Why did you choose a Tacoma?

My shopping list must haves:
1. Manual transmission
2. Able to tow 5000 lbs
3. Cab and a half

Wasn't looking for a Taco, but it's the only truck on the market that hits those three. I still almost didn't buy it, as the only configuration that does this is a loaded 4x4. Looking for a work truck/pavement queen. Fortunately there's some older Gen2s out there that will donate parts to turn it into an old man work truck. But feels wrong buying the fancy truck only to unbolt all the expensive stuff.

 

Ever since I saw the Marty McFly's Toyota truck on Back to the Future, I've loved the look of these trucks. Then, I saw the guys on Top Gear try (and fail) to destroy one, and I knew I wanted one. As soon as I got the change, I got my first.

 

My brother had one similar. Figured I keep the tradition going. (Plus I have may uses for it)

 

Reliability, Resale and Tacomaworld... The three most important reasons for my purchase!

 

Wanted an old FunRunner when I turned 16 but was way out of a 16 year olds price range. I can still see that thing when I close my eyes though. Went through multiple makes and models, trucks and cars. Then I saw the Top Gear guys who drive 100's of vehicles a year try to kill that Tacoma. It was immortalized in their studio. I knew my next truck would be a Tacoma. I found a gem on a lot near my house, they threw me the keys for the weekend, they never got the keys back. I couldn't be happier with its versatility, style, function, and form. I still sit and admire it. And I don't ever want to own any other truck.

Cheers!

 

I didn't run into that issue, although if I remember correctly, the drain tube dripped water onto the frame and people were getting rust issues already. Easy fix and not the deal breaker for me.

Looking back on it now, if I kept the 2017, I would've re-geared with 4.88 and done the OV Tune like a lot of people did. Just didn't like messing with warranty so early. Those Toyota "shift enhancement" flashes were worthless and gave lots of false hopes. Having a double overdrive is also kinda weird and excessive.

If I had gotten a manual trans 3rd Gen I probably would've kept it. But I was moving away from MT's largely for safety and convenience. The 2nd Gen's auto trans isn't perfect, but the drivetrain and software is miles better than the 3rd. My opinion.

 

For several reasons, which mostly can be found in my build thread, however the ultimate reason was I still wanted to drive a small truck with a manual transmission and Tacoma's are the only one anymore.

 

My first Toyota was a 1985 Toyota 4x4 pick up which I bought brand new for, $9,500. Regular cab with no options. Power nothing. 4 cyl. with a 5 speed. I beat the snot out of that thing and it kept going. After 15 years and over 300,000 miles, I was rear ended and it was gone. When it left, it still had the original clutch, water pump, altinator, master cylinder, u-joints, and the list goes on. Had 3 sets of tires, a couple of batteries, and a few exhausts. I did replace the bed since the original one rotted out, and I had to do a head gasket. Did that in my driveway in an afternoon. That truck NEVER left me stranded. I said I would get another one. It took 17 years, but I now have my Tacoma. Much more comfortable, which is good since I'm a little older now. But still loving it. Oh what a feeling!?

 

Cause chicks dig dudes who drive Tacoma's.

 

When I was 20, I watched an episode of top-gear where they put a Toyota Hilux through a score of abuses and showed that it still started and ran, despite being crashed, ran over, crushed, drowned, burned, and dropped through a collapsing building. I know that's all memes and such, but I later saw (multiple) stories about Toyota Tacomas, specifically second gens exceeding 700k miles.

This, and the absolute beauty of the machines had me in love with them. Now I'm almost 28 and I purchased my first taco truck as a 2014 trd sport LB with a v6. I chose this because after hunting for nearly 5 months for the right taco, and pouring over research about each trim and all the capabilities of each one, I figured it was perfect for my purposes. I also avoided 3rd Gen tacos because they haven't been tried through the test of time yet. It's an entirely new platform, different from the 2nd Gen models and that means Toyota has some bugs to work out. The 2012-2015 models, to me, represent 9 years of Toyota perfecting the models of that generation. I plan to keep my taco forever, and never sell or trade it, I wanted something I could work on with my own two hands, modify, and have fun with as my daily driver and adventure vehicle. I don't do a ton of off-roading, but I want to be able to when I can. I just adore everything about it, including its quirks and oversights. Something about it has me turning around to get one last glance in everytime I get out of it and walk away. I think it's perfect.

