Sell my 2nd gen for 3rd gen?

Sell it and get a 2nd gen 4wd.


Best gen

 

If you need 4wd then you already have your answer. I went from a 15 OR prerunner to a 19 SR5 4wd. Mainly due to moving from S.FL up to Long Island. If I could go back I'd of kept my 15. Yeah it was 2wd but honestly I don't even drive on the beach that much up here anymore. Nowhere to really wheel near me and no boat for me. Mainly just have a truck for my boards and fishing rods in the bed. If my 1st gen 4wd had been a 4 door I'd still be driving that! Hindsight is 20/20 as they say!

 

Repaint it and drive it for another 200,000 miles, just my two cents.

 

It's hard to say that the 3.5L is less reliable considering how much newer it is than the 4.0L. I've had zero drivability issues with mine. It has had some issues, however. But my truck was also built in 2016 and is essentially a first model year still. There are also guys (few because there hasn't been enough time yet, but still) that have 2-300k on theirs and have done little more than routine maintenance on them, if anything.

 

This is why I made the post. I wanted to see individual experience especially from anyone who had a 2nd gen and went to a 3rd gen. Every vehicle of every generation will be bashed by some people for a number of reasons. I love my 2nd gen but I’ve had friends who owned 2nd gens that never owned a Tacoma before and hated them. It’s all about what you want it for. Is the infotainment on par with other manufactures? No way. Does it have corrosion and paint issues across all generations? Yes but generally speaking all tacomas are highly reliable and last much longer with minimal problems in the drivetrain over hundreds of thousands of miles. Just trying to gauge if this is the same for the newer Tacoma. Long bed and 4x4 will make my life a lot easier. If I had bought a 2nd gen with those features when I bought mine, I’d be keeping it.

 

Just be aware that there are numerous posts on TW of third gen Tacomas having paint issues as well. Tacoma paint is the Achilles heal of the industry. There are guys with 2022 Tacomas complaining about paint pealing…. Just something to think about.
If you repaint yours, do it right by a reputable provider and then ceramic coat it professionally and you will never worry about it again.
Side note, my 2013 runs like it’s new but the paint is in bad shape. I’m repainting it, sparing no expense, and will drive this ‘ol girl till the wheels fall off.

 

Sounds like maybe getting them wrapped would be a good idea. I ceramic coated it and hope that will help. My 2003 had the same problem. Water based thin paint.

 

I’m personally not a fan of wrapping as they do go bad and need to be replaced in time, 3-5 years, I mean if you have the money why not, but a good paint job done right will last 20 years and some if maintained with wax and or ceramic coatings. I mean I often see first Gen Tacomas that look much better than my 2013, and it makes me sad, lol. Just goes to show the hit or miss nature of Tacoma paint.

 

Hey OP, I'm down here in South Florida too. I would advise the same. I've had a 4.0 in the 4runner and a 3.5 in a 3rd gen. The 3.5 doesn't have the low end grunt of the 4.0. I think you would miss it.

 

If having a 4x4 is critical because of where you live, then I get your desire to upgrade. But if it's a "nice to have" thing, then I personally would sit on what i had for sure. Now is still not a good time to buy big ticket items, especially if you are financing.

Make good decisions and carry on!

 

I have a 13 TRD OR bought new now with 120k no paint issues but rust issues. I had the frame coated since day 1, CRC'd in 2018. Everything else has taken a beating from salty Vermont.
I have same question about going 2GEN to 3GEN. Yes I could keep the ol girl and run it into ground, but not a wrench turner. It is starting to break, little things. Plus I'm sort of bored with it. 11 years.
Years past I have driven these trucks:
87 Toyota Pickup 4WD SR5 5spd 4 cyl Turbo 22RTE.
95 Toyota Toyota Pickup 4WD SR5 3.0V6 5 spd 350K
04 Toyota Tundra AC 4WD 4.7V8
06 Toyota Tacoma 4WD V6 SR5 auto
11 Toyota Tundra DC 4WD V8 4.6 auto
13 Toyota Tacoma DC 4WD V6 auto

My favorite was the 2004 Tundra 4.7V8 the best imo and perfect size. The one I wish I kept was the 1987.
All of my smaller pickups/tacomas have driven practically the same way with the power being ok. Nothing earth shattering. I see a $h!t ton of 3GEN tacomas on the road. I have read countless of one's with no issues and high mileage.
I purposely drove mine yesterday on a long trip up in the mountains. Guess what? It shifts too. And it's power lol is what it is.
Buy what you want. If you don't like it, sell it. That's what I'm doing.
** edit***
I also ask 3GEN owners I see in person how they do they like their truck? You know, at gas stations, Walmart etc. None have said they hated it. I feel the majority of the owners love their trucks and do it just by driving it enjoying what they have.

