[rgroeger]

I just want to get some input from Taco owners good, bad or ugly what they think of there trucks. I'm looking at getting one when the wife finishes mat leave and I can sell the (shudder) minivan. The last Toyota truck I had was an 83, it was great but I imagine things have changed a little since then. I'm still debating Tacoma or Tundra, lean toward the Taco, and am hoping folks out there can help with my decision. Thanks.

 

[tammikm]

i love my taco, but hate the tick..... tundra is nice but drinks way too much fuel for me...

 

[Splicer]

Welcome to TN! Our Tacoma is not a perfect vehicle (as if such a thing existed) but for the most part, we are happy with it. Tundra is too big for our needs and the Tacoma is pretty much the right size for us. Cheaper to buy & operate too.

As far as my Tacoma gripes... it's a bit noisy. Yeah, I know it's a truck (sort of) but some insulation in the body would have been nice. Some cruise controls work okay -- ours is, well, crappy. Brakes are a bit sensitive and hard to modulate as you come to a stop. I'd prefer rear discs, but the drums do a good job. The infamous tick has never bothered me.

That's it off the top of my head. If I think of anything else that's significant, I'll edit this post.

 

[6shooter]

if you're wanting the same same level of quality that the 83 seemed to have, buy a 95-04 tacoma. the 05+ are great, but not the same. (ask me how i know)

 

[rgroeger]

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, I don't think the Gen1 will fit my needs, I need the bigger d-cab for 2 kids in car seats, the oldest better be in a booster by then. I've heard about the tick, can't be any worse than the high pitch set dogs to barking squeal that came from my 92 Camry with the 2.2L 4cyl. I asked a mechanic about that and he said that was normal. I've come to the conclusion that any abnormal sound a car can make can be reduced or eliminated with a louder stereo, LOL. Splicer, what kind of cruise issue did you have? Shooter, I like that build, pretty sweet, What quality issues have you had?

 

[Splicer]

Cruise works okay on flat ground as long as there's not much wind. It doesn't do well with slight to moderate hills or gusting headwinds. Seems like once it loses 2 to 3 mph, the poor thing overcompensates trying to catch up. It pins the throttle which causes a sudden hard downshift -- often two gears -- followed by unintended acceleration (couldn't resist ) to several mph over the preset speed, after which it slowly settles back down. Incidentally, in many of these situations I can maintain a steady speed with my right foot, with no downshifting.

It's been like that since new. Dealer said it's normal, and I should manually downshift when approaching any hill . I've owned other vehicles with cruise control, and none of them acted like that.

 

[6shooter]

Shooter, I like that build, pretty sweet, What quality issues have you had?

thank you. well, i've been involved with toyotas for about 12 years. i worked for toyota dealerships up until a year ago when i quit to open my own business, and i've seen, driven, and owned literally every bodystyle toyota truck along the way. when i'm not building hot rods, i'm messing with toyota trucks.

the quality issues are really sort of in general. everything seems to be built to a lesser standard now. the 2005+ tacomas are so much more plasticy and just feel cheaper than the previous bodstyle. everything from the way they ride and handle, to the way the wheel feels in your hand, it just feels more like a car, less like a toyota quality truck of the past. plastic is everywhere, and i don't care what anyone says, plastic is cheap-that's why they use it.

while the 4.0 and current gen tacoma powertrain as a whole is great compared to anything else in a similar class that's available today-it really falls short of the previous bodystyle's overall quality. toyota achieved perfection with the 3.4L v6 that they put in the 95-04 tacomas. super powerful, and bullet proof-completely bullet proof. they are a super low maintenance motor that are good for 300k+ miles. the 4.0L are more powerful, but also a more complicated design, chain driven, and somewhat (compared to the 3.4L) problematic.

i don't know, they're still good trucks-i just couldn't take all of the little quirks my 06 had compared to any of the 95-04 tacomas i had owned previously (which is a lot). everything from the driveline shudder to the weak clutch, to the squeaky plastic clutch pedal, to detached feeling of "fly by wire" gas pedal, etc. etc.

