Pray that toyota never veers away from what has made the tacoma the best truck on the planet.Sure the new tundras are great,so are the escalade trucks,and numerous other trucks,but the one thing we have that they don't have is a truck that hasn't changed asthleticly in ages.Every 4 years or so manufacturers revise their lineups sometimes drasticly which makes the previous line ups much less desirable.If you haven't noticed the tacoma hasn't changed all that much for decades which makes them much more desirable,and older models have higher resale values.Pray toyota keeps with this tradition and never drasticly revises the beloved tacoma.:clap:

Yes, it is a superior product. I have to disagree with you on not changing. I think that they have changed (for the good). Look at the current (2005 plus) design. Having driven Toyota trucks since 1984 I fell in love with my '06. I always liked my trucks but this one a truely enjoy driving.

I think that if we look back at the Chevy S-10 we would see a style/model that wasn't altered/changed over many years. It was hard as hell to tell models that were 10 years apart. I feel that Chevy played that into the ground.

I do think that by not changing designs for about 4 years is a great idea. We know that this is done to save $$$$ in retooling the manufacturing plants. For the buyer it is good because I feel that it helps retain resale.

Just my .02.

 

I dont think the styling has anything to do with the resale value of the truck. :disappoin Granted, if it looks like shit, it won't sell. But c'mon, you guys missed the point. These trucks have high resale values because of their heritage. The Tacoma is known for its dependability and reliability. Everyone who owns a Toyota knows you can drive these things nearly forever. Remember the 22re, that motor could easily handle 200k+ with proper maintainence. The transmissions and transfercases are nearly bulletproof to boot. And that is what makes the truck so valuable. This will help make it easy to understand. If something is desirable, it is more pricey. AAAHHHH simple supply and demand
Mike

 

I dont think the styling has anything to do with the resale value of the truck. :disappoin Granted, if it looks like shit, it won't sell. But c'mon, you guys missed the point. These trucks have high resale values because of their heritage. The Tacoma is known for its dependability and reliability. Everyone who owns a Toyota knows you can drive these things nearly forever. Remember the 22re, that motor could easily handle 200k+ with proper maintainence. The transmissions and transfercases are nearly bulletproof to boot. And that is what makes the truck so valuable. This will help make it easy to understand. If something is desirable, it is more pricey. AAAHHHH simple supply and demand
Mike

Agreed!! I have a couple of friends that have a Toyota truck with well over 200K and both swear they will never sell those trucks even though they just use them to haul shit in or take trash to the dump.

 

changing the taco

Yes, it is a superior product. I have to disagree with you on not changing. I think that they have changed (for the good). Look at the current (2005 plus) design. Having driven Toyota trucks since 1984 I fell in love with my '06. I always liked my trucks but this one a truely enjoy driving.

I think that if we look back at the Chevy S-10 we would see a style/model that wasn't altered/changed over many years. It was hard as hell to tell models that were 10 years apart. I feel that Chevy played that into the ground.

I do think that by not changing designs for about 4 years is a great idea. We know that this is done to save $$$$ in retooling the manufacturing plants. For the buyer it is good because I feel that it helps retain resale.

Just my .02.

The quality is great,if not the best but do you think they have changed drasticly over the years?Look at harley davidson motorcycles.For years there never was a drastic change in design till the v-rod,and they have a resale value equal to land.I love my 07 d/c and never bought a previous model because they just weren't that pleasing to the eye to me,but since I 've owned one everytime I pass up an older model I can see alot of similarities .

 

IMHO - Toyota is falling into the 'increase the profit margin by any means necessary' state of mind which means they're dropping down to all the other guy's level. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's a great product compared to everyone else out there. But the gap between them and brand X is closing rather quickly. In the not so distant past, they stood behind their product 110% + you rarely had material or craftsman defects. Now you have to fight them to get them to fix stuff that never should have broken to begin with. For example. Tailgate TSB. They made the tailgate too weak for the average sized person to stand on the tailgate. People complained enough that they came out with a reinforcement fix, but they wouldn't fix it until you broke it. Another example of today. Failing locking rear ends. Their response most of the time is 'you took it off-road therefore you abused it'. Hello! This is being sold as an off road vehicle, with an off road package. They had advertisements on tv, in magazines and even their own sales brochure showing the truck being used off road. Why shouldn't the consumer be able to take it off road? Why? Because it costs the company money to fix it. I miss the days when a head gasket was replaced for free (even if there weren't any signs of a current failure) and a loaner vehicle was offered. No matter how many miles the truck had it, no matter how many different owners have owned it or how dirty it was.

