Buying access cab within the next 2 weeks. Advice much appreciated

Don't let them discourage you against the 4 banger, I love mine and if I wanted real towing power, I'd get a F150 for that. Toyota trucks as you likely know became famous for how durable their 4 cylinder engines were and are. Been driving mine for 2 years and only ever wished I had a V6 for towing, and nothing else. Consider getting a 4x4, that is something you will likely be wanting in the future if you hang around this site long enough!

 

I am not in your age group, but I love my 2011 4cyl, 5sp Access cab.
22mpg around town.

 

I got my 2013 Tacoma about six months ago, so it is still pretty new to me. Yet, I have had enough time to evaluate my purchase, and the decisions I made on options and packages at time of purchase. The best advice I can give you is to spend a little extra, if need be, to get what you want, and what you'll need to accomplish what it is you will be using the truck for. My father puts the same statement into a nice nutshell, and is what he said to me when I was test driving different pickups from different auto-makers and having a hard time deciding what to buy. What he said was this, "Choose the truck and options that best suits your mission."

It is easy to get caught up in the whole new truck buying process and think you need more than what you actually do, but at the same time, it is easy to go to the opposite extreme and settle for a lesser truck that isn't fully up to the task of what you want to do with it.

Fortunately, the Toyota Tacoma is a very versatile nameplate that is offered in many configurations that can cover a wide range of personal "missions". I like Toyota, but I am also a big Chevy guy, so I was looking and test driving everything from Tacomas and Tundras in multiple configurations from Toyota and everything Chevy offered from the Colorado to the Silverado 1500 4.8L, the 1500 5.3L Z71, and even test drove the Silverado 2500 6.0L Vortec Max. I even test drove a few Fords, including the leftover Ranger V6's and an F150.

I was having a terrible time deciding, because there were things I liked, and things I disliked about every pickup I tested. That's when my father advised me to pick and option a Truck that suited my personal mission. Sit down and decide what options are must haves, what options you'd like to have, and what options don't matter, and what options you definitely don't want. Once you decide that, then get a Tacoma catalog book from a dealer or use Edmunds car builder to read up on what options packages have what, and what options can be configured together to get close to or exactly what you're looking for.

You'll find that there is a lot of overlap between option packages, and that some of them can get you right what you want, and sometimes some extras that you don't have a preference for, but wouldn't mind having.

I got the Access Cab, 4x4, 4.0L V6 with Manual transmission, and opted for the Off-Road Package and Towing Package. That best suited my mission, a hearty, mid-size pickup, that by all considerations, is nearly as big as the older full-size pickups of ten years ago. I can use it as a daily driver around town, but also pull a trailer or boat if need be, and get around off road a bit too when I go hunting every fall. Those options best suited a year-round look at everything I might want to use a truck for, so I spent enough to get what suited my needs.

I could have went with less, but then not had what I needed when I needed it. I could have got carried away and looked at checking TX Pro, Baja, or Limited packages for extra cosmetic or interior frills and paid for more than necessary to meet my needs.

Look at the climate and year-round what you want the Truck for, or might use it for, and prepare for that. 4x4 is nice in heavy snow, nice if you get stuck in the mud off road, and good all around option to have if you need it. Maybe you don't want or need TRD Off road or Sport packages for your mission.

I'd recommend getting at least Access Cab, V6, Manual Transmission and 4x4. Maybe look over one of the two TRD packages and see if they add anything that you might want as well. When I read up on the Off-road package, I saw the upgraded suspension, rear differential lock, and such that it added to the Truck. I guess I glazed over the bit about bluetooth phone link and the few other extras it added, but they turned out to be features I wasn't concerned with, but glad I had after the fact.

Towing package added an Engine Oil Cooler system, and better alternator and battery to the truck in addition to the hitch and trailer wiring hookup point. All in all, I've been pleased with my Truck and the options I chose. It optioned out to be one of the toughest Tacoma factory builds available. Do the same, read up on all option packages, what they add, and how it measures up to what you want to do.

I know I've been long winded, but you asked for advice, and rather than just make a comment and move on, I wanted to try and give you some details from my personal buying experience. That way, hopefully, six months after you buy yours, you'll also still be happy with what you got and how it is optioned. Good luck with your decision, and I look forward to seeing pictures once you get one!

