Thinking of switching from Ram to Tacoma, need advice

2019 Ram 1500, 34,000 miles. Love this truck but thinking of downsizing due to kids almost off to college. Have been looking at Tacomas and would love to hear any advice. I am also a sucker for 6 speed manuals!

My Tacoma build would be as follows (buying new)

Blue Crush SR5 Access Cab with 6ft bed
6 speed manual
TRD Sport package
Tech package

I would consider the double cab if the access cab would be hard to find.

Anyone have one like this and what are your thoughts?

Thx.

Rambandit

 

You'll have less a chance of getting a DUI so I say do it!

https://www.thedrive.com/news/38238...s-more-than-twice-the-national-average-report

 

I have a buddy who loves his Ram. Thing has ALLLLL the space.

Firstly, I think the packages you have are on point. Personally, I’d go DC instead of AC, and here is why.

You’re already going from a full size to a mid size truck, I think the DC will make you feel more at home, personally. However, if you have driven an AC and feel comfortable, that’s all you need!

I know people hate on Ram, but they really are tough SOB’s. Cool thing about making a jump is you also get longevity, resale value and reliability out of the Tacoma.

Good luck!

 

Good luck but we are not you!
I came from a Tundra to Tacoma. Lots of people had full size trucks and now drive a Tacoma. Lots of Tacoma owners now have full size trucks for wildly different reasons.

While you say you want a six speed manual...
Please imagine the bad side of manuals too like sitting in an hours long traffic jam. You really want to push in the clutch a thousand times? They are cool and the also suck, depending on normal drive.

 

These 6MT trucks are great. Just a ton of fun to drive. 2023 is likely the last year of the manual transmission in a Tacoma, so if you want a new one, bow’s likely your only chance.

Good luck hunting and let us know what you end up with.

 

Have to put my 2c in on this one….. I drive this truck full time and never notice it in traffic. Put me in my wife’s automatic VW in traffic and my right leg drives me nuts with all the brake holding. It’s whatever your legs aren’t used to that’s tough in traffic, not the manual itself.

 

6MT are only available as DCSB or ACLB. It is not available as a DCLB.

 

I went from a 3500 Mega Cab dually (about the biggest truck you can buy) to a 22 double cab TRD Off Road.

my line of thinking was this. Mass marketing is pretty good at convincing people they need to have the most truck they can possibly buy, (better to have it and not need it mindset). In reality though, unless you’re towing or hauling more than half the time, it’s just not practical for a daily driver. Even a new 1/2 ton truck is humongous, and you’ll spend most of your time just hauling around sail boat fuel, not using its full capability.

while the larger interior space was missed at first, once I got used to it I don’t miss it at all. Routine maintenance costs are way down, reliability is no longer a concern, my truck fits in the garage (very nice at -40), and it’s just much easier to drive around town.

If I need to haul something that’s too heavy to put in the bed of the Tacoma I just use my utility trailer.

I say go for it.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I wouldn’t mind the double cab at all but the problem is that the bed is only 5ft.. I’m coming from a 5’7 bed in the Ram so the access cab with the 6ft bed would be ideal. Since the kids will be gone I’m not sure how often I’d have any use for the back seats. However, I have barely found any access cabs with the 6 speed manual nationwide.. guess it’s a tough combination. So in that case I’d settle for a double cab.
Regarding driving the manual in traffic and such.. bring it on! Keeps me awake and the fun factor more than makes up for it. I grew up driving manuals and would love to get one of the last years ever made..

 

you will un-impressed with the gutless power from the engine unless you add a SC. Better hold on to it until Dodge puts the straight line 6 gas dual turbo in the Ram to replace the Hemi. Coming soon and it will use regular, not premium, gas. Other than that - it is your $ and decision and other than power Toyota is a good option.

 

I would stick with the full size. I love the Tacoma and Toyota trucks in general but they are crammed inside and underpowered

 

Another question - I see that the advertised MPG with the 6 speed manual is 17 city/20 highway? Is that accurate? With a 21gal tank I feel like I’d be filling up every week.
My Ram gets 16 city/21 highway and that’s with the Hemi V8. I have a 26gal tank and get around 400-430 miles per tank.
Why is the Tacoma mpg so low with the V6 manual? Are you guys getting 17/20 as advertised?

 

I'd get a Nissan Frontier S king cab 4x4, I don't need to shift gears in a midsize that isn't a 4cyl.

If I was to buy a new Tacoma, I wouldn't get a DC unless it was a long bed, but I do like the access cab better, and I'd gat an OR over the Sport. I'd get black over dark blue given the option, but wouldn't want a vehicle with dark paint.

If I had to have a manual, didn't care about bed size, and wanted a DC. I would be looking for a manual Solar Octane Pro.

 

I did too. Now that I am in my 50's my manual was fun, until it was not, especially pulling small trailers. Reverse is really tall and you absolutely have to slip it when backing up. No choice.

 

Are you looking for the best looking, most modable IG famous truck, that will empty your wallet while being underpowered and getting shitty gas milage yet still manage to drop panties on the trails and at the mall? Look no further than the Toyota Tacoma.

Also, it'll last forever.

 

Yes that’s the name of the game 270-330 per tank

 

You’ll get the same MPG in a Tacoma that your ram gets.

 

@rambandit I just came from a 2015 Ram 1500 crew cab Hemi 8 speed 5'7" bed to a 2022 Tacoma SR5 DCLB. I wanted a manual and absolutely couldn't go from a short bed to a shorter bed so I settled for an automatic. New, manual transmission trucks on a dealer's lot were rarer than hen's teeth anyway. I'm enjoying the smaller truck, it's nice to be able to reach stuff on the passenger seat or in the back seat relatively easily. As far as power I'm sure I'll miss the power of the Hemi when towing my boat but unloaded the Taco's V6 is pretty impressive. It's down 100hp from the Hemi but the truck is probably 1000lbs lighter so it's still pretty peppy. So far I'm happy with my decision and the truck market is so crazy right now I got almost what I paid for my Ram 4 years ago.

 

My dad drives a 17’ Laramie Ram, it’s a great truck. The interior is definitely better for bigger people (which he is). You’re right, it’s sometimes nice to have the bigger bed, but honestly I use my 10ft utility trailer for anything big anyway, so that makes no difference to me. Lots of hate on the power. It’s no HEMI, but I find it more than adequate; especially in the 6MT.

 

That's not been my experience on my commute. I'd get 17'ish in my 2015 Ram 1500 and have been getting 19.5 in my Taco.