NorCalVP

It depends on what you want to use it for. When i bought my 97, there wasn't a D-Cab option, and even if there was i wouldn't have bought it because i couldn't get a 5speed. That was back when I was 18 and had a buncha freeloading friends that didn't like to help pay for gas money, so those ones got to ride in the way back if they wanted me to drive. Most of the time they drove... Now I have a wife and 2 kids, and the extra cab isn't enough room for me.

So what did I do? I bought a wrecked D-cab and am swapping the body onto my 97 ExCab Chassis... Then i will have the best of both worlds.

Captain_Toyota

I went from an extended cab to a regular cab and Ive got all the room I need. In my opinion, unless you are a married and have kids, an extended cab/doublecab is a luxury, not a requirement.
Besides, if the time comes when I have a serious wife/girlfriend, I'll have my reg cab Tacoma and she will have a Camry! If Im going somewhere by myself, I will either take the Tacoma or the bike. If we go somewhere together and need the extra room, we will take the Camry
Cap'n

rugerm44

I have a 2002 double cab and a 2004 extend cab.If neither one will do it I pull out the ford superduty crew cab and go drain the gas station.

txtoy

well, i have a standard cab pickup and while i think it looks better than the xtended, i find myself turining my rig into a 4runner. all i'd have to do is cut the back out and throw a bench in the back i've always liked soft top 4 runners....

rugerm44

The first 4 runner toyota made was a trail blazer.It was done by aftermarket.They cut the back out and installed a seat and carpet.I wouldnt cut the truck up.I would sell it and get what suits your needs.

Beartracker

I'm not much on 4 runners or double cabs. I do like the Tacoma extended cabs . The idea of not having a good truck bed just turms me off. Guess I still believe that the Tacoma is the real Toyota but I sure hate the looks of the new one's!

Intrepid

Where was the option of "I love the ext cab but need to invest in one larger, louder sub and remove the two singles in separate boxes that fill the whole ext cab" I would pick that, haha.
I love the ext cab, it is the perfect amount of room, I also like having the full 6' bed, I have put people in back once in a while and I have sat in back (with 1 sub removed of course) but it isn't choice. I bought the ext cab because I never needed to take that many people (we could use my wifes car for that) and I wanted enough room to throw a back pack or toolbox or something in the back. My brother had a single cab and it was TIGHT, I needed the seat to be all the way back to be comfortable but then it squeaked because it rubbed on the rear window, not to mention that there was only enough room to store a couple map books, IF they were small...

roger

I don't want or need to carry a lot of people around, so the Xtra Cab works just fine for me. It's not a huge amount of storage space, but it helps.

iBilinTuc

My first Toyota pickup was a regular cab. I learned to hate it real quick. Why? No storage. They look great, but there is simply no place to put anything.

My first ten miles in it was a trip to the grocery store. My wife and I came out of the store to find it raining; we rode home with grocery bags stacked to the ceiling in her lap.

Storage behind the seat? If you have long legs and have the seat back you can forget putting any thing back there. Traveling somewhere? Every time you stop (lunch break, pee break, etc.) you gotta take everything out of the bed and lock it in the cab.

So, I bought a bed storage box and that solved part of the problem, though I lost part of the bed doing so.

The other thing is, I was certain that sooner than later I was going to put my elbow through the back window. Those of you who have a standard bed probably know what I mean.

I have an extended cab now. I like it!

Tanto

I have a taco doublecab (see sig) and I really like the extra interior room. The short bed is the only issue I have on it. The 3.4L with the auto has plenty of power below 60mph and good power above that. I passed 3 vehicles in a row going up a hill starting at 45mph. When I put my 33's on, I don't notice a power drain until I hit highway speeds.

Tacoclimber

Having had all three (reg cab, an ext. cab Hilux, an ext. cab Taco and DC Taco) I have to say that the DC is pretty great. Lotsa room, the wheelbase isn't really any longer than the extended cab, I have the 3.4, with the locker, and 4wd, so pretty much all my needs are met. There are times when a 5 speed would be nice, but to tell you the truth, it really isn't that big of a deal. All in all, I am VERY happy with my truck.

rugerm44

You only lose about 8 inches with the dbl cab.A bed extender more than makes up for it.I have an 02 dbl cab and a 04 ext cab.If one had to go it would be the ext cab!

oly884

No, because of this:

Jared Ajlouny

i wish i had a double cab when its raining an i have to put all the tools in my truck ( compressor, chop saw, drills ,nail gun..... bblah blah) i also have a 98 5spd locker sr5 trd. took me 6 months to find for the price i wanted to pay. bough tit 1 hour after it went up on craigslist...

ecchamberlin

I have/had all three.

Over all I like my Runner the best. If my wife didn't have the Dcab though I may have had to go with a Dcab for myself. Just need a bed for dirty stuff sometimes.
Runner is by far a more refined interior vehicle. More niceties. Off road I absolutely like the Runner better for its turn radious and 4 link rear.

99Xtra cab

w/6ft bed very nice with a topper


01 Runner


04 Dcab


The 5ft bed in the Dcab is really small. Seems like only a ft difference would not make a big diff. but is does.

Tacoclimber

I agree with you, Eric, the bed is definitely smaller. I think it's mainly because you lose the room in front of the wheel wells with the DC. I def. miss the bigger bed sometimes, but the bigger cab more than makes up for it, and with a growing family, I needed the room in cab more than in the bed. I do have a lumber rack that I put on when I'm gonna be hauling wood, drywall, 9'0" Becker longboards....

ecchamberlin

And that is exactly why I don't still have my xcab Taco. When my son was able to fit in a forward facing car seat the xcab just was too small to fit it in the back. So I went with a Runner and the wife got the DC Taco. Either way they are both really nice vehicles to own. We now have a Snugtop shell on her DC and that really makes it nice for trips because you can lock up whatever is in the bed.

Tacoclimber

I would love to get my wife a 4runner. Don't know how realistic that dream is right at this point, but hopefully in a few years. She loves 'em, and so do I, but our financial state won't allow it (yet) We're both pretty set on a 4runner for her next vehicle, though. Right now she has a Honda Civic, which is ok, but after a few trips with the truck and realizing how much easier it is to get Pierce in and out of the truck vs. the Honda, she was dropping hints like crazy... Of course, if we do get a 4runner, you know what's going to happen....I'll start modding that one, too!

spaugh

I like the look of the extended cab the best, the only problem with the pre 05 models is that they don't have a 3rd mini door. Even the chevy S10 had a 3rd door on the extended cab model. I used to own an S10 then I sold it and bought an 04 taco. I love everything about the taco execpt the lack of that 3rd door, and the stupid video game shifter.

ornery

well as a single guy.. I find the ext. cab OK. I really wanted a 4Runner, but that didnt happen (found the perfect one too, 5spd with locker...) .. I havent really used the bed yet, but I'm sure its day will come.

I WOULD NEVER OWN A SINGLE CAB. (never-ever? never-ever-ever!)

The ext. cab has my minimum standard of interior space. It can sit 4 people if needed, or lug some stuff. Plus I have buckets that recline (super comfortable, for long trips and sleeping, never have a sore bum). I wish there was some more storage space personally.. I think ext. cab's look better too. Double cab would be OK.. Basically all you get is 2 more doors and some more leg room. (Too bad they're all autos and weigh like another 1000 lbs).

But yea.. I wouldnt buy a double cab (useless box) or a single cab (no interior room). It's between a 4runner and ext. cab.