my dad's 98 tacoma spanked my very well equipped 06 in almost every department. he has something like 280k miles on it and drives the piss out of it, on and off road. it's never let him down or left him stranded. my 06 never did either, but at almost 50k miles on it, i trusted his truck more than i did my own.

i could go on forever, but it doesn't matter. as i said, the 05+ tacomas are still a good truck when compared to what else is out there, just when you compare them to the previous generation in terms of quality, they fall way short. (way) of course there are a million other considerations one must factor: size (the new trucks are much bigger/roomier), options, amenities, etc. to name a few. plus some just like the looks of the newer style.

for fun, here is a short list of the things i DID have go wrong on my 06 in 50k miles. there's more, this is just what i can think of right this moment:

axle seal passenger rear
tranny output shaft seal
transfer case seal (seep)
front diff outer seal driver side
rear main seal seep
timing cover seep(small)
cv boot clamps-both side inners
squeaky brake rotors when brakes applied in reverse (replaced with updated rotors)
abnormal driver seat wear (hole in 12k miles)
noisy shifter boot (yes, seriously very noisy)
occasional excessive cranking (chip key/transponder issue)
sloppy/clunky 6 speed tranny (don't worry that's normal)
and of course the "normal" engine tick.

 

[ouija]

My dad has an 05 Dcab and I have an 09 Access cab, can't complain much about either truck. Dad's done a lot of towing with his and a lot of highway miles. Only problems he ever had was a dead battery after 5 years, and last winter (which was extremely extremely cold) a brake line (the rubber part near the abs) cracked.

My trucks has a 3" lift, shocks AAL, coilovers, and UCA's, and MT's, been beaten to death offroad, buried in mud twice, tore though a mud bog at a 4x4 event, drivin in 4 wheel on dry pavement more than once (including a few u-turns), had the coolant boiled for ~10 minutes before I shut it off when I finally got home, brake stands, 90* corners at ~55mph, towed a trailer with a fried wheel bearing ~50 milese...the only things that have happened is the subwoofer stopped working which i ripped out anyways, and I had to trim some of the inner fender to make room for my tires. I could complain that the windshield scratches easily but considering where the trucks been... It's not the biggest most powerful truck but I have to say it's treating me well.

 

[Deekman]

Since 1988 my family has owned 12 toyotas (4 camrys, 2 4runners, '88 truck, '93&'94 trucks, '98 tacoma and 2 '06 tacomas) and the 06 tacomas are NOWHERE near the quality of any of the older vehicles. Even the '98 taco was a world apart from my '06 tacoma TRD Sport. Since I've purchased the '06, I've had it in for the clutch and exhaust manifold TSB's, the temp/ compass gauge broke (which they refused to fix even tho it's a well known problem and is obviously a manufacturing/building material flaw), the lumbar support for the driver seat completely destroyed itself and I'm not a big guy (6' 1909 lbs) and now the rims are bubbling like no tomorrow with the clear coat and paint coming off- needless to say, they look like shit and this truck has only 43,000 on it, and has never been off road except for the outer banks, NC and that's just sand.
If you're expecting the famous toyota quality on a new taco or tundra, I'm sad to say it's not there anymore. My '98 had over 120,000 miles on it and still ran and looked like it did the day i got it used with 40,000 on it. This might be my last toyota, I just don't think they're worth the extra $ these days. I do love the size and styling of the Tacomas but the build quality is crap....I think they're starting to follow suit with our domestic manufacturers...they should have never moved their plants from Japan...

 

[6shooter]

the lumbar support for the driver seat completely destroyed itself and I'm not a big guy (6' 1909 lbs) .

i would consider 1900+ lbs to be a big guy
j/k

you reminded me about 2 other issues i had, the battery went at 28k miles or so, and the overhead compass unit went at 39k.

 

[ouija]

I think it's a matter of expectations with the new Tacomas. I loved the 97 my old man had till he got his 05. That thing was mint and he still got ~7k for the trade.

