Toyota Tacoma Experience

brulaz wrote:
Good point about payload. I forgot to mention that the main reason we upgraded to the current F150 with over 2000# payload was that Taco's payload was only ~1000#.

Cool. My 2015 F-150 with MaxTow once I had all my bells and whistles in the truck (it was beautiful, I admit) only had a 1603lbs payload. On ford.com it shows my exact engine, wheelbase, and 4x4 should be 2010lbs payload, but it doesn't end up that way :)
Hopefully your F-150 has E rated tires too.

AMG1978 wrote:

brulaz wrote:
Good point about payload. I forgot to mention that the main reason we upgraded to the current F150 with over 2000# payload was that Taco's payload was only ~1000#.

Cool. My 2015 F-150 with MaxTow once I had all my bells and whistles in the truck (it was beautiful, I admit) only had a 1603lbs payload. On ford.com it shows my exact engine, wheelbase, and 4x4 should be 2010lbs payload, but it doesn't end up that way :)
Hopefully your F-150 has E rated tires too.

The LT-E's and improved suspension were add-ons for the F150. Really necessary for heavy towing IMHO unless you have the HD Payload option.

Sadly, the Taco had a stiffer suspension than my F150. I think they market it to the rock-climbing crowd, but that stiffness was great for towing too. Pretty rough on the neck when not towing though. Not really great as a grocery-getter.

And yes, the brochures always give the MAX payloads. Options (leather, sunroof) can really eat into that. My F150 is a 4x2 SCab, so that helps. My 2027# payload is what's on the door jamb.

brulaz wrote:

AMG1978 wrote:

brulaz wrote:
Good point about payload. I forgot to mention that the main reason we upgraded to the current F150 with over 2000# payload was that Taco's payload was only ~1000#.

Cool. My 2015 F-150 with MaxTow once I had all my bells and whistles in the truck (it was beautiful, I admit) only had a 1603lbs payload. On ford.com it shows my exact engine, wheelbase, and 4x4 should be 2010lbs payload, but it doesn't end up that way :)
Hopefully your F-150 has E rated tires too.

The LT-E's and improved suspension were add-ons for the F150. Really necessary for heavy towing IMHO unless you have the HD Payload option.

Sadly, the Taco had a stiffer suspension than my F150. I think they market it to the rock-climbing crowd, but that stiffness was great for towing too. Pretty rough on the neck when not towing though. Not really great as a grocery-getter.

And yes, the brochures always give the MAX payloads. Options (leather, sunroof) can really eat into that. My F150 is a 4x2 SCab, so that helps. My 2027# payload is what's on the door jamb.

For your F-150 that is probably really legitimate.
What's funny is that on my F-250 the door jam says like 1965 or something. The thing is, that is what "legally" it is listed at, but ONLY because the GVWR cannot be over 10,000. *Technically* though it can handle a much higher payload. If you want it to legally say that, you pay for the F-350 and get the sticker to go with it (and the extra registration costs in CA as a commercial vehicle).

The mini trucks can easily handle 1000 lb payload, but you feel it when you go heavier. My Mazda had 500 lb helper springs allowing it to to comfortably carry extra payload at the expense of empty ride quality.

With stock suspension, most should be able to tow 3500 lbs. Once you start adding weight in the bed and or a heavier tow, you will be looking for air or metal spring enhancements. The transmissions and rear ends will easily handle a 5000 lb tow without significantly decreasing component life.

I had a 2011 Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport 4x4 for about a year before I traded it in for my F150. I really liked driving the truck, and think it was a great size for a truck if you're not towing something very big. It felt way less "boaty" and more controlled on the road than my F150 does.

Besides towing performance with a TT (16 foot) and poor MPG for the power you get, my main gripe was that I didn't feel it was great value for money. I had about the most loaded Tacoma you could buy that year, and it lacked tons of nice-to-have things that my F150 has, for not much less money. Prime among my complaints was the inability to have heated mirrors (had to wipe the dew off every morning), no leather or heated seat options, no sunroof available, etc. I also had a few issues with mine, with the HVAC blower needing to be replaced at 7k miles due to squeaking bearings (common issue I think) and also had a rattly windshield clip under the headliner.

If they were available for 25% less than a similarly optioned F150/Silverado/1500 RAM, I think they'd be great. But they are so close in price (even moreso used) that unless size or sporty handling are a priority for you, you might get more for your money with a full size.

We bought a new 2012 Tacoma short bed, double cab, 6-cylinder three years ago. It just came out of warranty this month. I think it is the first new vehicle we've ever had that never had to go back to the dealer for any type of warranty issue. I sure cannot say that about its predecessor, a 1998 Ford Ranger.

This is our first Toyota of any model, and we've been very pleased so far.

jerem0621 wrote:
Do any of you have any ownership experience with a Toyota Tacoma.

I am considering one as a replacement for my Town Car and as a vehicle to tow our PUP. Primarily it will just be me in the truck except when we tow and we will use the truck for that.

Thinking of a used Tacoma Double Cab SR5 Double Cab 4x4. Should have more than enough capacity to pull our PUP and the cab is pretty comfy for a midsize truck.

Just looking for experience and if there are any pitfalls to this Truck.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Since you are looking at used in that class, also look at the Frontier. Drive both the Taco and the Fronty. They drive "different" ( steering and brakes feel different ). In '06, when I was buying, I chose the Nissan mostly because I preferred the way it drives. Mine is a crewcab, 4WD, 4.0 V6, and critically ( for me )...it is a six speed manual. My opinion is the manual trans works "far better" for towing in this class of truck. I tow my 19' Funfinder or a two horse slant with this truck ( both right at 4K pounds ) and it's a good match for these trailers.
If by chance you buy a Frontier, two things that I highly recco is Bilstein 5100's under the rear, and the addition of a Hellwig anti-roll bar ( rear ).
For fuel mileage I get 18 to 20 in daily non towing use and 9 to 13 towing.
If you are buying a Nissan with automatic transmission before 2010 model year make SURE the radiator has been upgraded to the "replacement". Early ones could ( many DID ) fail internally, and when they do they totally wipe out the auto trans. The failure internally results in coolant/trans fluid cross contaminating, so when the coolant goes thru the trans, it destroys it. Immediately.

Edit: ps, payload on mine is 1146 pounds

Disappointed...

Me and my family got to test drive a new double cab Tacoma today. It's not going to work for us.

My boys are adult size and it's very apparent that we need a bigger cab :(.

So, the search continues.

Thanks!

Jeremiah