Considering a Tacoma...Anyone come from an F-150?

Hey guys and gals. I am looking to enter the Tacoma realm, I think. I have a nice 2006 Ford F-150 5.4L 4x4 Super Crew cab. I love the truck, its in great condition, and only has 50K miles.

The problem is, it gets terrible gas mileage (11-15 mpg) and it seemed to suffer from quality control issues when I first had it. It had to have the IWE's (Ford lingo for front 4wd hubs - integrated wheel ends) replaced when it had 30K on it, and some minor other issues here and there that I have had to fix. This is was a surprise to me, since the other 7 or 8 Ford cars and trucks I have owned have been pretty solid. I don't beat on my vehicles, and I maintain them meticulously.

It is running and driving great now, but it just irks me to have had such problems so early on. Besides, it just might be more truck than I need. I don't tow anything anymore bigger than a 10' x 6' utility trailer with a dirtbike or two on it, so the 5.4L is really overkill.

I also have a beater 2wd Ford Ranger that is great for buzzing around town and taking the 60 mile commute to work. It gets about 25 highway mpg, so that is great. But, even with an extended cab, it isn't really possible to comfortably seat me, my wife, and 6 and 3 yr. old kids. So, it is only good as a "get me to work" truck. Quite honestly, if Ford offered a 4 door Ranger, I would be tempted to just trade the F-150 for a newer one of those. But, they don't.

So, reading about reported quality records, and looking for a midsize 4 door 4x4 truck, I have zeroed in on a Tacoma. Oh man, that would be my first non Ford, truck or car, and it would be weird, for sure. But, I also realize blind brand loyalty is silly, and doesn't make sense for the overall benefit of the consumer pool. So, after the shaky history of my pricey F-150, I may be ready to pull the trigger on a Toyota.

So, I have a few questions. Have any of you come from an F-150 to a Tacoma, and been either thrilled, or disappointed? I would like to hear your experiences. Also, I would like to hear from you that transport small children with carseats, in your Tacomas. I really think I would be interested in a 4wd four door short bed, second gen. I think they look great, and would be a nice size truck for my needs. Not sure what the different packages entail yet though, like SR5, etc. Advice there would be great too! I don't offroad much, but do need 4wd for snowy roads on occasion and to get me in and out of the muddy motocross track in the summer. Mild off roading has always interested me, so I may venture into that someday too.

Actually, it would be nice to trade straight across, at a dealer, for a similar condition truck, since I would assume the values would be similar for what I am looking for. But, I realize dealers have to make a buck, and I haven't looked into used pricing on Tacomas yet. What does, say an '06-'07 4x4 4 door Tacoma with 30-50K miles usually go for?

Thanks in advance, it looks like a very nice forum you folks have here. Who knows, I may end up being a permanent and regular face around here.

My truck (old pics with the original tires):

 

Non american? They are made built in AUSTIN TEXAS, as far as quality goes there are several threads on here regarding high mileage (250k+) and hardly an issues. The Tacoma will probably cost quite a bit but you get what you pay for. I have put both of my Tacos through hell and back and they keep on chugging. There is no better choice for a midsized truck than a Tacoma.

 

Yeah, I should have been more specific, and said "a truck made by a non-American company". I figured they were assembled in the US, and also know that Fords aren't exactly all American for that matter.

 

Sorry to bust your cajones but you get a lot of if you say that Tacomas aren't american but on topic, you won't find a better mid size truck.

 

Good point. OP edited to avoid any misunderstandings.

 

A lot of things that you are asking from us on the board you can search and you should be able to find some answers. As of to doing a straight across for your Ford to a Toyota isn't going to happen. Like you said that the dealers are going to want to make a buck too. You may get a good deal on your trade but for getting a Tacoma for the same isn't going to be easy. You're going have to go and look online and see what you can figure out for a average price for the Tacoma that you're looking for.
I'm Canadian so I am going to suggest you to delete the fact that you said "Toyota isn't american" lol. That isn't relevant now, Tacomas are made in the USA. People down south of me may start flaming your thread for that comment lol.

 

Anyway, I own both a Tacoma and an F150 FX4, my Ford hasn't given me problems and I just hit 60k on it. As for your question about that particular year there is a sticky regarding the TSB lists for each Tacoma year model, I would give those a quick thumb through to know what you are supposed to look for before purchasing one. There is one for sale in the BST section, I personally think it's a steal:http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...-2006-sr5-4x4-dbl-cab-1-owner-30k-mi-21k.html
If a dealer had that truck, he would have it on craigslist for 25k or more even.

