Looking at buying a 2024 Tacoma 4x4

Hello op welcome, as others suggested I highly recommend the 4Runner comes with a bulletproof 5speed auto and the bulletproof 1gr 4.0 that used to be in the 2nd gen Tacoma and is in some Land Cruisers around the world (Land Cruiser is one of the best most reliable vehicles ever made) back seats are a billion times better than the Tacoma and the shorter wheel base on 4Runner makes it better for off roading (I own both) look up car care nut on YouTube he does in depth videos on both the taco (3rd and new 4th gen) as well as the current 5th gen 4Runner

 

Posted and hasn’t been back…

 

There are no recalls on the '24 model.

 

Thanks to everyone for the fun discussion and responses to my first post! My wife read over my shoulder and we both became better informed and laughed quite a bit. You are all fun and great! I had thunk that I would get an email saying that there had been replies, but none arrived. So I checked back in today. Mea culpa.

My first thought was to multiquote some of the posts. But then on second thought, that would be goofy messy. So I'll hit the high points, again with bullets.

• How do I only have 28K miles on my 2017 Outback? I bought it 3 years before I retired. Even then, I only had a 4 mile commute each way. For comparison, my wife's 2019 Pacifica has 15K miles on it.
  
• The Outback has the H4 boxer engine, and AWD and a CVT automatic. It is on its second set of tires because one tire was damaged beyond repair at 12K miles and I had to replace all 4. That was an unpleasant expense I want to avoid in the future, hence some of my 4x4 and transmission questions. Its 2.5 naturally aspirated engine has been OK. As for fuel economy, it could do better if I could keep my foot out of the throttle.
  
• Yes, 4x4 is essential due to my line of work. I'm not fully retired and still go into some gnarly places. I recall one where someone in a square-headlight Wrangler asked me, "How did you get that Subaru in here?" "Slowly and carefully, I replied." We both got a laugh out of it.
  
• I agree that buying the first generation of anything carries risks.
  
• The forward collision warning feature that comes on the Outback, called "Eyesight," became essential one time a year after I bought it. I still shudder at the incident that didn't quite happen. I consider that feature, mature tech or not, to be very important.
  
• Based on experience, I like Aisin transmissions and detest JATCO transmissions. That rules out Nissan products. Yes, I am painting with a broad brush and know that.
• I also have a 1996 3/4 ton Dodge turbodiesel 4x4 in the fleet. It is undergoing restoration. It's driveable, but not yet for long distances. In keeping with our style, it has less than 80K miles on it. The restoration is due to the mayhem caused by Arizona sun.
• Yes, we want the pickup truck bed, short though it may be. We also want the back seat, cramped or not. The truck will seldom have back seat passengers. I seldom have back seat passengers in the Outback, but I have ended up carrying filthy stuff in the Outback's cargo area. More so than I had expected, but should have.
• I have been doing most of my own work on cars since 1970. I have bought factory service manuals (or the closest I could get to them). When necessary, I have bought and updated OBDII scanners and specialized tools. I expect to do this kind of work until I cannot physically do so. Even if I can't do the work, I can at least maybe head off being scammed.
  
• When I stop driving, I want my adult daughter to have whatever I am currently driving. I don't want her to worry about the "replace all 4 tires" problem that comes with most AWD cars.
• Inquiries at a Ridgeline forum resulted in suggestions, that "to be safe," replacing one tire means replacing all four. But the suggestions were not unanimous.
• Used Tacomas around here range from reasonably priced with high mileage (150K to 300K) to low mileage (10K to 45K) at close to OEM prices. For the extra cost, I might as well buy a new one and have a fun day haggling over the $300 charge for air in the tires and other add-ons.

Thanks and don't stop. I am still interested in Maricopa County area dealer experiences. But as suggested, I am willing to travel for the right truck and deal. I-G-U

 

2024 4Runner last year of the 5th gen before the 6th gen comes out or 2023 Tacoma off-road would be my 2 choices.

 

Yup. I forgot to mention that I'm gonna look at the 4Runner. Thanks for the reminder.

 

If you drive the Off-road version of the 4Runner, keep in mind the front shocks are too soft and should be replaced. The nose dive is pronounced on hard braking, but easily fixed with better stiffer shocks.

 

To the OP: More importantly, the question is, even if you can afford it, how much money are willing to spend? Also, if buy brand new 4th gen Tacoma, you really want to drive it, or any other brand new vehicle in “gnarly” places, without getting all OCD?

 

This is a brand new gen with a turbo 4 banger and a bunch of tech. I’d wait at least 2-3 years before even considering one. Let all the people who buy the new shiny thing be guinea pigs first! Just look at the new tundra and how they ruined it

 

Nice thing about the trd off-road 4 runner is it has the manual tcase.

 

I'm calling it now. Someone in the near future is going to mod the shutters to full manual control... and then they're going to put a light bar behind it.


It's going to be the signature 4th gen winking unibrow.

 

Go get that new Taco and beat the tarnation out of that thing.

 

2014 F'n'J...

 

Lol. Wouldn’t be surprised.

 

Don’t blame ya, I wouldn’t want to drive that car anyways. Put the miles on the Nova

 

Oh hell no.

Just got her back from the paint guy.
Back to the original Code-75 Cranberry Red.
Hasn't been red since the mid 80s.

He's gonna wait a couple more weeks for the paint to fully cure and the black Rally Nova stripes will go on.
("250" emblems for entertainment purposes only)

 

Looking and Sounding good
Let her’ Rip Tatter Chip!
I see a new Avatar coming.

Need to take her up to Lebanon Valley and exercise her.

 

Oh what? Shit! So thats something thats happening? This place gives me so much anxiety lol.

 

From experience, at least the front shock absorbers on every truck I have owned and/or driven needed to be replaced ASAP.

I am almost always OCD about driving in remote areas. I have never caused any damage that didn't allow me to get home for dinner. In my younger years, the occasional field repair required steel hose clamps, bailing wire, and duct tape. Creosote bush stripes were a given. In my later years, I'm not in so much of a hurry and carry hedge trimmers. I was once asked why I left the engine idling at a stop. My reply was that with the engine idling, that meant that the engine was running. Turning it off changed the base condition to a possible non-start. With just one car in the "caravan," that was ungood. That was before the days of jump start batteries.

I've driven the Outback in the Arizona desert and in Death Valley region places. No dents yet and only one really minor differential scrape. Well, a door ding, caused by a teenage girl at a Hardee's in Joliet, Illinois.

 

I have found this dynamic spreadsheet to be very helpful.
You can see directly what is being delivered to a local dealer (along with whether they are adding additional charges over MSRP).
Many of those vehicles might already be sold, but if you like what they are bringing in, you might be able to reserve something similar.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/131kwPy9x2bwci1NVE0tetG3jG57TxdJE/edit#gid=839363963