Are Tacomas ACTUALLY reliable?

My transfer case 4x4 shift actuator went out at 102k which cost me $1700 to get replaced.

 

I'm not saying they're unreliable, but I feel like since the 3rd gen tacomas are being more mass/faster produced due to demand (correct me if I'm wrong) they are not as reliable/have more issues, hence some problems that seem to be common?

 

Compared to my Dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee (he's had 3 since 2012) and every one that he's owned has had at least one expensive issues. $360 for a windshield washer fluid tank, not including labor to replace it. He had one of the dual/long sunroof motors go out once ($1100), and numerous issues with the diesel emissions on his latest jeep among other more minor issues. A friend has a Chevy Colorado and has issues with his driver side door. Another friend had a 2012 F150 that went through 2 transmissions (one rebuild then one replacement) in 100k miles and it was not used for towing or hauling anything beyond dirt bikes and a snowmobile.

For my Taco it's bee the 4x4 actuator $$$ and a squeaky clutch pedal which is recurrent, my radio/head unit locks up every so often and it reboots but only on long trips. Everything else has been regular maintenance (fluids, plugs, belt, battery, tires).

 

I actually was seriously looking at one of these used about 10 years ago in this general 2002-2004 year that was at an estate. It had around 60k miles and had been sitting for 3 years in the garage not taken care of.
The estate had taken it to the dealership to get an estimate for repairs and services, flush the old gas out, service every thing, electric windows would work half way, chrome on the instrument all peeling off, headlights were all faded, it had numerous oil leaks too, one was a transmission seal etc.
The paper work showned 12,000.00 plus for repairs to get it back to 100 percent running condition.
NOPE NEVER AGAIN
If you drive them a few miles and it sits in the garage then that’s different.
When I did finally buy my Porsche turbo it sat in the garage most it’s life as a 2nd car. It did need a new windshield that was like 1000.00 or something stupid like that and the maintenance was like every 10,000 miles for something if I remember
and was always a ridiculous bill.

 

loose nut between the seat and steering wheel?

 

I bought my Tacoma due to reputation of the longevity of these trucks. I’ve had mine for 18 months no issues so far…
Seems like everyone I know who have bought Jeep’s have issues with them. And these are people who have done no modification to them…

 

Out of my Toyota family, the Tacoma has been the least reliable. Compared to other brands....my Tacoma can be viewed as reliable.

 

Ah what the hell

85 Hilux: rust bucket POS son of a gun never left me stranded despite being worth more as a yard ornament than as a moving vehicle. Needed just about everything fixed on it, was too poor at the time to do much except oil, headlight bulbs, and some other tiny things. Great truck.

94 XJ: ngl I loved it. Blew two radiators. Transmission and t case didn't shift worth a damn. Burnt up wiring for auto windows in the summer, intermittent light problems. Definition of shitbox. Soft roaded it once.

96 accord: vroom vroom, basic maintence. Needed a window motor. Great car. Crappy paint.

92 Yota Truck: hurricane survivor. Oil leaks. Poor maintenance from previous owner. Crap radio. Drivetrain was excellent.

04 Neon: blew up (parts flying) ac compressor at 40k. Fun car. Got rid of it right before the warranty expired.

89 Ranger: Ford made a 2.9L V6 with different diameter radiator hoses on each end. Talk about a headache to repair and keep running. Worthless pickup otherwise.

95 Pathfinder: starter relay. Bought the damn thing for $500, it's still driving today. Fucker wont die. Phenomenal vehicle. Screw traction control, ain't nobody got time for dat

06 LJ: no. Just.... Fuck Jeep. I miss this one, but I was paying more in warranty deductibles than I was in car payments and I still couldn't drive it more than 3 weeks at a time without a major issue.

