New Tacoma

Just a quick survey. Does anyone here own a 2005 Tacoma? I'm on the verge of buying one, and want some opinions about them. kinda going back and forth between the Tacoma and the new Nissan Frontier. let me know how you like 'em! TIA

Reply to
Haywood
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Yes. I love it. I've got a 4.0L V6 6 speed 4x4 TRD w/ towing Access Cab. It replaced a 2001 Subaru Outback wagon that replaced a 1996 Nissan King Cab. The Subrau was my first time without a truck, and while it's a GREAT car, I missed a truck. The Taco is head and shoulders above the King Cab, but the new Frontier is a nice truck. The Toyota / Nissan decision was extremely close. Toyota won me over with the oil filter.

I think the new size is perfect. My last Toyota truck went 300k in 11 years before I drove it to the junkyard. I also investigated the Dakota, Tundra, F150, Canyon, Frontier, and Silverado before the purchase.

Things I like about my Tacoma:

  • _THE SIZE_ - Not too big, but bigger than the old Taco
  • Nice power to weight balance.
  • TIGHT turn radius & GREAT handling!!!
  • Easy access to maintenance items, like the oil filter
  • Plastic bed (get a rubber mat to keep stuff in place)
  • Tie down system
  • Toyota's top-end seats are without peer.
  • Off-road and towing ability

Things I don't like (some don't apply to mine):

  • Aftermarket manufacturers (like Thule & Yakima) are a bit behind the curve with bed accessories, due to the new design. I'm sure this will change.
  • The low-end seats stink. Sit in them if you're considering them.
  • 6 speed could feel a pit tighter, but it's not _bad_

Why I chose the Taco over others (one man's opinion): F150 - too big, mushy road feel, auto & V8 only Silverado - too big, spotty build Ram - she's a real porker! Colorado - a real dog, cheap feeling and looking interior Dakota - Nice, but it just didn't give me the same Karma. Tundra - V8 & auto only Frontier - it all came down to the oil filter, I HATED changing the oil in my King Cab, and the new one isn't that much better. Otherwise, a really nice truck. If the Toyota dealer had played total price hardball with me, I would have bought the Frontier.

My truck is 3 months old, with no delivery or warranty issues so far. A few very early owners reported a cowl leak, which Toyota has a TSB out for. My truck is not affected.

Have fun, Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

How do you find your gas mileage with your V6?

Reply to
Brad P

If the 05 is anything like the 02, be prepared for quite a few people in adjacent cars to say "Hey...nice truck!" Mostly young women. Is this of any value to you? :-)

I have no idea if the Nissan looks as nice, or produces similar results.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

I'm getting 15-17 on 91+, with very little highway driving. I've still only got about 1200 miles on it, with some towing and off-roading. The first two tanks were 13-14, so I expect it to get better for a while. I usually go to Mobil 1 @ 5k. I don't see why the high end of the 16-20 EPA rating shouldn't be possible for a reasonable driver without towing and four wheeling. We also get 10% ethanol gas where I live.

As a driving habit comparison, my Subaru Outback was rated 24-28, and pretty much ran 24 MPG all the time from 5k to when I sold it w/ 39k. That car didn't really hit 24 until about 5k miles, it seemed to take a long time to break in. I was kind of a lead foot with that car, 'cause it really seemed to like that sort of thing.

I've seen some gas mileage complaints on some message boards, but digging a bit turns up the following: 1.) All complaints are actually

*within* the window sticker's advertised EPA ratings. 2.) Many of the trucks are still inside the first listed oil change (5k) 3.) Many of the same posters post about how they love the truck's power.

I wonder if some of the complainers didn't look at the ratings, or just assumed that it would get the same mileage as an older Taco. The older trucks are smaller, lighter, and lower profile with 55 less HP. Size and ooomph! aren't free!

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

"B a r r y" sez:

My Toyota experiences (4 of them - all with Mobil 1) have been that it takes

10,000-15,000 mi. for them to fully break in and start giving you optimum mileage. Too bad 'bout the 10% ethanol, you have to subtract 10% from what you'd get for mpg with straight gas.

I prefer to run mid-to-low grade octane fuel in my Tundra/Sequoia ... there is little or nothing to be gained with paying for the high octane stuff.

