Tacoma Newbie from Chicago via Cincinnati

Greetings all,

Last October I picked up a Tacoma with an Access Cab, V6 and the basic TRD off road package. This my first 4 wheel drive vehicle I've ever had. Currently I'm living in Cincinnati but will finally be moving back to Chicago to be closer to family and old friends. Even when I lived in Chicago before I never felt the need for 4 wheel drive. My first pick was a Chevy S10, the second was a POS Dodge Ram 1500 with a standard cab and 8 foot bed and the last was a Ford F150 with an Extended Cab (equivalent to an access cab except it had a fell bench seat). Rarely did I ever car passengers in the extended cab. I figured its just nice to be able to carry more inside the cab.

So far the only thing I've added to the Tacoma was an Undercover Tonneau Cover. I like it a lot more than the Extang soft covers I've had on the ford and dodge. I had a cap on the S10. That was nice but if I ever needed to carry something tall I needed a trailer.

Anyway my questions...I don't have any other packages on my truck like the PreRunner, X Runner or SR5. I kinda feel like maybe I should have added one of those extra packages onto the truck. To be honest I guess I should have investigated these other options before buying the truck. Did I shortchange myself by not getting any addition option package?

So far I like everything about the truck. Other than the sound system. All it has a speakers in the front door...and the back door doesn't have places for rear speakers. If I were to add and more speakers and amp I'd prefer to just have it in the back access area. As I said carrying extra passengers is highly unlikely.
Any suggestions on how to go there?

Thanks for your input and suggestions and advice.

Blake

 

If you got the TRD Off Road package, they build it off the SR5 options. In other words, it has the SR5 package already. X-Runners aren't available with 4wd, and if your truck was a Pre-Runner it would look like a 4x4 but only have 2wd.
The X-Runners come with a factory installed sub between the jump seats in the back. Maybe you want to research one of those?

 

Yeah...that sounds like the way I'd want to go.

 

I could have sworn there's a Tundra in the parking lot where I used to work that had TRD stickers on the back quarter panels along with the SR5 emblems as well along with some flame/tribal looking decals that made it look like it was pimped.

The fact that the truck had the TRD package and SR5 package made me think that I could have gotten more options on it made me wonder.


But the sound system is the only thing on it that I need to upgrade. What size speakers are standard in the door panels?

 

Didn't look that closely when I had my door panels off... but I'd bet they're 6"

 

The other day I saw a Tacoma with the TRD decals on the rear quarter panels and the SR5 emblem and PreRunner emblem on the tailgate on the right side. Not sure of the year. So does that mean its 4WD PreRunner with the SR5 package too? We're things different in earlier years?

Personally I like mine the way it is other than the sound system. I may look into getting a more powerful dash unit plus some better speakers...and maybe rear speaker boxes too.

 

Toyota hasn't really changed the option levels on these trucks a whole lot from 2005, with the exception of adding the "Limited" trim level in '12 for the "mid cycle refresh" (bodystyle getting stale, new way to draw new customers)
Options step up from Base>SR5
>XRunner
>Off Road
>Sport
>Limited
XRunner available on 2wd access cab only, limited color availability. This is the only way to get a V6 2wd that's not a pre-runner.
SR5 gets you power options, cruise, mildly upgraded radio, rear sliding window, alloy wheels, color-keyed front bumper and flares, chrome grille & rear bumper upgraded from argent/black.
Off Road gets you SR5+ TRD seats, skid plates, A-TRAC, rear diff lock, off road tuned suspension, BFG All Terrain T/A tires, 110v outlet in bed.
Note: Off Road package not available in double cab longbed version.
Sport gets you SR5+ TRD seats, sport tuned suspension, 17" alloy wheels, TRD seats, color-keyed bumpers, grille, door handles, mirrors with turn signals, hood scoop, flares, 110v outlet.
Limited gets you SR5+ 18" wheels, chrome grille, mirror caps, door handles, rear bumper, 110v outlet. Seats are probably same but not sure.

You can get the Pre-Runner package on the SR5, off road or sport. What it does is remove the mechanical components that actually give you 4wd. The suspension is the same as it would be, just it's 2wd. There is no such thing as a 4wd Pre-Runner in this bodystyle.
So, this makes it possible to order a Pre-Runner off road... seems like a contradiction to have "off road" without 4wd, but there you have it. Surprisingly, you still get the rear diff lock in this version...

 

OK...so even though my 2013 Tacoma with a V6 and the TRD option doesn't have all the badges on it it actually has more. The only thing I see is that I have the basic TRD package (I think). It has only 16 inch alloy wheels but it does have all the other off road stuff...which I'll probably never use since I'm now in Chicago and there aren't many mountains let alone dirt roads. Thanks for the reply...Blake