Goodbye 2005, hellooo Gen 3 - a mourning thread

No doubt...
When I test drove mine, it just kept pulling; whereas my '07 would just peter out.

 

Sometimes something sticks in people's heads and they just cannot listen to facts. Fiction, myth and legend are much more interesting I guess.

 

Until you do the test I outlined, please refrain from judging based on other people's opinions. If you come back and say "eh, my other truck was more powerful. I will respect that. But if you do my test you won't come back and say that.

 

Sore subject, eh?

 

Nope.

 

I had a 2013 and the difference is the low rpm torque. The 4.0 engines feel stronger because you don’t have mash the gas as hard to go. Mine would light the tires up from a stop. My 2019 was a dog off the line until I got the KDMaxx tune. It runs and shifts so much better. Also on the highway if the constant shifting gets annoying you can leave it in 5th gear. 6th gear is too tall for these trucks at that speed and hilly terrain. Welcome to the third gen forum and good luck with your new adventure!

 

That would be the exact truck i would turn my MGM into if I could snap my fingers. Great color.

 

Highly recommend this KDmax tune below in pro+ with normal or light throttle tip in.
Huge drivability difference for the better vs 2019 stock tune!
Will feel very similar to your 2nd gen 1gr tune but a lot more guts up top! If the tune isn’t enough for you there are re-gearing options (4:88’s/5:29’s) that also can help a lot!



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/kdmax-pro-tune-by-paparee-and-twtaco.713699/page-285

 

Always hard to read threads like this, but a privilege to know your story. Thanks for sharing and glad you're here and safe.

 

I didn't mean to open a can of worms, but I should have known better than to simply declare a difference. I appreciate the nuanced responses on torque, pickup and gearing. I'm definitely thinking of a tuneup, though I'd love to hear if it has impacts on MPG or other potential consequences! Even in my '05 I've been annoyed by the modest response to gearing and often would do some manual shifting. I'd probably have bought a manual (dealer mentioned that '22 is the last year they'll offer it!) but after a concussion a few years back I now feel really strongly about making sure I have a vehicle anyone can drive.

I'm looking forward to my 0-60 tests! I drive a lot of hilly, windy mountain roads and am probably more enthusiastic about consistent performance there than highway vrooms. Also curious how people have experienced tight canyon off-road experiences with the extended wheel-base? I'm thinking of Geology Tour road in Joshua Tree, which I had a great time playing on with friends last winter, but had a few times I felt awkwardly long compared to some of the jeeps coming through.

This big'un feels like a lot of truck for me, but I also rarely carpooled in my last one due to limited space so think it'll have some great benefits overall in terms of getting to the ski slopes and crags with friends.

 

Change is sometimes painful but I’m glad to hear a new door has opened for you.

 

Wish I could give a detailed response concerning driving tuned vs non-tuned in twisty hilly off-road conditions. I’m in flat south Texas and occasionally visit our “hill country” north of here. My A/T long bed is mostly used hauling surfboards and towing my boat. I do have added weight (fiberglass leer) and tools….also lifted 2” with 32” tires. I also have 4:88 gears.

As far as mpg’s I’m in the 16-20mpg range depending on wind which can be horrible here. Stock I got close to that as well. Drivability, although subjective, is where the tune and gears shine. Throttle response and shifting around town (stop n go) are much improved. The boggy dead pedal feeling with early upshifts is gone. Feels much more like a 2ng gen tune. Highway driving stock tune and gears too me was horrible and the added weight/tires/lift made it even worse. Every overpass and hill would require a downshift or 2 to keep from losing speed. Going against a headwind, 6th gear was non usable (too tall of a ratio) even at 75mph. The 4:88 gears fixed that and the tune enhanced that fix. I still will drop to 5th on steeper inclines….but no more 6-5-4-5-4-6 back n forth on overpasses and small hills. It now holds 6th most of the time…will drop to 5th with throttle input if needed. So again, very similar to a 2nd gen tune.

Now WOT is where you will notice the 2gr vs the 1gr (2nd gen)….to me, big difference in upper rpm pull! Very noticeable when you kick it down a gear or two to pass or quickly accelerate.

I had my 2nd gen for 10 years and got to know it well. It was a short bed but same camper shell/tires/lift. Of course it had its shortfalls but I was very happy with the drivability. I knew the issues with the 3rd gen before trying to get it to where I’d be happy with the performance….I feel I’m pretty darn close to being very very happy with the outcome!