16 Taco: no issues till a drunk guy creamed it at 2 am

17 Taco: Inferno. Beautiful color. No issues until a Chevy t boned it at 50 mph. Dude was texting and driving.

18 Taco sport: creaky clutch. I wheel and drive thing hard. It's a great truck. Sunk it twice. No seal issues.


Point of all that? Imo the Yotas are king for durability and reliability. Even the 3rd gens.

Keep in mind, this is a truck forum so naturally you're going to hear about more bitching in here than you will in the real world, also it always appears that the latest generation has the most to b**** about, my theory is that more 3rd gen owners are on forums and there are more 3rd gens running around than older generations.. but for every guy on Tacoma World complaining about his truck, there's a hundred more who have no issues whatsoever. Who are not on here

 

So far after a year my tacoma has been better than expected. All the electronics these gen3 trucks come with do bother me. Being a retired electronic tech the experience i've had, if all has been designed well with quality parts, it usually does't fail. Its the cheap chit that goes early. So we will see. Imo, toyota has been better than average in the electrical end.

 

I love my 2019 Sport, but the fit and finish and tight feel of my 2001 Tundra when new, and for years after, was even better- a noticeable difference. Excellent, 10 score. I would rate my Tacoma at 8.5 or 9, very good. BTW our family owns two new Subarus, and they are being built superbly these days-- reminds me of the earlier Toyotas.

 

So a $75 electrical part cost 1700 to install?

Pretty sure you are 100% wrong. Manufacturing plants don't speed up process to increase production. They add shifts and additional facilities when they need to make more vehicles. And the third gen solved a lot of problems in the earlier gens. Many improvements. The 3rd gen is the best Taco so far and certainly the best looking Taco so far.

Well, like I said earlier, I know an older guy who got to nearly 300k in 10 years out of his 2001 Turbo, daily driving to work in Denver.

Mine has low miles because I only average about 2.5k miles per year as I have several other cars. But I have never had any issues with mine and it is 18 years old. Mine has been pumped up to over 700whp at 6k feet and it is 100% reliable. Oh and it has been at that power level since 2008

 

2.5k miles a year doesn’t count for anything, you shouldn’t have any problems for ten years at that rate,
Hit the 500k and report back please, I know, every added mile drops the value on a German car in an alarming rate unlike a Tacoma
There are plenty of Toyota with 500k plus

 

Oil change every 10k is not expensive. Plugs and coil packs last up to 100k miles. So not sure what service you are talking about. I hope you are not seriously expecting Bread and Butter brand service costs out of a high end german performance brand.

So because of lack of care you think that makes you right about the car. That's not how it works. Bringing a supercar back to life from lack of care won't be cheap. And it is definitely the most reliable super car bring made in modern times.

 

Funny, how you hone in on my mileage, but disregard my buddies 300k miles and the link to 590k miles. And who ever said we were comparing porsche to bread and butter daily driver toyota or honda in reliability? I sure wasn't, you were. Just the most reliable of the hi end performance brands by far.

Once again, wrong about values. Most upper end 911's go up in value in the long run. It may take a while, but it's fact. Just ask any original 930 owner, or even 993 owner.

 

Bottom line a PORSCHE is NOT a daily driver that will run 500k with minimum repairs compared to a Tacoma.
A Tacoma wins hands down,
It’s stupid to even compare a Porsche in this TW for reliability

 

This! Every truck i did research on was a "pile of shit" according to someone.

 

Bottom line is that you are comparing reliability of a bread and butter brand vehicle to a hi performance brand vehicle. I agree in that regard. Toyota doesn't really delve in the high performance engine realm anyway.

 

2019, 28k km. No problems yet.

 

Really wanna like Subaru but am skiddish of CVTs and their reputation for engine issues.

I've owned a lot of brands over 30 years and the Mazda 6 I currently have may be the best built vehicle I've ever owned. Stick shift, good paint, good fit and finish, naturally aspirated, absolutely ZERO issues in 100k+ miles. Made in Japan. Figures they just discontinued it.

If I'm buying a car or crossover again, my first trip will be to the Mazda dealer.

 

What their in nascar lol