 

The quality is great,if not the best but do you think they have changed drasticly over the years?Look at harley davidson motorcycles.For years there never was a drastic change in design till the v-rod,and they have a resale value equal to land.I love my 07 d/c and never bought a previous model because they just weren't that pleasing to the eye to me,but since I 've owned one everytime I pass up an older model I can see alot of similarities .

Absolutely they've changed. Compare it to other trucks like the F-150, Ranger, or Silverado. It's changed as much as, if not more, than they have. There SHOULD be similarities to previous years otherwise why keep the name going? Just come up with a new name every year.

 

I agree, a lot is in the name, and the past. I bought a toyota tacoma because it was a toyota tacoma. My father has a previous generation tacoma, much of the reason I bought mine was because of his. It is almost 10 years old, and it's still running good, a few problems here and there, but few is the key word there. I also say this is the best looking redesign yet.:thumbup:

 

Pray that toyota never veers away from what has made the tacoma the best truck on the planet.Sure the new tundras are great,so are the escalade trucks,and numerous other trucks,but the one thing we have that they don't have is a truck that hasn't changed asthleticly in ages.Every 4 years or so manufacturers revise their lineups sometimes drasticly which makes the previous line ups much less desirable.If you haven't noticed the tacoma hasn't changed all that much for decades which makes them much more desirable,and older models have higher resale values.Pray toyota keeps with this tradition and never drasticly revises the beloved tacoma.:clap:

I don't think your statement bears any truth true at all . For one, the new generation Tacoma has morphed into a mid size truck. Look at the 1980's even 1990's version compared to today's Tacoma, a longbed doublecab is almost the same length as a new Avalanche. Second the design of the new truck is a very modern look compared to the competitors model as well as previous generations. The simple reason to why Tacoma's have a high resale value is one, the Tacoma is not a mass produced vehicle as say the F-150. Ford produces over 1 million F-150's a year, I would bet to say Toyota maybe produces 350K Tacoma's a year. Limited number plus higher demand means higher resale value. Simple supply and demand. As mentioned before, the Tacoma has developed a reputation as an good looking dependable long lasting truck. Reputation is one of the main driving facotrs for vehicle sales. Why is Ford, Chrysler, and GM suffering today? Bad reputation drives customres away. Second Toyota doesn't offer ridiculous rebates on new models dropping the price on the used models on the road. If your statement bore any truth then the Chevy Silverado, and Ford Ranger would have the highest resale value as all both trucks have changed very little over the past 20 years, and both have horrible resale value. I kind of see what you are trying to say, but you miss the mark altogether on why the Tacoma or any vehicle retain their value. :disappoin

 

values

I don't think your statement bears any truth true at all . For one, the new generation Tacoma has morphed into a mid size truck. Look at the 1980's even 1990's version compared to today's Tacoma, a longbed doublecab is almost the same length as a new Avalanche. Second the design of the new truck is a very modern look compared to the competitors model as well as previous generations. The simple reason to why Tacoma's have a high resale value is one, the Tacoma is not a mass produced vehicle as say the F-150. Ford produces over 1 million F-150's a year, I would bet to say Toyota maybe produces 350K Tacoma's a year. Limited number plus higher demand means higher resale value. Simple supply and demand. As mentioned before, the Tacoma has developed a reputation as an good looking dependable long lasting truck. Reputation is one of the main driving facotrs for vehicle sales. Why is Ford, Chrysler, and GM suffering today? Bad reputation drives customres away. Second Toyota doesn't offer ridiculous rebates on new models dropping the price on the used models on the road. If your statement bore any truth then the Chevy Silverado, and Ford Ranger would have the highest resale value as all both trucks have changed very little over the past 20 years, and both have horrible resale value. I kind of see what you are trying to say, but you miss the mark altogether on why the Tacoma or any vehicle retain their value. :disappoin

OK Try this one.Tacomas are light and look great all jacked-up.There,that better?

