My Tacoma Dilemma

Hey y'all

Hope this should go here (thread wise) or that its valid of a thread but I've searched and read a lot and we all know that everyone loves to talk taco and voice their opinion so it seems like a win win.


Going to be getting a (slightly used 2017-2018) Tacoma sometime this year, sooner than later. Might wait till the 2020 drops in hopes that I'll have more options and a little price drop.

So obviously the Delima is which one. Access, double cab or double cab long bed, here's why


1- I surf a lot and surfboards need to fit in there easily. Boards are all pretty much 5'9". I know they could maybe fit diagonal (will have a double check) but if my boards can't fit in a 5 foot bed its a deal breaker.

2- Wife and I like sleeping in the car. When we go camping we do swap between tents and sleeping in the car but the ease of no setup sleeping in the car is nice. Such as going to shows at pappy and Harriets in the CA desert, the car sleeping is just a way to not spend money on lodging but not go full camping setup. Basically an easy way to sleep off the alcohol. But car sleeping seems nice in bear areas and in shitty weather.

So basically I would love a 6 foot bed but...

3- I think I want room to drive more than 1 other person and a double cab long bed is a big car. My day to day, I'm mostly just driving to work or to surf or little trips with the lady, but I do from time to time do camping trips with friends or a surf camp trip with the wife and 1 friend. I love the classic look of a single cab truck (the way they are supposed to be). I just did a camping trip with a big crew of people and I had myself and 2 others in my car. With an access I would have been either driving out by myself or with just 1 other person. not too fun, but can I live with it?



Double cab long bed kinda hits on everything I want but you can't have your cake and eat it too, that's a fairly big car. Ive been driving a Mazda 3 hatch back for the past 4 years (fucking great car BTW) and the question is will I be bummed driving a car that big around everyday (in California), dealing with parking (my complex has a parking lot but its not very big). I live in OC and work in downtown LA and drive around other parts of LA for work (doing photo/ad bullshit). Anyone have any insight on driving around a DCLB dealing with small parking lots, looking for street parking etc?

Double cab short bed, not a huge fan of the style proportions wise but they look ok. I'll tend to choose function over form (to an extent). Will I be bummed on a 5 foot bed with putting surfboards in there or building a raised sleeping deck in the back to sleep comfortably?

Access Cab Love the way these look, I get a 6 foot bed, back seats are fine for the dog, ill probably be totally happy until..I want to take a road trip with 3 other people. Or hell just go down to San O for a beach day and be able to drive 2 people in the back. 1 person could probably sit in the back horizontal with some blankets and pillows, not ideal though.


If anyones got any insight, experiences or random info that'd be great. Either way I'll be stoked because I'll have a Tacoma again (last one was a 99 pre runner), just trying to pick my battles.

 

Test drive, test drive, and test drive

 

To park any pickup you have to be expert at backing into the space. With the parking assist and backup cameras this is cake. Tacos are not that big.

 

Agreed. If you think a Taco is a big vehicle, I don't know what to tell ya. I'm guessing you've never driven full size trucks. Seems like you really need the 6' bed, so go for that and practice parking.

 

Might be a dumb question, I live in Colorado and never surfed, but could you hang the boards over the tailgate with a dakine mountain bike tailgate pad? Sounds like a DCLB would be your best bet but as far as parking I used to drive a 4 door Silverado and driving down town and parking was no fun but my SB taco is way better for the narrower width alone.

 

You need a Tundra for this (or a dcsb with a softopper and rack)

 

Double cab long bed. You’ll be happy and never look back.

 

Options

Keep driving the 3. Save money, and you won't be back whining about gas consumption

Don't take responsibilty to haul other people. That keeps you in an access cab.

Go for the utility package access cab. That gets you no rear seats at all, giving a great starting point for the dog and gear storage. Or at least on person sleeping with no topper needed.

 

Agree with test driving. While I like the looks of the Access Cab LWB, it sounds like the Double Cab LWB will suit your wants and needs.

 

Yeah I always had 1st gen Tacomas, and I only drive a full size truck when I go home to Hawaii for holidays. Been driving a car for awhile recently in California but am tired of not having a truck and also something that can handle a bit of trail.

Im guessing with a DCLB there will be some small adjustments in life like not being able to park in certain spots on the street. Although I do miss having a truck and a bigger car in general the things like parking in any spot and moving around in tight areas will be missed

 

certainly the ideal option would be keep the mazda and just add the tacoma, but selling the 3 will help with the price on the tacoma which would be nice

 

Dclb ftw ...........

 

I think people who say the tacoma isn't big don't drive in LA. I drive a Sienna and its a pain finding parking sometimes working in LA, a DCLB would be a dealbreaker for me.

 

I went from a access cab to a DCLB and it is a little harder, like its a basic two point turn to pull into a place when theres cars on both sides of the spot at the store but its not the worst thing, you get use to it and learn what you can fit and what you cant.
If the only real reason you need a long bed is for the surf boards but want a double cab then go DCSB and either hang the boards over the tailgate of get a set of those bars for the bed to strap the boards to. Personally I needed the long bed since I have a tool box and with a short bed would only have 3.5 feet of bed after said toolbox.
I should say that I live in NOLA and when my and the future wife go to the french quarter, (little streets with street parking) we take her Civic since the DCLB Tacoma is a LOT harder to find a spot for.

Look at this thread with a set up for boards in a short bed.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/surfboards-carrying-longboards-in-a-short-bed.233974/

 

Major reason why I moved from the land of fruits and nuts.

 

don't have to do that if you back in

 

You can and people do, however I’m going to put a hard shell on this truck and I need to be able to lock my boards up. Most surf sessions are before work and I go to work from the beach and I also sometimes bring 2 boards with me and decide which one I want to ride depending on how the waves are.

 

And I do back in a lot but thats annoying when Im getting big stuff that gets put in the bed.

 

I have never ran into a spot I can’t park in. I always am able to squeeze into tight spots, if you know what you’re doing you’ll be fine. Not to be rude, but the argument that moving around tight areas and driving will be harder is BS. I think you would have to not know what you’re doing to not know how to drive a DCLB, it ain’t a semi.

 

Exactly, the reality of my location and places I go for work or even leisure make me scared dealing with anything too big. That’s interesting you say DCLB is a deal breaker for you. I was hoping it’s something I learn to deal with and accept. But will it lead to me screaming into my dash trying to rip my steering wheel out?