Help me spec out a new 2017 Tacoma

[p nut]

I used to be in the race scene as well, but done with that. Street bikes are gone, too. I drive right at speed limit or maybe 5 over. But even for me, the 2.7L was just....too gutless. I drove out to Utah couple decades ago in a 4-cyl coupe. Going over Vail pass through Colorado, it would not go over 20mph. Same thing when my friend was driving a 2.4L Tacoma (2wd) back. Sky high rev in 1st gear, going 25mph in the slow lane. That was with maybe 500lbs in the bed. Canyons around here aren't as bad, but still required constant downshift to 4th or 3rd trying to keep the speed up.

 

[b9ev]

I have my old supercharger sitting in a climate controlled low humidity office. Rebuilt with less than a thousand miles on the new bearings.

I drove the new 2.7 too, felt like it it plenty of pep for driving around empty, it is having loaded down towing 2-3 bikes on my 5X8 open trailer headed up to the mountains is what worries me. The dealer wouldn't let me toss 1000 lbs in the bed so I could test it, go figure!


I have been looking 1st gen Tundras, will have to give my manny, but of well. Even though I am getting tire of fixing mine, other than the original engine and trans/transfer case. Whole driveline has been rebuilt. I have thought of throwing in a fresh super charged 3.4 in mine to tote a FWC. Though I think a 1st gen Tundra would handle it better. Seems like I can those for around $10-15K .



It will be interesting what they do...wish they would hurry up.
_


Going that route would still be under budget [$25K] Just have to decide if I want a new daily that is used to haul a camper occasionally, or have a a full time camper...and another vehicle for a daily. Which I already have two of those. The current Taco and my Trooper. And to be honest...a full time camper, will probably sit mostly, maybe get used twice a month during riding season.

Have been watching Iggy's thread on Taco-World. Kinda diggin that, bare bones, super qucik setup... which I like. but a better wind and rain resistant version of what I have now...wouldn't mind daily driving it either. Could just leave it on the truck, where I wouldn't with the FWC. The 2.7 SR might be "ok" too.

 

[Clutch]

I used to be in the race scene as well, but done with that. Street bikes are gone, too. I drive right at speed limit or maybe 5 over. But even for me, the 2.7L was just....too gutless. I drove out to Utah couple decades ago in a 4-cyl coupe. Going over Vail pass through Colorado, it would not go over 20mph. Same thing when my friend was driving a 2.4L Tacoma (2wd) back. Sky high rev in 1st gear, going 25mph in the slow lane. That was with maybe 500lbs in the bed. Canyons around here aren't as bad, but still required constant downshift to 4th or 3rd trying to keep the speed up.

Yeah can't decide what to do, it will be fine for 90% of the things I do. Do a buy it for 90% or 10%?

I spied a FS Green F250 (350?) RCLB sitting in a work truck dealer lot last night heading home from work...might swing by at lunch to go look at it.

She could drive the camper for her super short commute, and like I said I just use the Trooper for mine. Then I use the camper on the weekends/trips. That way at least it is getting started nearly everyday and not sitting rotting.


Dunno, would really like a new truck for a daily...getting real tired of working on mine...threw a new cat on it yesterday before I came into work...seems like every couple months it needs something, couple weeks ago it was carrier bearing...today the heims on the coil overs started squeaking...gonna have to rip those apart.

I have my old supercharger sitting in a climate controlled low humidity office. Rebuilt with less than a thousand miles on the new bearings.

Tempting....

 

[p nut]

Yeah can't decide what to do, it will be fine for 90% of the things I do. Do a buy it for 90% or 10%?

I spied a FS Green F250 (350?) RCLB sitting in a work truck dealer lot last night heading home from work...might swing by at lunch to go look at it.

She could drive the camper for her super short commute, and like I said I just use the Trooper for mine. Then I use the camper on the weekends/trips. That way at least it is getting started nearly everyday and not sitting rotting.


Dunno, would really like a new truck for a daily...getting real tired of working on mine...threw a new cat on it yesterday before I came into work...seems like every couple months it needs something, couple weeks ago it was carrier bearing...today the heims on the coil overs started squeaking...gonna have to rip those apart.

Don't forget, time value of work vs play/ride time is 1:2 ratio. You're losing a lot more than you think!

 

[Clutch]

Don't forget, time value of work vs play/ride time is 1:2 ratio. You're losing a lot more than you think!

