New member looking for the perfect tacoma

New to this forum. Ive been stalking forums my whole life and this is actually my first post. Ive had three silverados with no complaints whatsoever. Looking for a 2nd gen Tacoma, What should I avoid? Im only posting this because I recently bought an 08 Rav4 for my wife just to discover that there is an outstanding recall for the excessive oil consumption. And finally, will I miss my silverados?

 

that’s a loaded question. in my opinion, you’re gonna want the v6, manual trans preferably. it is an underpowered motor and you will probably dislike it. there’s also not much you can do to make it better. 12-15 had the facelift. do you want a crew cab or an extendo? long bed? there’s a lot of options and variables in what you’re asking, but the thing is that toyota did not make a bad truck, you just need to find the right one for the job. let us know some more info on what you need the trük for.

 

Welcome to TW

 

Avoid the ‘06, it’s known for head gasket failure. Check underneath any used Tacoma for rust, especially the frame.

 

Can't tell you what to look for or what to buy....My 2015 Sport, V-6, auto, bought new, has been ABSOLUTELY trouble free from day one. I have not experienced on my 2nd gen Tacoma, Not ONE, of the issues ever mentioned on TW. Having said that, if you need a truck for heavy work, towing, hauling, etc, keep the Silverado. I use my Tacoma for light duty, getting groceries, towing my golf cart, local commutes etc. I also have a Ford Super Duty for doing the "work". Two different trucks for different purposes. You have to decide whether you need more, or less, or the same truck.

 

You may not like the Tacoma if you're used to carrying a lot of weight, or towing anything really big. The Tundra is a better comparison to the silverado. That said, parking is easier with the Tacoma, and its (my opinion) a better choice for off roading than the Chevy. The comparison is really apples to oranges here.

 

Why don’t you just stay with the Silverado's.

 

If you really use a full size you won't like a Tacoma.
A Tacoma will be a downgrade for sure with creature comforts.

Not sure I would do it if you have a Silverado you really like.

 

2005 and early 2006. The problem was corrected 11/05. The problem is greatly exaggerated on the internet. They also have frame problems at the engine mount.

 

I bought my 2013 new and have really enjoyed owning it for the last 6 plus years with no plans to trade it in.
Get 17 mpg avg, looks great, not meant for towing big stuff, a blast to drive off-road.

 

What should you avoid when it comes to a Tacoma? How about avoiding this forum, be prepared to spend $ on stuff.

 

Thanks for the replies. I rarely use my half ton for what it’s made for anymore, every once in awhile I’ll hook a trailer up to it for moving light equipment. Since rust is taking out the Silverado it seems like the double cab Tacoma is the best replacement for my needs.

 

Depending on which silverado you had, you'll definitely miss the power and sound of a V8 chevy engine. All you'll hear from the tiny Tacoma is a what they call the "taco tick". The tacoma is more of a "play truck" then anything else. It's great for going off-road as it has great maneuverability in tight areas with it's great turning radius and narrow wheel base. However, the tacoma is notorious for rusty frames, driveline vibrations, weak ball joints, weak front wheel bearings, unknown vibrations from 30-45 mph, then some at 50-60 mph, weak leaf springs, head gasket issues in earlier gens, squishy brakes, squishy clutch on the manual, and many other issues. But some of those things can be fixed or toyota will fix them under a recall or service campaign of sorts, and some things will go away and come back for unknown reasons. I have a vibration I still can't figure out at highway speeds and I've learned to just live with it, I've tried everything, balance tires, driveshaft balance, replaced u-joints, replaced every tie rod, control arm, ball joint, suspension component I can think of, etc and still got some vibration, but now it's at a different speed and different rpm. I just stopped chasing it and learned to live with it. Anyways...

Plenty of recalls and TSB's for rusty frames and rusty leaf springs and many other items. Just do a quick search on here and you'll find all you want to know about the Tacoma. Overall it's not a bad truck, just be aware of what you can live with and without.

 

Double cab 4.0 4x4 - even without the work you’ll feel like the Tacoma is weaker. Cause it is.

But it’s meant to be a light duty truck with great off road capabilities. If that’s what you’re looking for you can get what i mentioned above. TRD trim or not, up to you and depends on if you want to mod it anyways. If you plan on switching out suspension and lifting then just go base 4x4 4.0 V6 double cab.

welcome!

 

Oh.. and if you haven’t started looking yet be ready for our notorious resale value.

 

Its going to be a downgrade in everyway compared to your Silverado, but if you can live with the fact that your trading down for a smaller, underpowered truck and you really really don't need or want a full size then you might like it.