What is 1 thing you don't like about your 1st Gen

These turning radius comments crack me up. The 1st gen is soooooo much better than my old 93 pickup, which was also an xtra cab. I had to do a freaking land survey before turning that thing around! When I got the 01, I thought "awesome! They fixed it!"

 

Dude, use 1/4-inch rubber gasket (plumbing supply) to fab some new cupholder flaps. It works awesome, check out my gallery, and note the picture of them holding my coffee tumbler upside down (empty, of course).

 

Overall a good little truck, now you could ask this question about any vehicle but lets see: Gas mileage, Oil filter location, no limited slip diff, plastic battery tray, airbags(not specific to a Tacoma, I just hate them), and seats. The list would be about the same length on any vehicle I have owned except maybe my 66 chevy van, would love to have another one.

 

On this it says the turning circle diameter is 40 feet! http://www.trdoffroad.com/articles/pdf/00_tacoma.pdf

 

seats n squeaks

 

I drive a 2000 Trd and I cant stand the front clip.

 

Theres a fix for that .....

 

and another

 

....and you're going to do all that IN YOUR NEW GARAGE

 

I bought the truck from my uncle about a year back, and I still have yet to figure out how the truck came with a CD player but no clock ?? I don' t know if my uncle cheaped out or what but I always thought a clock would be standard equipment before a CD player . Other then that, the seatbelts are always getting stuck in the door. As for everything else, it's awesome! I love my taco <3. Best truck ever made

 

+2

Flash

 

I really love my tuck . Only thing that bothers me is that the dash makes a rattle noise every once in a while.

 

That the frame rusted out - loved that truck and had a problem free 90K miles.

 

Seats, ebrake, clock, and pathetic rear leaf springs.

 

X2

 

Can't slide a 4ft wide sheet of what ever between the box wheel hsgs.

 

I love my Tacoma but (blasphemy alert !) I liked my '83 Nissan 720 better in many ways.
Thing is, I prefer 2wd for the price, weight, milage, and mechanical simplicity. And I prefer 4-cyls. I'm sold on their reliability.

My biggest gripe is that, in general, Toyota's marketers decided to castrate the entry level Tacoma and turn it into a car, perhaps so that they could make MORE money selling the expensive versions to anybody who actually needed a truck. But I don't want 4x4, nor the big engine, I just want a reliable functional mini-truck like the older Toyotas and Nissans, but newer. Too much to ask?

• Seatbelt.
• Odometer has no tenths. I don't have GPS.
• Cloth seats always getting dirty. Wish I had vinyl. Trucks are for working. Or used to be.
• Low quality interior. Fairly good design, looks good from the factory, but the plastic breaks, not made to last. And don't take it apart or you'll have trouble. Parts are designed to take apart once and replace, not various times. It's now plastic snap-in stuff like toys.
• Visibility for traffic is poor especially with a shell. Moving from my 720 to the tacoma is like having my peripheral vision cut off.
• Body metal is thin and dents if you look at it funny. Could it be any thinner? I could forgive the trade-off if the milage or power was improved.
• Suspension. Especially the rear. So soft and weak. Had to upgrade it immediately front and back just to use it for work but now it's really hard. Tacoma suspension design seems to have two modes: Bubblegum soft and rock hard. I know it's possible to have a suspension that handles weight and still rides ok, cause it was much better in my 720.
• The Toyota 2.4 liter just does not have any low-end torque. Again, going from my 2.4 Nissan 720 to my 2.4 Tacoma was quite noticable. And they both ran similar 8-9% oversize tires.
• The differential on the 2x4 5-lug is an anamoly and I can't get any lockers or change the gearing for it. I thought that with a Toyota...
• The fuel systems of the 2.4s have a recalcitrant hot start problem. It's embarrasing to stop at the store and not be able to start it when leaving. "No really, it runs great - it just doesn't start" "No, I've had the dealer and mechanics look at it- no obvious problems- some Tacomas do this". I know 2 other 1st gen 2.4 owners who also have hot-soak starting problems. I have found workarounds to keep it starting.

• The fuel system is difficult to diagnose - instead of the usual test connection, you have to buy a special adapter, install it, test pressure then uninstall it.

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I do appreciate many things about my Tacoma, the driveability, the general reliability is still very good. The comfort, the improved quietness. It looks good.

I also like having a vehicle that is very common and well-supported on forums and sites like this. Easy parts, mods, help etc.

Maybe someday, I should pony up and just get a prerunner !

Cheers, Steve

PS. Full disclosure; my Nissan720 had one very serious flaw- a weak manual transmission which was underbuilt for a truck and I had to replace it twice. Same tranny as they used in the Celica, a much lighter car. Over the years, this is what made me decide to move to Toyota. The Tacoma has many smaller issues, but no giant one like that.

 

Things I wish were different: wish it was a 4wd, manual, 4 door. lol.

 

The things most are quoting are the same for me. Seat Belt not retracting is #1. It's been said.

But the worst is that my First Gen flamed and burned to the ground last night. I hate that one thing the worst. If I were Toyota I would fix that problem first.

The comedy was as I watched it burn I was thinking--"Shit. Now I have to spend time looking for a new Tacoma."

 

Oil filter and clock like everyone else mentioned.

And one little thing that gets at me is that they didn't put a little lip on the sides of the windshield so when you spray the washer fluid it goes onto the windows and makes water spots, just a little pet peeve I have.