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tundra or tacoma

4951 Views 27 Replies 21 Participants Last post by  100$ GUY, 
C
hi all,
anyone here consider a tacoma when shopping for a truck? I went to the lot looking for a tacoma but the tundra is only a couple grand more for alot more truck. The gas mileage doesn't seem much worse either. Just curious if anyone else ended up with a tundra when looking for a tacoma and what changed your mind.
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E
381hp V8 vs a puny V6, not much of a decision. Not to mention 6 speed shiftable AT.

For it's size, the Tacoma only achieves marginal mileage anyway.

The Tundra is huge inside, I was too tall (6'-3") for the Tacoma.
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Impelled
I did the bait and switch on the wife, using the Tacoma. I have a 5K lb boat and really wanted the Tundra. Told the wife, "lets look at the new Tacoma to pull the boat". We sat in one and it just happened to be parked next to the Tundra. She said, "Hey look at this big truck parked over here, what's this?" I explained all bout the Tundra......She convinced me to get the Tundra:eek:hyeah:Made it "her" idea....didn't have a problem justifing the purchase. I could have gotten away with the Tacoma and it would've fit in the garage. I love the looks of the Taco, but if I ever get a bigger/ heavier boat....no need now to buy a bigger truck!
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stryker709
I owned an 05 tacoma before the tundra. No complaints about the tacoma, it was a great truck, but the tundra is awsome. Passing in this thing is just sick. No brainer for me, tundra all the way.
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wonger
tundra got alot more new updated toys... and a 1st for toyota
new stereo with aux plug in
tows 10lbs
huge 5.7 engine
huge 4 wheel disc brakes
huge rear diff
6 speed trans
tailgate shocks
list keeps going
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C
The Tundra double cab 4X4 5.7 TRD msrp is 34385. The Tacoma double cab 4X4 TRD. MSRP is 31735. A differance of around $2500? The salesman said they can do a better deal on the Tundra. Does not make any sense. Either the Tacoma is overpriced or the Tundra is underpriced.
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mhadden
chillman said:
hi all,
anyone here consider a tacoma when shopping for a truck? I went to the lot looking for a tacoma but the tundra is only a couple grand more for alot more truck. The gas mileage doesn't seem much worse either. Just curious if anyone else ended up with a tundra when looking for a tacoma and what changed your mind.
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I think it depends on what you plan on doing. If you plan on hauling a lot, then the Tundra is in your best interest. If you plan on doing mostly city/highway driving, the Tacoma will do. Like many people who now have a Tundra, I used to drive a Tacoma (06). Personally, I hearted my Taco more than the Tundra for the first couple months, but now I won't go back. Having the ability to haul 5 people plus a crap load of gear is helping pay for itself, and having towed a couple loads of 7k lbs has been nice too. I towed 3600lbs with the Taco, but that was just stupidity on my part (not the safety, I was worried about the clutch [4 banger]).

It may look like the Taco doesn't get that much better mileage, but trust me it does. I used to average 19mpg with the 4banger city or highway. This beast (5.7) gets on average 12 in the city (14 when the wife doesn't drive:lol:) and only around 16mpg on the highway. The cold weather has definitely played a factor in the mpg game, and the fact that its a truck shouldn't matter, but I was still hoping for more, especially since its unloaded most of the time.
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N
I guess I'm different. When buying a vehicle, car, truck or airplane, I think like a business or the military. What is the mission? In other words, how much does it have to carry or tow and how fast? Second, what is the total cost of ownership? That involves, price, resale, taxes, insurance, after-warranty repairs, fuel, etc.

It costs Toyota almost the same to build a Tundra or Tacoma of the same configuration with the similar options because the parts count is the same. A few hundred pounds more steel and a couple more quarts of paint are not costing Toyota very much money. The difference in manufacturing cost of adding two cylinders to an engine and and extra gear to a transmission is maybe $100-200.
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eurohazard
chillman said:
The Tundra double cab 4X4 5.7 TRD msrp is 34385. The Tacoma double cab 4X4 TRD. MSRP is 31735. A differance of around $2500? The salesman said they can do a better deal on the Tundra. Does not make any sense. Either the Tacoma is overpriced or the Tundra is underpriced.
Click to expand...
I know it doesn't make a lot of sense....but it kind of does. hehe

Here's why: The market allows it. Toyota makes the best mid-size truck, and everyone knows it. The Tundra on the other hand is NOT hands down the best full size truck. Plus add in the perception that the full-size will get much worse gas mileage than a mid-size truck.

