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Test Drive comparison

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by PMK, Dec 28, 2012.

  1. Dec 29, 2012 at 1:37 PM
    #21
    jamesinkeys

    jamesinkeys Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    First Name:
    james
    florida keys
    Vehicle:
    pre runner
    pimped
    I see Jesse James sporting a black rapter, but he has money to burn....
     
  2. Dec 29, 2012 at 9:12 PM
    #22
    pra4sno

    pra4sno Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2011
    Member:
    #69002
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    Fort Collins, Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2017 DCSB OR MT. Previously 2013 DCSB SR5
    I spent a week driving a buddy's Raptor when I was home on leave. I can only offer a few initial impressions, and why I went with a Tacoma in the end.

    The Raptor was just too big, and the interior felt ridiculous. Everything about the truck is too "showy" for me, but of course many can appreciate its looks so I won't go on with that.

    Power was excellent...GOBS of it, and I never felt like I was digging for a gear, or having trouble passing anyone. My con about it is that I felt disconnected from both the motor, and the road. It was like I pushed the throttle and I heard the motor wind up, but aside from the spedometer climbing I felt little indicating I had any control of the beast I had released. Sounded awesome though!

    Suspension: Holy travel batman. It was great. Articulation was phenomenal. I heard a lot of stuff clanging around, but nothing I haven't heard on any other truck with 35's. The BFG's sling rocks everywhere when you're on a gravel road, but no complaints about traction. If you plan on driving this thing all over the U.S. on the freeway, its not the easiest vehicle to keep in a lane. Its not terribly difficult, but it does track worse than most trucks I've driven. To be honest though, if you end up in a ditch, its not scary...its just loads of fun. This thing is unreal on washboard gravel roads too. No tail end jumping, and it feels like butter.

    Payload: Dissapointing. The suspension's travel and flex sacrifices a bit of payload, but I'm sure this could be corrected by throwing more money at it in the form of airbags. Really though, if you've got the money for this truck, get a trailer and set the tongue weight low. It will be able to pull nearly anything you put behind it easily.

    Electronics: Lots. Why? Because you're paying for them! The blue tooth worked great with my smart phone - REALLY - its a good system. I can't compare Entune to it. The blue tooth also linked up with my friends Ipad, so we could play tunes through that. Neat! I love the auxilary light switches - super robust and I think its great to have stuff pre-wired so you can plug and play. Who WOULDN'T want to be able to leave their aux lighting in the truck and bust it out, bolt it on, and plug it into a harness on the bumper before going wheeling or into the snow. Electronic dampening - Amazing. Loved this system. The stereo system was excellent, and with all of the lights everywhere on the interior I felt like I was driving a spaceship.

    I got the Tacoma because its a jack of all trades, and master of none. Its skinny, so offroad it fits on all of the logging trails that I use when I go hunting, without the risk of scraping paint. Decent mileage, and the power is more than acceptable. I can upgrade suspension for a reasonable cost (without sacrificing ride quality like many other makes and models) if I want, and I didn't have to pay a premium on any stuff I didn't want. Granted, it came with a lot less options than something like a Raptor, and its a lot less flashy.
     
  3. Dec 30, 2012 at 4:44 AM
    #23
    PMK

    PMK [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2010
    Member:
    #32186
    Messages:
    1,358
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    Male
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    10 DCLB TRD Sport
    White, debadged, Mudflaps removed, ICON 2.5 in front, 2.0 in rear, all 4 corners have reservoirs, Spidertrax wheel spacers all around, BAMF bolt on sliders, Avid lightbar, oem transmission cooler converted to power steering cooler, aftermarket transmission cooler eliminating all oem transmission cooler stuff, remote mounted spin on transmission fluid filter TrueTrac rear differential, rear diff housing vented and filtered into left side bed box, URD MAF calibrator, Volant intake scoop into oem airbox, second filter removed, airbox internals smoothed, blended and polished throttle body, NST intake manifold spacer, Wet Okolee set covers, WeatherTech Digital Fit mats, inexpensive JVC single DIN, Scangage, AVS Stepshield door sill protectors, Doug Thorley Long Tube Headers, URD Y pipe with O2 sims.
    Thanks for the feedback on the Raptor. We went and looked at one yesterday. It is a big truck. It is real big on cabin interior room. Almost too big. Still undecided but that write up and another one posted elsewhere are both similar.

    Thanks
    PK
     
  4. Dec 30, 2012 at 8:20 PM
    #24
    PMK

    PMK [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2010
    Member:
    #32186
    Messages:
    1,358
    Gender:
    Male
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    10 DCLB TRD Sport
    White, debadged, Mudflaps removed, ICON 2.5 in front, 2.0 in rear, all 4 corners have reservoirs, Spidertrax wheel spacers all around, BAMF bolt on sliders, Avid lightbar, oem transmission cooler converted to power steering cooler, aftermarket transmission cooler eliminating all oem transmission cooler stuff, remote mounted spin on transmission fluid filter TrueTrac rear differential, rear diff housing vented and filtered into left side bed box, URD MAF calibrator, Volant intake scoop into oem airbox, second filter removed, airbox internals smoothed, blended and polished throttle body, NST intake manifold spacer, Wet Okolee set covers, WeatherTech Digital Fit mats, inexpensive JVC single DIN, Scangage, AVS Stepshield door sill protectors, Doug Thorley Long Tube Headers, URD Y pipe with O2 sims.
    Went to a different dealer today. They had pretty close to the truck I am interested in. It had a few more options than I wanted but was damn close. Unfortunately, it was a special order and already sold. They couldn't / wouldn't even get the key to open it so we could see the inside. Oh well.

    Most places have the 4 door Supercrewcab model. Trying to find the Supercab, with a door layout like a Tacoma Access cab is tough.

    The shorter truck, Supercrewcab vs Supercab is a difference of 12" in wheelbase. The proportions of the truck even look better.

    If this truck was available no telling what the outcome could have been. In the end, I got to spend time with a goof ball salesman talking BS about what he sells. He started slamming Tundras, bad move on his part. Made some comments about how the truck wasn't made for work. Commented have you ever seen how small the bed bolts are? And mentioned you can't tow anything with them. I quick witted back and mentioned I had not heard of Tundras having beds fall off, told him I just saw a TV add where a Tundra towed the Space Shuttle, he then mumbled something about them being in NASCAR. I and the wife was turned off by this joker.

    PK
     
  5. Dec 30, 2012 at 8:48 PM
    #25
    TeamSarcasm

    TeamSarcasm Flawless Escalation to the Ludicrous

    Joined:
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    The better coast
    So technically...the tundra didn't "pull" the shuttle. Honda could have strapped a civic to is and the shuttle would have moved :p
     

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