The new trucks having bad temp/compass displays, shitty stereos, plastic pannels and whatnot I think are rather minor things. Granted for the $ these things cost NOTHING should break/malfunction. But personally I'm more in it for the mechanical aspects of the truck. I haven't heard much if anything about engines shitting the bed, and some mechanics I know swear to me that my rear end will never give out, unlike other imports (cough nissan..).

I tend to think the new yotas are just as good as anything else on the road. Not as good as the old ones? That's debatable and really a matter of opinion. Sure a lot of you were treated well by your 90's trucks, but if they were that magnificent you'd still have them today. I can't count the trucks my friends and I have had that we beat to death and will today say they were awesome trucks. There's a little romanticizing about the past going on

 

[az-yota]

My 05 DC 4X4 Sport LB now has 43,000 miles on it and have not had a major problem yet. Broke a mud flap and the little door that covers the 12V aux power outlet broke off. I just put new rubber on her and she needed a battery recently but no complaints here. The cruise cont is kinda wild but when I get into hilly country I just down shift her to 4th and leave her there and all is good.
I pulled a 20 foot camper 3000 miles and she never busted a sweat.

 

[Dark Taco]

although not perfect....and will never be manufactured like it was in years past. These trucks are still holding up better than most of the competition. Hell my buddy just had his 09 explorer in for a 3rd time.........this time it was a fuel pump.

 

[rgroeger]

I doubt Toyota corporate executives are any different than any others. I have an 05 Corolla with 124,000 Km on it and the only think I've done to it is replace an o-ring for the external timing chain tensioner and a serpentine belt. We bought a 2003 Grand Caravan recently and it has issues. I've replaced sway bar end links, Dodge had used plastic for a ball cup instead of metal, replaced sway bar bushings and still have a thunk under the front end. I have a buddy who's newer Ford truck nearly caught on fire from a center console lamp that melted parts of his console. If anyone thinks their Toyota is bad, buy something else and I'm pretty sure they'll be back. I can't wait till we are done with strollers and minivans. It's really hard to drive them fast.

 

[rgroeger]

I'm wondering as to it being the Tacoma that's at fault or where it's built and that quality control involved. No offense meant, but the Matrix and Vibe are the same car except sheet metal, badging and where they are built. Very little wrong with Matrix models coming out of Cambridge but the Vibe had huge quality control issues coming out of it's US plant.

 

[nobescare]

toyota quality

i have the 2003 matrix and the 2005 tacoma double cab prerunner (2wd). purchased both brand new.

as for the Matrix. no issues whatsoever except for the OEM tires. had a bulge on the sidewall about a year in to ownership. nothing but regular oil changes and annual undercoating (oil spray by mechanic). changed the trans oil and coolant once.

tacoma - 70,000 km and have recently changed a squealing belt and a set of tires.

i would think the only crappy items on toyota's is their OEM tires.

so far so good. (touch wood)

 

[az-yota]

I agree totally with just buy something else and you will come back. I have strayed away from Toyota occasionally in the past and kick myself every time for doing it. We get spoiled over time with having a quality machine and forget what it was like owning a domestic POS. After not owning a domestic for several years I begin to think, "they are good machines too and I sure like the body styles. Heck they wouldn't sell as many as they do if they were junk, (surely people are smarter than that). WRONG WRONG WRONG!! I have finally learned my lesson. I am 48 yrs old and have owned a hell of a lot of vehicles in my day both new and used, domestic and foriegn so I can speak from some experience. Humans tend to forget bad experiences and autos are no different. Being a Vet I would sure like to buy domestic but I am also frugal and value my hard earned cash too much to throw it away on domestic trash.

 

[nobescare]

toyota quality

i too have owned other makes.

VW - Golf GTi - 1984 (1st car - it was nice, well put together, back when they were made in Germany)

VW Jetta - 1989 - lots of small problems, trunk lock never worked, window cables broke, leaky sunroof. family survived an accident that wrote it off. crappy mileage.

Chevy Astro -1994 - i gotta say for an american made vehicle this was the best. never had a problem with it and never had a sign of rust up until i sold it for my 2005 taco.

had a chevy lumina, bad mistake :-(

think i'll stick with my toyota's from now own considering i lucked out in the past.