2017 TACOMA $$$$$$$

[p nut]

I'll admit I sure do like some of the creature comforts too...like power windows, power steering, power brakes, and AC...I grew up in trucks that didn't have those. Power windows are especially nice not having to stretch over to crank the passenger window up or down.

Back up camera would be nice for hooking up my trailer. Even after 30 years of driving with trailers...still have to do the jump out and look, and then jump back in method....craaaaap have to move over 2 inches...

I know! The F150 is really hard not to look at. Believe the V6 has a 7000# + tow rating. Other than "hoping" the Tacoma will make it to 300K miles (and the manny option) you don't get much "truck" for your money.

I could really do without 90% of the stuff that came on the truck. Remote start? Who needs that, especially in a state where the air quality rivals the city of L.A. I could do without PW, heated seats, Bluetooth, fancy stereo headunit (I only listen to talk radio....), auto headlights. Guess that's not a ton of stuff, relatively speaking to other offerings out there, but if I could have mix-n-matched options, those would have stayed out.
_
It's too bad Toyota (and others) don't offer more customized options, but I understand from their cost perspective as well.

 

[Clutch]

I could really do without 90% of the stuff that came on the truck. Remote start? Who needs that, especially in a state where the air quality rivals the city of L.A. I could do without PW, heated seats, Bluetooth, fancy stereo headunit (I only listen to talk radio....), auto headlights. Guess that's not a ton of stuff, relatively speaking to other offerings out there, but if I could have mix-n-matched options, those would have stayed out.
_
It's too bad Toyota (and others) don't offer more customized options, but I understand from their cost perspective as well.

Now that I live in cold country....hmmm...remote start would be nice!

You would think in this day and age, with the amount of crap that is out there, I am talking about consumer goods in general...the shear amount of stuff that we have available to us is staggering! Almost too much...it really is. That and vehicles are damn near built all by robots now...you would think you could just plug into a computer exactly how you want it built.

Maybe one day 3D printing will make micro manufacturing will make a la carte vehicle purchasing a reality. Of course with the ever tightening of regulations, I highly doubt it. Heck, there may come a day in our life time, where we aren't allowed to to drive our own vehicles. I can see it coming...

 

[Dalko43]

Same can be said about the rubicon. I myself would love to have a trd pro.

Doesn't the rubicon come with a metal bumper, rock rails, beefier tires and suspension? Not to belittle the TRD pro, but it seems all that is is a slightly modded suspension...and it's likley you'll have to change that suspension out once you start adding weight.

IMHO, the TRD lineup for both the 4runner and Tacoma offers perhaps a small increase in performance over the Trail, nothing drastic. To really get more out either, you really need to throw in suspension, better armor and a winch.

 

[Clutch]

Doesn't the rubicon come with a metal bumper, rock rails, beefier tires and suspension? Not to belittle the TRD pro, but it seems all that is is a slightly modded suspension...and it's likley you'll have to change that suspension out once you start adding weight.
.

Agree with you there. It is a play vehicle...can't really haul much with it. Start adding weight to it, you're going to have to upgrade the suspension. The Pro is basically for running down dirt roads and that is about it. You're better off buying a motorcycle or a SideXSide for that.

I dunno...vehicle pricing is just out of hand anymore...I certianly don't want to pay for it when it comes down to it, even the dirt bag base models. Too many other things I rather spend it on, than some dumb vehicle to haul my crap. Kinda sick of spending money. After moving 2 years ago, buying a 2nd house...so over spending money...on well... everything and anything.


Only thing that kinda gets my nether regions tingly is that beat up old POS '72 F250 O posted earlier. The new sheot...does nothing for me really...other than drain the bank account.

 

[p nut]

Now that I live in cold country....hmmm...remote start would be nice!

You would think in this day and age, with the amount of crap that is out there, I am talking about consumer goods in general...the shear amount of stuff that we have available to us is staggering! Almost too much...it really is. That and vehicles are damn near built all by robots now...you would think you could just plug into a computer exactly how you want it built.

