4.5 Year review 2016 TRD OR DCSB 4x4 w/mods

FYI! This may be a bit long.......

Hopefully I can help someone. I also may catch some flak as I it’s not all super positive. Yes I test drove, even kept the truck over night prior to buying.

First off, thanks to all the members who have contributed to TacomaWorld as without their help I might have traded it for a full size something. I have been visiting this site weekly if not daily for the last 4.5 years.

Bit of history for perspective. I’m 43 yrs old for those who think that matters. I’m 6’3” with 35” inseam. I bought the truck in Florida after finishing grad school and I now live in the high desert in Arizona at 7K ft elevation. It’s my daily and it has just over 40k miles. I know I don’t drive that much. I’m very meticulous about maintenance and do all of it myself. I’ve done all my own mods including suspension.

I’m a Toyota fan (we also currently have a 2018 limited 4Runner). This is my 3rd truck over the years (I tend to keep vehicles much longer than the he average joe). My first was a 2000 Dodge Dakota Ext cab with a 4.7 V8 auto, then I had a 2004 Tundra double cab V8 (lots of mods on that truck too).

Mods include:
Many exterior lighting/ cosmetic.
BLHM with HID, Meso turns and puddles, TRD grill, Ridgid fogs (only DOT approved aftermarket at the time), Baja 20” light bar, Katzkins leather with custom matching door panel inserts and seat heat, remote start, ADJ dials and vent rings (tried Meso but like the grey of ADJ better), SSO slimline bumper with wing things, RCI sliders, Icon RXT leaf springs set at the middle setting, Icon upper control arms (ball joint), King ext travel shocks, 285/75/16 KO2s on Method wheels with custom center caps. Snugtop rebel shell with Bedrug carpet kit, sound deadening in doors, blue seas accessory power with switched 12v power to bed and interior from battery, OV tuned, and other misc mods.

Plan to do full skids and rear bumper, and possibly supercharger or turbos.

Problems that have resulted in dealer visit include leaking 3rd break light, shutter when coming to stop (ended up fixing it myself by shimming the axle to adjust drive shaft angle), updated ECU version.

The good:
First off, I love the size of the truck. It’s easy to get around in, easy to park, small enough to allow different line choices offroad and big enough for trips to the hardware store (I’ve even transported 12’ lumber a couple of times). The truck drives great around town with adequate power and road manners. I average around 17 mpg in the city. I also really enjoy the ride, both before and after the suspension upgrades (I’m currently not running a sway bar). Offroad manners are awesome. The locker and 4x4 system work great and transition in and out of modes as quick as my other vehicles. I’ve only used crawl control a couple of times for fun in situations where I would have been fine without. It’s never given me any trouble mechanically. I’ve never towed with the truck. We get a fair amount of snow in the winter and after 4 winters here where they only use sand and cinders (no salt OT snow melting additives) I can say the truck performs great in the snow (before and after tires and suspension) although not as well as a Grand Cherokee that I’ve owned prior. Overall I love the truck around town and offroad.

The bad:
The driving position could be better/more adjustable. My legs used to go numb on >2 hr trips as there is not enough mid-thigh support and I was resting almost exclusively on my behind and placing pressure on my sciatic nerve. This has been remedied by a TacomaWorld member who made some spacers that lift the front of the seat which was a game changer for me. Thank you!!! The steering wheel doesn’t telescope out far enough to compensate for my long legs. I can deal with the steering wheel issue, it’s just not as good as it could be.

The highway drivetrain manners are terrible! This wasn’t as apparent in Florida, when I bought the truck as the state is flat and at sea level. When I came back to the west (where I’ve lived my whole life) I immediately noticed. TW members will say “it’s a 6speed tranny it’s made to shift more/hunt for gears.” This is horse manure. 6 speed auto have been around for a long time, it’s not like it’s an 8 or 10 speed auto. I’ve only had the lift, tires and extra weight for a couple years now, the highway manners were terrible when stock. OV tune has helped a lot but it still leaves a lot to be desired. I couldn’t imagine towing with this truck on the highway. The lack of low end torque causes the motor to rev higher than IMO it should and hunt for gears. I believe they set this truck up for EPA/sticker mileage info and not for the driving experience/road manners.

These issues are real (although discounted by many on this site). They aren’t deal breakers for me but may be for some.

In the end the truck works for me, in fact I love it! I don’t drive on the highway very often, 99% of my miles are city miles and the drivetrain issues aren’t noticeable in the city. The seating issue is easy to fix and the newer Tacoma’s now have power seats (should have been standard from the beginning). I plan to keep my truck for another 5+ years. At some point I may try to address the highway issue by adding a super charger, turbos or simply regearing. I don’t believe there’s a better midsize truck option on the market. IMO it’s either a Tacoma or full-size truck.

Thanks again TW peeps! My tuck is better and my wallet is much lighter thanks to TacomaWorld.com.

 

Pics

 

Nice. That sounds similar to me. A bit older and 6'4", and a few more mods. I never had even the few issues that you had for going to the dealer - I must have a unicorn! 80,000 on it and daily drive in Michigan so lots of snow with salt. I love the truck, too. Towed a 6500# excavator with it easily, tow 5x8 utility trailer (usually way overloaded) multiple times per week, and it does perfectly well with that so long as you leave it in S4 to avoid OD. I did hate the shifting and throttle until I gave in and di OVTune (91 octane) - OMG what a difference that made! We take it in sand dunes, on logging trails, and it does very well in those conditions. Then a power washing and it is back to a grocery getter and driving me to work truck!

 

Great review! And, nice color choice

Did you do the TSB update for the 16's transmission? If you have OVTune, then you're probably familiar with that...

For me, it was the 4:88 gears off the showroom floor. That, and when OVTune came out with a specific 4:88 tune for 285's, this truck now shifts completely different from stock. I'm also somewhat of a lead foot, and typically run high in the RPM range. But, it's a completely different truck after 4:88's and OV Tune.

 

Yes I have the TSB/ECU update. I may do gears at some point. Waffling over forced induction. If I do go super charger or turbos I will wait on the gears.

 

Right on! I personally would re-gear before forced induction. Otherwise, IMO, it'd be like putting a band-aide over a poor gear ratio... Well, that's just, like, my opinion, man.