SOLD my Tacoma (Toyota FAIL)

Well guys after 8 1/2 years of happy ownership I sold my 2005 Tacoma last week. Although I had planned on hanging onto it for another 2 years it made much more sense financially to sell it now and buy a new truck this year. So let me do a quick list here of the Awesome and Suck that came out of this decision:

AWESOME:
- Bought the truck in 2005 new for about $29,000 and got over $15,000 for it last week, with 94,000 miles on the clock (Seriously WOW!!! )
- Truck gave me over 8 years of reliable service (often tell people it was the best vehicle I ever owned)
- It's a Toyota so the next guy will likely get another 8 or more years out of it
- Really impressed by how Toyota stood by their product over the years (i.e. they paid for a new HVAC blower motor years out of warranty as it was a known issue)

SUCK:
- The current Tacomas on the dealer lot are the same thing I just sold (the 2012 freshening did not even add desired options like heated mirrors and/or power seats but did take away the cool bright red paint I loved so much)
- My choices for a new mid-sized truck are now either a Frontier or Colorado (sorry I don't consider the Honda Ridgeline to be a truck)
- I miss my Taco already...

In a nutshell I've been a very happy Tacoma owner for years now but don't want to drive a newer version of the same vehicle for another 8 years. As I've complained before on this forum, Toyota has ignored the Tacoma and now it's cost them a customer. Had they redesigned this truck I probably would have bought another. This is almost as bad as Ford's policy on the "Global" Ranger (duh... if we don't sell it in the US more people will buy our F150's)

RANT COMPLETE...

 

So what's the replacement going to be?

 

Should be a complete redesign for 2016, but don't count on heated mirrors or leather, the Tacoma does not compete in the luxury truck segment.

 

That only leaves one other choice.

 

Your experience is not the norm with them "backing up their products". Read up on some of the guys who are almost going banckrupt because their frames are falling apart and look like swiss cheese. You're lucky to get out of it before the frame caved in like the last 20 years of small trucks they have produced.

I'm really amazed you had no frame issues with an 05'. I do not know anyone with a truck that old who lives up here and drives it daily that doesn't have holes in their frame.

 

Really?....good luck with that...

 

I'm leaning heavily towards a Frontier. memario1214 is right, they haven't been redesigned either. However Nissan has two things over Toyota with me at the moment:

1. It's still something different
2. The Frontier offers a host of options not even available on the Taco but the 8 way adjustable driver seat is the big one for me (always had a hard time finding my sweet spot in the Taco)

Also giving some thought to a full sized pickup, although honestly it is really unlikely I'll go that route. Either way, I've got to wait until the fall to go truck shopping because one of my options isn't even being built yet. (the 2015 Colorado)

 

You should go look at the values on 9 year old Colorados right now, I bet you'll take that off your list of options after you see how well they DONT hold their value.

 

You literally think there is not one truck in your area at that age that is OK?

 

Actually I just read a thread here about a guy who got a new frame on his 2005 Taco. I think a lot of it has to do with how persistent you are with the dealership, learned from my dealings with Toyota Corp they pull a lot of weight in those decisions for some reason. Either way, I've heard some real horror stories about owner's experiences with defective Chrysler products...

wgreenlee1021 I'm considering a Colorado but have serious reservations about buying a new GM product. Odds are I'll end up in a Frontier.

 

No argument here... Just don't have a lot of options to consider.

 

so your complaint is you had an awesome truck but don't want to get a newer awesome truck?

 

My complaint is that 2014 Tacoma is the same thing I've owned for the past 8+ years. If there was a redesigned Tacoma today I'd probably buy it.

Still think it's a really awesome truck, just ready for something different...

 

yeah I get it. It would be cool to see some upgrades to the tacoma. Its solid as is, but why not upgrade if it was readily available. What I don't understand is looking at other options that don't seem on par to me. I feel like there really isn't a better midsize truck by leaps and bounds. The Tacoma (imho) is by far the best, even with obvious lack of change.

 

My wife just got an 07 4Runner and I'd swap out my 2011 Taco for a 4Runner in a heart beat. She has all time 4wheel drive, leather seats, better looking interior, V8 engine, etc...

 

I think the '05 is better than the '14 too. The '05 doesn't have a lot of electronic nannies and smog pump. The '05 also has a true mechanical LSD available.

 

Can't argue with that at all. The Tacoma is more reliable than the Frontier and obviously holds its resale much better. The Colorado isn't even in that equation...

This isn't by any stretch of the imagination about the Taco being a bad truck. Rather this is about me not wanting to run the same vehicle for another 6-10 years, if that was an option I would have kept my old truck "until the wheels fell off". Sorry but I want something new and different for the rather large loan I'm about to take out...