A Year with the Tacoma
 

It was one year ago today that I picked up my Tacoma. Here is the original thread:

Bought a 2020 Tacoma Today

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Since then, it's been a busy year for the truck. Lots of trips to the local lumber yard, Costco, Home Depot, etc. It's pulled yard duty, carrying multiple heavy loads of dirt and sod for a backyard project:


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Hauled boxes and boxes of Girl Scout cookies (Cookie dad FTW!):


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It's been on a road trip down to Oregon in the heat of the summer, and taken the family up to the mountains in the dead of winter for some sledding/snow fun:


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So how has it been? I just love it. It's such a satisfying vehicle to have in the stable. I picked it up on a 3 year lease but we've already decided to buy it out of the lease and keep it.

The four of us can ride comfortably in it (though it's tight with the dog too) and I have put the bed to use on a very regular basis. I am so happy that I went with the long bed.

We just purchased a travel trailer so we'll be checking it out for towing duty soon.

I haven't had any issues with the truck - it has been rock solid. No squeaks or rattles, no glitches or complaints. If there's a downside, it's the fuel mileage which is quite poor in town, but I don't drive it enough to matter.

I've done some mods - the tri-fold tonneau cover, black exhaust tip, blacked out the emblems, TRD skid plate, and running boards. There is a ton of aftermarket support for Tacomas, so you can really go crazy if you aren't careful!

I need to schedule it for its first oil change, maybe next week. It's just had one other service appointment, all covered by Toyota Care.

Hopefully this next year will see more miles on it and many more good times and family outings.

A whole year for its first oil change? :uh:

Your purchase thread a year ago, JDR76, caused me to investigate the Tacoma market. That was short-lived as a friend who owns one advised that, unlike our F-150, there is not 48 inches between the rear wheelwells in the bed. It was just as well because the F-150 is rarely used and it really would not make any (monetary) sense to buy something new that would go unused most of the time.

You sure are right that pick-up utility cannot be beat.

Love that pic of the Tacoma in the snow!

Correct. Service interval is 12 months or 10k miles for oil changes. As I'm well under 10k miles, this will be the first oil change (same interval as my GS and Highlander).

Oh yes, definitely not 48 inches there. I have carried 48" wide plywood, but it rests on top of the wheel wells, rather than between them.

I love the snow pic too! Thanks!

I've never gotten all the drama over having 48" between the wheel wells. If you are just buying a truck for around the house, just fit them in over the wheel well.

And it's not like people can even afford to buy plywood anymore.

Just curious if there are any cutouts/indentations on the sidewalls of a Tacoma to put 2x4s? My 2000 Chevy is truly a long bed (90+ inches) but it also has indentations on the sidewalls that will support 2x4s across the bed that will then support things like plywood or a queen size mattress/box springs between the sidewalls with room underneath for boxes, etc. Also has cutouts where I can put a 2x8 or 2x10 on its side across the bed to section it off.

Yes, it does have those, and it's quite handy.

i've been wanting to lease a tacoma for some time now, but only if it's the off-road model with the 6MT... the offroad part isn't as important as it being a stick but i'd love the upgrades of the off-road model especially since i plan to hoon it around on the beach and in snow lol

that's awesome yours has been going well! it's a great truck

My previous Tacoma (2011 TRD Sport) had the 6 speed manual and I loved it. I would have went for the manual again had it been available with the long bed and full cab.

Love it! The Taco line is still very near and dear to my heart. Had to push hard to get the TRD Off-Road to be made in the Double Cab Long Bed Config.

Dad has a 2016 or 2017 Tacoma(1st year of the current body style). I wasn't all that impressed, his is the small cab/V6/2wd/tow package with just a few options. Main thing is somewhere hiding in that engine is a bunch of horsepower, but the computer programming/gearing of the automatic trans keeps the revs down below 2500rpm in normal driving, where that engine just falls flat on its face. Push the pedal down and rev it out, its decently quick, but it feels like a dog in normal driving. Also I don't care for the driving position/seats, your legs are straight out in front of you like you're driving a low slung Corvette or something. A big reason to buy a truck is for comfort, you sit in the seats like an office chair in a full size truck with your legs pointing down, not straight ahead.

When I bought a truck a couple years ago I went with the Tundra, same price as a Tacoma but what sold me was the V8 torque, comfort of the seats and all that damn room in the cab(and I bought one with the small cab/longer bed option)

I am so glad I could get it in the long bed. I likely would have went for the TRD Sport if the Off Road wasn't available in the long bed. I noticed for 2021 they made the Limited available with the long bed, which was not an option in 2021.

16 was the first year of this generation. My dad has one too, though his is a TRD Sport and quite nicely equipped.

They revised the transmission programming in 2020. Not perfect, but drastically better than prior years. I also use ECT mode a lot as that seems to make a huge difference.

The driving position is not for everyone, but it's a total non-issue for me. The addition of the power seat helps some as you can raise it up quite a bit, but overall, even on long trips, I've been plenty comfortable. Comfort is not one of my reasons for buying a truck, but I have been very happy with it in that regard.

The Tundras are nice no doubt. I just don't want a truck that large. Do you still have it? For some reason I was thinking it didn't work out for you and you got rid of it.

Eh life changes, sold the Tundra. Never did buy the boat I wanted. Finished remodeling the house, ended up gutting the whole bathroom, lots of rot, new floors in the whole house, got kind of carried away thus no boat lol. Figured out I could borrow a truck from 3 different people when I did need one(which isn't every other day anymore). Also I'm driving a lot more due to new job and relationship on the other side of town, burning 30-40 gallons of gas a week got real old. That's one thing I will give the newer Tacomas a tip of the hat to, they are decently efficient if you aren't towing, 21mpg in town last time I borrowed dad's Tacoma for a couple days.