Toyota Tundra & Tacoma - real world feedback

[landphil]

You can say that again!!
watched a 2016 Taco's front end explode after hitting a WT fawn doing 80k outside town yesterday afternoon. Stopped and checked, driver/passenger fine (all airbags deployed) but truck is done, driver (male - hunter) super pissed that his main rig is smoked, glad he kept his '88 Taco out back. Had a good look at truck waiting for Tow to show, impact had no effect on cab (other than bags) and appeared to be well designed in the safety department. Would feel comfortable putting the wife and 3 year old in it anyday.

Change that deer for the side of a Hyundai Sonata at the same speed and results are pretty much the same. No broken windshield, only slight buckling of the floor from the frame being diamond at least 2".

[Linksman313]

Change that deer for the side of a Hyundai Sonata at the same speed and results are pretty much the same. No broken windshield, only slight buckling of the floor from the frame being diamond at least 2".

I totally agree
They have come leaps and bounds in the direction of safety in these new era Taco's! I would not want to see the results of same collision with my old high-schooler built 83 Ranger!

[the hopper]

I had a 2009 access cab with the 2.7l 4cyl.
Awesome utility truck. Some minor suspension upgrades 265/75 r16 tires and airbags.
it did firewood missions, hauled my sled all winter. And was my main hunting rig. Never had an issue.
Sold it 6 years and 120kms later for only 5k less then I bought it for.... The resale alone is reason to buy one haha.

Now I have a 2017 doublecab mini van version Tacoma.
I like it too... added airbags they are pretty much mandatory if you ever haul anything at all.
havent noticed the extra 18 inches of length yet and shortly I’ll raise the front 2 inches and the back 1. Should be good to go.
I average about 11l/100km slightly less then the 4 banger.

I debated long and hard about maybe jumping into a tundra.
But in the end, there were 4 main things

I don’t haul regularly enough and the taco can do it when asked.
The resale on on the taco can’t be beat
the aftermarket support for the taco is insane
and tacomaworld.com has literally saved me thousands of dollars solving simple problems like how to reprogram a key fob when you replace the battery in it etc, and makes it easy to get real info about what works and what doesn’t in the aftermarket parts department.

Happy shopping!

[REMINGTON JIM]

I have worked for the BIG 3 NA companies ! BUT my NEXT 1/2 ton if i buy one will be a TOYOTA ! The others are CRAP ! jmo RJ

[BgBlkDg]

My sentiments, exactly. My Taco, bought Aug. 28/14 and carefully modded to my specs at Capit here in Abby, is a simply awesome vehicle, will do mountain trips on the worst, old Kootenay roads with esse and is quite nice on the highway and even in LM traffic.

I have spent major coin on building an SR5 into my "dream" truck and it is 95% complete. I am actually in awe of what this little rig will do and I have driven about every 4x4 available since a 1946 Jeep and 1951 Land Rover, even a Uni_Mog. I wouldn't buy domestic iron, the QC is just not there, IME.

[firebird]

I have worked for the BIG 3 NA companies ! BUT my NEXT 1/2 ton if i buy one will be a TOYOTA ! The others are CRAP ! jmo RJ

My father inlaw works for Format/Magna and is an engineer. He sets up the new assembly lines (when they change models) for a GM truck plant and a Ford plant that make the truck frames. And another plant that forms A pillars and other body parts. He's worked for them over 30 years and he will not buy a GM or Ford truck because he says he's seen all the cheeping out, and says the 1/2 ton GM and Ford trucks are just oversized cars, frame and all. He's still driving his 1997 GMC 1/2 ton cause he's refused to buy a new pickup because of it BUT says when he does it will be a TUNDRA.

My family has had fleet trucks since the late 1960s, always GM (the odd dodge) 1/2 and 3/4 tons, gas and diesel up until 2007. The last GM was a 2007 1/2 ton that was a complete lemon-- A arms/ball joints, u joints, wheel bearings, breaks, window motors, fuel injectors, thin paint around the rear wheel wells and tail lights, broken rear leaf springs, and random electrical issues including throttle body and going into limp mode. It was a complete nightmare, got lucky it was a 4 speed transmission because i know some guys had problems with the 6 speeds.

When the full size Tundra came out we started buying Toyotas, have 5 now and the biggest issue being the XM radio antenna wasn't connected in the one 2014 lol

off topic but the RAV4s are great too.

[mike31154]

You folks so passionately anti NA trucks are aware most Tacomas & all Tundras sold in NA are built in a plant in San AntonioTexas? Remaining Tacos made in Mexico.....

[BgBlkDg]

So what? Nobody is saying that "North Americans" cannot or have never built good 4x4s, the comments seem to compare Toys to current "Big Three" production and this is problematic.

The Toyotas, I have owned and others in my family since circa 1970, have consistently been outstanding in performance, value and utility, so, I favour them. Simple, really.

[mike31154]

With a little love the older 2lt engine are awesome. A buddy has an 82 pickup that's been swapped, and on 31s with 4.56 gears, a little turn up and a straight pipe it rocks! At also seems like animals are less spooked by a small diesel.

Well due to it's age and a host of issues my Surf is off the road at the moment. It's a great little rig but after an injector pump leak November 2013 was the catalyst to purchase my '14 Taco, it became a winter beater, rode hard, put away wet. Debating whether cost effective to fix up now. A 'little love' in my case has meant a cracked head. Starting to overheat again on drives up Silver Star road.

[firebird]

You folks so passionately anti NA frucks are aware most Tacomas & all Tundras sold in NA are built in a plant in San AntonioTexas? Remaining Tacos made in Mexico.....

Yep! My wife's got a 1794 model. I guess the Toyota plant is on one of the first ranches established in 1794.