HELP ME DECIDE Tacoma or Tundra

I am the proud owner of a 2006 Tacoma club cab 4x4. Brought it brand new and I currently two hundred and eight thousand miles on it and she is still going strong. I am considering replacing my Tacoma and I am torn between getting a new Tacoma or a Tundra club cab 4x4. I like the gas mileage I get with the Tacoma plus the ease of drive handling. This Tacoma truck is easy to drive and handles very well. However, the tundra provides more room which perks my interest as well. What ever I decide it will be a daily driver and since I do not have to work five days a week gasoline cost should not be a problem. I don't do any pulling of equipment or vehicles any kind. I do some light home construction such as drywall and light stone work. Please advise


Thanks

 

i think you answered your own question, get the Tundra if you don't care about mpg, want more comfort and want more truck than you need.

 

Tundra
http://m.mysanantonio.com/news/loca...604-intersection-on-6397228.php#photo-8340094

 

Your use description says Tacoma. But apparently your comfort meter says Tundra.

It's your wallet, your call.............

 

I was under the same struggle when I walked onto the dealership. quickly realized I personally didn't need a full size truck everything I needed a truck for I could do with a Tacoma. To each their own.

To me it came down to I drive and park in the city (small spots, small lanes), I use it for hauling mine and my buddies mtn. bikes/skis/snowboards, camping, wheelin', projects around the house.

 

Today my job site looked like a Toyota dealership, 2 Tacos and 2 Tundras. The plumber has a Tundra and always complains about mpg, wishes he got a Tacoma. The concrete/ pier sub, 300lb guy, likes the comfort of his Tundra but his "real" work truck is a Ford. I'm a carpenter and the Tacoma suits my needs.

 

from what ive read on this forum i feel like you can practically watch the tundras fuel needle drop.

 

Buy a tundra so you leave Tacomas for the rest of us

 

I've had 3 Tacomas ('07, '10, and '15) and a Tundra ('12). Loved the Tacomas, wanted to try the Tundra. Liked the look, big-chested he-man truck. And with a 5.7 V-8, it is every bit that. Super smooth ride, fire-breathing motor (which I never pulled a thing with), and a nice sized bed (which I never carried a thing in). I could afford the gas for it, no issue. But it was a monster to park and get around tight spaces with. Just went back to the Tacoma, still a nice ride, much more economical, and has room to haul if I need to.

Comes down to your choice, it's all in what you like.

 

jokes aside, i think the Tacoma is best for you.

 

Nobody knows what's best for you. Wait till the new Tacoma is available and then go test drive both. You'll know after a test drive what feels best. I went to buy a Tacoma (2005) and they had a one year old tundra trd pictured in my profile. The one thing I didn't like was how low the roof line felt on the Tacoma as I'm 6'1. I test drove both and went home with a tundra and it wasn't really close for me. I wasn't going to use it off road or for towing a ton. I just wanted something comfortable with 4wd and bed to put stuff in. I went to the dealership with my heart set on a Tacoma and I came home with a tundra and have driven it for the last 10 years. That being said I plan on buying a Tacoma next summer if reviews are good and there is nothing I hate about it on the test drive. If you were looking for something that had to be good at towing or had to be good off road your choice would be easy. If you don't care about MPG's or off-roading, I don't know how you don't come home with the tundra though. My 2 cents.

 

Do the math on how much the Tundra is going to cost you, then decide if you really want to spend that kind of money for the luxury of a full sized pick up.

I'm downsizing from an F250. I love my full sized trucks, always have. I also really enjoy the size of the cabin as well as the bed for road trips (and so does the SO). It is really nice to be able to go on long drives with tons of cabin room for hauling my usual 3-4 people and being able to throw just about anything in the bed. I also occasionally do some big tow jobs.
I use my full size truck, but the SO and I sat down and crunched numbers when it came time to buy a new vehicle and we both kind of got sucked into the better MPGs of the Tacoma over a full sized. We looked at the F150 Ecoboost and a replacement for my F250 Super Duty. It came down to the Tacoma or the Super Duty. The Ecoboost would have just been a compromise for my ego (of which I'm still having a hard time getting a smaller truck). It would have allowed me to stay big with better MPG's but the engine wouldn't have allowed me to do the towing I have done with my current beast. So really it was an illogical choice.
Ultimately I think we have decided on the Tacoma. Although my heart still resides with the super duty. Sorry guys but no one has built a better looking truck yet IMO.

When we looked at the $300+ per month gas bill on the 250, we just asked ourselves if we really wanted to be spending that. Especially because we do get on the road for a long trip every 5-6 weeks to visit the family farm. Plus the cost of the vehicle is substantially more.
We can afford it, it just came down to what we want to spend. I have plenty of family with full sized trucks so those few times a year where I may need to do a 10,000lb load I can borrow a truck for the towing. Over all I didn't use the full capabilities of the truck often enough to justify over $10K in added costs for the vehicle, plus the additional gas costs.

No doubt full sized are great luxury trucks. The cabin room is addicting. In the end though, really think about the cost long term. Especially if you plan on financing it rather than paying cash and if you plan on keeping it for 200K like your current Tacoma. Really see what the costs add up to and what you could do with that $$$ (college fund for the kids, extra yearly family vacation, retirement).

I would still consider the EcoBoost. It's the room of a full sized with less power capabilities because of the smaller engine with the MPGs of a mid-sized truck. Unfortunately the Tundra is off my list because it's butt-ugly. Toyotas are my favorite maker though, no doubt about that. My Fords have held up well though.

