aCab

Hey Guys,

Looking to see if anyone here has any experience with the 2nd Gen Toyota Tacomas (05-current). Thinking of picking one up and wanted to see what fellow s2ki members though of them.

Looking for a V6 Double Cab (long or short bed) 4x4. How do they compare to other trucks you have owned?

North Star

We own one and it has been rock solid so far. This truck will be good for regular duty towing as it's rated at 6500 lbs towing capacity. The truck performs great and has a lot of low end grunt for the V6. We have an '07 Double Cab 4x4 with the short bed, aka TRD Off Road. The TRD Sport 4x4 comes with the long bed.

swinky

Personally I would get a full size. the 2004-2006 tundras are very reliable and will return about the same mileage as the 4.0 v6.

pbm317

The Double Cabs can be had with short or long beds in any trim level. TRD Sport doesn't have to be a long bed, and TRD Off Road can also have a long bed.

Guess it really depends on what you want to use the truck for.

I ordered a 2013 Double Cab 4WD TRD Sport with short bed. Should hopefully get here within a month. I found the ride to be quite comfortable, and the size/drivability to be nice as well. It can get a bit pricey, and compared to a lot of the new small/mid sized SUV's you're not going to have a lot of the "nice" features like power seats, auto headlights, push button start, etc. And obviously not as fuel efficient.

But the Tacoma is a rugged, and versatile vehicle that can still fit in most garages quite comfortably.

I second swinky that the previous gen Tundra is also quite nice.

aCab

For reference, Id be moving to the Tacoma from a '99 F250 with 7.3 Powerstroke Diesel, that I had solely as a tow rig. I recently started a new job where I no longer have the company car that made having a dedicated tow rig so easy. So, I'm looking to the Tacoma to cover daily driver duty as well as Tow rig duties.

The F250 is great and I love it. A full size would be a nice replacement, but I'm tired of having such a big a$$ truck to drive everyday. The Tacoma fills the void - doesn't really excel at any one thing, but can do everything I am wanting of it.

I'm looking for a Double Cab Long Bed now. Price on them used is quite high, so I'm either looking at a higher mileage used truck, or a brand new truck (two ends of the spectrum, but the two ends that have value - anything in the middle I just cannot justify).

I also like the aftermarket support the Tacoma has. I'm also planning on doing some exploring with it during summer months. A full size might not fare so well on some tighter trails, etc.

dc2-2-ap1

I have owned my 05 double cab Trd sport short bed (2wd) for about 2 years now. It is a very dependable vehicle. The resale value is really good ( good if selling, bad if buying). Surprisingly, it handles very well in the rain with the right tires- long bed may be different though, because the rear axle is a foot farther away from the weight of the cab. Engine bay is open so it is pretty easy to work on. There is a huge aftermarket support system and several decent forums.
One of the things I really like about it is the cab is big enough for 4 adults, but it still has that small truck feel while driving, maneuvering and parking.
If you want to buy one, buy mine so I can get an fj (has factory tow package)
I owned a 2000 s10 extreme before that- I hated that POS. The sad thing is, it was one of the nicer conditioned s10's I have seen. I was content with it until I drove a 2nd gen Tacoma, then I couldn't get rid of it quick enough. The Tacoma was nice enough that I got rid of a paid off truck to pick up a car payment.

swinky

If you have your heart set on a mid size, the taco is the only way to go.

AngryTurtle

well what are you towing?

aCab

The Deft Motion S2000 or my PTE Miata on an open trailer. If the other miata gets the new motor swap done by next season, that could happen as well. The Street/ Daily Driver Miata will never see a trailer.

Ludedude

This.