But another thing...... I am showing a Taco TRD doublecab at $29,514, and the Tundra TRD doublecab SR5 at $34,563 (both before destination charges). Now that is another $2,000......and that adds up to a not so unsubstantial $5,000 difference.
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T
get a tundra! no contest... and yes, tacomas are overpriced!
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N
I was all set to purchase a Tacoma V6 Sport Package, but when I went to the dealer I thought I'd just take a test drive in the Tundra and never looked back. I actually paid less for my 2007 Tundra 5.7L SR5 Regular Cab Short Bed than I would have paid for the Tacoma Access Cab V6 and as has been mentioned in other posts, the Tundra is way more truck, (and way more fun when you get on it), than the Tacoma. Just my .02
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mhadden
I do have to agree that the Tacoma's are overpriced, and getting worse! I paid 20k for mine, which isn't bad, but there's no way I would pay $28k for a double cab Taco. I really don't care if the other competitors are charging the same...I personally think its too much money for a "compact-to mid-sized" truck.

That's one of the reasons I bought my Tundra...more everything for $4 grand more...that and the 0%...there was no 0% on the Taco at the time:sosad: (and there only is a few times at my dealership).
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W
Well I just traded in my 2007 TRD Sport Dbl cab V6 4x4 Tacoma last week for a new Crewmax 4x4. I was averaging 17 mpg with mixed driving in the Tacoma. I just filled up for the first time in the Tundra and I got 14.5 mpg! This thing isn't even broken in yet. It's bigger, it's badder, it hauls more, it tows more, and my payment only went up $15 a month. Of course I'm paying longer but I can tell you I made the right decision when I traded that Tacoma in.
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EAHinsch
I owned a 06 Double Cab Tacoma that I sold to buy the Tundra. I have two young girls and I am 6'6", the Tacoma is not good at accomodating rear facing car seats and tall people at the same time. I love my CrewMax, and it will eventually tow my boat when the littlest one is about a year older....
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J
I was absolutely sold on an 08 Tacoma, but my wife said it was too small and wanted a Silverado or Avalanche. With the dealer incentives etc, the 07 Tundra was actually less than the 08 Tacoma (both brand new) so I got the Tundra...
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U
I was also decided on a Tacoma DC V6 , but now will be picking up a Tundra nex week :)
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C
I've had a number of Toyota Trucks over the years. I started out with an 87 Taco Sr-5 with auto and 4 cyl motor. It was a great truck in 2 WD. I graduated to a 2000 Taco SR-5 4 WD with 4 Cyl engine and auto trans. The wheels were too huge to go with that little engine. Mileage wasn't that great, around 20 mpg on a good day. I moved up to a Tundra in 2005 with 4.7, Crew cab 4 dr. and 4 WD. I liked the truck but decided we needed to tow a travel trailer. I would have to stick with a very light weight tt with it's towing capicity of 6500 lbs. I dropped by a dealership to have the ball joints of my 2005 Tundra changed under a recall and made the mistake of driving the new Tundra with 5.7 engine. I now have one, crew cab, 4 WD. I'll be shopping for a decent sized trailer soon. The new Tundra is just a lot more truck and will tow more. I waiting to see what gas mileage I get. I think my old 4,7 Tundra got 15 or 16 mpg on a good day. This one is starting out showing 14.6 mpg digital average and it is not broke in.
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C
Hey, I just forgot about the first Toyota truck I owned. I believe it was an 82 with king cab and five speed standard trans. I put a shell on it. It was a great truck. I think Toyota did a great job making the new Tundra but I would like the little truck, the taco, to remain small with small wheels and tires. The current taco doesn't fit anyone. Wioth poor fuel economy and very little towing power, it is usless.

I've owned 5 Toyota Trucks.
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B
when I decided to buy a new truck. I wanted a Tundra, but got the 2008 Tacoma cause its better on gas. its V6 ran flawlessly. A few months later, I went to the same dealer to test drive a Tundra.. I was blown away. I traded in my Taco for a 2008 Tundra RCSB 4X4 with 5.7L. Never looked back. The Tundras feels more heavy duty and can do more, like heavy towing, etc
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C
I've owned a bunch of Toyota Trucks and now own a new Tundra 4X4 crew cab Tundra. I bought it to tow a travel trailer. I had a taco 4X4 with a 4 banger and the wheels and tires were far too big for the design of the truck. I moved up to a 2005 Tundra with a 4.6 V-8 but it could only tow the very light weight trailers so I moved up once again.

My buddy has a newer Taco but he gripes about the gas mileage which he says is not much better than mine. I get 15 mpg in town and 17 on the highway. I'll get much lower mileage while towing but at least I'll have the power needed to get the job done.

I think Toyota went the wrong direction when they made the Taco larger. Keep it small and economical like the old ones. I still wish I had the 87 2 wd I owned with the auto trans and fuel injection. It was fast and economical. Now they have the huge Taco that doesn't fit with what the public wants.
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