New member who is still shopping for their Taco . . .

Good day and thank you for the welcome!

I am still shopping for my first Tacoma - a vehicle that will be a lightly equipped truck. I plan to use it as we move into retirement. My wife and I are planning to sell the family house and downsize, and oh boy, we have a lifetime of possessions that need to be rationalized. Lots to move, donate, or sell.

I am kind of stuck in that spot between buying a 3-year-old off-lease vehicle and a lightly equipped new vehicle. I live in Massachusetts and there are many, many, 3-yr Tacos with the V6, <50k miles, 4WD, and four doors. For me, a four-door would be nice, but don't need the V6 or 4WD. Dealers tell me that most new vehicles sold are 4WD, so that is what the used market looks like.

For pretty much the same money, I can get a 3-yr Tacoma SR5 with <50k miles, 4WD, four doors, and the V6 OR scrounge around and maybe find a white SR, RWD, two-door work truck.

I came to the forum looking for ideas.

It is a good problem to have, so I am not complaining!

 

Welcome! Good luck with your search.

 

The v6 and the 4 get very similar gas mileage, so there's that.

The 4 is a long time well proven and pretty trouble free choice, so that's your counterpoint

I had a similar life change to you and went with a '13 Access Cab, 5 lug and it is excellent for what I do.

While 3gen doesn't have a 5 lug version, they do have rear seat delete work trucks. And don't discount finding the right 2nd gen of some configuration, say a '13-15. Less fluff, less 'desirable', less cost.

Where you live definitely requires a good frame inspection for rust, since you likely won't know where the truck actually lived (more snow, salt roads) or how it was used.

In your shoes I would likely go for a 4wd L4 Access cab. You say you don't 'need' 4wd, but it's not really a burden. And should you find yourself in need sometime.......... I'd also not run from the V6. But I would test drive it in various traffic conditions to make sure the transmission doesn't have the bizarre shifting some complain about (it's software related)

JMHO

Happy downsizing

 

Yes, welcome. I started my search knowing I wanted new Tacoma V6 and 4WD, before they stopped making them. I didn’t really want the double cab, I wanted the access cab. I also wanted manual transmission, but that was a hard to find thing in late December of 23. I settled on the DC with automatic.
For a used one, if you’re patient and look around you will find what you want. That being said, I was at my Toyota dealer yesterday and same year, same equipped as mine with 30,000 miles was being offered for $38,000. Almost 6k more than what I paid out the door for mine, new.

 

Great comments and thank you for the recommendations.

My mechanic (of 20 years and a family friend), said in the thick Irish brogue of central New England, "You are not allowed buy a truck older than a 2020 until I inspect every inch of that frame. Heck, the frame rails on (the mechanic's) my 2016 truck are totally rotted out already!"

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Shame on him, as that's preventable for modest cost.

But the cobbler's kids often go barefooted.