Hey all, buying a Tacoma, trying to decide on year

Long story short, got hit by a drink driver at beginning of summer. We are a Honda family. 03 CRV for me 2013 Pilot for the wife. Money coming in from all of it, I want a new/newer truck. Know the normal quality of toyota and reliability that at least rivals Honda, brings me here.

Now that there has been sufficient time for the latest generation to rack up miles, how are they doing for reliability compare to 2015 and older?

Cant believe the fact used tacomas are only selling for a few thousand less than new ones. Even clear back to 2013 so far as I have found local. Really stupid as financially a new one is better when one with 50k (out of warranty) costs almost the same.

 

Welcome aboard new member

 

15

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Answer should be clear then. Buy a new Tacoma or a used Frontier

 

Welcome to TW

 

Personally I'd be shopping for a '12-'15, as I still can't get over the carp mouth grill of the 3rd gen. But that's just a looks thing.

If you like the look of the 3rd gen, I'd go for a '17 if you don't like nanny systems (it just has less) or a '20-'21 if you want the full monty. They also have a couple of std features that some folks get spun up over (like power seats) that the earlier didn't have.

If your not really an off road user and just looking for 4wd for foul weather along with an open bed to haul stuff sometimes, the updated Ridgeline would keep you in the Honda crew.

 

It just depends how nit picky you are if you want a 3rd gen. My 2017 has been very reliable, but I've only put 13,000 miles on it since I got it in April. For me the sweet spot for the 3rd Gen is 2017 or 2018. 2017 doesn't include TSS. 2019, they eliminated the large cubby on the driver's side of the bed, which is pretty much the only cubby anyone actually used. 2020 they nerfed crawl control (if you get an Off Road that is) and put these ugly ass chrome tail lights in that just look out of place.

Plus, the 2017 and 2018 will have lost the bulk of their value while still being relatively new (which I know isn't saying much right considering the resale value).

The only real "non-reliable" part has been the transmission. It has been reliable, but some people complain about the way it shifts. But they put out a computer reflash for it that most people have said works and was made standard in 2018. The transmission also learns your driving so it probably just depends on how you drive it too. For me, it hasn't really been an issue.

Plus, I love the looks of the 3rd gen way better than the 2nd gen.

 

Can’t go wrong with a 3rd gen in my opinion. My first taco was a 2010 and that was also a very good year! Happy hunting

 

Thanks guys.

I love the looks of the 3rd gen personally (haven't looked close at the rear of the newest ones yet). The later 2nd gens are on my radar because it seems they are less "latest and greatest tech" and more still a "old nuke proof toyota"

Some "mild" off road is needed, fire roads and such in mark twain national forest for off grid camping and everything else you can do if you have a vehicle that can get in and out without issue. My CRV can but she's got 251k and a 4 cyl. Towing a trailer and having the wife and kids aboard is to much. Wifes pilot is nice but a gloried 4wd minivan (not as bad as new ones thank god, I at least like driving it)

Fyi I want a truck, hence why I am going toyota. A ridgeline I might as well hand over my man card. It's a minivan with the top cut off the back and awd. I've driven a brand new pilot while ours was in for a trans flash update and hated it. Felt like an overpowered minivan.

I am not a fan of the nanny crap either. Dont like fighting my vehicle for control in city traffic. But hard to ignore trd levels especially 20-21 if I'm going to drop the coin.

I'm hoping some will stumble here that have racked up serious miles on the 3rd gen so they can chime in on how the new tech engine and trans is holding up to the abuse. Want to make sure im not going to spend more time at the dealer (or have engine coming apart/sucking oil by 100k cough cough previous gen camry/rav4)

 

i live in Prescott AZ so I totally get the “some off road”. I wasn’t shy about romping in my stock 2010 Taco OR. Very capable and I loved that everything was turned on or off by me. No auto 4x4 or rear diff. I like being in control of my rig. I loved and still miss my 2010.

When I bought my 2020, I went with the SR Trd OR really for the reasons stated above. I like less bells and whistles. I got a new truck with the 2nd gen feel. So far no complaints and I’m very confident on and off road. Also, the less fancy you get, more you can do to make it into the truck you want.

Bottomline, you can’t go wrong. Find one that fits you and don’t look back!

 

Welcome to TW!

 

Thanks guys.

Right now the more I look, for my purposes and the fact I would prefer not to have all the extra bs systems, SR5 would fit the bill. Comes in 2 of my color options as well. I just cant see the point in moving up to TRD for nanny systems and a built in inverter.

 

1969 hilux thank me later

https://www.motortrend.com/news/20-years-of-the-toyota-tacoma/

 

The inverter is nice. I've run a blender on it while off grid. If you don't like the "nanny systems" then don't use them. But I'm not entirely sure what you are referring to. TSS is standard on all trims. Crawl control isn't available on the TRD Sport or lower and isn't available on the manuals either. Beyond that, I'm not sure what you mean that isn't on an SR5 already. if you want something without TSS, you'll need to get a 2017 or 2016 or 2nd gen and earlier.

 

I must have misunderstood some of what I was reading. Seemed tss wasnt standard below the trd trims. Maybe I was reading info on older gen 3 and didnt realize it. That was one thing when we have a 2020 Pilot loaner that drove me nuts, fighting the car for control and all the little beeps and shit if you did something the sensors didnt like.