Tacoma gone down in quality?

Typical automotive material grades go something like this:

vinyl -> fabric -> leather

Not saying I agree. I'd rather have a vinyl headliner (and door inserts!) - easier to clean, but that's how general perception is.

 

Yes
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/minutemods/seatbelt/

You don't know about the first gen stash? Maybe you should go get a 2nd gen...
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1s...y-how-thread-compiled-list-helpful-links.html

 

I've owned an 06 and a 13. The 13 is definitely more refined. Just little details I notice. Although I feel the material used on my 06's base interior on the seats is more durable than the TRD OR material in my 13.

I've never owned a first gen but I see pros and cons for each.

 

Talk about hitting the nail on the head..If you got em use them rightfully. I love seeing guys pull 8ft trailers with there big A hole diesel around my area. Fantastic

 

Joe,it's like I said minor annoyances. Yes I am wearing polarized lenses, there isnt much sense in wearing sunglasses (IMO) if they arent polarized.

I was taking to a friend of mine in a GM product and he said " man you fucking spoiled if thats all you have to complain about". He's right I am spoiled because in all of our families Toyota's and all of the 100'000 thousand miles on them we have never had a major problem. That's why I said minor annoyances.
Any hey, if you like baby blue them more power to ya brother. LOL

 

I know were just talking about Tacomas, but my dad had a 1985 toyota pickup, and drove my truck today, and said they feel just alike!!

 

Ya know, I love a regular cab truck with American Racing outlaw wheels on it no matter who makes it. When I needed a new truck I entertained the idea of getting a 99-2003.5 Super Duty with the "good" 7.3L engine and a 5 or 6 speed manual. When I couldn't find one I came to my senses because I don't tow anything and everything I've ever needed to haul fit fine in the bed of a Ranger. But even with the "good" light truck diesel engines, if you need something fixed you can count on your bill being in the thousands, not the hundreds.

 

I'm not an auto or diesel mechanic. But maybe there are some other thoughts other than the "mechanics" to consider...

The unit in the pic I attached is/was a 2003.5 with the 7.3...didn't want a 6.0 at the time though it was available.

Truth be told I knew the truck could be problematic and it was during my time of ownership. At 389 miles on the odo the rear main needed replaced and at about 500 on the odo the transmission housing cracked and was replaced. Without time or odo being listed other failures included high pressure oil line, power seats, tail lights & a few more. I really didn't use the truck much for work or pull anything too heavy at that time. Additionally I came out of a 2002 Tacoma TRD Off Road V6 4x4 with a 5 cog manual that, like other yotes I've owned, had zero problems. It pulled my hobby use only mini front end loader / bush hog / back hoe fine that and my boat only weigh in around 5,500 pounds. Above the tow rating of the the noted yote but far under that of the Stroker. After brief conversation, Ford was kind enough to "give" me the longest extended bumper to bumper warranty available early on so all of the repairs were covered with a loaner truck provided. As far as $$$ yea, it was more expensive to purchase. Though I did pay cash for it as well as the prior year Tacoma. I spent nothing on repairs for either. The Ford did have significantly better resale not only in $$$ but, also % between those two. One very important advantage the Ford had was the tax impact. During my ownership I was able to "sell" the truck to myself (from a milage based sub chapter s partial use to a c corp full time use but both owned by me) and immediately get a 50% write down as capital expense because the GVWR was greater than 6,000 pounds. Even the second gen Tacoma doesn't qualify for that.... )

Thing is, I was aware of the possibilities and have owned additional Ford trucks since that one (though it was my favorite). I guess the point of my response you quoted was just to shine some light on the fact that not all of the millions of customers that buy something other than what I own right now are "financial black holes" or "douchebags" that people should laugh at (even though I may be). I know several cats that are great guys (they'd give you the shirt off their backs) who buy and own them for reasons different than pulling the heavy load or rolling coal. So, I'm just not sure blanket summations are accurate.

Best of luck hope that helps you see my perspective even if you don't agree...

 

if its a prerunner (can't tell if you have prerunner off-road or 4x4 off-road) then it doesnt have a locking rear diff. you need an early 2nd gen for that.

other than that, only few things i would 'complain' about a little is

the carbon fiber bed, i always worry i'm gonna crack it throwing stuff like concrete or bricks or heavy iron in it. (NEVER HAS CRACKED OR FAILED OR BEEN DAMAGED, IT JUST ALWAYS SOUNDS LIKE WHEN YOU TOSS BIG STUFF IN)

and the TAILGATES SUCK!

if you just bought yours ALWAYS take the tailgate off if you going to load something heavy AND ESPECIALLY NEVER ride your bike or ATV up onto it with ramps (the tailgate i mean)

another thing is the CREEKING!!!!!!!!!!!! started within the first year i had it, i bought it new, tried all kinda stuff, nothing works. i'm about to try the bicycle tire thing and see if it works.

another is sag under load, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED you could have springs replaced on the older years 2nd gen tacomas, then when i finally found out it was like a month too late and they wouldnt give me the fix!