 

Thanks for everyone who replied.

You all had some cool answers!

 

I dig chicks who drive Tacomas.

 

Tje Tacoma sort of chose me. It was the only manual transmission, four wheel drive vehicle for sale within 200 miles of where I lived for sale that I could find.

My previous vehicle was totaled so....

Looking back 12 years i wold call it a bit of divine intervention.

 

#1 on my list was reliability as I planned to have the truck for 10 years or more. That put the Tacoma right up front.

#2 was price. At the time, the Colorado was marked up. With the new Tacoma coming out, I got a decent deal on a Tacoma (3k under MSRP). So the Tacoma was also about $6k less than a Colorado.

It made the choice easy, I'm happy with it.

 

New to the message board! I just recently purchased a 2015 TRD Off Road with only 44,000 miles on it and I love it. I previously owned new 1991 and 1994 Toyota pickups and then had to go have a child and needed a SUV. Now that that child is 22 it was time for me to get back into a pickup. My wife and I had the opportunity to drive a 2019 Chevrolet Colorado 4X4 (loaded) for about a month while her car was in for collision repairs. We did not like the Colorado at all. I can't describe it, it felt solid but it was very blah. It didn't seem to do anything extremely well. So not liking the 3rd generation Tacoma styling, I decided to look for a used generation 2 and finally found a clean one with low miles.

 

My reason starts with Back to the Future (of course). I wanted the same truck in that movie. I got close when I purchased my '86 4x4 SR5, and drove that little 4 banger for several years. I learned how to work on that truck during college, and really loved it. It did what I wanted, it looked cool, it was fun to drive. Everything I wanted.

Then I started playing bass guitar and needed more interior space to haul large gear around with that couldn't be in the back all the time.

So I jumped into the 2nd gen market back in 2012-13 and found a good condition 2008 that I drive now. I'm upgrading/modding/maintaining this one to last me another 150k miles, hopefully.

 

My old car was a 2002 Acura RSX. I loved that little car but capability began to be an issue when I started travelling for work and taking trips to relatively remote places. Issues were mounting up. The Acura was starting to show its age and leaking oil like the Exxon Valdez. It was terrible in the snow and rain so I wanted something with 4WD and a manual transmission. I was never into pickup trucks, at least full-size, but the Tacoma always seemed like the perfect pickup truck to me.

When I have the space I'd like to buy a small sports car again.

 

So initially I had an '06 Frontier king cab. I had been a Nissan fan since the '95 Hardbody truck I had. However, I was disappointed with the Frontier. It was an okay truck but was prone to strawberry milkshake with the transmission cooler mixing in the engine radiator. Not to mention had the turning radius of a Peterbilt. Fast forward to 2012 and we ran out of room with our kid. So I began searching for a Tacoma. Found my '11 3 hours away with a little over 10K miles on the clock. Now I am sitting at almost 95K miles and still love this truck. I will probably move up to a Tundra next just to have the extra space but I am not getting rid of my Tacoma. Bought the wife a 4Runner back in 2016 and the dealer asked about my truck, said they would love to have it on their lot. Told them not a chance.

 

I've wanted a truck for a long time, but wanted a nice truck. We just moved into a bigger house (with a garage that I can park in), so I made the decision. With 2 boys (ages 7 and 5), we have tons of shit that also now sits in our garage, so it's the biggest 4x4 quad cab that would fit for me. We also hunt and fish, so it made sense for a mid-size truck.

 

They quit making Rangers and Tacos now come in an access cab.