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Break in trip

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by BroncoAZ, Jan 5, 2021.

  1. Jan 5, 2021 at 12:20 PM
    #1
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I leased a 2021 TRD Offroad 4x4 on Saturday night and set about breaking it in with a road trip yesterday morning. The wife and I are driving it from Tucson, AZ to Cape Cod, MA this week. The truck had been dealer traded, so we got it with 234 miles, then drove it from Flagstaff to Tucson. We hit the road early Monday with 529 miles on the truck, we drove to Frisco, TX day 1. Google shows 2806 miles for the trip.

    I’ll comment my impressions of the truck:

    Comfort: I am 6’4” and built like a defensive tackle, so I was concerned about comfort on a long trip. Yesterday I drove 8 of the 14 hours and was the passenger the other 6 hours. The driving position with the power seat adjusted all the way up in the front and all the way down in the rear and all the way back was decent. The lumbar adjustment took some fiddling to get right. My back was starting to bug me around hour 11, but a little tweak to remove some lumbar made it better. I will probably order a set of seat jackers to try raising the seat for better thigh support. Even at my height I have about 2.5” of headroom remaining. The passenger seat felt flat but not uncomfortable. I reclined it and took a decent nap while the wife drove. My biggest complaint on most vehicles is the center console or door rubbing my big knees. Toyota did a great job on the design of the driver compartment to minimize this concern. I have better leg space in the Tacoma than in my buddy’s Tundra. I could stand for the steering wheel to adjust up and out a little farther, but it’s fine as is.

    Ride: I like the way the Tacoma rides and handles, I didn’t want a squishy GM style ride. It’s decent over uneven pavement and reasonably quiet. There were some really rough pavement sections where the ride at 80 mph got unsettled, but it’s a truck and to be expected.

    Drivetrain: My comments here will mimic most of what I read prior to buying the truck. There is plenty of power/gearing to go as fast as I wanted, but it might have been near redline in 3rd gear a few times to do it. I pushed it up to three digit speeds on a few long straight sections just because, but generally I think over 85 is a bad idea in a truck. It dropped into 3rd gear on a couple of grades at 80 mph and wanted to hang at 5500 RPM for what seemed like longer than necessary. It spent significant time in 4th gear at 3500 RPM, and was only in 6th gear in the downhills or flats. Any incline was enough to get it to downshift to 5th or 4th gear. Normally I would’ve opted for the manual transmission, but in the Tacoma the position of the clutch was weird. My size 16 shoes didn’t fit under the bracket above the pedal, so I couldn’t drive it comfortably.

    Fuel Economy: the three fill ups yesterday were 16.4 from Tucson to Las Cruses, 18.5 from Las Cruces to some craphole in west TX, and 18.4 from some craphole in west TX to another craphole in west TX. I had just over 1/2 of a tank when I got to Frisco, so I didn’t fill it yet. Speeds were 80 for most of the day, so I think the fuel economy on a not broken in truck was fine. I’m expecting better as we get farther east and the speeds drop.

    Overall I’m really liking the truck. Day 2 should be Frisco, TX to the eastern tip of TN, Day 3 should be from there to Cape Cod, MA. We were supposed to fly home today, but with covid and everything going on we decided to get the truck in AZ and drive rather than getting it in MA.

    Dawn in Tucson as we hit the road
    0906A6D5-36A4-4A1D-ADA3-29E0B83D20FA.jpg

    Gotta love the speed limits in West TX.
    837E8250-F22F-411E-8DE0-8C41A0478808.jpg

    Fuel stop in BFE, TX.
    2795083E-A664-4C18-8AE7-CCE6D069BBF6.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2021
  2. Jan 5, 2021 at 12:28 PM
    #2
    BINK05TRD

    BINK05TRD Well-Known Member

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    Nice rig :thumbsup:
    Enjoy your trip. We’re here freezing at 28 degrees. Take your time :D
     
    ozpall and Skydvrr like this.
  3. Jan 5, 2021 at 12:35 PM
    #3
    Tacospike

    Tacospike Semi-Unknown Custodial Member

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    Two Trucks
    Love those 80 MPH speed limits
     
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  4. Jan 5, 2021 at 12:54 PM
    #4
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    2021 WhiteTacoma TRD Offroad
    Today is a down day in Frisco with family. My new Russian sister in law is awesome and made us a tasty breakfast of cottage cheese pancakes and fruit.