Maybe one day 3D printing will make micro manufacturing will make a la carte vehicle purchasing a reality. Of course with the ever tightening of regulations, I highly doubt it. Heck, there may come a day in our life time, where we aren't allowed to to drive our own vehicles. I can see it coming...

Yeah, by then, you'll be squawking about non-manual steering wheels and turn signals.

 

[Clutch]

Yeah, by then, you'll be squawking about non-manual steering wheels and turn signals.

You know it!

While yes, all of these modern conveniences are nice, seems like we are trying hard to make ourselves obsolete.

We grew about 90% of our own veggies this year, it just kinda confirms my weird "shifting your own gears" idealism. If you know what I mean.


I have been thinking about retirement as of late, and looking at land up North...you can get a nice parcel for the price of those TRD Pro's and plunk down a cheap-o off the grid 1000 sq/ft' "cabin" on it.

New truck!? the more I think about it...the more I go "meh".

 

[p nut]

yan know, we still have that option, no one one is forcing us to buy a new truck...can still get a basic truck, you just have to willing to accept it is going to need some attention.

I still keep on looking at old F250's from time to time...would be cool to have one again...then I think...no...no...no it won't.

This with an Alaskan Camper...yes!!! I could use my Trooper as my commuter, park the Tacoma to keep miles off it, use the F250 only as a camp rig...that thought is really practical, or really impractical, can't decide which. Price of a new SR Tacoma, $25K...keeps what i have already running for a long time, plus buys me a vintage Sunday driver...

Saw this truck at lunch today. Original owner, judging by the license plate. Looks to be in pretty pristine shape. I wouldn't mind owning one of these in my fantasy land, but reality is, 9mpg, constant $.05/$.10, etc. would get old. Some things are better left in the past.

You know it!

While yes, all of these modern conveniences are nice, seems like we are trying hard to make ourselves obsolete.

We grew about 90% of our own veggies this year, it just kinda confirms my weird "shifting your own gears" idealism. If you know what I mean.


I have been thinking about retirement as of late, and looking at land up North...you can get a nice parcel for the price of those TRD Pro's and plunk down a cheap-o off the grid 1000 sq/ft' "cabin" on it.

New truck!? the more I think about it...the more I go "meh".

I've been looking at land up in Montana and down in So. Utah. Even suggested to my wife about a rustic "cabin" build from shipping containers. Summer home in MT and winter get away in So. UT. One can dream.

 

[Clutch]

Saw this truck at lunch today. Original owner, judging by the license plate. Looks to be in pretty pristine shape. I wouldn't mind owning one of these in my fantasy land, but reality is, 9mpg, constant $.05/$.10, etc. would get old. Some things are better left in the past.

I wouldn't need to constantly feed it, the more I think about it...I already have the perfect commuter sitting my driveway, that Trooper which I paid a whole dollar for, yes a whole dollar. All it cost me is fuel and repairs. Think for the cost what it is going to cost me to fix the that gaaaawd awful auto trans. I could swap in a manual from a junk yard and pay someone to do it for me....other than the trans, it is excellent shape, it gets 20 mpg hwy. Nothing new, no matter how good the gas mileage, is going to beat that price...

I sure miss having a Sunday driver...the old VW Westy that I sold was that, but sold it for two reasons...first I didn't think it would do well in Idaho, second it helped pay for the new house. An old F250 with and Alaskan sure would fill the vintage camper Sunday driver void...and would do much better here than the VW.

I've been looking at land up in Montana and down in So. Utah. Even suggested to my wife about a rustic "cabin" build from shipping containers. Summer home in MT and winter get away in So. UT. One can dream.

Pretty darn smug with where we are currently...but still have that off the grid cabin on a chunk of land always in the back of my head. Be awfully nice to ride the dirt scooter right out the back door.

I like the "idea" of shipping containers, but by the time you buy 3 or 4 of them, drag them out to the land, cut them appart...yadda yadda...ya...might be better off with a slab and a steel building.

Me being the curmudgeon that I am, felling my own trees, and doing it old skool appeals to me too.

I never ever purchase books (she is the book geek, not me)...but I did recently buy this for idears....usually I just look it up on the intergooglemachine...felt compelled to buy a book...hardback even!

