Old Toyota Guy, (kinda) New to Tacomas

Greetings from the PNW! I can't believe I haven't been here before.

I'm an old Toyota 4x4 guy. Bought my first one in high school at 17 years old, a 1986 standard bed, standard cab 4x4 (SCSB? LOL). Had that truck for 17 years. Daily driven, was "overloading" around the Mojave and Death Valley/Panamints before that was even a thing (or cool). The truck went through several versions: stock, IFS crawler, SAS swap. I'll see if I can find a pic.

I was a Toyota technician for 17 years and even actually worked for Toyota the company at their R&D center for 7 years. The west was calling to us and we moved back 6 years ago. I am now a law enforcement officer.

I sold that truck and moved on to an obsession with BMW motorcycles. All the while we had a Toyota of some kind in the fleet. I had a '93 X-Cab DX (2WD) I bought from a friend and put a gazillion miles on. Also in our inventory at some point included:

Camry(s)
Echo
Corolla/Matrix(s)
Scion iQ
GX470

My wife loved the iQ for her city commute but it was totaled a few years ago in a collision. She now has a 2021 Renegade 4x4 (ugh...did we actually buy a jeep? ).

I had grand plans to build the GX into a camping/expo vehicle but I never really fell in love with it. It's a great vehicle. Even with 245k miles it's solid and reliable. In nearly 50,000 miles of ownership it's only had maintenance and valve cover gaskets. After pondering Tacomas for a long, long time, I have decided to make the jump.

I have been contacting a slew of dealers lately, all pitting them against one another. I looking to get a TRD OR Double Cab but I'm struggling with long or short bed. This will be a do-it-all truck: road trips, camping, Home Depot/bark/topsoil getter. Not a DD (I have a work car assigned to me).

Since I'm an off-road aficionado, the SB appeals to me. But I also like the ability to carry more in the LB. I'm looking for any real world feedback on things like the LB effect on drivability, ride, fuel economy, etc. Help!

Pic of my '86 attached alongside my buddy's sweet '87 FJ60 near the Minarets in Mammoth Lakes.

 

Welcome to TW! I have no regrets buying a LB.

 

Welcome to TW! My first new vehicle was an '84 Toyota Longbed Deluxe (85 hp 22RE, 5 speed and 2wd) that was my commuter truck between western MT (catch the ferry to and from Prince Rupert, BC) and Sitka during my winters of seasonal LWOP from Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game. As I recall a "long bed" then was 7 feet, and this ACLB's is 6 feet. It's a 'DLT' (Dad's Last Truck) that he spec'd out the way I would have. In the couple years since his passing, I had the first rust-proofing frame treatment done at a Kalispell NHOU dealer, and have been adding accessories (many suggested by TW members) to ease operation and care for the truck. A "Long Bed" is only six feet, not eight. (A 3rd Gen DCLB, red, parked next to me for a couple days as they were cleaning out the next garage bay and apartment for sale. He did manage to fit his truck in the garage without any storage space in front of it for a day...)

 

Long bed problems I have where I’m at.

Yes, turning circle is huge and it sucks.
Yes, your tail end is longer so you have to turn late.
Yes, parking it in downtown narrow streets, short parking stalls sucks.
Yes, your departure angle suffers. I rub on the bottom of the tow hitch or get stuck on it sometimes.

These four issues I have to deal with on a constant basis.
But do I regret it? Yes, When I get stuck on that tow hitch. But other than that Hell no!

I enjoy the Long bed as I use it for work and 6ft bed is perfect for work. Off-road… well it’s a compromise, but I’d still go with long bed.

 

Hell yeah man! Welcome! Have you considered waiting for the next gen?

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome to TW! When I had my short bed Tacoma I loaded it up weekly with my 30in push mower, trimmer, blower, gas cans and my string box and it all fit fine. I've hauled sticks and tools in the bed too. I liked the maneuverability and how it could fit in some pretty small parking spots. But if this is you're only truck and you don't have a trailer to use to transport larger items a long bed might not be a bad idea.