 

Since you're looking for a 4WD and having had two 2nd gens and two 3rd gens so far I say the 3rd gens have a better 4WD system. They click in and out so much better and quieter. They made minor changes to the systems when they came out with the 3rd gens.

 

I'd keep the payed-for truck

 

If you keep it, consider Durabak, if you're into that look (flat finish and either smooth or textured). That's my plan when mine finally gets unsightly. Granted, i'm planning on having mine another 20years.

Can you store/transport an alternative 4wd vehicle for hunting?

You could also consider a front hitch and a winch on a hitch tray for those trips if the need for 4wd isn't too crazy. (also good for winching in reverse as needed). 2wd with AUTO LSD, a little speed, and good tires will get you through a surprising amount of places.

 

I have a 2006 Speedway Blue DCSB with over 242,xxx miles and my paint is peeling bad on my hood, roof, and wheel fenders and I also thought about selling it before.

Thanks to this thread, I think I will just keep it and just repaint it later since it is just cosmetic. I do not want to go into debt or do monthly payments if my truck is still running good. I do like the 3rd Gen Tacoma and was thinking of getting a 2023 TRD OR DCLB 4x4 in Blue Crush but do I really need it, not really!

 

If it makes the op feel any better...when buying my 3.5 tacoma sr5, the sales manger said toyota built the 3.5 to last roughly 200k miles with basic maintenance listed in the owners manual using genuine toyota parts. After that, he either recommended selling it, or be prepared to spend a bunch of money in the near future. Being 70 years old, and retired, I figured the truck will last me the rest of my driving days.

 

A buddy I know bought a used classic car and replaced most of the rusty panels and rebuilt almost everything. When it came time to paint it, I asked who would do the job and he said he would... with rattle cans. Wait, what? So he did. He bought like 100 rattle cans of flat black and lightly, slowly, methodically painted his entire car with CHEAPO flat black cans of spray paint. The thing looks amazing. No shit. He gets tons of compliments on it. He's literally won awards at car shows for best paint. He keeps an empty can in the trunk to show people when they ask about it.

I had an uncle who owned a Tacoma in California and lived near the beach. After 10 years he said it looked like someone sand blasted it and decided he was going to repaint it. He threw up some plastic in the garage, bought a spray gun for his air compressor, taped everything up and went to town. When he was done he wet sanded it and hand buffed it and the thing looked great.

All I'm saying is, you got your money's worth out of the truck. If it's still running strong and you like it, now would be a perfect opportunity to hone some skills and pretty it up for way less than anybody else would do it. You really have nothing to lose. If you screw it up, you can always take it someplace to get painted.

 

If you're gonna do it get a 2023 while you can. These newfangled 2024's haven't been proven yet.

The 3rd Gen is good. All these issues regarding the engine and transmission are whines in search of cheese.
It's a truck not a Porsche. Go SR5 at a minimum trim level. If it lasts half as long as your 2nd Gen you're still
coming out ahead.

Per the poster above, at my age, I'll be passing on a nice ride to my son in a few years when I mingle with the stars.

 

I went from a 15 to a 23. The updates on the 3rd gen make it a better driving experience. Interior is nicer and much quieter and comfortable. The 4.0 deff has better down low punch which gives the 2nd gen more of a truck feel. I wish the 3.5 had the same feeling but it's by no means an issue. They both have identical road characteristics. You deff feel every bump and crack.

Both trucks have a small lift and the same wheels and tires. I get about 3-4 more mpg out of the 3rd gen.

I would have kept my 15 for many more years but I need the bigger cab for family duty. Truck had 125k and had been flawless. I really feel like my 15 would have gone forever if I had kept it.

 

If you like it, I say paint it and enjoy it. Good paint jobs are pricey thou.