 

OK Try this one.Tacomas are light and look great all jacked-up.There,that better?

That might be why you decided to buy a Tacoma, but I'm sure other people bought for the Toyota name and dependability....hence the reason our trucks have a high resale value; contrary to your reason originally posted.

 

resale value

That might be why you decided to buy a Tacoma, but I'm sure other people bought for the Toyota name and dependability....hence the reason our trucks have a high resale value; contrary to your reason originally posted.

Try in addition too,instead of contrary to.To alot of people the tacoma has upheld its heratige in looks and function.

 

Try in addition too,instead of contrary to.To alot of people the tacoma has upheld its heratige in looks and function.

Then I ask, how come the Ford Ranger and the F-150 doesn't hold their value aside from being the best selling trucks. Remeber the Ranger was the #1 selling compact truck for 10 yerars before 2005-2006. Both truck remained true to their heritage?

 

Try in addition too,instead of contrary to.To alot of people the tacoma has upheld its heratige in looks and function.

I believe if you read my original post two posts ago, I mention looks and heritage as a reason for resale

 

We are getting off topic, but seriously, Toyota's marketing managers realize that most Americans keep vehicles for only a certain number of years. That is why they change body styles every 4 years or so. The original Toyota trucks barely changed among the years.

See the problem with Ford is that their products are getting away from what their consumers want. Despite their huge fanbase and the tremendous amount of loyalty that Americans feel to Ford, their 4.0V6 makes less power and gets worse fuel economy than their Toyota competitor. Makes it tough to sell. That, and most important, the truck is using outdated technology. Most small pickups utilize double wishbone suspension and a 6spd manual, Ford uses neither. Ford also doesn't have a single rail system for the bed of their truck. People buying small trucks want a compromise of economy and usability.

As for used vehicle pricing, these lacks in development are shown in Ford prices as compared to Toyotas. Toyota has built a harmark on reliability and innovation. Those are two very influencial salespoints for any item, especially a pickup truck.
Mike

 

That might be why you decided to buy a Tacoma, but I'm sure other people bought for the Toyota name and dependability....hence the reason our trucks have a high resale value; contrary to your reason originally posted.

This is my first Toyota and that is EXACTLY why I bought it. Yes, I like the styling and the usability but the Toyota dependability is what sold me.

 

We are getting off topic, but seriously, Toyota's marketing managers realize that most Americans keep vehicles for only a certain number of years. That is why they change body styles every 4 years or so. The original Toyota trucks barely changed among the years.

See the problem with Ford is that their products are getting away from what their consumers want. Despite their huge fanbase and the tremendous amount of loyalty that Americans feel to Ford, their 4.0V6 makes less power and gets worse fuel economy than their Toyota competitor. Makes it tough to sell. That, and most important, the truck is using outdated technology. Most small pickups utilize double wishbone suspension and a 6spd manual, Ford uses neither. Ford also doesn't have a single rail system for the bed of their truck. People buying small trucks want a compromise of economy and usability.

As for used vehicle pricing, these lacks in development are shown in Ford prices as compared to Toyotas. Toyota has built a harmark on reliability and innovation. Those are two very influencial salespoints for any item, especially a pickup truck.
Mike

I don't think anybody is getting off topic. I think meaujeax and yourself are contradicting yourselves with your comments? Meauxjeaux claimed that Toyota hasn't strayed with their design and that's what keeps resale high...maybe I'm missing something with the original post, and myself like most of the posters have claimed on the contrary that yes Toyota has dramatically changed the Tacoma. For one, the Tacoma is no longer a compact truck, but a midsize, and yes buyers want dramatic changes. The tried and true reason why are trucks have high resale value is the Toyota name for dependability and yes looks do play a part, albeit I say smaller than meauxjeaux claims but I and most of the posters say supply and demand and reputation play a bigger role in resale than how our trucks look lifted.