Take it all with a grain….the KDmax thread is long but worth the read. There are other tuner’s threads as well. There are also two long threads on gears…

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-4-88-mega-thread.511967/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-5-29-mega-thread.557305/

 

Congrats on the new truck! Cavalry blue was my 2nd choice (actually cement and cavalry were pretty much tied, but cavalry was discontinued before I bought my 2021, and my cement was there on the lot ready and waiting for me to buy and drive home). I think you’ll find the 3rd gen really is a big upgrade to your 2nd gen after you drive it for a while. The interior is a huge upgrade, the 3rd is overall better looking too IMO (not that the 2nd gen isn’t also a good looking truck, but I do like the 3rd gen’s looks more).

Powerwise, the 3.5 makes 278 HP @ 6000 RPM, compared to the 4.0’s 236 @ 5200 RPM. It’s definitely not a less powerful engine, the power bands are just different and you have to get used to driving it. You have to rev the 3.5 up a bit to feel what it can really do (the 3.5 really hits its stride above 3K RPM) and once you do, it will outperform the 4.0 at those higher RPMs… and get slightly better MPGs (in a heavier truck). We have the 4.0 in our ‘17 4Runner, and I find that it has more umph off the line, but after 1st gear, my 3.5 Tacoma is noticeably quicker thru the rest of the gears. Passing someone on the freeway at 70 MPH is a lot better in my Tacoma than the 4Runner, and they’re within ~100 lbs. of each other (with the camper shell on the Tacoma). So it’s I think it’s a pretty fair comparison. Both had very weak throttle response from the factory and you really have to mash the gas a lot more than most vehicles to get up to normal cruising speeds. Sprint Boosters solved that for me in both vehicles and I love driving both of them. Cheers!

 

Sounds like congrats to you too! The cement is so sleek, and probably doesn't show mud at all! I am sad they discontinued eye-catching colors so often; I always am happy when I see a nice one on the road and wonder why they're so rare. The interior is going to be a staggering upgrade (living in a car with cloth seats gets grimy af) - though I'm currently biased on the body of the 2nd gen since I like the petiteness of it.

This is super helpful, and I'm so glad I asked about the engine and got such detailed feedback.

 

Super detailed, super helpful, thank you! I'm in the Sierra of California so it's pretty much all windy, all mountainous, and very swift passing lanes so I'll either have to maintain my chill at any speed (hey, it does happen...) or learn how to shoot past city tourists who think 35 is a great option in a 55 as soon as there's a bend

I'll need to see what I want to do with my tires before I figure out my weight (IT ARRIVES TODAY AAAAAA!!!!) especially because California registers ALL pickup trucks as "commercial" unless you put a camper on it and take it back to the DMV to have it verified as a personal use, and were talking hundreds of dollars of registration costs. My plan is to put another hardshell on it and return to "dual homeownership" as a part-time road warrior. I am excited for what appears to be higher tow capacity too though.

 

Congrats on the new truck. So sorry about your long-term companions demise. Good thing is you're OK and will make new memories in the new truck. That blue is so cool. I would have gotten it if it wasn't discontinued by 2020.

I think power wise the 3rd gen is a little short in low end power and torque off the line. Get the rpm up some and it will take off. I'm reminded that every time I get to passing in the interstates. I'd say @hiPSI is right about his test of the power. When I put my foot in it good I sometimes end up going more quickly than expected. If you're light on the throttle like I am around town most of the time it will feel sluggish.
Most truck engines make power lower but ours is a more high tech design used in many other Toyota models too.

 

You’re posting in His thread. And he has owned and driven both trucks. You’re saying his driving experience is all in his head?

 

I believe it's "her" thread. But I agree, not sure why any of this matters. I've driven both 2nd and 3rd Gen now, and have liked them both. They definitely feel different, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I was a little concerned I'd miss my 2nd Gen when I upgraded, but I haven't.

 

SHE said -

And she is speaking in future tense (will be) and she also said in a later post "I'd been told that the shift from 4.0L to 3.5L meant lower power, more hunting for gears, and a bit of a sense of underwhelming ooomph. Can you tell me what you mean by just "rev it higher"?" that she has been told, not experienced it for herself.
So no...not in her head...yet.

 

welcome. glad you are okay after the accident. enjoy the 4 doors. i also went from an access cab to a double cab - it was nice having more interior space and the ability to actually semi-comfortably transport people. enjoy the new truck