MARYLAND TACOMAS

it’s a SB.

 

It’s just not any SB… it’s a unicorn!

 

SCS wheels in Gambrills from a member…

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/fs-scs-f5-matte-dark-bronze-17x8-5-20mm-6x139-7.853195/

 

Here is the thing, have a seat for a second. Welcome to my Ted Talk.

I am a particularly unique individual. I do not care to have the latest of the latest or the newest of the new. I believe that no one should ever buy the first or second year of any model range of any generation of any vehicle with the anticipation to keep it long term. If someone buys one of those, it is to be a fleet vehicle or something they own only for a few short years until they can get a better, more refined version. This is solely personal opinion, i mean zero personal attack against anyone in this statement. Many people buy and love all sorts of different new vehicles, thats awesome for them.

Next, the newer the vehicle, the more intrusive the safety features and monitoring services are. I do not want a subscription service for my remote start or navigation. I dont need wireless charging or an app to lock and unlock my vehicle. That shit to me is a complete trivial waste. Lots of people love those features, and it makes me so happy that they do and their lives feel improved by them in anyway.

Next, I like old vehicles. I like a chassis and drivetrain that is proven. I like something that there is a massive aftermarket support and tons of used parts basis to pull from. I know the second generation tacoma chassis better than any other chassis i’ve ever touched. The third generation 2016-2023 is 98% identical. I’m not crazy about the new drivetrains. Too much technology that I cant work on or manipulate with my old mechanic ways.

My hang up with a 3rd gen is, I personally do not care for the 3.5v6 AT ALL. Its too high strung and has no low end at all. You have to lean too hard on it to make it perform. Some say the same about the 4.0 that i’ve come to love, maybe in some ways they are correct. But i’m used to it and can fix all sorts of things about it. I’m comfortable with it. I absolutely LOVE that the oil filter on a single VVTI 4.0 is top mounted. Toyota created the single greatest oil change configuration ever designed by anyone ever….Then they came up with these bottom mounted paper cartridges. Talk about a slap in the face to the DIY and mechanic community. I’ve done dozens of oil changes on the newer configurations and it always ends with me cussing.

Lastly, i’m trying very hard to be more open to some things but with what i’m going through and the plan that I had in my head, this has been about the hardest pivot i’ve ever had to make. For over a decade I told people I would be buried in my truck; that i’d never give it up for anything. I just never thought someone else would try to make that a reality for me.

I always said even if I could no longer drive it, I would store it and save it. Well now that is going to be far more difficult to justify than I could have ever imagined. My plan was to daily drive that truck 5-7 more years while we bought our first home/property and started a family. Now i’m at the risk of having a $300-600/month vehicle payment simply because the insurance company is being downright diabolical. This is some scary stuff. I’m 29 years old. I have a good job and a strong support system. Yes, I should be able to buy just about whatever new vehicle I want. But I like to save money. I just have to do what makes the most sense for the long run for everyone else, while still staying true to something that i know, love, and enjoy. I will never stray away from a full frame 4wd toyota. One saved my life when I never thought I would need it to and i’ll be forever grateful for that. As I typed that, i realized included a General Motors chassis in my list, thats simply because its another chassis that i’m very familiar with and would love to build one someday. If i bought an old GM truck at this time, it would just be a beater that would probably turn into a money pit.

The TLRD for you is, i’d like to be without a vehicle payment. So that puts me in the $18k or less boat. If I found something I just had to have that is $20k+, i’m going to have to deal with what I hope will not be an unreasonable interest rate used vehicle loan. Nothing new tickles my fancy but a brand new 2025 Tundra or GR Corolla. Both are way too expensive to justify the cost or the insurance/maintenance.


The secret to success in life is to buy a toyota. Pay it off. Drive it until it dies. Thats what I did, it just died at the hands of someone else unfortunately.

 

I cant do it Mr Jim. But I appreciate you. That Solar Octane 4runner is GORGEOUS

 

Thanks, dude! Spain was amazing, I did a study abroad for the month to get my last class done, spent time in Granada, Cordoba, Malaga, and Seville. Gorgeous place with a lot of surprising and violent history. I'd love to go back some time!

Iceland was gorgeous and chilly lol. Wife and I went, rented a 4x4, and drove around the entire island, staying at a different hotel every night. We saw the northern lights, incredible waterfalls, went hiking inside a glacier, ate reindeer carpaccio and fermented shark, and had an amazing time. Highly recommend. We also want to return in the summer.

As for South Carolina, I'm in Columbia for a year. I think you know why

Thanks! I've missed y'all too! We'll have to do a meetup when I'm in the area again!

Happy Saturday, Ed!

lol thanks! It's been a bit of stress, but a lot of catharsis. When I come home next spring, I'm hoping to be even further along in my professional career, and maybe another mod or two on la troca

Alas I've no soul left to give. Perhaps they will accept a pound of flesh!

Damn man, I'm so sorry to hear about the truck!

 

So sorry you're going through this. I can definitely appreciate you're feelings. I had similar situations with mine, in just the short time I've had my Tacoma. Best wishes

 

Holy crap. Clearly I’m not on here enough to know your truck got smacked up.

Well if for any reason you want a rust free SoCal truck, let me know. Happy to check stuff out for you.

It has helped me. And I do believe that if a new job was required, it would continue to make me more desirable for employers. I thought choosing my line of employment would never put me in position to worry about that, but here we are…

 

Sorry to hear you’re in what sounds like the same boat as me. Hope the best for you with it all.

I’m also thinking my MBAA ( last A is A nation) will help the resume but I have 0 practical business (mainly accounting) experience with it.

 

Good afternoon MD. May be my last rotation on these Coopers.

 

35s next??

 

Dang Mike… feel like you just got those. How many miles did you clock? You on the wear indicators yet??

 

I have 55k on them. I am not on the indicators yet but I’m getting close.

 

255/85/16

 

Baltimore 4Wheelers event at AOAA, May 16-18. Have never heard of this group but seems like it could be a fun event.

Baltimore 4 Wheelers, Inc. is a IRC 501(c)(7) "organized for pleasure, recreation, and other nonprofitable purposes." Generally, social clubs are membership organizations primarily supported by dues, fees, charges or other funds paid by their members.

https://baltimore4wheelers.com/ohv

 

I appreciate all you guys. I got to spend some time with my truck today in the heated garage and made some serious progress looking and checking things over.

I have some glimmer of hope and good news but I have to get the legal side of all this mess settled before I will feel comfortable completely sharing all that is going on.

 

Just sell it and buy a Heep already. Those 4xe Wranglers look nice.

Spoiler

please don’t

 

Good morning MD

 

Morning!

 

Morning, all!

As for that piece of paper, it's a mixed bag. That said, I'm not yet 40, I have a decade of military and leadership experience, and a bunch of voluneerism and program support under my belt. I took the Project Management Professional course and can sit for that exam, so I figure all that, combined with an MBA, might help me afford a more relaxed, possibly work-from-home lifestyle.