I was thinking about buying the new Toyota Tacoma when I come back from deployment, I must have the V6 4x4 6speed.

Has anyone heard anything bad about these new toys, and when you purchase one is it worth buying the TRD offroad package which jumps the truck from
$23,000 to 29,000........ or is it cheaper just to buy the better tires and shocks yourself?

 

The main thing about the TRD package is that you have the electronically locking rear differential. The Sport package has a LSD (Limited Slip Differential) which is better than an "open" axle.

There are different aftermarket lockers available but it may depend on what axle you get with the truck.

 

I've heard of some people having trouble with that 6-speed tranny. I don't know excactly what kind of problem but you might want to search around with terms like "6 speed"

 

I agree with Tanto. The main advantage of the OR package is the e-locker. If you think you will need/use a locker, that alone makes it worth buying the OR package IMO.

Other advantages to OR/Sport packages: Sport seats-pretty nice..., some skid plates/protection, power outlet, compass/temp gauge

Otherwise, the suspension components are so-so, and the Rugged trails sorta suck off the payment, and are so-so otherwise.

Alot of it depends on what YOU want out of the truck. The Bilstein/TRD setup ain't bad for most folks, and it is a step up from the base model suspension. If you are sure you will rip out whatever Toyota gives you, and go with aftermarket suspension and treads, then if you can live without the elocker, don't waste your money.

Me: I paid Toyota for their OR package, then ripped it all out anyway (except the locker of course....). There is a resale market for the parts tho, and so you can recoup some of the money.

 

I just bought a Tacoma and took it home for the first time last week. I had to have one just like you described: V6, 4x4, standard trans. Sounds simple enough, right? But the thing is, most dealerships will not even have one like that on their lot. Most of these trucks are autos, as I'm sure you know, but the very few that are standard are almost all straight 4 cyl. What I had to do was have the salesman check around the region, find one, then I had to make the deal and put a deposit down on a truck I hadn't even seen. Then the dealership would swap trucks with the other dealership. Of course, if I didn't like the truck because it had some flaw, I could ask him to get me another one, but my deposit pretty much commited me. Otherwise, I guess you could man the phones. But it's hard to make a great deal when the truck you're looking for is so rare. And they know that.

To find one with a specific package will be even more difficult. And we haven't even talked about color yet.

Regarding the shifting, it seems a little loose at first, but it's something you get used to quickly enough. The odd thing is all the shifting you have to do. If you're not in a hurry, that is, your "cruising", they want you to shift like this:

1 to 2 -- 8 mph
2 to 3 -- 14 mph
3 to 4 -- 25 mph
4 to 5 -- 34 mph
5 to 6 -- 41 mph

So, you're doing a LOT of shifting all the friggin' time. It's very difficult for me to shift that low. The engine is only at around 1500 rpm or less when you shift, and then it barely gets over 2000 before you shift again. This is much different than the way I shifted in my '95 pickup.

If you dont care about gas mileage and want to accelerate quickly, this is what the manual says:

1 to 2 -- 13 mph
2 to 3 -- 24 mph
3 to 4 -- 33 mph
4 to 5 -- 41 mph
5 to 6 -- 47 mph

Here's how I've been shifting (a compromise):

10 mph
20 mph
28 mph
38 mph
45 mph

If you're really a wild man, here's the max speeds for each gear

1st 30
2nd 58
3rd 85
4th 106
5th 127
6th (not listed, lol)

This is straight out of the manual, for a 4x4 6-speed Tacoma.

Good luck with your new truck!