Anyone own all 3 Gens? 1st Gen Vs. 2nd Gen Vs. 3rd Gen Advice Needed

Owned all three.All are and were great.

 

All that I can add is our 2015 dcsb 6spd, is our only running vehicle, and it works great for our very active family of 4. We road trip every summer (60k miles in 3 yrs, no commuting miles). Can easily work for us for a couple weeks of overlanding, carrying rtt, bikes and water rafts, etc; going 4x camping; ski trips...or heading to soccer tournaments etc.
I have made modifications and improvemts to it to get it where we want it, but only thing I've seen that I might want from a 3rd gen is the acoustic glass.
We've thought about getting another vehicle, but financially, with our use, it's actually better to just rent when we need to.

 

Keep your first gen. I’m bummed I sold mine to buy my 3rd gen. The third gens are awesome only if you get it OVTuned. After I tuned my 3rd gen ($785) it has more power and better mileage than I ever expected. If you get a 3rd gen and leave it stock, but get the OVtune you will easily net 22-25mpgs with the v6 on road trips...it’s nuts. I tow a boat with mine, lifted, winch, bumper, sliders etc and I’m getting 19mpg. Good luck sir

 

Ive owned several 1st gen Toyota 4x4s and all three Tacoma generations. I’d recommend you get a very low mileage 2nd gen or a new 3rd, only if it’s with a manual b/c of your elevation.

These 3rd gens are WAY more highway friendly and just as capable on (wider) trails than your current setup.

Things to consider..
-Financing is cheaper on new trucks
-There are no superchargers out yet for the 3rd and you’d miss that low end torque.

If I could go back and somehow keep a hold of any of my 1st gens or 1st gen taco to accompany my 3rd I would.

 

Keeping up with this thread makes me happy to have kept my 1st gen.

 

Keep your 1st gen for truck duties. It’s paid for and well kept.
Trade the 2nd gen for a 4runner, it’s comfy on trips and will be perfect for family hauling.
If the 3rd gen wasn’t to your liking now, it probably won’t be any better once you give a big chunk of money for it.

 

Sell the 1st gen to a 19 yr old.

Buy the wife a 4Runner. Child seats Barely fit in Tacos. The T4R has extra room for diaper bags, strollers, and anything the family needs to travel without being sardines in a can. In addition to being a great family vehicle, it’s also a great off road vehicle.

Keep the 2nd gen for yourself. There’s always a need for a truck.

 

I’m just going to chirp in that unless you plan on using the 4Runner for adventuring in difficult spots, save your coin and go for something smaller. While the 4Runner is a great truck, it’s really mostly that. It’s a compromise to appease people who want a family hauler on the week days and a weekend warrior on the weekends. If that’s what you need then great. If you’re looking though for a distance hauler or daily driver for the wife consider a smaller CUV. Internal volumes will be similar but you’ll save thousands of dollars after factoring in the 4Runners high entry cost and less than stellar fuel economy. The new RAV4 has an adventure model and Subaru has a reputation for their Wagons going pretty much anywhere. Even my wife’s Escape had no problems on FSRs when we went looking for a hidden hot spring once last year. All of those vehicles can haul two car seats, a stroller, and whatever you can fit on the roof while sipping gas.

 

Like a few others I have had all three generations of the Tacoma. I currently have a gen 2 and a gen 3. Since the gen 3 did not really impress you, I wouldn't put the $$$$ into a gen 3. The interior of the gen 3 is nice and passengers like it but more $$$$ and worry, my gen 3 has no dings and still looks new. My gen 2 the paint is fading, durable, low cost, used for everything except for taking my wife out (she doesn't like my trucks except for the gen 3) and I drive it anywhere, through anything without much concern. The only reason why I don't have the gen 1 is because it became a rust bucket, I live near the beach with a lot of salt spray and go to the beach often.

I agree with others that say keep and run your gen 1 and let the gen 3 evolve a few years to see if you love it, if not save some $$$, catch a gen 2 or 3 with a OVTune on the used truck market after your gen 1 dies.

 

If it's not broke don't fix it. Save the money until you need to step to the family ride. You will have months to make it happen, then keep a truck, I say 1st gen and find the right family ride like the Outback.

 

Here's a simple way to solve the issue.
Let her pick out which SUV "she want's to drive" !
You will score points big time because you were "thoughtful and caring enough to let me decide, and you know we only want what's best for us now and the possible future family expansion".
She is going to be driving it 99% of the time, so give guidance but don't push because that becomes a wall if you do. Been married 30 years now, I know.
With that said, myself I would get some info on 4Runners/Foresters/Outback's and just let her look them over in her own time and let her decide which one is comfortable to drive/ get into or out of if she was 8 months carrying your child.
You have a first gen Taco already that you have worked on, so it's your "street rod" and anyone can understand you keeping that, but after that your pushing it.
Reality, especially financial reality sucks (I had to sell a real steel 1932 Ford 3 window so our daughter could attend college) because once that lump left behind by your relative is broken into, the rest will get spent quickly.
Think long term and plan for your families future, letting her pick out the car she "want's to drive" isn't going to hurt or cause you to lose your "Streetrod" 1st Gen.

 

^^^Heck of a first post. Welcome Fordtudor37!

 

As an owner of all 3 gens I say keep the 1st gen! I drove around in my buddies first gen last week and didn’t realize how much I miss that damn thing. Go get an outback for the family. Good MPG, plenty of room, safe, and reliable. Keep the first gen. If I could track down any of the 3 first gens I’ve owned I’d buy one of them back. And this is coming from a very happy 3rd gen owner currently. Just my tree fitty

 

Her new rig will have to be better on gas than a 1GR-FE equipped truck/SUV as she's starting a job that has her driving 300+ miles a week. We've ruled out the 4Runner for her as she's sold on a newer Outback. It's safer than her 06 and the fuel savings will be nice too.

So with that in mind, and with all of your help here, I see there's too much crossover between an Outback for her and a 4Runner for me, so am finally ruling that out. I'm getting somewhere. Thanks everyone!

 

300 miles a week would have me thinking Prius just for gas savings.

 

A Prius is not out of the question, either, but the commute will be in winter, too, and the AWD will be a good thing.

 

This x1000

 

The Outback does well for my wife here in Maine winters. I don't mind it either.

 

Any of the newer AWD vehicles do amazing in the snow.

 

I have a 1st gen and 3rd gen. I’d like a 2nd gen too! Hell someday I’ll probably buy a 4th gen and if I live long enough a 5th gen. I think there all great trucks in there own ways. No way would I let go of the 1st gen. They don’t make them like that anymore.