Would you buy it?

I had a 2011 4W DCSB TRD Sport Tacoma. Unfortunately, I had to downgrade to a Corolla for some financial reasons.

I hate my current car and I am getting rid of it before an overseas trip. I would like to get a Tacoma when I return back around NOV/DEC of 2013.

As many of us know, the rumor is that new engines will be available next year as a 2014 model (I'll believe it when I see though).

Say Tacomas get new engines. Would you buy a first year model? or wait at least few years until they get rid of any issues (if there are any)?

My plan is to get a new Tacoma and keep it for a really really long time.

Thanks for your input.

 

Depends. How many theoretical dollars will I have to spend and I'd want to see the hypothetical engine specs... Realistically I expect the '14 to get the FJ engine, but that's just my op.

 

Understandable. The FJ and the 4runner's engines are a mild, yet a nice upgrade. However, my question is from a reliability stand point. I think Toyota only increases the price by about 0.9% (about $300 for the Tacoma)

 

First post here on TW, but as a compulsive car shopper, I gotta jump in on this one.

The current Taco engines are good, so I don't think an engine change from one model year to the next is going to sway someone from buying a new one just to get a new engine. The possible exception would be if suddenly the stars aligned, the heavens opened up, and you could get a 4-cylinder turbodiesel paired with a manual transmission in a low-option setup.

But if the current engines were lousy, then yeah, I could see waiting for a new engine. As an example of this I point to the Jeep Wrangler...I'd have never bought one with the 3.8 minivan engine, but with the 3.6, I'd jump if I were looking for a Wrangler. Another example might be the changeover in the F150 from the wheezy 5.4 over to the 5.0 and 3.5 ecoboost...those are engines that would have caused me to wait a model year.

But that's just me.

 

I really don't think there will be an engine change in 2014. Even FJ's and 4runner's are just a variation of the 1GR-FE (dual vvti). If I was to bet, we're most likely to see a new engine in late 2015 for the 2016 model year.