Who has owned a 1st Gen and a 2nd Gen Tacoma?

I've been thinking about possibly trading in my Tacoma for a new ride. I would like more space, so I was thinking about getting a Tundra. If I don't get a Tundra, I want to get a new Tacoma DCLB. Can anyone tell me their experience from going to the 2nd Gen from the 1st Gen - positive and negative?

 

Honestly I would keep 1Gen truck unless you are very desperate. 2gen has more space, new Tundra has even more space but honestly 1gen truck is fun to drive and fuel mileage is awesome.
I like more 1gen because it had less electronic junk in it. J shifter transfer case is one of the items I am missing.
I tell you, no matter what you buy couple months into the ownership you will be missing 1gen truck.

 

curious as well. they always say they dont make things like they used to but my 2nd gen seems pretty sturdy..

 

I just did it. 98 AC 4x4 stick to a 13 DCSB 4x4 auto and I love it. Mpg is a wash space is great and what I needed. Just drove on snow and ice this past Christmas and it handled better then my 98 due to weight IMO. Only have 7,500 miles on it so far so can't comment on upkeep but my grandad had an 05 and put 100k on no problem, so I don't expect it to have problems. Loved my 98 but out grew it and now I love my 13. I looked at tundras too when I was in the market as price wasn't a difference, but size was a problem for me didn't want to drive something that big every day.

 

I really like my 2011 but if I could have had a new "97" with all the refinements and power of the 2011 I would have bought it. Bigger was not the reason for me to buy a new one I liked the size of the older one better. I find the visibility to be worse on the 11 not a deal breaker but some thing I noticed. My access cab has plenty of room that was a big + over the old one and the double doors makes the rear area far more usable. One thing that irks me are the rear windows on the access cab they no longer open and all though the glass is about the same size they covered the inside with a huge plastic surround that cuts the size in half. (one of my visibility complaints) I’m glad I bought the new one it really is a nice truck so in your case I guess it’s all about the size that’s something your have to figure out to suite you needs the Tundra is a lot bigger the Tacoma just a bit bigger.

 

I had a 1997 AC 4x4 Std. It was a great truck and never let me down. I went to a 2002 DC 4x4 and it was the 2nd best truck I've owned. Then I traded for the 2006 step-side TRD Off-Road Tundra. It was a very nice truck but I was getting 12-14 mpg and the ride wasn't all the comfortable. I don't regret trading it for my current 2007 (hold over bought in 2008) Gen II TRD Off-Road DC. I went back to the DC Taco because of that Gen I truck. I love the ride, the build, the available power of the V6, and the slightly better MPG over the Tundra. I wouldn't say the Tundra was "too much truck" but for the ride comfort and MPG, it was more truck than necessary for my needs. I'm holding on to this Taco until she fails to run.

 

I've had a '95 first gen that I owned for 3 years and now a '05 second gen that I've had for a little over a year now. My first gen was a five speed 2.7, something that I've come to miss with my 2nd gen auto. The 1st gen was alot of fun to drive, and never once with the exception of an alternator and battery give me any problems. Same can be said for the 2nd gen on reliability, but it's definitely not the same truck. Bigger, not slower but feels slower, and the vibes after lifting are a headache. But I do like it, just wish I could have kept both.

 

I still have my 97 super reliable. But love the power of my 2012.

 

well my brother has an 03 dbl cab trd off-road that i drove for a while before i got my 06 dbl cab and now i have a 12 dbl cab and i love it! there is not a huge difference in space imho but the 2nd gen is a little more roomie me
! go to the dealership test drive a few of the new trucks! my 06 and 12 were the exaxt same size the 12 just looks a small bit different in the accents ex. steering wheel and the radio beside that by test driving you can get a good feel for the 2nd gen!

 

I had an '02 extended cab SR5 and now have a 2011 DCSB TRD Off Road. I really loved my first gen, outstanding truck but man I love my 2nd gen even more BUT for me I was upgrading more than you are in room, engine and features so you may have a different experience.

My first gen was 2.7, 5 speed, no power windows or door locks. When I was looking to buy I also looked at Tundra and decided I didn't need that size truck all the time. Glad I did, the Tacoma bed system, even though I have the short bed is so "flexible" I think. I haven't had a problem yet hauling anything from 5 mountain bikes to a stack of drywall and plywood to a 5' x 10' piece of foam board that is for my home theater projection screen. Also the storage in the cab under and behind the rear seats. Man, I can get a lot of stuff all over the place.

As for the above comment regarding "not built like they use to"....it's a Toyota....yes it has more gadgets but the trust is there...I have no doubt this one will last like any other earlier version.

Also mentioned is the numerous traction control and electronics...yes the first gen was simpler in that regard and I am still getting use to the truck doing more in certain situations but I'll eventually figure it out.

 

I had a '99 PreRunner TRD Offroad access cab V6 automatic and then an '02 4x4 Sr5 access cab V6 automatic before my current '06 4x4 TRD Offroad access cab V6 automatic. Below is simply MY PERSONAL TAKE on the differences between the two.

1st Gen Pros:
1. Excellent build quality; always felt very tight - even after rolling on ice and spending three winters in Fairbanks, AK
2. Better fuel economy w/ 3.4L V6
3. Proven reliability of the 3.4L V6
4. Manual transfer case (I like simple; less to go wrong/fix)

2nd Gen Pros:
1. More space, inside & out; perfect size truck for me
2. More powerful engine
3. More modern, so more amenities
4. Composite bed (some folks don't like this, but I do)
5. Better styling

1st Gen Cons:
1. Smaller size

2nd Gen Cons:
1. Slightly poorer build quality; more squeaks/rattles
2. Not as lift-friendly (vibes and other issues that are not as prevalent w/ 1st Gen)
3. Fuel economy

When the 2nd Gen first came out I did not like the look of it at all. To me, it looked like a squashed Snoopy. But, it grew on me as you can see from #5 in the 2nd Gen Pros above.