Good ridin' to ya, VLJ

-- Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

-- C. S. Lewis

Reply to
vlj

You'll hit 21-22 on the highway at 65mph. But, one caveat: Unless the cruise control's programmed differently in the 05 than the 02, don't bother using it on roads with significant hills. It doesn't sense the beginning of a hill until the truck's slowed quite a bit, and then when it finally does, it floors the gas - seems to go directly to 2nd gear, if I'm listening to the auto tranny accurately. Most cruise controls are lousy with hills, since they can see them coming ahead of time, but the Tacoma's is more brutal than the one on my previous car, a 92 Taurus. That CC would begin by dropping out of overdrive, and stepping down a gear at a time if necessary.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

I usually agree, except Toyota recommends 91 on this truck. Rumor has it that it was originally required, but the manual was changed to "recommended" when fuel prices shot up.

There is a measurable mileage and performance gain with 91 vs. 87 in my truck. The exhaust note has noticeable pinging running on 87 w/ 10% ethanol.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

Mine doesn't do that as it's a manual tranny, and the '05 has more power than a 2002. The '02 had 190HP, 220 ft/lbs, the '05 has 245HP, 282 ft/lbs.

I can easily accelerate up a significant hill from 65 in 6th gear, which might explain the 16 MPG.

During early shopping, I drove some '02's and the power difference is startling.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

"B a r r y" sez:

Hmmm, interesting. I'm thinking 'bout a Tacoma for the kid who is nearing driving age ... I'll have to look into that a little closer.

Again, too bad you have that ethanol shit foisted on you. It's just a taxpayer subsidized give away to Arther Daniels Midland ...

I do notice a bit of "seat of the pants" performance difference between 85 and 87 octane in my Tundra but haven't had the time or inclination to do any kind of exhaustive performance comparisons. It burns 85 fine but I am running at 5000 ft. and higher in elevation.

Good ridin' to ya, VLJ

-- Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

-- C. S. Lewis

Reply to
vlj

How often does he tow something, or haul things that would bother the suspension of a normal car?

Reply to
Doug Kanter

"Doug Kanter" sez:

Every time he goes out riding his dirtbike. I dunno 'bout you, but I don't particularly like wedging over two hundred pounds of machine into the trunk or whiffing fumes from a 5 gallon gas can in the back seat ... You choose your ride and we'll choose ours, eh?

Good transportin' to ya, VLJ

-- Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

-- C. S. Lewis

Reply to
vlj

Love mine, And resale is higher on the Toy ,If you ever ever need to sell..

Reply to
Billstein

Thanks for all the response. It seems Toy owners love their trucks! I'm leaning towards the new Taco myself. Any thoughts about the crew cab vs. the extended cab? I assume they ride and handle about the same. The wheelbase is the same...only the bed is shorter? TIA

Reply to
Haywood

The crew is available as a 5 or 6 foot bed. The 6 foot bed is known as a "long" bed as a crew cab.

I can't comment on the ride comparison, 'cause I never bothered to drive anything except an Access Cab. Test drives are free!

I would have liked to see a 7 1/2' bed w/ Access Cab on the longest chassis. But hey, I'll be back in the market in 10 years or so...

Barry

Reply to
Bonehenge

Hey...I'm just asking. You know as well as I do that a large percentage of trucks (and SUVs) are owned by people who never put ANYTHING in the back larger than a bag of groceries. It's obscene to use 3x more gas and make 3x more stink just because someone thinks it's cute to own a pig of a vehicle. If I ever stopped towing a boat, my truck would be history. It's irresponsible, and definitely unpatriotic.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

"Doug Kanter" sez:

Careful, the same argument could be made regarding those who buy an overpriced/overengineered Prius to get 40+ mpg when they could do much better for the environment by riding a less than 300 lb. motorcycle that costs less than $3000 ... they could save all that metal/resources and energy wasted in manufacturing that multi-thousand pound behemoth and then there is the toxic waste disposal issue of those NiMH battery packs to deal with ...

Note sig ... :-)

Good ridin' to ya, VLJ

-- Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

-- C. S. Lewis

Reply to
vlj

That's silly! :-) You can't compare a motorcycle to a car like that. First of all, it's a whole different mind-set. Motorcycles are for people who are suicidal for some reason. We're talking about everyone else now. But yeah...you're right....it takes resources to make everything. At least we are a higher order of human, those who buy Toyotas because we know that the only reason we'll ever replace them is that we're bored with them after 10 years and 300,000 miles, even though they're still running perfectly for some spooky reason.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

The Titan comes with an FFV option, allowing you to run E-85 fuel. By my house, ethanol is now $1.40 a gallon. My next truck will probably be the Titan because of this. I am not sure if Nissan plans to release an FFV Frontier.

Reply to
Dan J.S.

Is it California emissions legal?

Even though some of us are 3000 miles from CA, our states still require it.

Reply to
B a r r y

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