Mang...don't remind me, seems like it is going faster and faster. Turned 45 this spring. Yeow! When did that happen!? Well...off to go look at a green truck, for chits and giggles....

 

[PirateMcGee]

Ha ha!

After owning an air cooled bus, the 2.7 Tacoma feels like a rocketship.

Had a couple of the 22RE's, man... those were slow. There was a reason I started buying slow Toyotas, used to be into muscle cars, but after getting my license suspended for street racing, needed something that forces me to go slow. Have been doing it for so long now, I'll often catch myself going below the speed limit. yeah, I am "that guy" that everyone else hates.

I used to be in the race scene as well, but done with that. Street bikes are gone, too. I drive right at speed limit or maybe 5 over. But even for me, the 2.7L was just....too gutless. I drove out to Utah couple decades ago in a 4-cyl coupe. Going over Vail pass through Colorado, it would not go over 20mph. Same thing when my friend was driving a 2.4L Tacoma (2wd) back. Sky high rev in 1st gear, going 25mph in the slow lane. That was with maybe 500lbs in the bed. Canyons around here aren't as bad, but still required constant downshift to 4th or 3rd trying to keep the speed up.

Some how we've hijacked the thread into some kind of cheap bastich therapy session lol.

I too used to drag race cars both track and regrettably street. Bunch of buddies got busted one night I just happened to not go....a couple ended up with some pretty harsh tickets/sentences, one crashed their car, and one ran from the cops on his street bike resulting in a felony. Dumb.

After that, I stopped being interested in fastness bought my restored 86 4runner with 340k miles and a new 22re....I would still have it but towing even a small Uhaul from OR to CO necessitated a V6....3rd gen runners and tacos were stupidly expensive for how poorly treated they were so I ended up with my 1 owner minty Montero Sport 3.5XS. Pulled a loaded uhaul trailer from OR to CO and a 5x10 again from CO to TN (with crap plus two motos) no problemo; it manages to pull the same or better fuel economy as my 22re and hasn't had a single thing fail on it...... even the interior looks new.

That experience kinda put me off used Toyotas but unfortunately Mitsu stopped making the Montero and Sport over 10 years ago....and I feel like it's getting a bit long in the tooth even though that's probably not the reality.

 

[toylandcruiser]

You want to drive a slow truck. Drive a unimog 404. Nothing compares. When you drive it you actually appreciate driving again.

 

[p nut]

Mang...don't remind me, seems like it is going faster and faster. Turned 45 this spring. Yeow! When did that happen!? Well...off to go look at a green truck, for chits and giggles....

Well, lunch break is over! Where are the pictures? I was just watching a video from the cheapRVliving of some lady living out of a Tundra DC and a Hawk camper. Thing looked gigantic. I don't know if I could live with an Alaskan. I'd definitely go FWC if I were buying today.

 

[Clutch]

Some how we've hijacked the thread into some kind of cheap bastich therapy session lol.

I too used to drag race cars both track and regrettably street. Bunch of buddies got busted one night I just happened to not go....a couple ended up with some pretty harsh tickets/sentences, one crashed their car, and one ran from the cops on his street bike resulting in a felony. Dumb.

After that, I stopped being interested in fastness bought my restored 86 4runner with 340k miles and a new 22re....I would still have it but towing even a small Uhaul from OR to CO necessitated a V6....3rd gen runners and tacos were stupidly expensive for how poorly treated they were so I ended up with my 1 owner minty Montero Sport 3.5XS. Pulled a loaded uhaul trailer from OR to CO and a 5x10 again from CO to TN (with crap plus two motos) no problemo; it manages to pull the same or better fuel economy as my 22re and hasn't had a single thing fail on it...... even the interior looks new.

That experience kinda put me off used Toyotas but unfortunately Mitsu stopped making the Montero and Sport over 10 years ago....and I feel like it's getting a bit long in the tooth even though that's probably not the reality.

Don't these threads always do!?

When I first started buying Toyotas 26 years ago I got made fun if relentlessly. Called a traitor for not buying 'Merican...

Now look at them, used prices are just silly. Still love Toyotas, but really turned off by used prices...that and they aren't building [new] exactly what I want anymore. Should listen to pnut and just get a F150...

You want to drive a slow truck. Drive a unimog 404. Nothing compares. When you drive it you actually appreciate driving again.

Ha! Always wanted to try one of those...probably drives more like a tractor than a truck.

Well, lunch break is over! Where are the pictures? I was just watching a video from the cheapRVliving of some lady living out of a Tundra DC and a Hawk camper. Thing looked gigantic. I don't know if I could live with an Alaskan. I'd definitely go FWC if I were buying today.

