New Guy

Well I’m thinking about getting a new vehicle. I graduated from college and started a new job last month and my boss keeps asking what kind of car I’m going to get. I wasn’t planning on getting a new vehicle but am starting to consider it.

I guess my main question is are you happy with your purchase? What do you like and dislike about the Tacoma? If you had to buy a new truck would it be the Tacoma or something else?

I currently have a 2011 Subaru Forester with 104,000 miles on it. It looks perfect but it’s going to need a new exhaust and new shocks. It also hasn’t been the most reliable vehicle. My mom purchased it new in Dec. of 2010. Since then it’s had the valve cover gaskets resealed 5 times and they just replaced the short block at 92,000 miles because of the piston ring recall.

I previously had a 2002 Toyota Tundra it was an SR5 access cab with the trd off road package. The only real complaints I had with it were the seats and the transmission. I’m only 5’ 1” and the seat bottoms were too long for me to get comfortable. The 4 speed downshifted for every grade on the highway when using cruise control which drove me nuts. The only reason I got rid of it was because I couldn’t justify the 10 mpg for driving back and forth to school plus my mom was going to trade the forester in on a 2018 Impreza after I got rearended in her Honda Fit and totaled it.

Right now I’m only really interested in the Tacoma and the Silverado. I never really was a Chevy guy but they’ve come a far way. I drove my cousin’s Silverado up to Erie and back and it did a lot of things right. It was comfortable, got good gas mileage and I really liked the head unit with Apple car play. The price isn’t that far off the Tacoma’s either which is why I’m considering it.


Thanks

 

Welcome to TW! I like my truck.

 

I'm very happy with my 16 TRD off road. Most of the complaints about the seats come from guys on the taller end of the spectrum it seems.

 

Well a full size silverado is going to be more comfortable. The question is after a few weeks or months if you are in city a lot parking and shopping and just driving in traffic the tacoma size shines. Plus it is very good truck off road and trails.

 

I’ll definitely have to test drive the Tacoma to see how the seats are. I’m kind of surprised the Tacoma isn’t much better on gas than the Silverado with the 5.3l V8. I know mileage varies by person but what kind of mileage do you guys get out of your trucks?

 

Most get between 17 and 19. Few that get a little more or less depending on where you live..... hills, flat land, traffic in the city or nice steady commute for 25 miles or so. The ones with a decent commute 25 miles or more and constant speeds (no transmission shifting up and down) you will see 21 to 23 mpg

 

U will get just as good or close to as good on the silverado on mpg. My tacoma is 2 months old and 4800 miles and I am 20 mpg average. A guy I work with 17.silverado 5.3 z71 4x4 and he is averaging little less than 18.

 

GM build quality is there downfall.

Great looking trucks, and ride/feel great for 50K miles.

Then the interior starts falling apart and squeaking.

Then comes mechanical issues....

If you want a full size, go Ford.

 

I say buy a tacoma and take the driver seat to an upholstery shop and let them customize the seat for you.

 

have a 16 SR5 DCSB and love it, ready to turn 29k on it and it runs great..maybe next time I will get a 4Runner or Tundra just for the added room...

 

I average 20+ per tank and have it 24 and change on highway trips before. My boss averages 17 and change with his new Silverado with the 5.3 and his all time best was 19.4 and he drives a ton of highway.

I love the size of the Tacoma, it's perfect. If I got a bigger truck it would be a 3500 because the a 1500 doesn't do anything more for me than a Tacoma.

 

2017 TRD Offroad and love it

 

While I see the Tacoma as a fantastic vehicle (and investment relative to many other cars), your repairs on the Forester are going to be WAY less than a payment every month or buying a truck cash right now. My vote is fix your car, save your money for a year or two (not in savings; invest in indexes in the very least to keep ahead of inflation), then make a decision. So many people buy a vehicle right out of school when they don't need to and put themselves behind financially because people judge you on your ride and make you start to question yourself. Get rich and get a taco when the Forester becomes a hindrance. That's just my $3.60 worth...

 

Depends what you're going to do with the truck and what you want. Main selling point of the Tacoma for me was MT. If not for that I wouldn't have a Tacoma right now.

I'd start with trying to figure out if you want a fullsize or midsize. Tacoma vs Silverado isn't apples to apples at all. If you need a fullsize it should be Silverado vs Tundra. If you don't it should be Colorado vs Tacoma. In either case I'd go with the Toyota truck. May also be worth questioning if you actually need a truck. If not some things to consider would be 4runner and GX460. Had either of those been offered in manuals I likely wouldn't have a Tacoma today.

 

Stick with your Subaru. A brand new truck is the last thing a college grad can afford and the last thing you need.

Things were different 20 or 30 years ago but nowadays buying a vehicle new off the lot, especially a pickup is a luxury. You have no reason at all to go $25k further in debt when your current wheels are perfectly reliable, safe and comfortable.

In a few years you're going to want to buy a house or get married and you don't want to have to put it off on account of your debt.

 

get the MT, says the MT guy(s). i so love this thing, but had to mod up to make her right for me. i was gonna sell the truck before i dug my heels in and started the modding process and made her right.

but in reality this guy is talking what you likely need to hear. cus when i was young i never heard it and then the shit ensued... life.

welcome, New Guy.

 

He's probably right but that's not the American way! I get around 24 mpg on my work commute (19 miles each way). I prefer my truck to my wife or house. Just kidding.

 

Since your boss is forcing it on you, maybe you can negotiate a vehicle allowance or gas stipend.

 

I would keep the subie unless you really really really really really need a truck. I would get the Silverado if you plan on ditching it in 3-5 years. if you want a new vehicle and plan on keeping it for years on end then I would probably get the Tacoma. they are expensive trucks though so I would probably keep the subie and drive it till it dies. considering you just got a new block.

 

This is probably what I need to hear lol. I should be able to easily pay off my student loans this year so I’ll try to convince my self to wait until after that to purchase a new vehicle. By the way I make decisions it will probably take until then to decide anyhow...