Now I'm going to go cry over the loss of my full-sized.

 

Both, keep the Taco as a beater, and get the Tundra.

 

OK, I will weigh in; even though I know some people on here are hugely opinionated. Honestly, some worship, the Tacoma God.

In saying that; I will say I am very open minded when it comes to vehicles. I've owned a lot of different vehicles in about every class of vehicle. I am a retired auto/truck/motorcycle dealer; so we saw just about everything at one time or another. In trucks, we saw vans, pick-ups flatbeds whatever in trucks, any size.

I bought a new 2008 Tacoma, for myself, and kept it until 2014; all the while I had other vehicles to drive also. The Tacoma was the best mid-size pickup, in my opinion in 2008; it just was. Saying it was the best; doesn't make it perfect; but I liked it for what it was.

Why Toyota allowed the problems with the rear springs, rusted frames, and to a lessor extent the driveline vibrations, and antilock brake problems in wet or snowy road conditions.; is beyond me. Corporate greed I suppose.

The Tacoma was really good to me, I didn't put a lot of miles on it but it ran good, rode pretty good, mine was a 2008, so it had the early anti-lock brakes which really sucked, especially towing a small 6x12 enclosed trailer with two motorcycles, and gear. It was a TRD-OFF Road, so it had the locking rear differential; a positive traction rear end would have been better for me; because I didn't use it off road. So essentially, I had an "open", differential, on the road.

Mileage wasn't that good, especially towing that small trailer.

And I felt a little cramped in the cab; but it was a mid-size truck; so I was fine with it.

Fast forward to 2014: I bought a Tundra 5.7


Better ride by a lot. More room, more towing capability, increased load carrying ability, far better brakes, let me repeat that Far Better Brakes!

Notice i haven't gotten to the drive-line yet. The 5.7 is a torque monster; and it will rev too. The transmission is great; the tow/haul feature; really opens your eyes. The biggest difference is that you don't have to drive this truck like a Tacoma 4.0. If you do elect to drive the 5.7 like a 4.0 you won't Get any fuel mileage. This engine is barely working; in normal driving.

I drive secondary roads mostly, no interstates. I average 17.3-18.4 mpg, I have seen 18.5 but I would have to try for MPG to get that average. I understand some people get 13-14, I'm sure that is possible, giving some driving habits I see on the road. OH, I don't have to deal with traffic; so I know that matters a great deal.

Some say it is big; well all full size pick-ups are Big. Almost all are equal in size. Some non-Tundra owners complain about how big the Tundra is to park. Maybe so if you live in a city and have to find a parking space. My sympathy goes out to you. MY Tundra fits in my driveway; I could care less. If I do go to town for what ever; I'll use what parking space I need to; if it takes 2 spaces in a parking lot, so what. I don't have to ever park at a meter; as they are all sized for econo cars anyway. I seem to always find a place to park.

OK: Would I buy another Tacoma , YES, I would if I needed the things the Tacoma could do for me.

Would I buy another Tundra, Yes, I would, if I liked better power, ride, brakes, towing ability.

It all comes down to what matters to you at that particular time in your life.

 

I have always liked the Tundra, and the new crew max is awesome. If it fit in my garage I would already have one. However, I will be relegated to a Tacoma since it will fit in my garage. Still a fine choice, especially the new one, but it is all up to you.

 

I've owned both trucks. Had to have a Tundra, wanted that full size with a V8 (insert Tim the "Toolman" grunt) so I bought a new 2012 Tundra double cab. never had any mechanical issues, and the only drive-ability issues was the brakes rotors hot spotting from the bigger tires (drive mountain roads daily). A set of EBC slotted rotors & pads took care of that. Fast forward 2 years, The girlfriend, now finace decided she wanted a Tacoma, so we bought her a 2014 DCLB TRD Sport. This is when it all changed for me, driving both trucks all the time, I found myself wanting to drive the Tacoma more and more often. Long story short, sold the tundra, bought myself a 15 DCLB TRD Sport, and now we are a Tacoma family! Good luck with whatever direction you go!

 

You folks have provided some great insight. I made my mind up yesterday after visiting the Toyota dealership. I got a chance to see the Tundra up close. That is one big azz truck. I got to sit in it and was very impressed with the room in side. I drove it around the dealer parking lot and said to myself nice truck but no thanks. I do a lot of driving in the city and have to parallel park. Can you image trying to do that with the Tundra. It would be a challenge trying to get that truck into my garage. I would have to get out of the truck and fold the side view mirrors every time I attempted to park it into the garage. I noticed another thing about it that it is so wide. I am sure it is a very good dependable truck and has the same track record as the Tacoma. However, I am sticking with the Tacoma as it fits my driving habits and life style very well. I have owned many vehicles including four other pick up trucks including Chevy, Dodge, and Ford 150 lighting. To me the Tacoma beats them all hands down. I have driven this Tacoma through two foot snow storms, muddy construction sites, up and down the east coast without the slightest problem. She has never let me down. My truck reminds me of the energetic bunny...IT KEEPS GOING and GOING and GOING and GOING. Matter of fact, I have had 5 people approach me this year wanting to buy my truck. I will sell it and not to a dealership when I get my new 2016 TACOMA. Thanks again folks

 

I would look at ford, chevy, of Ram if you want room, fuel economy, towing and storage.

Both the taco and tundra suck on fuel vs the others and have small beds and tanks to rule out ease on road trips and towing.

 

OP, I think you made a wise choice. Good luck with the new Tacoma.