Going from a Tacoma to a Fj

That's some BULL

 

I had an FJ and went to a Tacoma. I miss my FJ every time i see one on the road. The only draw back to the FJ was the small back seat. I have 2 small children and the back seat didn’t really accommodate child seats well. But it was great on and off road. It was a super fun truck and small enough to park in the city when i has to drive into it. If i could have kept it i would have.

The visibility thing that people complain about is something that as a driver you get use to very quickly. I never felt that i had blind spots after driving it for a week.

The Tacoma is awesome (as you know) because it’s a pick up. Having the bed to haul stuff (which i do all the time) is great. You can flip down the rear seat in the FJ and fit small items in it, but it’s not a 5’ bed.

I’m the end I’m happier with the Tacoma because it better serves my needs for fitting the family and all our crap in one vehicle. But i will always have a special place in my heart for the FJ.

I hope this helps a little. Good luck in your tough decision that you have to make.

Ed

 

I have an FJ (2007) and a Tacoma TRD Off Road (2015)...happy to have both. My wife wants a 2018 Access Cab Tacoma for her own so maybe we’ll be a 3x Toyota family.

 

They're all done there too.

 

I wanted and FJ in 2012 when I bought my Tacoma. I still wish sometimes I had got the FJ. The Tacoma got totaled and I replaced it with a 2013 Tacoma. And still wish I had bought an FJ again. The Wife just got a 2017 4Runner so it kinda solved the FJ itch. But I still drool over a nice FJ.....Much wants More.

 

Just sold my Taco going start looking for a FJ. Well after a stressful year with medical issues with the wife. I sold my Taco to free up money to pay for all the medical expenses. We had a long fight with the insurance company and finally won.
My wife knew I missed having a truck so she made a deal traded in her Camry and bought me an FJ.

 

Now that's my kinda wife, good for her! (And you).

 

To the OP.... several years ago. I've put 190k on my one owner 2007 FJ. It's been a steel billet. Practically indestructible. I've replaced an alternator and a few batteries. Everything else was routine maintenance. Blind spots??? Yeah, you get over them in about 3 weeks. Nice low end power and torque. Will cruise the highway at 75 or 80 all day long. And get you 17 mpg doing it.

I keep the back seats down and it's like having a huge trunk. I throw crap in it all the time. 18 bags of mulch? No problem. 900 pounds of stone? No problem there either. Brand new 60" tv in the rain? Got you covered there too. 1000 pounds of lumber? Gobi expedition roof rack up top! 4 wheeling? Probably the most capable stocker short of a wrangler in a looong time. 5 dogs? Load em up and they even have room to get lazy and sleep.

I run duratracs in stock size, full roof rack, and after 190k miles know EXACTLY what it can and can't do. I point, it goes. Crap, the more I write about it the less inclined I am to trade it in on a new Tacoma.

 

Just had 900lbs of concrete mix in the back of my FJ last week. My work truck dosent have a shell and I didnt want to take a chance on them getting wet. As usual it handled it well. I do have bags and aftermarket coils.

I wouldnt trade your FJ for a new taco, 4runner or Tundra are both reliable proven platforms.

 

Sorry about the Medical issues! going through that myself this year. The FJ looks fantastic, I love the color. Congrats I am a little jealous!!

 

I needed those blind spot mirrors on my Tacoma even without the canopy. The bed is high enough that something could be hidden below it. Also I don't like looking over my shoulder. Even a canopy with with side windows needs blind spot mirrors since you're looking through 3 layers of tinted glass looking through the side windows.
@SMKYTXN's Aspherical mirrors are much better than stick on blind spot mirrors

 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Here's mine

 

I always liked the looks of them. Never been in one and only walked around one at a dealer years ago.

 

Thanks, it's definitely a conundrum. Either a midsize pickup or small'ish SUV will work. No Tahoes. No Tundras. I don't need to get rid of the FJ, but do have a plan to get a versatile daily driver I can take my wife and I out on the town with and not feel too guilty. My plan is to do that, then trade my current SUV for a 2 door weekend car. So.... 4Runner and Tacoma are the only true options for me, with a dark horse ZR2 Canyon. The appealing thing with the Taco is the towing capacity over the 4Runner. If the runner had 6k or more that would be the clincher and I'd get it.

As you have probably noticed, the FJ is one freakin' reliable all-around do anything truck. The only thing it doesn't do well is dress up for downtown. Bags and aftermarket coils??? "We don't need no stinkin' bags and aftermarket coils'. . I just load and go. At this point in its life, I keep the oil fresh and am waiting for something to break.

PS, what's your big beef with the new taco? Is it the transmission/engine management, or truck in general?

 

New drivetrain in a new truck. Too many driveability issues, and no proof of long term reliabilty.

Tundra and 4runner are long in the tooth with their drivetrains and are rock solid.