Hey, I had to eat! Swung by Whole Foods to look at the chick-a-dees and their yoga pants...


It was a 2008, 5.4, 6 speed manny, 80K miles. $12999.99. Pretty clean from a quicky glance. $13K...not bad, but makes me wonder what he paid for it at auction. I dooooo have a client that works the auction houses here....hmmmm...

Dealer asked me if it mattered if it was a Ford, Chevy, what have you...I said I don't care, they are all junk. He got a chuckle.

The Alaskans I have been looking at are the non-cab overs...though, not sure I will like that...since the cab-overs you can toss stuff up there and not have to convert the dining table into a bed at night.

Non-cab overs are dirt cheap, and are gonna need some elbow grease.

https://boise.craigslist.org/rvs/6165622086.html

Did find a cab over for $8000.

https://lewiston.craigslist.org/tro/6124185574.html

Did find this too, my '76 was this color, before we painted red. (seems like a 3/4 ton is going to get 10 mpg, whether it is new or old....hmmm)

https://eugene.craigslist.org/cto/6149022164.html

That non-cab over Alaskan polished up would look pretty good on it...

 

[p nut]

Wow, at less than a grand, may be worth just trying out to see if it works for you. You might need to fab up a fairing on the truck cab to reduce noise and not affect MPG as much.
_
'08, 5.4L, 6-speed. Good combo. Do those 5.4's have issues with the spark plugs breaking in the head? Usual service is 90 or 100k, right? If you've got access to gov't auctions, I'd get on that. You could probably pick those up for pretty cheap. $13k still seems expensive for a 9 year old government work truck.

 

[Clutch]

Wow, at less than a grand, may be worth just trying out to see if it works for you. You might need to fab up a fairing on the truck cab to reduce noise and not affect MPG as much.

Yeah...that is what I was thinking...super cheap to give it a try. Patch the leaks, and hammer it back into place. That and a somewhat cheap vintage truck...that will scratch the old iron itch I have lingering in the back of my head...annnnnnd if does sit and rot, you don't feel too bad.

Those old fords aren't as desirable as old Toyotas, that said you could run it for a year, and probably turn around and sell for what you got in it.

_
'08, 5.4L, 6-speed. Good combo. Do those 5.4's have issues with the spark plugs breaking in the head? Usual service is 90 or 100k, right? If you've got access to gov't auctions, I'd get on that. You could probably pick those up for pretty cheap. $13k still seems expensive for a 9 year old government work truck.

I think they like shooting the plugs through the hood as the threads aren't deep enough or something along those lines. Supposedly an after market heads cures it. Not sure if you can helio-coil those.

$13k is too much, especially if you can get it at auction. I just hate asking favors like that, even I know they would cool with it. We do have a public auction here as well...could go have a look see over there too.

 

[REDROVER]

I ordered 2017 off road short bed,6 speed manual, I LOVE IT,
Tech package definitely comes in handy with its back up camera and sensors and blind spot monitor,

4x4 engages very fast, locker works properly and easy, manual transmission Tacoma comes with a key ( extra safety measure).
Realistic fuel economy is 15/17 mpg.

Off road model also comes with larger tires, stronger shocks and I think also stronger rear diff.

I love my Tacoma, except for stupid ARB front bumper that is airbag approved 170lb and is only 10% stronger than the plastic original bumper, it vibrates unrealistically bad on bumpy roads, because its airbag approved and had to be attached to the frame with thin long brackets.

I would choose off road package and tech package again if I would do all over again.

 

[PirateMcGee]

15-17mpg.....ouch.

 

[p nut]

Those old fords aren't as desirable as old Toyotas, that said you could run it for a year, and probably turn around and sell for what you got in it.

Good thing about these domestic trucks is, you can get parts for it anywhere. And with a USFS truck like that, you could have some fun.

 

[Clutch]

15-17mpg.....ouch.

Have client who has a F250 6.2 gas who gets that, (unload hwy)


Good lord, that is appalling for a small truck that can't haul much. Toyota just continues to disappoint, I can see why some are jumping ship.

Good thing about these domestic trucks is, you can get parts for it anywhere. And with a USFS truck like that, you could have some fun.

Ha ha nice!

Had to swing by Wally World last night looking for some weather stripping for the hatch on the Wildernest.....yoga pants has a totally different meaning there, than at Whole Foods...