Considering trading my auto TRD OR for a base 6-speed

Never make financial decisions based on emotion.

 

Shop around on two to three car shopping apps like Cars.com, Carsguru,Autotrader then save a bunch of listings to your account. A lot of dealerships will have the same truck on their lot for 3or 4 months. Make the dealers compete on a price and have a set budget.Sell your Taco privately and get pre approved through your bank or credit unio. That way you have only ONE transaction with dealership of your choice. Negotiate the dealer fees too because some dealer fees are excessive. Don't trade your truck or finance through the car dealer to keep your negotiations minimal

 

Took me about 2 weeks of solid looking in 3 states, only found 3 dealers willing to make a similar deal

 

That is seriously exactly how i feel. Ive driven a manual all my life and this is my first automatic. I really do love the truck but if there was one thing i wish to change is to get a 6 speed. And i Feel like if i supercharged a 6 speed it would be way better than having a 5speed automatic.

 

It will be.

 

I ended up with 3 dealers in the final negotiation too. I was about to buy at $34k but a dealer 300 miles away agreed to match $33800 my local dealer was thinking about offering but did not offer.
I let my local dealer know the other offer and they finally matched it. Drove 4.2 miles and got the total fees down to $150. It also helped that my truck was on the lot from the previous month so they wanted to move it before the new shipment arrived. I didn't think I could get the price knocked down almost $2k on a new Taco considering the high demand but I was persistent and paid off.

 

Horrible idea.

 

I think it's a bad idea simply because the truck is so new - unless you pay it off before the deal, then do what you want. I see those two quads in your pic, and I'd rather tow them with an auto. Backing up a trailer is a pain in the ass with the 6 speed. The reverse gear is super tall and most of us use 4 low to back up loaded trailers. On asphalt/ concrete, you just have to smoke the clutch. If you go to larger tires, the problem gets exponentially worse. I love my 6 speed and my 33s, but now I need to throw down a bunch of cash for regearing (might as well do lockers while we're at it...) to suit my needs/ wants.

There are a lot of factors to consider, but be aware there are many times I wish I had an auto - especially towing and offroading.

My truck is a true base model (not SR/ SR5) 6 speed and I love it, but it has its flaws. I vote keep your truck.

 

I sympathize, as I wanted a 6 sp too, but I needed the long bed, and I really do like my truck, so no regrets. I think you may be able to get close to what you want, but it will take some patience on your part. The dealer is going to offer you 21k for your truck and want 28k for theirs. The good news for you is that in SW FL (and likely anywhere) you have a more desirable vehicle - all other things being equal, an auto TRD OR would sell more quickly (and for a higher price) than a base 6 sp. assuming similar conditions, mileage, of course.

There are exceptions - like someone who wants a manual, or someone looking to build up a truck that doesn't want to pay for OR goodies they will replace anyway. But those are a small subset of buyers compared to those who want an auto TRD OR.

So, assuming conditions are equal, eg. mileage is similar, vehicle condition is similar, I'd say lay your cards on the table - go in, talk to a salesman, tell him/her that you may be interested, but tell them upfront you want an equal trade. Push them hard on it. They will start out with a huge differential (that may be partially deserved if this truck is perfect and yours isn't).

Tell them you are willing to do it, but not unless the price is right. If they just got this truck, you may have to wait. But if it's already been on the lot for awhile, and month end is coming, you have more leverage than you think. A 6 sp eliminates even 90+% of Tacoma buyers...and if this truck were a screaming deal, it would already be long gone. They know selling a manual takes some patience.

Finally, consider age and warranty - if this is an early model 13, it could be out of warranty, and thus worth a hair less. You might be able to get them to certify it - don't pay too much more for that, but it is worth something. Same with yours...you don't mention mileage for either. If yours is out of warranty, they will offer less.

So figure out what you would be willing to pay to do the deal...if you are willing to give them your truck and some cash, then so be it - your money, do what you want! . I would hold out for an equal trade...they'll swear they can't...but if it's still there in a few weeks, they'll make a deal...they know they get a whole lot less if it goes to auction.

 

One thing you could do is sell your car to CarMax then take the cash and go get the new truck from the dealer?