So I rented a 3rd gen the other day

The truck you drove had the regular halogen projectors too! A lot of guys on here upgrade them to Toyota (or aftermarket) LEDs. I have the regular halogens on my truck too, and I agree, both the low and high beams put out great light. I’m sure the LEDS are that much better, but I’m perfectly content with my halogens and saving a grand+.

 

Comparison of Halogen vs LED:

Halogen


LEDs



Mine cost slightly over $1400 including the harness...I'm happy with the improvement.

 

Or the LEDs are a $500 factory option

 

Take it from someone who recently bought a turd gen AT. If you’re planning to get one of these definitely put aside a few hundred to get a good tune flashed to your ECM. A good tune truly transforms these trucks. It’s worth the $$$

 

Going from my totaled 1st gen to a 3rd gen has been a steep learning curve for sure. A lot of your gripes are absolutely legitimate, just wanted to address a few that I related to until I found their solutions or non solutions.
You can bypass the radar cruise by holding the button when you turn it on. That enables classic cruise control and is useful when the tss senor is caked with ice.
The auto trans, as others have mentioned, learns from your habits but is a million times better after it’s tuned. It’s expensive and should be nicer from the factory, but the remedy is sweeeeeeet!
There’s a lot of people hopping on the locking gas cap bandwagon for 3rd gens, but I can attest to them being unnecessary. The tanks have anti-siphon fill necks, or whatever they are called, but modern fuel thieves don’t even mess with hoses anyway. They just drill the plastic fuel tanks.
A month or two ago 10 vehicles in the communal parking lot for my cabin got hit. 8 cats stolen and 9 vehicles drained in one night

 

tune is a band aid! Lower gears are a must have…ymmv

 

perhaps I am the minority, but i really like the warm tint of the halogen lights, i was pleasantly surprised.

 

you would be correct…halogen is Australian for trash

 

Thats why we have 5.29s and a tune! With lower gears, a Tacoma will not only pass a Tesla on a hill, it will be in 6th gear

 

I can vouch for that...I will be regearing both at some point. 4.88 for the taco and 4.56 for the 4runner. But I am satisfied with the power, because they are trucks not cars.

 

if you plan on running bigger tires and more weight in the Taco, go 5.29s.


Watch the last 10 minutes of this for clarification.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MeyoGsVXpEo

 

Yeah, I have been mulling it over for some time, but I am going to stick with 33" max, not planning on 35's, so either gear should work.

 

Where did you rent it from ? I wasn’t able to find any to try it long term like you did

 

Curious:
I also have a ‘14 4Runner (since new) and it shifts smoothly. What year is your runner?

 

2022. Brand new. It shifts fine, it's just laggy and it needs better gearing. If it had stock 31" tires it would be fine. But with 33's, it needs gears

 

In these pics, I'd take the halogen over LED. Can see so much more (like trees on the horizon) and not that eye straining awful super white harsh light.

 

Mine shifts endlessly..

 

Since no one said it that I could see, guess I will..

When you go to turn cruise control on, hold the button down for a few seconds. It will activate normal cruise control and disable the radar control.

 

Budget at DIA. They have a huge fleet of them

 

If you can live with a short bed, the manual is the way to go (I’m happy with mine) assuming you don’t sit in too much traffic on your commute.