What are you paying for 2020 Tacomas?

I have never owned a Dodge (that is what a Ram is) however I drove them a lot for work, I have owned Ford F150's a lot of my life but I switched to Tacoma for the reliability and build quality and resale value.

"Domestic" built trucks (what people believe are American made trucks) have no where near the same resale value of a Tacoma, the reliability is lower and the build quality is noticeably worse.. this is my experience but I am not alone if you want to do a google search.

"Domestic" trucks also go on sale for $15k off sticker every other month, so if you paid full price you are really going to take it in the shorts when you do go to sell it. Toyota goes on sale for $1500 off the sticker. Negotiation is the same for all brands so even with $15k off you could still negotiate a better price as those discounts come from the factory.

In-short: Tacoma is a better truck, why I bought it and I will sell it for a lot closer to what I paid.

 

5th gen Ram is definitely the best riding full size truck on the market but it is still full size and floaty and does not feel planted to the road like a mid-size truck. I drove the Off Road and Sport Tacoma’s and I would take my Ram over them but the Limited version is really nice and you wouldn’t miss the Ram.

 

The 2500HD had an incredibly planted feel. Used it to tow a 16800lb trailer with a fifth wheel and still not much floating in the wheel. Duramax life.

 

The most american made truck is the ridgeline.

 

First, the Tacoma is in line price wise with it's competitors. Ranger, Colorado/Canyan etc. Second if you don't need a full sized truck for towing and hauling extra heavy loads, just driving around in it as many Tacoma owners do adds nothing other than more difficulty maneuvering in tight places, finding suitable parking and/or fitting into the average garage. Don't get me wrong, I've owed several full sized trucks in the past. A F150 and a Dodge and they served me well in my business because I need the capacity. But they (especially the Dodge) were very gas hungry and had all of the negatives I've pointed out. Once I sold my business, full sized trucks were a thing of the past for me and I'm on my third Tacoma.

 

Most people aren't paying anywhere near $45 unless it's a Pro, which I wouldn't buy personally, but they do hold their value extremely well. Also, I just think you either need a full-size or you don't and to buy one just because you think it's a better value when it's not really what you need seem kind of silly to me. My feeling is that you should just buy what serves your needs and get the best deal you can on it. Truth is, all trucks are pretty expensive these days, so I'm not sure why so many people assume it's just the Tacoma. As someone said above, the Tacoma has the best resale value of any vehicle...not just trucks, but among ALL vehicles sold in the US, not to mention the superior quality and reliability. I've owned a GMC Sierra, Chevy Colorado, and 2 Nissan Frontiers and I'll never own a Chevy or a Nissan ever again.

 

You have every right to stir the pot. And, I have every right to defend my decision to spend 48k (and wait 6 months) for my 2020 army green Pro. I made that decision (and planned my funds) last winter when it debuted at the car shows. All of us choose our vehicles based on our needs, wants, and life experiences. I expect my cars to last at least 200k miles and 15 years. My trucks should last 300k and 20 or 30 years. For me, every time that I have bought a non-Toyota vehicle, it hasn't lasted. My first car I learned to drive was a '73 Toyota Corona. My first truck I purchased was a '86 Toyota Pickup. I drove it for over 330k miles. When I stopped driving it as my daily driver, I had gone thru 3 alternators, 2 clutches, and had the transmission rebuilt once, but it still had its original exhaust system. To me, that says alot about the quality of a Toyota truck. The second reason for buying a Toyota is I have a good local dealership that has earned my trust. When I walk in, the owner will come up to me to shake my hand. He might not remember my name, but he knows my face and knows how many Toyotas he's sold my family. I plan on keeping my new truck for the rest of my life. And after I am gone, my family can either keep it or sell if for a pretty penny because it will hold its resale value.

 

You spent $48K!?

 

Considering MSRP is 48.9k w/ tube steps and graphics and its in high demand. Yea, i'm paying cash. Why don't you call me in 30 years and I MIGHT sell it to you. My guess is I should be able to get at least 25k for such a limited edition.

 

I'm not judging. I simply felt that given we have identical trucks (less transmission choice, I presume), the difference was outlandish. In any case, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

 

My point was not so much that you can get a full size instead of a midsize, it was just that they were better equipped thus a better deal dollar for dollar.

Like I want the Tacoma but I wish it had an 8 speed, more power, and more features inside (ie ventilated seats) for the money.

 

The power and tranny I consider relative to the size / weight of the vehicle so I’ll call that a wash. Do I want a Hemi under the hood of my Tacoma, oh hell yeah but then there is reality and practicality.

As for features, compare a Limited to the full size you have in mind. You’ll find there are not many options missing, maybe even a couple that Tacoma has that the full size variants do not. At the end of the day though, it’s your money, just be sure to be fair and honest with yourself comparing feature for feature and then look at the real cost to equip a full size with every option say a Limited has. That full size price will probably be a little higher than you expected.

 

I agree that the Tacoma's powertrain is a bit lacking. Sure, it's dependable, but it does need a little more power and better gearing. Toyota should have just updated the 4.0 and gone with 4.88 gears at least. I think the 6 speed auto is ok, but it could use a couple more gear ratios. Also, it's programed for max efficiency and that's why it hunts so much, although Toyota did improve that somewhat for 2020. I'd definitely get the manual if they offered it with the standard length bed.

 

The last one I drove was a 19 with a noticeably more punchy throttle input mapping than the 16-17s I tested. Did they change the programming more for the 2020s?

 

Yes they did, although some people on this site don't think it was a big enough improvement. I don't have my truck yet, so I haven't had long-term exposure to it, but I thought it was fine during my test drive.

 

Location, time of deal, demand vs stock... all play a factor in what the dealer is willing to negotiate with you. When I went to purchase my 2020 OR Prem/Tech I did look at the Pro but the dealer flat out stated they would not negotiate at all on the Pro as they are selling them faster then they can get them in.

Good thing for me I was not really looking for the Pro. I love my Voodoo OR

 

How is the 2020 tonneau cover for the tacoma? My dealer is supposed to order one for me but they said its a soft one. Does it tri fold? Can a knife go through it? Does it lock?

 

From factory, tonneau cover is a trifold, hard plastic cover top that cannot be slashing through with a knife and it is latched in with a release mechanism from underneath. price is $589 on dealer’s invoice. Anything cheaper is not it.

 

It is also a factory only option, if it did not come from the factory and they are "Ordering" you one then you are not getting the hard shell factory one, but the soft shell after market they sell on Toyota.com/accessories

The reason it is factory only is the bed rails also need to be changed out or it will not work.

 

The softshell is not secure/can be slashed correct?


Also, do y'all know anything about the roof rack? Apparently that is a factory only option?