Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Daily Driver/BOV?

[ohdrj1all]

Does anyone own a Toyota Tacoma 4x4 as a daily driver/BOV? I am considering picking up a new or lightly used 4cyl Tacoma 4x4 (probably new considering the fact that used ones retain their value so well they dang near cost what a new one does).

I currently have 4 vehicles, they are:

1) Hyundai Accent (my 4cyl commuter car)
2) Jeep Commander 4x4 (wife's ride)
3) Corvette (C4, my weekend toy to compensate for the fact that I drive a Hyundai )
4) Chevy K20 4x4 pickup truck (1977 vintage)

The Jeep is my wife's daily driver and would serve well as a 4WD BOV. But... we work on opposite sides of the city and it is very possible that if the SHTF we would be bugging out separately and hooking up later. Her in the Jeep, me presumably in the K20! But, here's the catch, I can't drive the K20 daily... it's just too big of a gas hog, really the only way I would be using the K20 as a BOV is if the SHTF when I was at home (which is pretty much weekends (sometimes) and evenings). So I have been thinking I need to get myself a good reliable fuel efficient 4WD vehicle that I can daily drive and that could be my BOV if indeed the SHTF while I am at work.

Add to that the fact that my oldest son is about to get his driver's license and I am probably going to just give him the Hyundai to drive makes another vehicle acquisition in the near future very likely anyway.

So, a Tacoma 4cyl 4x4 would serve as a combination daily driver and BOV for me (and if the S never HTF then at least I have a nice fuel efficient 4x4 to take camping, etc... and since gas is probably never going to be reasonable again, this seems like a good idea in general (the Jeep is no wunderkind when it comes to mpgs either, btw)).

Toyota's obviously have a great rep for reliability and their I4 is legendary for its long term durability (reminds me a lot of the old Ford 300 I6 in this regard). No, it's not the fastest engine and in 4000lbs truck (which the Tacoma is anymore) it's even less fast, but fast is not my purpose (that's what the Vette is for! ) Anyway, my mindset is more find something that will last a long time, gets decent mileage and be the best all around "multi-tool" of a vehicle I can get. If there is a better option than the Tacoma in this regard I would like to hear it!

Obviously this would mean getting rid of the K20 (but the Vette STAYS!). So I would still be at 4 vehicles.

Anyway, would really be interested in hearing other Tacoma owners opinions (or the opinions of others who may have a better suggestion).

Thanks for reading!

[TDFbound]

Here is a good thread on another forum about a 4 door tacoma. Check it out- it's pretty sweet.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...ad.php?t=34407

[ohdrj1all]

WOW! Thanks for the link... that is pretty awesome! A little beyond the scope of what I am looking for, but uber-cool nonetheless!

[jungatheart]

I have owned one since 97. It'll climb trees in 4 wheel drive. Gets 25mpg, always starts and have had no problems attributable to Toyota.

For many years before I bought one I wanted one so I asked everyone I saw that owned one, how they liked it. I never got a negative answer and some of them had mega thousands of miles on them. I asked a lot of people, still do.

I love mine and wouldn't sell it for what I paid for it or more. It's the perfect drive everyday/BOV in my opinion. But I would have bought it even without the bug out option.

[ohdrj1all]

Thanks for sharing your experience with your Tacoma. Is yours an I4? 5spd or auto? I favor the I4/5spd combo myself. I always prefer a 5spd with pretty much any 4cyl. Thanks.

[rmodel65]

i have a 96 taco with the 2.7 5spd and 4x4....the first gen tacoma with the manual locking hubs and manual t-case is the one to have imho...mine is stock lift but i have larger tires on it

[twowong4words]

95 pickup w/ a 22RE(4cyld.) 5speed and its bullet proof, but they are build for torque so not the best mpg.

I work at an independent shop in CA and I have yet to "repair" anything on the new truck short of lack of service issues and only repair minor stuff on pre 2000's around the 200,000 mi mark.

So basically what im saying is if you buy a Toyota in good shape and it breaks? Its you're fault....

[jungatheart]

Originally Posted by ohdrj1all

Thanks for sharing your experience with your Tacoma. Is yours an I4? 5spd or auto? I favor the I4/5spd combo myself. I always prefer a 5spd with pretty much any 4cyl. Thanks.

It's a 2.7L 4 cyl with a 5 speed. Locking hubs. Only problem I've ever had is mice can get in the defroster from the engine compartment. I shredded one with my defroster fan and every time for about a year after I turned on my defroster, Mouse fur would fill the air. Getting the mouse out was no fun either. Easy to fix by putting screen in the opening on the passenger door frame.

[dac]

I'm also considering getting a Tacoma.
The thing I'm wondering though is how are the new Tacomas?

[rmodel65]

the new tacomas are basically the 1st gen tundra's without a v8 option......

[ohdrj1all]

Thanks for the input everyone. As far as as I can tell the Tacoma 4x4 is just the best all around choice for this type of "multi tool" application (ie, daily driving, camping/trailing, & potential BOV).

