Is 3rd Gen 3.5 Tacoma really a good truck?

Bought my 17 in October of 2018 with 1,800 miles for $37k out the door and now at 190k trouble free. Been on several fun adventurous trips and off-roading escapades so I’m not babying it. Hauls a 16 foot tandem axle trailer anytime I need to haul it. I’ve done about every mod you could do to the truck and it still be reliable daily driver for me. I’ll drive it until the wheels fall off. I’ve done all the maintenance on my own. Got the kdmax 6.0 then ott tune in February of 2023.. I’ve loved my first ever Tacoma so far so yes imo it’s a great truck if it fits your needs

 

Not our trucks, but my wife has chronic lower back issues. I got her an office chair style backing and she uses it while driving when it acts up, really helps her. Cheap enough to try

 

Bodies are unique enough without daily changes from muscle cramps (basketball games, long hikes, living room rasslin' with the kids, ...). Office chairs and vehicle seats cannot keep up ... you can only find "aids" that attempt to compensate.

 

You could be right, hence why I mentioned my wife's issues have the root cause that is her body..particularly 2 of the L discs are rotting away. The prior poster mentioned it might be the truck seating position, which is why I suggested the chair piece.

 

Me as well!

 

OK - it's Friday, so here goes:
1. The Tacoma is a good (not great) truck, but it beats the competition
2. Mine has 50,000 miles and runs and feels like the day I picked it up. This is the mileage at which I've noticed wear in the steering and suspension of other vehicles - in other words, losing that "new car feel"
3. The truck gets good gas mileage if you don't push it. I get 21 mpg with 2 kayaks on the roof which is perfectly acceptable.
4. There's no other car or truck I see that I would trade my Taco for. The 4G's are nice, but for now, why would I move up from a truck that I love?
5. The resale value is sick! I could sell for close to my purchase price.
6. Less reliance on electronics. The straight forward simple design is dependable and relatively easy to work on and service. The electronics are what make battery electric vehicles (BEVs) less reliable and of lower initial quality than ICE powered vehicles.
7. Availability of a Manual Transmission.

HAPPY FRIDAY TO ALL!

 

The stealerships are attempting to sell trucks like mine (a 2016 with ONLY 23,000 miles) for about $1000 less than I paid for it in 2016.

 

Same for my 2018. I see it about a $1k less. When I bought it in 2019.

 

"Friday threads" are supposed to ridiculous (oil change intervals, "Is it totaled?"). Your post is rational, reasonable, well thought out ...

Shame on you!

 

160k miles on my 2018 and no issues. Just regular maintenance and it’s going strong still.

 

Love the truck no doubt. 10000 miles in and it keeps growing on me. This gen of the tacoma has a silly, quirky personality I can't help but love. It is serious, but at the same time goofy.
Lil Big Truck just keeps putting a smile on my face every day.

 

Hometown ain’t lying, thee whole truth and nothing but!

 

My sport has just gone over 65,000 km with no issues. Love it

 

I'm coming up on 30K Miles/48,280Km since May 14, 2021. Love my Sport too!!!

 

I bought the first year 2016, only have about 75K on it.

Zero mechanical issues, and I find it comfortable to sit in unlike some.

My big issue is the Clearcoat on my MGM roof faded bad in 2023. Just had the cab/roof repainted about a month ago. $$$!

But I do otherwise love the truck, and I think styling wise it is a great looking truck!

 

Is 3rd Gen 3.5 Tacoma really a good truck?

Yes, always, sometimes, no, maybe. The answers are all over the place! My answer would be yes for now. It’s a 2017 with 80k miles- we mainly use it for long distance camping trips and off-road, and a very short commuter. Only 5 miles or so each way for work, but I rode my bike instead almost all year so far so I have a hood mounted solar panel as a battery maintainer on it 24/7. No rats yet, luckily!

 

Same here, one day decided to walk in an put a deposit on a TRD OR and test drove it the day it arrived. Worked out great. Everyone loves the truck, myself included.

The next month my local Ford dealer had a Quicksand TRD Sport for $34k. I think it had like 30 or 40k miles on it. Darn!

Better than my 4LSlippy ever was, something was going bad on that truck every 3 months. Then the transmission went out all by itself, no help was needed.

Wish I would have taken my time and looked for a manual or long bed in either cab configuration. Would have taken a 4cyl if given the choice.

Love the e-brake handle, 6-speed, non-turbo engine. I bought it for its simplicity and resale value and perceived reliability. it only made sense to buy the Tacoma.

The only downsides are the insane transmission programming, that's about it. I couldn't help but tune it at 1200 miles. Man it was a dog stock. It keeps up with traffic now!

Figured if I hated it I could sell it, it seems it'll keep holding its value very well compared to all of the domestics I've ever owned. If you are from SE Michigan you know 98.9% of all vehicles on the road here are 'domestic'. Go to Ohio or Lansing/Ann Arbor area and that changes quite a bit

Good truck? Yeah, it is and you can't tell me otherwise. All I want is a truck that will start and last like our Honda lawn mower and not require major repairs because the manufacturer sucks tennis balls at making engines and transmissions

 

3rd Gen is going to age like fine wine.

 

The 3rd gen is a great little truck. Does everything I need it to, and half ton wouldn't do any better. My dick is big enough that I don't to compensate.

 

I'm still loving my 2017. Biggest expense was having to have my A/C topped up ($170) and new Battery ($150)