Now to counter your claim that Ford has gotten away from what buyers wanted, The Ranger is the only real true compact truck on the market, and the Ranger will be discontinued after 2008. I think I can say with certainty that a lot of us Tacoma owners wouldn't mind a basic compact truck for most of our uses. The Ranger has a tried and true design hence the reason for the number of sales they enjoyed along with the status of the #1 selling compact. The 4.0L Ford engine is a decent powerplant as far as durability. So this contradicts meauxjeaux reason is a dramatic redesign will lower resale value. Regardless of compared power, the a comparable Ford Ranger is thousands less than a Tacoma, and I'm willing to bet that if someone with limited funds is in the market for a compact, they will get the best bang for the buck, and statistics say for a long time that was the Ranger. I think Toyota's reputation, and Ford's perceived lack of has caused the Ranger to die out, not necessarily because of antiquated technology. The Ranger does have less horsepower, but it gets compable mileage to the Tacoma. compare Ford's 2.3 to Toyota's 2.7. The main reason the Ranger suffers from poor resale is that they are a dime a dozen. Looks aside, there are probably three times as many Rangers on the road as Tacoma's. With that fact, that's why the Ranger really suffers from poor resale along with their perceived poor quality, few people are narcasistic to how their trucks look lifted. Isn't the primary purpose of a truck for utility?

 

You do make a point, the Ranger is a compact truck whereas the Tacoma has grown to a midsize truck. Look at all the vehicles in this country, well all the successful vehicles in this country. The VW Jetta started as this tiny compact 4 dr sedan. Now it has the same cabin space as the previous generation Passat! The Ranger is being discontinued simply because it is outdated. It is no longer what the largest part of the consumer base wants. The Ranger still gets sales because of the loyalty of the brand as well as the fact that the Ranger is the only truck that fulfills the true compact truck niche. But the Tacoma is stealing some of those sales with their Regular cab truck.

The 4.0L that Ford uses is durable, but rediculously old. It has been in service for nearly 20 yrs!! Are you really going to argue that this motor is in any class with the Toyota's 4.0 or even Nissan's for the sake of arguement. I hope this won't turn into a Ford 302, or Chevy 350 lovefest, but seriously, the motors were fantastic when they were used, but now technology has caught and surpassed these engines. And this is a good thing, it means that the company is moving forward, and thats how things should be.

You also have to realize that the radius arm susension utilized in this current Ranger has been used since the introduction of the product. Its ride is rougher than the Tacomas and is one of the main reasons why people choose the Tacoma over the Ranger.

I'm not trying to stirr up a huge arguement, but just giving some thoughts as to why I personally believe Toyota is out selling and out reselling the Ranger.
Mike

PS~Not only do Tacoma's look better than Fords lifted, their alignment can be had more accurately for cheaper.

 

You do make a point, the Ranger is a compact truck whereas the Tacoma has grown to a midsize truck. Look at all the vehicles in this country, well all the successful vehicles in this country. The VW Jetta started as this tiny compact 4 dr sedan. Now it has the same cabin space as the previous generation Passat! The Ranger is being discontinued simply because it is outdated. It is no longer what the largest part of the consumer base wants. The Ranger still gets sales because of the loyalty of the brand as well as the fact that the Ranger is the only truck that fulfills the true compact truck niche. But the Tacoma is stealing some of those sales with their Regular cab truck.

The 4.0L that Ford uses is durable, but rediculously old. It has been in service for nearly 20 yrs!! Are you really going to argue that this motor is in any class with the Toyota's 4.0 or even Nissan's for the sake of arguement. I hope this won't turn into a Ford 302, or Chevy 350 lovefest, but seriously, the motors were fantastic when they were used, but now technology has caught and surpassed these engines. And this is a good thing, it means that the company is moving forward, and thats how things should be.

You also have to realize that the radius arm susension utilized in this current Ranger has been used since the introduction of the product. Its ride is rougher than the Tacomas and is one of the main reasons why people choose the Tacoma over the Ranger.

I'm not trying to stirr up a huge arguement, but just giving some thoughts as to why I personally believe Toyota is out selling and out reselling the Ranger.
Mike

PS~Not only do Tacoma's look better than Fords lifted, their alignment can be had more accurately for cheaper.

