WHICH 2012 TACOMA DO I CHOOSE???

I put 175000 on my 05 4cyl 4x4! Hands down the toughest truck I have ever driven. I beat the shit out of that truck. Two wheel drive trucks are stupid I can't believe you would consider that living in ohio! The first time you get stuck in wet grass or in 2" of snow you'll wish you spent the $ on the 4x4.

 

I'm cheap but not stupid. lol I get the best gas in town, Shell gas. Actually, I've got a 2005 fully loaded Lexus AWD RX330 that had been $40k, but that doesn't mean I want haul ass or be racing around town filling a greedy republican oil man's pockets in gas profits. Ya get my drift? I'm just a cheap mofo.

 

I agree.

 

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FWIW ... a 4x2 TRD V-6 AC (with rear locker) would be a good choice and you could get that truck for maybe $25K OTD.
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10000mi per year (average/normal range)

18mpg = 555 gallons @ $5 per gallon = $2775 (2800 rounded)

21mpg = 476 @ $5 per gallon = $2380 (2400 rounded)

$400 difference so roughly 1 car payment per year difference between settling , and getting what you want.

 

Why buy a new truck?? A 08-09 trd 4x4 with like 30k miles would be your best bet. That's what I did. This is my third taco.
05 4cyl had 11,000 traded it in 2010 with 175,000 for 08 trd with 36,000 crunched that into a tree last march so I decided I needed a tundra boy that was stupid!! Now I'm back to a 09 trd 4x4 taco with 41,000 and very happy!!

 

I would definitely get a V6 Access Cab. It really sucks when you drive something that is starved of adequate power. Also, having the Access Cab myself, I can say that I'm happy with that choice. Wouldn't have nearly enough cab room with a single cab and I didn't want the double cab because I didn't want to end up being the free taxi. 4x4 or PreRunner is up to you but better to have and not use than to need and not have.

 

I agree, I actually made a mistake back in the day and bought a the new 01 4cyl 4x2 Frontier king cab and it turned out to be a grave mistake. That sucker crawled up hills with the pedal to the floor and it sucked in the winter so I quickly traded it for a 98 4x4 pathfinder v6 and order was restored. I now know I must have the access cab , must have the V6 and must have the 4x4. I figure I will just keep a light foot and just use the power when I need it, I'm hoping for 20 mpg avg. I will probably only use the 4x4 a few times a year so that should keep the mpg, it will be nice to know I have the right tools should I need them. I will not cheap out this time.

I will get the 2012 or maybe even the 2013. I think I'm going to wait till the end of the year and see if I can snag a sweet deal. I want the entune system b/c it looks awesome and I like the new interior on the third generation. I'm not in a rush. I may even wait until the new engine comes out and be one of the first to rock it.

 

youre getting absolutely bent over for the price on the V6. I bought my 2012 V6 prerunner SR5 double cab for $24,900. Mine is a 2wd but a 4wd shouldnt be that much more expensive.

 

You wont see the new engine until the 3rd Gen comes out whenever that is(2012 is still 2nd Gen not 3rd). Likely not going to be a new truck for 2013 since it would seem like a waste to do a refresh for 1 year.

 

Yeah you're right. I hear there are going to be two v6 engines available.

 

I hope to get a 2012 Sr5 AC 4x4 for no more that $27k at the end of the year, if I'm lucky I could end up with a TRD. Keeping my fingers crossed. The reason I being cheap with the price is b/c I want to get a brand new matching dual sport dirtbike or streetbike to go with my truck.

 

Apples to oranges I guess since I got my truck 3 years ago but I paid $28k OTD for my AC TRD Sport 4x4. Not sure how much prices have changed since then.

 

The one you want.

 

I went to the dealership and got familiar with the 2012 tacoma 4x4 access and I must say I DON'T LIKE the front. I think the 05-11 front looks much better. Now I think I might change my mind and try to find a deal on a 2011. The front reminds me of the 01 frontier I used to have that I bought new at the time. The look was cool 10 yrs ago but outdated now. Does anyone else feel the is way? Toyota could have done better than this, they were better off just keeping the same front and just updating the interior as they did. They should have just waited to do a proper restyling for the upcoming 3rd gen tacoma. BS!

On the other hand the 12 Tundra Crew Max looks hot as hell, too bad they devour gas.

 

OP, you are right on. Trailers suck ass. If you aren't moving multiple bikes at once, avoid a trailer whenever you can. Parking, turning, backing up, storing the trailer, tires/maintenance on the trailer, tags etc. adds up very quickly.

Moving something in the back of the bed is what the bed is for. Get a nice PAIR of ramps (aluminum, not steel), some heavy duty racing straps, and a wheel chock and it's a one man, 10 minute load/unload. Why bother with a trailer?





Reg cab 4x4 auto is what I would get if I were to do it again. However, keep in mind the access cab is very convenient to move a bike, gear, girl friend, and dog all at once.

 

This exactly the gear I had in mind.
As far as the truck is concerned, I hear the reg cab 4x4 autos are slow as a turd. Although I like the look of the reg cab I like to have the ability to recline your seat in the access cab.

 

If gas prices are what scares you, buy a Corolla and put a towing package on it. Buy a small trailer.

But in all seriousness, gas isn't going to be $5. This country will collapse.

 

For what it's worth, here are some lessons I learned about hauling bikes in the bed.

• Install extra D-rings in the bed. In addition to the 2 in the back, you will need two in the front, and two in the middle are nice to have.
• Install a chock. I just have a cheapo harbor freight chock and it has worked for 2 years without a problem. People will tell you that canyon dancers are enough, but I have used them and the front wheel will still move. Chock is 100% peace of mind.
• Get two ramps. One for you to walk up, one for the bike. You want them to be at least 7 feet, preferably 8+. Otherwise, the load angle becomes too steep to do safely.
• Get aluminum ramps. I had cheapo harborfreight steel ramps and they are super heavy, a major pain, cut your hands, and a big time sink to handle and strap down.
• Get ramps with friction coating on the floor. I have had a few scary moments on the harbor freight ramps which were slippery as all hell.
• Drill holes all along the sides of both ramps. This makes attaching a bungee anywhere along the length easy. Your tailgate will be down as most bikes are longer than 5 ft or whatever the bed length is, so you want the ramps strapped down when on the move.
• Get racing straps that have carabeeners on the end. That way, you can leave them hooked up to the D-rings in the bed. Racing straps are typically one piece, with a soft loop and hook at one end.
• DO NOT get cheapo harbor freight straps. They tangle when you just look at them and take forever to use.
• Some sort of frame and axle sliders on the bike are handy, especially if its a sport bike with fairings. I find my sliders particularly useful to keep other shit in the bed of the truck from hitting the bike while moving.

 

gas prices don't really scare me. I'm just cheap but I'm not a fool. I will be getting a V6. My last car was a V8 and there is no in hell I'm going back to 4cyl. At one time I had a Honda Civic 5speed manual and that was slow as a turd so you know how I would feel driving a 4cyl in a pickup truck. Aint happening,