    0BBA385B-A72B-4EBA-9B5A-77F54E25E6AF.jpg
     
    CaptainBart45, Junkhead and Kev250R like this.
  5. Jan 5, 2021 at 1:45 PM
    #5
    Kev250R

    Kev250R Well-Known Member

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    Orange, So.Cal.
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    Floor mats, junk in center console
    Have a safe trip! I’m happy to see another member from GJ over here!
     
  6. Jan 6, 2021 at 10:51 AM
    #6
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    After a down day in Frisco (DFW) we were back on the road again this morning at 6:30 am. We just grabbed some awesome BBQ at a food truck on the side of the highway in east Little Rock, the ribs were amaze balls. The first tank today was 18.3 mpg, getting through the second tank of the day now.

    Ukrainian dumplings for dinner
    PXL_20210106_011734824.jpg

    Terrific Russian made breakfast
    PXL_20210106_115827361.jpg

    Underway
    PXL_20210106_124922438.jpg

    First fuel stop near TexarkanaPXL_20210106_150618725.jpg


    BBQ truckPXL_20210106_182753108.jpg
     
    Junkhead likes this.
  7. Jan 6, 2021 at 11:14 AM
    #7
    farmtacoma

    farmtacoma Date Farmer

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    Nothing better than a leased truck

    My 2018 lease return will be going back soon. I am sure dealer will sell it “certified” mint condition one owner. They have NO idea the abuse it has taken :D
     
    BroncoAZ[OP] likes this.
  8. Jan 6, 2021 at 12:00 PM
    #8
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Mine will be seeing significant beach use and MA winter use on salted roads, one of the reasons for leasing was to not concern myself with corrosion over time. Depending on how this one goes I’ll probably buy the next one. I’m not sure where I’ll end up on miles for this lease, if I rack up too many I’ll just prepay the rest of the payments and turn it in early. If I want to upgrade sooner I’ll trade out of the lease and pay whatever is necessary. I was planning on getting a 2021 Ford Bronco this year, but I really like the Tacoma so I might wait a couple years on the Bronco or just get it as a second vehicle.
     
  9. Jan 6, 2021 at 12:04 PM
    #9
    hiPSI

    hiPSI Laminar Flow

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    So you didn't read the manual on proper break in huh.
     
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  10. Jan 6, 2021 at 12:17 PM
    #10
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    The truck is a lease that already had 234 miles when I got it. I would guess the transport driver who shuttled it between dealers didn’t care about proper break in, nor do 99% of consumers. I normally do but didn’t have time in this case, I need to get back to MA for work. I did vary the speed and not use the cruise control until 1000 miles. With the amount of downshifting the transmission does on grades it saw plenty of different RPM and speeds.

    I did a proper 1000 mile break in on my 2020 Ford Raptor before I sold it, but that was a different animal.
     
  11. Jan 6, 2021 at 12:56 PM
    #11
    Taco1701

    Taco1701 Well-Known Member

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    Gotta love a good road trip!

    Enjoy the sights and the new truck!
     
  12. Jan 6, 2021 at 1:00 PM
    #12
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

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    Zdravstvuite!
     
  13. Jan 6, 2021 at 1:00 PM
    #13
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

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    I thought about that too.
     
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  14. Jan 6, 2021 at 1:07 PM
    #14
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

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    The food looks familiar:hungry:
     
  15. Jan 6, 2021 at 1:28 PM
    #15
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Filling up on the east side of Memphis, 2020 miles on the odometer, 18.9 mpg on this last tank going 75 most of the way.
    PXL_20210106_210137624.jpg
     
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  16. Jan 7, 2021 at 3:48 PM
    #16
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Last day. One more fill up in Knoxville last night at 18.2 mpg, two so far today at 17.9 and 19.5 mpg. The last one was higher because Virginia and West Virginia are slower than previous states for speed limits.

    Filling up in Knoxville
    PXL_20210107_024136048.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2021
    Junkhead likes this.
  17. Jan 7, 2021 at 4:04 PM
    #17
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Gov Cu(h)omo's new bridge.

    PXL_20210108_000208579.jpg
     
    Junkhead likes this.
  18. Jan 7, 2021 at 4:08 PM
    #18
    Lawfarin

    Lawfarin Who me?

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    Ah that’s where the budget went...
     
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  19. Jan 7, 2021 at 4:10 PM
    #19
    brandon78lusch

    brandon78lusch Well-Known Member

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    Looks like fun! My 2019 taco still has like 12k miles on it
     
  20. Jan 7, 2021 at 4:16 PM
    #20
    BroncoAZ

    BroncoAZ [OP] Well-Known Member

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    The sooner I hit 39K the sooner I can upgrade :anonymous:
     
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