 

[p nut]

Mine will be a pretty simple cabin from 1 container (maybe 2).

I think cost will be fairly minimal. But going full on Jeremiah Johnson has its allure as well.

 

[Clutch]

Mine will be a pretty simple cabin from 1 container (maybe 2).

I think cost will be fairly minimal. But going full on Jeremiah Johnson has its allure as well.

I like that!....yeah, I'll change my mind 9,999,999 times before anything happens...you think picking out a gaaaawd damn truck is hard!?

My first client of the day is a realtor...who is close to retirement...of course we are talking houses, cabins and land. I am heading out early next week to go check out the Salmon/Challis area.

Want to swing by this dredge, since I missed it the last time I was in the area. Might get a chance to try out the new gums in the snow too! Can't wait!

Have been watching Jimmy Lewis build his cabin on FB.

What was this thread about, again!? :elkgrin:

 

[DaveInDenver]

Jimmy Lewis is soft. Seriously, power tools? Now ******** Proenneke, there's a man who built a cabin the right way.

 

[Clutch]

Jimmy Lewis is soft. Seriously, power tools? Now ******** Proenneke, there's a man who built a cabin the right way.

Wut-evs....he had all of his supplies flown in...

I use to watch Woodwright's Shop on PBS, like doing a lot by hand...not sure I am man enough to do it all by hand...that and I love the smell of premix burning in the mornin'

 

[DaveInDenver]

He had Babe fly some stuff in, but the cabin was built from local materials and after the first winter he was pretty much self sufficient. He did have a few thing routinely brought in, flour for example. But he grew veggies, hunted, fished, timbered for the most part. It's interesting you mention Roy Underhill (The Woodwright), since ******** Proenneke was a carpenter trained similarly in the skills he demonstrates in the TV show. Of course Roy Underhill is keeping colonial tools and skills alive and ******** would have used machines appropriate for the 1940s and 1950s, but he was sought out in Alaska primarily because he was pretty good with hand tools in the bush, both woodworking and in his primary advocation as a diesel wrench.

 

[Clutch]

He had Babe fly some stuff in, but the cabin was built from local materials and after the first winter he was pretty much self sufficient. He did have a few thing routinely brought in, flour for example. But he grew veggies, hunted, fished, timbered for the most part. It's interesting you mention Roy Underhill (The Woodwright), since ******** Proenneke was a carpenter trained similarly in the skills he demonstrates in the TV show. Of course Roy Underhill is keeping colonial tools and skills alive and ******** would have used machines appropriate for the 1940s and 1950s, but he was sought out in Alaska primarily because he was pretty good with hand tools in the bush, both woodworking and in his primary advocation as a diesel wrench.

Both are pretty cool dudes in my book. Growing up in the construction business...we were always building stuff, dad had a pretty good wood-working workshop attached to the garage too. I can slap stuff together...but certianly no master craftsman like those two.

I aspire to have a off the grid cabin one day...then again where we are now in this little podunk Idaho town...have a nice humble house with a huge garden that iswith-in walking/bicycle distance from a lot of stuff like the grocery store, coffee shop, bank, hospital, couple fishing ponds and rivers etc...that is kinda nice too. Like comparing a bare bones truck to a modern one with all the gizmos....sure hand crank windows work and are pretty much failsafe...but powered ones are awwwwwfully nice...

Speaking of flour, I want to start hand milling our own flour. One of those..."some things I want to do by hand, but give me that gas powered trimmer for the hedge"

 

[DaveInDenver]

Meh, I finally got a truck with power windows and power locks and I hate it, especially the windows. It's just stupid to have to dig for my keys to turn on the truck to roll the windows down. Dumb. Power locks, whatever. I guess that was inevitable when they started growing "mini" trucks too wide to be able to reach over an unlock the other door. Just more junk to fail IMHO. I actually met up with the club member friend who bought my 1991 and it's crossed my mine to go back before it's too late. It's not realistic because reimporting into Colorado would be more difficult than just buying another that is already here. So I'm not sure what to do since I'm halfway done with this Taco. I was really the dumb one for thinking newer was better. I'm not suited for modern junk I guess.