Wife shot down my dream

Ya agreed. For me I like to do work on my home and yard and not having to borrow a truck to haul rock, wood, etc and mess up my interior is priceless to me.

 

We had a 2005 4Runner for a short time (it was sold to send her back to school) and the back seats and storage are much better than the Tacoma as a car. I use my pickup bed so it's tough to consider not having a truck. Plus I personally won't drive anything but a stick shift. But for families, dogs, hauling friends to ski, road trips, the 4Runner is the better choice. She has an older Jetta wagon right now and we often wish it was the 4Runner again. But so it goes.

 

Two kids here, taking the Tacoma on a family trip next weekend to NC from MA, more than enough room for the family and all our stuff, I just have a tonneau cover but put a cap on a double cab and you'll have more room than a 4Runner.

Edit: didn't think of a dog, an SUV would be much more practical if you need to cart kids and a dog around. But you do have the Highlander.

 

We go everywhere in the Tacoma anyway. 4Runner stays at home while my truck tries to catch up to it. 6 years difference in age and only about 40k miles.

 

Our dog Taz loved the back seat room of the 4Runner. He had quite the cozy space.

 

Is that a "watch the kids" mirror? My dad's Yukon has one.

 

It is. Just one of the little things that Toyota skimped on in the Tacoma IMHO. The interiors of the 4th gen 4Runner and 2nd gen Tacoma are similar but not the same. And ours was just the run of the mill SR5, not a fancy Sport or Limited.

 

I love my run of the mill SR5!

 

She has HER highlander. You get what YOU want.

 

I traded in my Tacoma for a 4Runner this summer, it is such a nicer vehicle in every way. $700 on CL buys a really nice trailer that is 2X's the size of the near worthless Tacoma bed.

 

Just when you think your wife is on board with something you've been thinking and talking about they act as though we have talking to ourselves. Uugghh. Hope it all works out!

 

My argument is this, you already have the highlander. Family car is taken care of. Why have a second vehicle that can do most of what the family car can do? Have more availability in your life. Depending on your skill set you can argue that you need a good bed to help haul new material for house modifications and only a truck will do. If the home fixing isn't a route, just say that we need something that can carry space for outside equipment. DO WHAT IT TAKES AND GET THAT TACO!

Coot

 

I just meant that our 2005 4Runner SR5 had a lot of stuff that the Tacoma still doesn't have.

Like being able to set a climate temperature with dual zones, locking glove box, multifunction display (MPG, range, etc., like the Tacoma has now), power outlet in the center console.

The SR5 seats also had power lumbar, front bolster tilt and were height adjustable. And power seats were an option.

I'm not saying the Tacoma needs these things (height adjustable seats would be nice), it is a truck and doesn't need the creature comforts. But as a family car it's sometimes nice to have them.

 

Yeah I have the SR5 premium 4Runner and love the creature comforts!

 

No hardcore off-roading. My work takes me to a lot of wet fields and dirt roads and her family has land they lease out for farming with a lot of mud holes and dirt trails. We have a first gen tundra 4wd and atv's down there for cruising around the farm but it would be fun to take my own ride.

Really just need something that is reliable, has room for my work stuff, 4wd or AWD, and will fit in my garage. Also tires with a decent sidewall for our horrible streets. Both vehicle fit that criteria. My dad has a 5'x8' utility trailer he never uses so that could be what I use for hauling stuff I don't want/can't fit inside the 4Runner like landscaping or furniture or whatever.

I'm not going to give up without getting her in a test drive, but she acted like her mind is made up. I tried telling her it's better to have a truck and an enclosed vehicle but she doesn't see it my way.

 

Having two SUVs in the household (and nothing else) seems a bit impractical and there's always a place for a pickup, especially if you're a homeowner. Convince the wife she needs to trade in the Highlander for a 4Runner. You get a Tacoma. Win-win.

 

Well done.

Coot

 

Genius.

 

Perfect

 

Two SUV's is silly. Get something that has different capabilities than the Highlander. If I was getting a second vehicle, I would honestly get a Nissan Micra or some other super cheap indestructable Japanese econo-box to tool around town.