Am I crazy? I am lusting after a 2013 2.7 Tacoma regular cab, but is it healthy?

ebg18t

Adventurer
At least for this year, both auto and manual come with the 4.1 ratio.

Oh, and thanks! Yeah, this one will evolve, but the pace may be a bit slower than I like as I'm getting married this summer. If I can get her to cheap out on a dress, we can have a fridge for the honeymoon adventure trip!

:camping:

Heh, wish me luck there...

Damn your lucky... I got her to settle on going to the 4-Seasons in the islands for the week.. Congrats to you. i am Getting married in 3 weeks. Woohoo.
 

dnorrell

Adventurer
Damn your lucky... I got her to settle on going to the 4-Seasons in the islands for the week.. Congrats to you. i am Getting married in 3 weeks. Woohoo.

Congrats - I'm sure you will have a fantastic time. Yeah, I suppose I am lucky; she's an adventurous spirit. Even better, she's down with picking up a Maggiolina - maybe that's a wedding gift to ourselves :sombrero:
 

dnorrell

Adventurer
Ultimately, it was reliability "issues." Since just about day 1, the manual transmission made a sound a bit like a coffee grinder in 3rd and 4th. It was a sound that not everyone could hear, but I could both hear it and feel the vibration. They replaced the top shift mechanism, transmission, etc. over several long trips to the dealership. They also had a regional tech specialist spend a couple of days with it. Poor thing was taken apart so many times, but they could never figure it out. Ultimately, I was told by Jeep that some manual Wranglers do it, and some don't - and the forums are thick with those who have had similar problems. No, all that said, it wasn't a major mechanical issue, or so I was told...but, I'm a bit OCD, to put it lightly. Each time I drove the thing, I would obsess over the sounds and vibration and grind my teeth in anguish. Sadly, that's not an overstatement. I just didn't feel comfortable keeping a vehicle that was giving me such heartache with less than 15k miles.

I think it is important to note that the vehicle I had just before the Jeep was an '03 LR Discovery, which gave me more than it's fair share of heartache. I wasn't willing to suffer problems with a new vehicle; I wanted peace of mind.

So, I was looking a lot at Tacomas when I bought the Jeep, and decided that would probably suit me better. I sold the Jeep (with a lot of limited warranty left, and even 100k powertrain) and bought the little truck. I'm thankful I made the switch - it's refreshing to not have a sore jaw just from driving to work and back, fretting over coffee-grinder sounds. Now I just need to fix my OCD.
 

Laxaholic

Adventurer
I had some of the same problems with my JKU, which made me trade it for a 100 series. I just couldn't make myself trust the JK. I felt like at any moment it could fail and leave me stranded, which it eventually did. I should have gone with the tacoma to start with, now I'm on the hunt. Anybody notice any good deals in/near Georgia?
 

dnorrell

Adventurer
I really wanted to love the Jeep. I had an '03 TJ (with issues) and a '75 CJ5 before it, but it just didn't happen like I thought it would. Like you, I wasn't comfortable taking it on longer trips, particularly those that would have me off the beaten path for any length of time and distance.

I considered a 100 series for a bit when I decided to sell the JK. I think they are a great platform, but I'm really loving the mileage I'm getting so far (pre-mods, mind you) with the Tacoma. I spent a couple hundred miles the other weekend heading up to the Rockies for some snowshoeing and averaged almost 25mpg that day - must have been super light on the gas going uphill :)
 

Laxaholic

Adventurer
Thats's just amazing to hear...I'd love that kind of mileage. I really think I'm sold on the 2.7litre 4x4. I think I'd opt for an access cab though.
That was my main concern, how the little 4 banger would handle the mountains, but if yours can handle the Rockies...then I have no worries about the Appalachians. How does it in snow?
 

Prjktjho

New member
That was a beautiful jk! The RC Tacoma's are awesome although a lot of people think its older then it is... I guess people aren't used to new regular cab trucks anymore?? Anyways I'm looking forward to the truck, even if it looks half as good as your jeep did!
 

dnorrell

Adventurer
Laxaholic
Thats's just amazing to hear...I'd love that kind of mileage. I really think I'm sold on the 2.7litre 4x4. I think I'd opt for an access cab though.
That was my main concern, how the little 4 banger would handle the mountains, but if yours can handle the Rockies...then I have no worries about the Appalachians. How does it in snow?