rust! frame rust, frame rust, frame rust, faulty coating!

outside temp. gauge LCD

THE HEADLIGHTS!!! that stupid little dome they have in front of the actual bulb, i replaced my headlights with dual hi/lo HID (fogs also) and still that stupid cover blocks all the light, i ended up heating the headlight assemply to make the glue soft and removing the lense and pulling those damn things off!

and not sure if they changed this, but for years they never included a inside compartment air filter, just came without one installed???? (the one for the A/C behind glove box) check yours to see if they have one installed

besides those things, I have one of the very first 2ng gen Prerunners (4-door, TRD Sport) and i have put it through hell, i been working in emergency response for a long time, she was on I-10 heading into New Orleans while Katrina was making landfall, then few weeks later, same thing heading into Rita as made landfall, same with IKE, etc.

she does well, never let me down and she is at about 130,000 miles i think now and gonna keep her in the family until she just can't go anymore

cheers,
disco

 

Say what

 

X2

Where do u get ur info?

 

I love my 07...but I do have some nostalgia for my 1981 SR5 Pickup...and for that matter, I miss that 1st truck I drove in high school; 1973 Ford F100...talk about steel!

 

the newer tacomas use break assisted 'locking' rear diffs,not true lockers, meaning the breaks control spin, not hard mechanical locks like previous had.



QUOTE...



Brake actuated limited slip differential A brake actuated limited slip differential uses the anti-lock brake wheel sensors to detect wheel slip and automatically pulses the brakes, simulating the effects of a limited slip differential.






2005-2006 have MECHANICAL limited slip



cheers,
disco

 

PLEASE SEE THE POST FROM TACOMAWORLD


http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/90521-limited-slip-differential.html

QUOTE:
"Do you have "TRD Sport" decals on the side of the bed?

Is your hood scooped?

Do your bumpers and door handles match the paint of your truck?

If yes - then you have a sport. And if it's an '05 as indicated in your profile, then you have a true LSD."



THE NEW TACOMAS ONLY HAVE VSC, NO MECHANICAL LOCK!

TO PROVE IT I JUST REMOVED ALL FOUR OF MY ABS SENSORS, IN THE MORNING I WILL LOCK UP AND LAY 2 TIRE MARKS ALL THE WAY DOWN TH STREET!

if you bought a 2007-2014 prerunner and believe you have a true mechanical locking (LSD) rear end you were taken!

disconnect your ABS sensors and go in a mud puddle, call me when ya need a hand getting pulled out j/j but seriously toyota hides this fact but its true


cheers,
disco

 

... which is one of the reasons i am spending a fortune to "turn" my 2005 into a "2012", i want the look, but want the 2005 ability. 2005 TRD ed. also rated at 10 more HP, not sure why as parts are the same, seriously doubt it matters, but just a fun fact, lol


cheers,
disco



-------------------- edit ----------------------------
SIDE NOTE
the truck described in that post describes my truck exactly, i had ordered a 4runner originally, then heard about the new tacoma trd sports, cancled (well changed) order (the dealership didn't care the badass 4runner i ordered was sold before it arrived) and (back when you could) I ordered mine to spec, it was one of the first trd sports!

like i heard, but do not know if true, but do the trd sports not have extra oil and trans coolers?

basically, my order was for a prerunner with every package and every option EXCEPT toyota leather, the dealer installed 'leather package' from toyota sucks! toyota doesnt even offer a leather package its dealer installed! its like sitting on a raw hide, if you dont believe me go test drive a lexus, lexus has froom the factory oem leather and is soft and plush and amazing I KNOW I OWNED BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, a toyota and a lexus, again go test drive a camery with 'leather; then go test drive a LS or IS with leather. the LC and IS come with oem leather, camery can not, see the difference!

the only thing they would not do for me is i was insisting on having the e-locker in my prerunner rear end with the at the time current TRUE LSD and the said it was impossible, which to this day i think is a lie there has to ba a way! the other thing i am stilled pissed about is when i ordered it they said the supercharger would be available in a couple months, i recieved the truck, they said "o, well about six more months" i told the dealership i wanted the first one, 6 months later, they said well maybe another year, but wait, they had one at SEMA?

you know the rest of the story, when they finally got off the lazy a$$'s and put them for sale I told the dealer to goto hell, after waiting, what 3 years, screw it, i want a turbo, the turbo charged tacoma smoke the trd superchargers anyway!

 

Few posts above u were referring to a trd offroad and saying they dont have a locker right?
Sports have LSD as we know.

But the offroad doesnt have an elocker now?

As for 2 strips of rubber, I can do that with a fully open differential and have the pic to prove it.

No need to disconnect abs sensors for some of us...... I just flip a switch.

 

They make the same 236 crank HP...... Sorry

 

You dirty switch flipper......

 

What's up my brother!

Yeah when I took the tech for a ride along, to diagnose a trans issue, he asked me what I did when I flipped one of my overhead switches.
Same with the parts guy when we did that little burnout.

 

sports above 2006 do not have LSD!

cheers,
disco