Time for real talk: TFL and the war on Tacoma

Yes. I don't have the details, but I don't believe there was any bad blood or anything.

 

You're not far off (remember to subtract the cost of the TRD OR wheels and suspension you are removing). But most of the Pro is cosmetic. In my opinion (and this has been debated before) the Pro should, at minimum, come with more aggressive tires than the TRD Off Road and not the exact same, highway oriented all terrains. It isn't like the Pro comes with a front locker or other tech that the TRD OR doesn't have. The Rubicon and ZR2 come with tech their next lower trims don't come with. It just kind of makes the Pro not that special, outside of suspension. But that's my opinion.

 

At about the 1:05 mark in this video the guy hits the A-TRAC button and climbs right out of the sand.

 

These dudes are nerds and their content is boring. I couldn’t care less what they think about Tacoma’s.

 

There is a reason why the Tacoma is the top selling mid size truck in america. Trying to knock the king off the hill is what you see happening throughout youtube, with a bunch of wannabe off roaders. I always love the comments, I own a Taco but I would get a Ranger or (fill in model here). Well then live by your words and dump that Taco and get a Colorado or a Ranger or a Frontier, etc. You won't because you know the Taco is still the best all arounder.

Then there is the guy that says, if you don't like the youtuber why watch their video. Well by the same token, if you don't like your Taco, why are you on this forum? we are all inquisitive, which is why we go on forums and youtube.

posting this again for posterity, double locker chevy colorado gets owned by Taco. Fun starts at minute 15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZYQNTLv1iE

 

Well said.

 

It’s a nice suspension though as are the wheels. It’s a desert running truck I don’t think it needs a front locker. Even the Gladiator Mojave doesn’t have a front locker. Most people don’t buy pick-ups for rock crawling anyway. What Toyota should do is bring back the FJ and make that fully locked.

 

I've heard nothing but good things about it. I just don't understand the people who buy one and immediately upgrade it when it would have been cheaper to purchase a TRDOR and do the same thing.

I agree about the front locker, but I was using it as an example. These trucks have multiple other systems which will simulate a locker or LSD which will help in those situations.

 

I get it, there was some low hanging fruit to different the Pro more. Like they could have allowed the locker and MTS to be used in 4HI like the Mojave. I also don’t get people who buy a Pro and throw new suspension and wheels on it, their money though.

 

Fine, but ultimately the comparison is highly flawed. It's as much a tire competition as a truck competition, and tires are a wear and replace component. Crawl control, lockers etc are not. Take that huge variable out of it and take 15 seconds at the beginning to say that Tacoma stock tires are decidedly terrible. Hell, put the Tacoma stocks on the other vehicles...who cares...just remove the tire variable.

 

I agree with you to an extent. There are a lot of things I don’t like about them, they are great trucks but I wouldn’t say there’s nothing special about them. I think the build quality is far and above most anything else you can presently buy in their category. That alone makes them special.

I expect to be driving my present truck in ten years and I expect it’ll still look and run as good as it does today if I do my part and take care of it properly.

I’m a big Jeep fan, I love the whole concept behind them and their capabilities - if they had the same build quality as Toyota, they’re all I’d ever drive. But they don’t so I don’t.

 

Wanna talk about biased? How about Trail Recon? Decently entertaining channel but man that guy is salesman

 

So he makes no bones about being a jeep guy and being biased towards jeeps. But he is honest about it and I respect that, which is more than you can say about TFL.

He did a review of the Taco and I thought it was a reasonable and fair review. Even prefaced it with saying he is biased towards the gladiator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STbXWhDsnsQ

 

Oh I dont mind his jeep bias, i’m more referring to his endorsement of accessories and gear

 

I know, but seems like all the youtubers are businessmen these days

 

I just don't watch them. Watching them promotes them, just like Scotty Kilmer and other BS YT channels. Some, like the Adam Savage BS, that keep popping up, I will load it long enough to give it a down vote.

 

Yes. Many are all selling you something. There are a few honest ones who say “I’m gonna sell you some shit now to pay for this content so here goes the ad”, but those are few.

 

I am fine with that. Making good videos isn't exactly easy and how many times have videos helped us. for me quite a bit.

 

Yes, disclosure is key. However, even the most revered off-road channels a-la Ronny Dahl and Andrew White are receiving a tonne of free stuff these days. It is hard to know what an honest opinion is when you were just given $20K in free stuff for your hilux, etc.

“Overlanding” has become a massive industry in a few short years. There is big money to be made.