 

I have a 08. 50,000 miles. The only thing that has gone wrong is heated leather seats have burnt out...........twice

 

Well..... you have come to a forum where most everony loves their trucks. But......use the search button above and look at some of the problems that some people have had (not all - but some).
You will find on any forum that they usually can find what is wrong with a certain model and point it out better than any dealer will elaborate to you.
Gas mileage - Most guys on here get less than they expected. Some - myself included - have managed to get around 20 with the double cab V6. You have to baby it and go slow.
Blower motors - an anoying chirp
Front Diff bearings - mostly from guys with lifts
Vibes - mostly with lifts
If you keep it stock and use it as a daily driver, they are pretty good overall.
As soon as you hook onto that little trailer, your mileage will drop, but it will handle it just fine.
Hope that helps, and good luck.
Oh, and there is no other mid sized truck that would be a better choice.

 

DO IT!!!

 

Oh jeez, I didn't say they "aren't American", I said Toyota wasn't "an American company". Not that it matters anyway. Gonna have to watch my words I guess.

I know a straight trade isn't probably going to happen, and I may have to accept one with more miles than mine if the year is close to the same. But, I think the last time I looked it up, mine booked around $21-$22K, so I thought I would at least be in the ballpark, for a 5-6 year old Toyota. Maybe not, though.

Thanks for the feedback so far, guys!

 

I have an '11 Tacoma 4x4 and an '06 f-150 lifted 4x4. Both different beasts. Fuel mileage is about 4-5 mpg difference. When I want comfort, it's the f-150. When I want style, it's the Tacoma.

 

I traded in my 2005 F-150 Screw 4x4 with 60k on it for my Tacoma. I liked my F-150.. but it had a noisy engine(sounded like a diesel) and bad mpg's. I also had to replace 2 window regulators.

I miss the roomy cab of my old F1, but the tacoma is comfortable and I'm getting around 20mpg. It's a great truck

 

TACO FTW!!!

 

nice truck. that would pull some serious cheddar at the dealer. My .02 is trade for a tacoma. my 07 has 73K. didnt buy it new but no issues whatsoever. Love this thing. I came from a 2004 ford mustang gt. haha

 

They are made in san antonio tx, just fyi

 

Can't speak for f150 too much, never was a fan of it. I either advocated for the f250 or ranger . But you'll love the tacoma...

 

Damn you! Lol. I was hoping that would go un-noticed.

 

I went from a 1997 F-150 extended cab to a 2006 Tacoma extended cab Prerunner (2wd that looks like a 4wd). To be honest, I was just looking for something smaller. I got to where I really didn't like parking lots in the Ford. Anyway, I love the Tacoma. Be prepared for it to feel much lighter, even than your ranger. That can be both good and bad. The high profile and light weight means it can get whipped around in high winds. I average about 19-20 mpg. 22 mpg downhill with a tailwind. The Tacoma is not without it's own problems. I have 130K miles on mine. I just found out that I have to replace 2 of the catalytic converters. Parts & labor will cost me $2,800.
I also have something going on with my differential. It makes an annoying whining noise. It sounds like I'll need a rebuild of the pinion bearings. I also ran into the problem with the overhead compass and thermometer. That was no big deal as there's an easy fix for it on this forum.

 

I recently traded my '04 Chevy Crew Cab for a 2012 Tacoma Double Cab 4x4. Prior to that I had a '97 F150 4x4. The biggest thing for me to get used to comparing either of those to the Taco was the size. I have a 2 year old in a car seat and he fits well enough in the backseat, but doesn't have the extra foot of kicking room like the chevy. Same thing with the front, plenty of room once you get used to not having a surplus of space all the way around you. Also, the Tacoma's ergonomics are more like a car... when you sit in the seat your feet are straight out in front of you rather than down below you.

As far as power is concerned, the 4.0 has plenty of it. The stock suspension seems refined and well sorted out. It rides a lot like a car over rough roads and has good lateral stability in corners. With a mild load (say... 500lb ATV) in the bed, the rear seems to get a little busy, and stability deteriorates slightly. (I have a TRD-OR, which has only a 3 leafs rear spring pack. Look up rear spring TSB on the forum here).

Overall impressions of the truck are that it feels well built, solid. It is comfortable, but IMO takes some getting used to compared to a BIG 3 truck. I was very skeptical when I bought it, but the more I drive it the more I like it. I miss my Chevy, but wouldn't give up the Tacoma for it.

When I was looking at trucks in AZ, I found that the used trucks with 40k to 60k were not much cheaper than the brand new ones. A typical 2nd gen DC 4x4 was in the $25k-$27k range, and I got my brand new 2012 TRD-OR 4x4 for $31k. I intend to keep it for several years, and based on the current used pricing I don't anticipate my truck losing much value.

That said, I don't have any first hand experience with reliability issues. If you look around the forum you'll find that the Tacomas do have their problems, but they're usually very minor and you'll find very few people here who don't love their trucks.

SR5- Basic truck with power windows, doors, decent stereo etc.
TRD-OR- SR5 with locking rear differential, ATRAC, better seat materials, more heavily bolstered seats.
TRD-Sport- SR5 with hood scoop, body colored bumpers, mirrors, door handles, better seats, wheel options.