One last note, no Pickup Truck is going to be great on fuel consumption. They make little cars for that if it is a top concern. From my experience over the last 16 years, if you're getting anything at all above 17mpg in a pickup Truck of any size, make or model, you're doing about as well as can be expected for a Truck. The Tacoma I have averages 18-19mpg, and I am conservative in my driving, but not driving like a grandpa in the thing. I don't think getting 20-21mpg in the 4cylinder 2WD model is worth the trade-off in horsepower. If it was a more drastic difference maybe, but the way it stands, if you can get the 4.0L, I'd go with that. You won't regret it. Find what suits your mission, and what will get you to where you won't have any regrets down the road.

 

I averaged 24 mpgs with my 4x4 4Banger with stock tires.
There has been no where the V6s have gone that my 4Banger couldn't go.
I even plowed 1' to 2" of virgin snow up the side of a mountain for some locked V6s with my 4Wheelin4Banger.

 

Good advise.. I live in the mountains of Colorado, we hardly ever see 4 cyl 4x4 Tacoma trucks here unless it is from out of state. Like he said 18-19 MPG vs 21 or a few more isn't going to make much of a difference.
The 4cyl going over the mountain passes here gets worse MPG because they have to be run wide open for miles at a time.

 

Use Toyota's online configurator. The two combos you have in mind don't appear to be available.

 

+1

On my 4th Tacoma...finally got it right V6 4x4. Whether or not you go 4wd do yourself a favor & go V6.

 

V6 doesn't use much more fuel than a 4 banger.

 

Get the Access cab V6 SR5 4x4 Auto.

 

Thanks for all the input guys, I have been putting a lot of thought into it and although mpg kind of plays a role in my deciding factor, it's also that I'd rather keep the price low instead of making my dad fork out 30k+ for a v6 Toyota. My dad has driven a 4 cyl toyota truck almost every single day for the last 27 years, always with atleast half a full bedload of materials (~250lbs) and a completely full access cab of tools (~150lbs) to run his business and maybe once a week he tows a small trailer, so i figure if he can fare with a 4 (also with a leer cap always on) and get ~20 mpg, i won't need a 6. Money isnt an issue here as he is very successful, but i just plain think I dont need it if even my dad doesn't. My first car at 16 was an rsx-s which im selling right now (only 50k miles if anyone is interested) so ive gotten the need for speed bug out of me now that I'm 22. I'm leaning towards the 4wd 4 cylinder 5 spd because I live in ga right now(no big hills) and I'm not going to be towing anything massive nor do I see myself doing that often in the future. The good mileage in combination with the lower buying price/cost of ownership and reliability of the 4 banger are all very persuasive in my decision making.

 

If anything, I might move to California for a job , what kind of terrain are we talking? Are there many steep grades around the Bay Area? Or if I just decide to go exploring out around the state? If anything I'd make a few trips out to the Rockies

 

Piece of advice, think really hard about what you need. You are talking about driving in the rockies and the SF bay area which is all hills.

No one has asked what you will actually use the truck for. Do you need an access cab? For me the doublecab was a minimum requirement with wife, kids and a dog.. Maybe a reg cab works better? If your dad wants to buy you a truck, make sure it's something that fits your lifestyle for the NEXT 5-10 years. It doesn't matter if you end up paying 10k on top of what your dad can/will pay, if you don't get what you need and want you are wasting your time and his money and it won't go well in the end.

That's a lesson I wish I had learned a long time ago.. Maybe you need a 4x4 double cab v6 limited, maybe you need a 2wd standard cab 4cyl.. but actually think about it and make sure you make a good choice that will serve you well which is certainly what your dad wants.

 

Ur missing the locker, so.....no, it doesn't have all the features

 

You want 4x4, you just don't know it.

 

If you don't plan to off road or move to a snowy area, you might consider a pre runner. If it wasn't for the Ohio winters, that's probably what I'd have gone with.

Either way I'd still go with the V6 / auto.

 

New Tacomas aren't terrible investments...

 

Congrats on graduating college. Personally, if I were you, I would steer clear of the 6 speed tranny and go with the 4 banger. The V6 sounds like it'd just be a waste of gas for you anyway. Good luck!

 

Just have to add:

Dropped my truck off for service today and got a 4 cyl DCSB as a loaner. I could. not. wait. to get my V6 back. Night and day. Drive both and find out for youself, but as someone who has had both in the last 2 years, V6 hands down.

 

This is just...like...my opinion, man.

But avoid the auto trans.

Regardless of i4 or v6, the manual tranny makes all the difference in the world.

 

Explain??? I figure if it's good enough to hook up to the V8 engine in the 4runner, then it should carry the V6 easily.