First off by no means am I a ford fan, and second I speak as a former owner of two Ford Rangers (94 and 98). I agree the Ranger utilizes old technology.; I don't think i ever disputed the fact. The reason the Ranger is being discontinued is the compact truck market is a shrinking segment and has been for the past few years, even for toyota. It's not profitable for Ford to spen the money redesinging a vehicle that's market is a shrinking segment. In fact the whole truck market is shrinking thanks to rising fuel costs. I by no means am comparing the Ford 4.0L to the Toyota, but if you put aside hp, torque and overall gas mileage, the ford 4.0L puts out 210 hp and can pull as much weight as the Toyota. In fact the Ranger had a 5spd auto a few years before the Tacoma. In the case of a truck, unless you're looking for overall speed or 1/4 mi times, the hp and torque don't mean much if you can't pull more weight, and unless I'm wrong, that's what the purpose of a pickup truck is for, not necessarily for looks, lifting and off roading; albeit that's a secondary benefit. I believe Ford is surrendering a lot of fleet sales discontinuing the Ranger. Regardless of personal belief, the Ranger did sell a lot of units regardless of age, and I don't beleive the sales of the Ranger in 07 are significantly behind the Tacoma. I still contend if you only had say $23k to buy a truck with and you wanted the most bang for the buck, you'd give the Ranger a look. You'd be hard pressed to buy a new double cab/access cab, 4x4 Tacom for that price, maybe a used one, and that brings us back to why the Tacoma has a high resale value.

The bottom line isn't the Ranger is a good truck, or Toyota is bad, the real reason is what affects resale value, and it's supply and demand drives price and people are willing to pay for a name (for various reasons) and in this case it's Toyota (for dependability); hence the reason the Tacoma has a high resale value, not because they haven't dramatically redesigned the Tacoma as meauxjeaux claims.

 

my name

I don't think anybody is getting off topic. I think meaujeax and yourself are contradicting yourselves with your comments? Meauxjeaux claimed that Toyota hasn't strayed with their design and that's what keeps resale high...maybe I'm missing something with the original post, and myself like most of the posters have claimed on the contrary that yes Toyota has dramatically changed the Tacoma. For one, the Tacoma is no longer a compact truck, but a midsize, and yes buyers want dramatic changes. The tried and true reason why are trucks have high resale value is the Toyota name for dependability and yes looks do play a part, albeit I say smaller than meauxjeaux claims but I and most of the posters say supply and demand and reputation play a bigger role in resale than how our trucks look lifted.

Now to counter your claim that Ford has gotten away from what buyers wanted, The Ranger is the only real true compact truck on the market, and the Ranger will be discontinued after 2008. I think I can say with certainty that a lot of us Tacoma owners wouldn't mind a basic compact truck for most of our uses. The Ranger has a tried and true design hence the reason for the number of sales they enjoyed along with the status of the #1 selling compact. The 4.0L Ford engine is a decent powerplant as far as durability. So this contradicts meauxjeaux reason is a dramatic redesign will lower resale value. Regardless of compared power, the a comparable Ford Ranger is thousands less than a Tacoma, and I'm willing to bet that if someone with limited funds is in the market for a compact, they will get the best bang for the buck, and statistics say for a long time that was the Ranger. I think Toyota's reputation, and Ford's perceived lack of has caused the Ranger to die out, not necessarily because of antiquated technology. The Ranger does have less horsepower, but it gets compable mileage to the Tacoma. compare Ford's 2.3 to Toyota's 2.7. The main reason the Ranger suffers from poor resale is that they are a dime a dozen. Looks aside, there are probably three times as many Rangers on the road as Tacoma's. With that fact, that's why the Ranger really suffers from poor resale along with their perceived poor quality, few people are narcasistic to how their trucks look lifted. Isn't the primary purpose of a truck for utility?

Dang bro,you must really like my name?Anyhow,your statistics are pretty impressive,of course if they are correct,none-the-less,has the ranger ever been known to be a serious off-road truck?The tacoma has.There has also been a major push by toyota to enter the tacoma in many racing catagories,which boosts the image of the tacoma.Like I said,even though the tacoma was made larger,it still holds alot of historical cues.It still looks like a tacoma,but ford never pushed the ranger into the racing world like toyota did.Sure it's dependable(main reason I bought mine)and remember that I too am a toyota owner,and fan(so cool down a bit).I like objectivness and I can see where you are coming from,but don't get on someone like you did for their opinions ok?

 

Marketing

Resale? Gentlemen, it's marketing and perception. No bad rap on the Toyo, but they have a reputation that preceeds them, bulit up over the years by those bullet proof vehicles of yore. Toyota will make sure that the reputation is kept intact, whether or not that rep is slipping a bit. They've really marketed that too. What vibration? What blown lockers? Yeah right......read here.

