I might be buying a Tacoma. Can I get your inputs?

Hi TW! This is my first post, and its going to be a longwinded one. Sorry! But if anyone is willing to read it or skim through and has anything to say about any specific parts of the post, I'd really appreciate it!

I currently drive a 2004, Jeep TJ. Standard transmission. About a 3 inch lift with 33 inch tires. I love this thing but my wife can’t drive it and doesn’t seem interested in learning. Sooner or later it will just make sense to have something we both can drive. Plus, and this is a HUGE plus, I do 90 percent of my riding in stop and go city traffic and driving a stick in that is getting old, real fast. The ride is also just getting too rough lately. I’ve replaced shocks and checked everything. It will feel better for a bit, but then just gets rough again in a few months. Or maybe I’m just getting old. But either way, for a daily driver, this jeep is just starting to not cut it anymore.


It’s coming time where I’m considering not putting any more money into this, and just looking for something else to drive. And the Gen 3 Tacomas have really caught my eye. I’m having a hard time choosing between trim packages. I was hoping I could mention what I’m interested in, and just seeing what you all have to say.


I’m going to be buying used and I was wanting to stay around 26K, give or take a few thousand if it makes sense. I keep going back and forth between the TRD Offroad and the SR5.


I’ve found some TRD OR for around 27-29k with decently low miles. I like that it comes with a locker in the rear. I don’t have one in my jeep, but I don’t plan on lifting the truck and making it an off-road beast, so I’m hoping the locker could help get me to the places I got with my Jeep, with a relatively stock truck. I’ll probably end up with some 265/75r16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires at some point. I have them on my jeep (different size) and love them. I like that the OR comes with a skid plate and upgraded shocks. I am coming from a vehicle that has 0 fancy bells and whistles, so some of the electronics of the OR kind of intrigued me. But I don’t know if I would really benefit from it. Is the crawl control worth it or is it just a flashy toy to play with?


I have found some SR5 with pretty low miles and sometimes newer years, at a much lower price. I’m finding them around 23k. This would come with standard shocks, but I’m sure they would do just fine. I can always upgrade as needed. It doesn’t come with a locker. Again, my jeep doesn’t have one, and I’ve been fine, so maybe I can get by without it. If i did need one, I could add an ARB Air Locker. That would also force me to get onboard air, which I wouldn’t mind having anyway. From what I’ve seen price wise, that would be a few grand, but still probably cheaper than any OR edition I will find. Does anyone have any experience with and Air Locker vs and Electronic Locker? Is it work spending more to have the E-Locker that Toyota provides? The SR5 doesn’t have crawl control, but again, I don’t know if that should even be a thing to worry about.



I do like the thought of having a power outlet in the bed of the truck, and I don’t believe the SR5 has that. But until now, I’ve never had a power outlet and I’ve been just fine, so I don’t know if that’s a selling point for the OR.


The OR has the smart key, and I kind of like, and hate that. The SR5 is just a standard key, correct? I use a KeySmart for my keyring and I currently have my jeep key installed in that, with all my other keys. With the SR5, I could still go that route and just not use the FOB at all. But with the OR and a smart key, I would HAVE to have that FOB with me and it’s just so bulky and I would still have to have my KeySmart for my remaining keys.



I think the last question i really have, isn't really something that’s going to make me lean one way or the other, but what is it like to go offroading in an Automatic vehicle? I’ve never done it. In my standard jeep, I’ve gotten used to pressing the clutch to roll back a bit and try an obstacle again. The last truck i had was auto, but I never took it offroading, but i can’t remember how it dealt with rolling backward. In an automatic, do you have to drop it to Neutral/Reverse to roll back on a hill?


I have test driven a gen 3 Tacoma, OR trim i believe and I did like it. I didn’t play with any of the features. Just driving it to see how it felt, and it felt good to me. I’ve seen people say it feels under powered, but coming from my Jeep, it still feels like a step up. Visibility over the front of my hood was definitely worse, that it is in my jeep, but I can get used to it. And the Headroom and legroom in the driver seat is a bit tighter. But I fit pretty well, and so does my wife. We aren’t cramped by any means.


Thanks for any input anyone has!! And if you have any suggestions that I haven’t thought about, let me know! And to be honest, as I typed this out, i think i might be leaning toward the SR5 and adding upgrades as needed. But I would still love to hear your thoughts.