It wants to be really good in the snow, though my experience is still quite limited - the winter has been pretty tame around here. The tires are the weakest point in my opinion, and definitely worth a quick upgrade. I'll be getting to mine in the next month or so, but the Snugtop I have on order took a wallop to my wallet. Even so, I know it will be money well spent. After that, I'll be ordering up a Maggiolina Airtop, another big $$ item :(

Prjktjho
That was a beautiful jk! The RC Tacoma's are awesome although a lot of people think its older then it is... I guess people aren't used to new regular cab trucks anymore?? Anyways I'm looking forward to the truck, even if it looks half as good as your jeep did!

Cheers! I really appreciate it. It's funny, even when I had my Jeep, I pointed out every regular cab Tacoma I passed to my fiancé. Thankfully, she's quite patient. I have just always loved them so much, and it's true, you just don't see tons of them. Of course, Tacomas, Outbacks, and JKs are the most popular vehicles out here, it seems, but the RC Taco will always have a special place in my heart.

The Tacoma build won't be anything quite like the JK. I'm going for a more *ahem* practical approach. I am still undecided on suspension and tires, but I really want to preserve the efficiency of the truck as much as possible. Like I said above, I've got some plans for a camping setup, and I will likely spend a good chunk of time putting together something neat under the topper. Also on the short list are: add cruise control, variable wipers (poor RC is "option" challenged), heated seats (can't live without them now), Marathon seat covers, topper, RAM mounts with doodads inside, and some subtle retro (80s) elements for fun. Further out, probably in this order: tires (maybe suspension), Maggiolina, storage platform, and maybe an ARB + winch if budget allows. That should about sum it up, at least for this year :)
 

blatant1

New member
Bringing this back and tons of good info here. What's the going rate for a 2nd gen 4x4 rc with under 75k? They seem rather difficult to find and they discontinued the production.
 

p nut

butter
Bringing this back and tons of good info here. What's the going rate for a 2nd gen 4x4 rc with under 75k? They seem rather difficult to find and they discontinued the production.

Haven't checked very recently, but there were quite a few on Autotrader.
 

pmichas

pmichas
2 Door 2013 4x4 Tacoma with 2.7 engine and automatic trans

I own a 2013 Tacoma 2 door, with the 2.7 engine with an automatic trans. I have greatly added stuff to the truck. I put a Iron Cross huge front bumper and rear bumper with taillight guards, running boards and other extras. I have added a backup camera, electric door locks and the truck came with the best radio. I love the truck and have learned that it is an extremely rare truck now. The power is more than enough for all purposes and the truck is very solid and performs well. I get great gas milage as well.





That pretty much says it. I finally decided to sell my JKU so that I may get a 2.7L Tacoma 4x4 regular cab. What's worse is I'm even leaning toward the automatic for convenience and buckets. I spent a couple of hours in one over the weekend and loved it. Regular cab Tacomas consistently cause me to turn my head, regardless of where I am or what I'm driving.

No family yet, but this won't be the only vehicle when that happens down the road, so that is not a concern. I have no interest in the V6 or the double cab. I like the simplicity of the I4 with roll-up windows and manual locks.

The trick is this: I'm having some trouble envisioning a platform for the back that will sleep 2 adults and also allow for a fridge. While I kind of like the access cab, and is available with the I4, I don't want to upgrade to that just for a space in the cab for a fridge. I might add that I will fit a camper shell with windoors, so dry storage that is easy to access is not of concern. I also wasn't fond of the somewhat "hollow" sound I experienced in the cab while driving the access cab, due to the access doors I would imagine.

Do any of you have regrets about your 2.7 regular Tacoma? Wish you had gone with the access cab, or something altogether different? I know that is largely personal, but your opinions count and I've got some time to simmer.

Thanks!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
189,445
Messages
2,917,029
Members
232,261
Latest member
ilciclista
Top