People have been taught to think that Toyotas are better than they really are--these 05 and up trucks are a bit "softer" in durability than their predecessors. Toyota currently has the highest recall rate in the auto industry for cryin' out loud, but try to get people to even see that. I liked my 06, but I thought it had some unresolved issues that should have never made production. As dealerships continue to deny existing problems, you'll see Toyota's rep/resale decline a bit. But that stellar quality reputation allowed me to sell mine and lose only $500 after 16,000 miles and 15 months. Gotta love that.

Also as trucks become more "urbanized" they will lose some of that toughness that many of us loved. And, as Toyota gets bigger we are losing that "underdog" champion attitude that was so great about the company. I am seeing the same thing now with Honda. They have swept bad tranny issues quietly into the background, denying there's a problem while quietly extending warranties (at least they're fixing them). Many customers suffered water leaks, and bad ones, in the Ridgeline, and Honda faught that tooth and nail, often denying customers new carpet and padding, which was destroyed by mold and water.

 

So what you're saying is that Toyota is still better than everyone else. Having previously owned a Nissan, I'll take a "slipping" Toyota any day over that crap Altima I had.

 

the one thing we have that they don't have is a truck that hasn't changed asthleticly in ages...If you haven't noticed the tacoma hasn't changed all that much for decades

Where the F#CK were you in 2005??

 

Dang bro,you must really like my name?has the ranger ever been known to be a serious off-road truck?The tacoma has.There has also been a major push by toyota to enter the tacoma in many racing catagories,which boosts the image of the tacoma,but ford never pushed the ranger into the racing world like toyota did.

I'm on my 3rd tacoma (and I just traded in a 4runner for a tundra) and I've never owned a ford so I'm obviously a fan of toyotas. I just wanted to point out that these comments of yours I quoted are not entirely correct. From a stock standpoint, they do have credibility, but if you're into off-road racing, mainly Baja type (score, BITD, CODE, etc.) you'll see that the majority of the class 7 trucks are rangers and also Ford backs these racers, albeit its chump change for what they spend. But then again, these trucks in no way resemble stock trim, but the Rangers are a dime a dozen like someone else stated.

 

I think I got a little off-topic on my last post, so I'll get back on. IMO the tacoma has a high resale value because its a great truck. And a reason that you see so many rangers in the score baja races is because of their low resale value. When you are going to cut up, gut up, replace every stock part except the frame, cage the truck and beat on it, you might as well buy an inexpensive vehicle to start with.

 

Dang bro,you must really like my name?Anyhow,your statistics are pretty impressive,of course if they are correct,none-the-less,has the ranger ever been known to be a serious off-road truck?The tacoma has.There has also been a major push by toyota to enter the tacoma in many racing catagories,which boosts the image of the tacoma.Like I said,even though the tacoma was made larger,it still holds alot of historical cues.It still looks like a tacoma,but ford never pushed the ranger into the racing world like toyota did.Sure it's dependable(main reason I bought mine)and remember that I too am a toyota owner,and fan(so cool down a bit).I like objectivness and I can see where you are coming from,but don't get on someone like you did for their opinions ok?

I don't think anyone is getting on anyone, but be prepared to defend your statement. "The Tacoma hasn't changes aestecially for years" Many people mention what's the deal then with the new genration Tacoma? Basically everyone is calling out your statement. You made it, so you should have the proof and logic to support it. Second you claim that Ford didn't push the Ranger into the Baja Off Road realm. How that majorly affects resale value, I have no clue, but you seem to think it does. The ranger does have a serious off road model, and I'm not saying it's great or better than the Tacoma, but Ford has one in the FX4 model. I think your original statement is way off the mark. You also claim that the Tacoma has been kept along the lines of it's heritage design after design.....well it's a truck, I'm not sure what you're getting at, or what kind of redesign Toyota would do to make it not a truck? Your statement reminds of when a football coach says something along the lines of "We expect to win this game if we can outscore our opponents!" :hammer: . Basically on any online forum, be prepeared to defend and support your comments in a discussion that's all. It seems to me that everyone else on this post called BS to your statement that's all.