EDIT: I'd never have gotten rid of the '99 PreRunner, but a PCS to Fort Wainwright, AK forced the '02 4x4 purchase. I'd never have gotten rid of the '02, but a 12-month deployment to OIF forced the sell (I didn't want it sitting and rotting in storage for a year).

 

X2 on that. If my 97 was as refined as my 06 then I would not have ever sold it. Plus I wanted an AC instead of a RC. I do wish I had the J Shifter, but I'm not missing my manual hubs at all. I probably will one day though. I love my new truck, all the new features are great and you can tell Toyota put some thought into it such as the compartments in the bed, under the rear seats etc. Suicide doors, folding rear seats, sliding rear glass, cup holders galore, and bed cleats. And the power seems a little better, I had 2.7s in both Tacoma's, the 97 was a bit sluggish but it did the job. The 06 2.7 seems peppier even with the extra weight of the AC. Still no hot rod, but I can tell a difference in power. Gas mileage is slightly better as well. I loved my 1st gen, it was perfect. < that led me to believe I would love the 2nd gen even more. I was 100% correct.

You'll be happy with a 2nd gen, I mean its a Tacoma, what could be bad about it?

 

PM sent sir...

 

Not true about missing the 1st gen. I did this back in august, traded in my 01 extra cab for an 09 double cab and for the first week maybe I missed my old one but now I'd never go back. The 2nd gen has a lot more space than the 1st, I don't know how some of you guys are saying its the same size?? On my first gen I could reach over and roll the passenger window down, can't do that on the 2nd because it's wider. I don't miss the 4x4 transfer lever of my 1st gen at all, and feel a lot safer with all the electronic aids now than my manual everything 1st gen. My 09 only has 20,000 miles on it so I can't say what it will be like after 200,000 but as for now it's build quality is just fine.

Oh yeah, I'm getting the same mileage with the 4.0 v6 now as I got with my 2.7 in my old one and the increase in power isn't even comparable.

 

I drove my dads 04 Double-Cab PreRunner before owning my '13. I can say driving the 1st gen was, how do I say, more fun? The feel of both trucks are completely different. I like driving more compact vehicles. I used to drive an 02 4runner during high school (comparable to the late 01-04 Tacomas) and it felt just like I was in some dune buggy, and had an awesome feel.

Of course, the 1st gen ride is a lot more rugged to me than 2nd gens. When I first test drove my current Tacoma I immediately noticed how overtly smooth the ride is. It felt like a Cadillac in respect to my dad's 04 Tacoma. But there are pros and cons to both feels. In my opinion, the rugged feel of the 1st gen felt really nice, whereas I am still getting used to the car-like ride of the 2nd gen.

Looking at my dad's and mine side by side, the 2nd gen is the meaner-looking truck. One thing is for sure, both interiors are still easily scratchable haha!

 

I owned a 96 tacoma for 5 years... and this 07 for 6 years.

It's all in what you want or need.

I sold the 96 because I needed a Dodge Ram (2004) to tow/haul my Jeep. That lasted for about 3 years. Traded the Dodge for the 07 Tacoma and couldn't be happier.

I personally would never buy a fullsize truck unless I needed to tow/haul heavy loads on a regular basis. Other than that - you're just wasting gas and money on a fullsize you don't need. Besides that, fullsize trucks are BIG. Sometimes everywhere you go....everything is a whole lot smaller. Parking spaces become a whole lot smaller and you FEAR the sides of your truck getting dinged. If you fear your 1st gen truck getting door dings....You'll feel that sooooo much more in a fullsize truck. It's ridiculous.

You'll probably hate how big the 2nd gen tacoma is (at first) since you're used to the smaller 1st gen....but you will eventually LOVE its size.

 

I had my 02 prerunner for 3 years and decided to trade it in for an 09, I have had my 09 for over a year now and like it more than my old one.... although my first will always have a special place in my heart.

 

Totally agree. That was my biggest adjustment. The 2nd Gen felt huge compared to my 99 Prerunner - but I got over that in a hurry. The new Tocamas have a lot of features that I wish had been on my 99. Also much more up to the task of pulling a trailer which is important to me.

 

Here's my experience:

1st gen Prerunner xtra cab Taco 00'. It was a nice and reliable but, I really needed more space. I didn't really like the interior too much. After driving many 4 hour trips I was uncomfortable and I weigh 190 and 6 ft tall. (T-boned. Trucked rolled 3 times and truck was totaled).

then bought a 1st gen tundra (IS Edition) Access 2WD cab cause I was afraid of rolling again. Lasted me 13 years with only one problem a leaky radiator which isn't hard to fix. I beat this thing up off roading and it always ran great. (miss the sound of a V8 in the morning). Gas mileage was ok once I put a rollback bedcover on it and got some decent tires.

Now I have a 2nd gen Taco Dbl Cab 4x4 5 ft bed. It has more punch then the 1st taco but not quite as much torque as my tundra. I think it has the same HP as the 1st gen tundra but i notice the torque more on the tundra. I like the space and all the compartments with the 2nd gen taco and the true 4 door truck.

If u get a chance I would get a 2nd gen taco. It's worth it in my opinion.

 

Anyone else want to chime in on this one?

I'm deployed until October 2013, so I have plenty of time to read up and make up my mind. I look every once in a while to see what's out there to ideas on pricing and availability. Are there any known issues with the 2nd Gens? What are some of the issues that I may encounter with installing a 3" lift?

Thanks in advance for your input.