 

Best advice I can give is research until you believe you have the right answer and then research some more. Some dealers are willing to give you extended test drives. Find one that has both models and see which one fits for you. My suggestion from what I read in your post is to go with the OR. I went back and forth and finally settled on the OR for the upgrades (locker suspension, and push button start as well as many others). Either way you go I believe it will be an upgrade from what you are driving. Good luck and welcome to TW.

 

As with what happened to me, I ended up going with the TRD Sport BECAUSE of what came on it, versus the SR5. The TRD Sport comes with 17" wheels, and the larger Entune Screen. It ALSO comes with built-in navigation, as opposed to the SR5 system, which navigation is used in conjunction with your smartphone, which to me, was pain in the butt. But, if you are looking for around the 25k range, I would just go with a NEW SR5, as they can be had for around that price if you shop around, albeit, a basic model.

 

Welcome!

 

Used tacoma prices are a joke. I bought a 2020 SR for 31K. If I had to do it over again, I'd buy a low mileage 04. my 2020 is too big.

 

Get the OR. If you ever want to sell it, it'll be easier. Plus it's the nicest.

 

in my experience i found lightly used tacomas (less than 30k miles) were so close to new price it didnt make sense to buy used.

 

MT FTW

 

Just buy a JKU and call it a good day!

 

The 4runner is a much better vehicle if you don't need a bed

 

My advice is get a manual transmission and a 2020. I have an automatic and although it is not as responsive as i would like, it drives fine. Several others as you will find out if you are on TW long enough have had issues with the Automatic transmission.
The 2020 has the adjustable seat, optional LED headlights, Android auto/ Apple whatever, and all the other bells and whistles i can't think of right now. You are going to spend a pretty penny on a used, might as well go brand spankin new lol.
Good luck and welcome.

 

Welcome!

 

he is selling his standard trans jeep because his wife wont learn to drive it.

 

I've been a Jeep guy forever, that said, Tacos are a great size compromise from what you're used to and a full sized truck. I had a shortbed '12 before my '17. It was an SUV with a bed. I opted for a long bed the next time around and went with an OR cause I was tired of upgrading constantly. Get what you want the first time, but if you don't care about creature comforts don't worry about buying them. Either way it'll be a step up. Additionally, keep the Jeep and buy a tow bar. I've towed our YJ all over the midwest and from the east coast.

 

Well then get an automatic transmission and stay off TW lol.

 

Regarding visibility over the hood.. there are front seat risers that help significantly with this issue. Additionally you can install a front facing camera that uses the stock screen for something like $125 which also helps.

As for the trim.. decide your transmission first (I assume you're going with the V6 motor.) You'll have to go sport or offroad if you want a manual transmission (SR and SR5 aren't offered with a manual V6.)

If you're going automatic then I'd encourage you to go SR5 (or even SR) and use the saved $$$$ for upgrades.

Like others have said.. take your time be patient, look at a few trucks and test drive multiple times if possible.

Welcome to TW.

 

My advice is to read the ALL the comments posted on this site for problems. A lot of real good info on here.

 

Only input I can give you is I have 3 people with Jeep wranglers in my neighborhood that switch to the Tacoma after they drove mine. To be unbias, their feedback was the Jeep Wrangler or TJ is just horrible to drive daily on the road. Even on a dirt road, I was able to maintain 30mph and their Jeeps were shaking the crap out of them and could only go 10-15mph. And lastly was reliability. Even the new ones my neighbors own each had it in the shop to fix something at least twice a year.

I had gen2 with manual and now gen3 with auto. I would not go back to manual. No more worries of burning up a clutch on technical features. Least that was my worry when I would start smelling the clutch when wheelin. Also look at Gen3 auto features. I've used the crawl mode more then I thought I would. It was worth it for me. I use it when hung up on rocks the power cause the wheels to spin. I throw it in rock crawl and all is good.

 

Best vehicle I have ever owned. I have had both 1st gens, 2nd gen, and a 4Runner. Also a Jeep guy. Tacoma does real well offroad, what I can't drive over, I can drag myself over it. Do lots of research and test drive both in the city and hwy. Good luck with your search.

 

Get the 4Runner if you want an auto body on frame Toyota. The Tacoma auto is complete trash.