Talk me out of a short box.

I got a 5' bed because I thought the DCLB looked funky lol. My 96 has a 6' bed but I always had a toolbox that ate up about a foot, very rarely would I remove it to haul things. If you rarely haul anything like you stated then a 5' bed is perfectly fine.

 

As much as I prefer the 6' bed, if you want a double cab, stick with the 5' bed. Way more common and looks more proportional. You have the trailer for Home Depot runs.

 

Use it all the time. I'm good with straps and have a trailer.

 

I want my timing cover and rear main seal to leak not my head gaskets

 

6 ft bed most people can sleep in, 5 ft is a nightmare.if you think you might want a canopy, or camper down the road you will wish you had a 6ft

 

No one ever got hotel points sleeping in the bed of their tacoma like a hobo. I need to be pampered.

 

Yard debris, doors, trash, dead elk, firewood are a few of the things I’ve found are better in a 5’ pickup bed than in an SUV.

 

Because I already have one, a 1985, and the new ones have no el manuel option...

 

I have the 5ft and i kind of wish i got a 6ft cuz im 5’ 8” and id be able to sleep in there.

Advantage to the short bed is that with the better departure angle i dont drag my rear off road when my friend does drag in his f150

If i could do it again i’d prob get an acess cab long bed and get a high clearance bumper
Good luck

 

I wasnt doubting it, just letting the guy know the general opinions on the board.

 

Your biggest use case will likely be satisfied by the short bed. I didn't want the long wheel base, and figured I'd use the full cab more than the extra foot of bed space. So far, I was right.

The other thing is the dcsb is such a high runner in manufacturing, that you have wiggle room and negotiation power. The long bed is a rarer commodity so if you don't buy it, the next guy will at their asking price, so they can tell you to go pound sand when you try to negotiate anything. With the dcsb, you can just go up the road to the next dealer - you have some leverage!

If I was getting a DC lb I'd just get an F150 full size truck anyway and be done with it. Cheaper, newer, just as efficient (if not more, the 2.7 EB is pulling like 20 mpg combined on fuelly, better than the Tacoma), more capable, more roomy, cheaper to maintain (because of how many they make), etc.

I don't think you'll regret either decision, save a grand and get the dcsb is the way I see it and how I bought my truck.

 

Only gripe is I would like to be able to pull my dirtbike into the bed without having to leave the tailgate down, but my dog appreciates the back seat, and the long bed just looks disproportionate to me. I’m kind of superficial though (but not superficial enough to buy a TRD Sport)

 

Had a 6 foot box in my previous truck, was a bit worried going to 5 as i use my bed a lot.

No regrets at all and it gets the job done everytime. This tacos bed is a bit deeper and wider than my previous 6 foot, so it works just fine. As long as you have few straps, you are good to go.

 

For myself, the choice was easy. I was temporarily in an apartment, looking for a house to buy. I knew the extra foot would help greatly with moving. A month after buying it, my wife is pregnant and now having a double cab made a lot of sense. While at the apartment, parking spaces were parallel instead of perpendicular. 19' 8" spaces, and I never once had an issue parking. I make this comment for those who chose a short bed for parking, but then imply using an 8' trailer to haul.

Now I have a detached garage, that fits a few vehicles, and more than enough room to work on just about anything. I'm limited to no more than 3 inches of lift without a roof rack, or 1.5" and a roof rack to clear the doorway. So having the long bed helps with all storage concerns, without a lot of sacrifices.

It seems your situation is different. It seems the garage is where your decision lies and you've already made up your mind. Good luck on your choice.

 

I'm not compensating for anything. I've got the short box, no regrAts!

 

I need a double cab for my dogs!
I need a short bed for my garage!

 

I've owned trucks with 5', 5.5' 6', 6.5', 7', and 8' beds. If it won't fit in a 5' bed you need an 8' bed. Nothing else is enough bigger to matter. The wheel base does matter. If going with the Access cab then 6' is fine.

If you're going to buy a DC with a 6' bed then go on up to a 1/2 ton extended cab. The wheelbase is within 2-3" of the same, you get a 6.5' bed that is both wider and deeper. You have more rear seat room, fuel mileage and initial cost are about the same, and you get significantly more towing and payload capacity.

The biggest advantage of a Tacoma is the small size, the biggest disadvantage is the small size. It makes no sense to buy a Tacoma the same length as a 1/2 ton and still have the negatives of the smaller cab along with reduced towing and payload.

 

Short bed.

How often are you hauling stuff that you need the extra foot in the back versus parking in the city? Plus my truck fits in my garage with my aftermarket bumpers with my full size spare mounted on my swing arm. I'd have to park the truck outside if I had a 6' bed with a swing arm. Like you said, if I really needed the 6' bed I can just borrow a trailer. Also the trails in the PNW are tight as is with a tacoma, a trail limo will need to do a 10 point turn at each section of the trail.

 

I wish I had the 6' bed but Toyota does not offer it with the manual transmission for some odd reason. The manual transmission was more important to me. No Ragrets!

 

Don't do it.

is that what you were looking for?