven plenty. Want a truck badly to get me on some trails and backroads here in the sierras (California). As well as the practicality of having a truck to haul your own stuff around. So I expect a truck to be a truck.

I do a lot of mountain biking and kayaking. Time to get a truck.

 

Keep in mind this is a forum where people’s truck are thier hobby, with that said people here represent a small portion of trucks out there, so we tend to be pickier on things that other people don’t care about, notice or deem normal. TSBs are the major things Toyota recognizes as true issues. A lot of kinks have been ironed out in 18 so if a few bad apples make it past QA, you have to ask yourself if it’s the way people have modified them or drive them. As a daily non off-roader, I can only speak to myself...no issues whatsoever. Forums are great for troubleshooting in a group environment but can also discourage prospective buyers because most will post only when they have an issue leading you to think it’s full of problems when in reality it is not. Any forum for any make in this world will represent what I’m saying...people rarely will complain if everything is fine and even more so jump on the forum to create posts about how thier truck is great and reliable. Let the number of Tacoma’s on the road speak for itself, it’s not one of the best sellers for no reason. It’s a reliable work horse in its class. It sells itself. And warranty will cover everything if there are any out of the box issues. If you’re that worried and want peace of mind, there are a few recent threads on extended warranties from Toyota that are reasonably priced, I’d say get that too but read those threads to get an idea of cost and negotiate it into the deal. No model on this planet can all roll off the factory line 100% without issues, meaning there will always be a few here n there compared to the amount mass produced that may have missed the mark, but compared to other brands, I’d say toyota is super reliable...even for the long haul and if it’s new, any issue that arises can and will be addressed within warranty. In my experience if you take care of your vehicle maintenance, especially early on, it will be loyal to you for a long time.

The one thing I personally won’t do is buy a first year model of any kind, or first year redesign/new generation because there are and will always be kinks to be ironed out with Miles. I let other be the guineas for that, so 3 years later is usually a safe bet.

 

I have a 17 with 21k miles after owning it for just over a year... and no issues or problems at all.

asking about reliability to me assumes long term... and I'm not sure this generations has been out there long enough to determine long term reliability yet. There's some well documented complaints about the 3rd gen that have been around since 2016 (different than usual transmission behavior relative to the 2nd gens... leaky 3rd brake lights... weird whistling or something from suspension parts... etc).

 

I have from time to time driven my Taco in the S mode, and I can attest to this. My 2004 Tacoma was a manual and I loved it, and if the manual is anything like the S mode, then I would be able to say I truly love my current Taco.

 

Jayrobot, makes perfect sense. I’m not a serious off roader or major enthusiast by any means. Wouldn’t be modifying anything. I need it for a daily and for summer activities such as carrying the kayak and taking it on some dirt roads with some potholes etc.

Tacomas seems like the way to go honestly, I just took one on a longer test drive and had the salesman show me more I. Depth features and tried some things out. The etc mode is sweet. I may just have to pick one up.

 

I also live in NorCal and have a WRX which is all I need for getting to most places to go mountainbiking in the Bay Area or up to Tahoe. However, we also live in ID and GA and for some of the better more epic trails, an Impreza won't cut it. You'll need something with more clearance. That's why we have a Tacoma in ID and GA. Great trucks if you like the outdoors and plan on going off the beaten path.

 

Since you have started doing research, test drive a few different Tacoma models, and different Toyota dealerships if possible.

Also test the mid-size GM twins, Frontier and maybe a few full size trucks.

Not sure if you realize that if you get a Tacoma, you are tapped into a very active community of owners- as witnessed by the number of replies.

Good luck, and welcome to TW -and also, very happy with my 3rd gen, no problems, soild truck so far (30k miles)

 

I test drove a Colorado, they’re nice inside for sure and I’ve also always liked the looks of chevy but as far as reliability I think we all know Toyota hands down over GM. The diesel option is nice but again, i don’t think I could go wrong with the resale value of A Tacoma. Colorado drives nice as well.

My friend has a 2006 frontier which is also very nice for a all purpose truck. The inside of the new ones are just way too basic still for me though, but still they’re for sure a good value I think.

Also, I didn’t expect to get so many replies in such a short amount of time. This community is definitely full of information and advice/help. Which is truly important as well.

 

I have a buddy who has a 2007 that has been problem free till he got a new frame. Before the frame recall he was going to sell and get a newer one, but after the new frame, he's keeping it till it dies. Think he has close to 200K on it.
My wife and I have always been MOPAR, but she did the research when her Chevy Trailblazer died and got a 4Runner. My 99 Blazer started having more issues so when I had 2 in one week, I picked up a 2017 Tacoma. Did the research and know it was a solid decision over the other manufactures.
I will say I wanted a Tundra, but it wouldn't fit in the garage, so the Tacoma was the one to get for me. I got a Sport b/c of the look. I don't off-road other than gravel roads when camping or kayaking.
I say go for it.. but make sure you get the one that rides the best.. the Sport and OR do ride different stock. But if you plan on doing suspension upgrades and/or not doing true off-roading, then go for the one that looks the best. Love my MGM, but Cement is pretty tight too.

 

My assumption is on a forum like this, you'll see more problems listed than normal because this is where people would come if they have issues.

My guess is the vocal few have issues, but most people do not and overall the quality will be consistent with Toyota products of the past, just like other brands quality is probably pretty consistent as a whole with their previous products.

I have a 2016. No issues.

 

Test drive, test drive test drive.

Then when you zero in on a model you want, long test the one you are going to buy before buying.

Many complaints here would have been ferreted out via a long test drive. Seat position, head room, seat comfort, trans behavior, etc etc.

Mechanical hiccups that a particular unit may come with like a whining rear, underfilled trans, warped brake drums, leaking 3rd brake light, various wind whistles, etc. can all be solved under warranty. And they happen, but are not all that common.

Personally, I'd be shopping low tech. Especially if you are one inclined to mod. And if the truck is a keeper, it has less stuff to break over the years.

But never ever buy it based on MPG. If you think you'd have to park it at $4.50/gallon, skip it and buy a nice trailer to drag behind your Subie.

Good luck!

 

2018 DCSB OR for me. Picked it up in January. I think it’s important to find a great dealership on top of your vehicle selection process. I think that would make things a lot easier in case something does go wrong down the road. The dealership I went with, scratched up my upgraded rims and I noticed a couple of “factory” scratches. Suffice to say, I wouldn’t go with them again.

In terms of the truck, you mileage may vary depending on your expectations and past experiences with other trucks. My front passenger fender flare had a gap in the seal which the dealer repaired. My rear diff has the whine but the speed window is small and I can avoid it easily unless I am on cruise control at that specific speed. My brake pedal has the typical OR buzz which is normal. None of them are deal breakers for me.

If I were to make the purchase again, I would test drive the Sport and see how I like it. I drive both on road and off road. OR is plush which I like, but it does roll a bit more in turns. If you are purely an on road driver, Sport might be a good choice. I would also look at 4Runner if you don’t need a bed. When it comes down to it, I would purchase either the OR or the TRD Pro if I go with a Tacoma today for my needs.

 

2017 Sport DCSB MT - 23k - no issues.
- No rear "whine"
- No rattles
- Plenty umph for towing
- No recalls for my VIN, but had two ~1" diameter small rear dif spots - dealer took care of it in a day.
- squeaky springs - annoying - dealer took care of it in the same day.

I highly recommend the truck.

 

Just traded my 15 and waiting on delivery of an 18...thanks for asking this question. Just makes me more excited .

 

It is worth the wait, what did you end up picking?