I only wish the gen2 Tacos (ie, the 2005+) were the same size as the gen1s. The gen1s still have the compact truck look/feel to them whereas the gen2s definitely have more of a mid-size feel. But finding a gen1 with any kind of low miles is darn near impossible from what I've seen... seems people just drive the snot out of their Tacos (which is a good sign). I know these things run for 200k+ miles, but if I get one I will own it for many, many years probably, so I'd sure like to have those first 100k miles or so for myself instead. And like I said in my first post, considering the price people want for their used (typically 100k+ mile) Tacos, it just makes fiscal sense to buy new. Especially if you plan on owning it for a long time.

Any other Tacoma owners out there wanna chime in?

[monkeee2002]

I drove a 97 Tacoma for six years. Loved that 'Taco. Even with crappy tires it will scamper up a steep slope of gravel like no other. And mud. Oh man, I was in sticky mud that wouldn't clean off my tires - it was getting scraped off my front tires by the running boards - I never, EVER got that thing stuck! And, I never had any serious off-road tires on it, either.
Alas, it was a regular cab, so space was terribly limited. Eventually, my back & knees just couldn't take it anymore (I'm pretty tall, and ALL legs!). This was my DD, camping rig, and my ATV with A/C for 6 years. I was not nice to it, and it held up pretty well (The rack & pinion will get cranky if you're rough on them, I went thru 3)
Also, if you plan on putting much weight in the bed, you might want to consider getting better leaf springs, or air-bag-assist. (Add-a-leaf will just make it jackrabbit-bouncy)

I would suggest you test drive a few, try the V6. You may find that the I4 is rather lacking in the power department. There is a minimal difference in MPG between the two.

[Prairie Dog]

My '09 double cab V6. The mileage sux (probably around 16-18) but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It has a 4" lift kit on it which makes it sit as tall as my husband's '11 Dodge 2500, and it does not feel small at all.

[NetDep]

Just picked up a 2011 Tacoma Access Cab with Off Road package -- have fallen fast and hard!! Seems to be a good, for me, weekend driver (I commute on the bus) and potential BOV - if there is interest I will post a pic when the Canopy, BedRug, Line-X on the fender flares & rocker panel are done. To do will be Comms, alarm and some others - but can't add ht or length - barely fits in garage now. The bins for camping, trauma & bug out are being added now.

Great thread!!

[sayter liften]

If or when my Dakota die's i was thinking of getting a tacoma but i would like to know how much they will haul and tow

[monkeee2002]

Originally Posted by sayter liften

If or when my Dakota die's i was thinking of getting a tacoma but i would like to know how much they will haul and tow

If you're thinking of buying a Tacoma, and have questions,
Check out toyotanation.com. I learned a lot about my Tacoma from that site.

[AZSrvr]

i really thought about buying a tacoma also, everyone i talked to loves them and havent relaly heard anything bad. The only thing i didnt like was i was looking for something with very good gas mileage since i have the burban if i am doing any pulling or offroading/ camping so i think im going to go with a small car just to run to work and back cause some of the tacomas dont get super high gas mileage, other than that they seem to be amazing vehicles

[paramilusmc]

Once you have one you will never drive another truck again, they are awesome to say the least.

Some have told me that the stock components on the Tacoma are not good if you plan to lift one. So as of yet mine hasn't gone up any. But I have sen a few on 33" tires, very nice.

Mine stock will go practically anywhere.

[ohdrj1all]

Originally Posted by AZSrvr

i really thought about buying a tacoma also, everyone i talked to loves them and havent relaly heard anything bad. The only thing i didnt like was i was looking for something with very good gas mileage since i have the burban if i am doing any pulling or offroading/ camping so i think im going to go with a small car just to run to work and back cause some of the tacomas dont get super high gas mileage, other than that they seem to be amazing vehicles

Yeah, MPG could be better you'd think. The V6 in particular gets about the same MPG as a small V8 in a full size truck. And it's not really all that uber-powerful (moreso than the I4 though). The I4 really isn't a superstar when it comes to MPG either, but it is better... and considering the size of the Tacoma (really more of a mid-size than a compact anymore) it does okay... but yeah, not great. I have read in threads on Tacoma World that people with the I4 and 4WD are consistently seeing in the low 20s MPG with combined city and highway driving. I could live with that, I guess. Do wish it was better though.

I am waiting for the 2012s to come out (or at least for the official info on the 2012s to come out) before I completely make up my mind to buy or not buy a Tacoma (2012 is rumored to have some significant changes... we'll see....)

If I do get one I'd get the I4 with a 5spd probably. As I wrote in my originating post, the Toyota I4 has a sterling track record for durability and dependability. And that is a something I'd want if it ever had to become a BOV (or a post SHTF vehicle at the BOL). And fuel economy... while not stellar... is still probably the best you can find in a truly capable 4WD truck on the market today.

And as I said in my originating post... if there is a better option out there than the Tacoma in this regard I'd love to hear it. I am not sold on the Tacoma because it's a Tacoma (ie, it's not like I just have to have a Tacoma)... it just happens that the Tacoma (as far as I can tell) best fits my needs, so it's what I am leaning towards. I have looked for other options... and honestly can find a viable one for what I will use it for... but maybe someone else can offer one.

[Palehorse1]

For you 2005 + Tacoma owners you may want to use this information when you build your traveling tool kit.

Complete list of sockets and wrenches for 2nd Gen Tacoma.


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Best wishes,
Palehorse1