Anyone own an '05-07 Tacoma?

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Islandvic

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After 2years of researching for a new vehicle, I think I have decided on an '07 Tacoma CrewCab. I want a truck, but not the gas guzzling fuel bill that comes with most trucks.

Using the Toyota online Vehicle Configurator, I want the following model.

Crew Cab
LongBed
SR5 Package
Trailer Towing Pack
Limited Slip Diff
Side Impact Airbags
I still dont know if I want 4x4 because of the cost.

WHo here has one and what are your thoughts and comments on them?

How has the reliability been?

MPG?

Recalls, TSB's, or other common problems?

Is the TRD Off ROad package worth the extra cost, or is that $$ better spent on aftermarket stuff?

THanks!
 
I personally think there is better value for the money. Your truck configured the way you want it costs about $29K -$30K. It only has a $750 rebate and with some hardcore negotiations, you could probably get it for $26,000. HOWEVER, production of the 2007's has for the most part ended and you will simply have to choose from what is left over at this point.

In contrast, the 2007 Nissan Titan has a $5,000 rebate, rides on the same wheelbase as the Taco, and you get more stuff. A Titan SE 4X4 stickers for $32,295 and you can easily get one for $23,000 if you barter. I doubt the 3-4 mpg will be super noticeable and the ability to tow 6,500 WITHOUT a special package is nice. Get the $400 or so towing package and you can pull 9,100 lbs.

So it breaks down like this:

2007 Toyota Tacoma:
236 Horsepower
$29,000
18/21
Negotiated Price of $26,000 after $750 Rebate

2007 Nissan Titan
317 Horsepower
$33,000
14/18
Negotiated Price of $23,000 after $5,000 Rebate

P.S. Estimated annual fuel costs based on the NEW fuel consumption standard put a $559 between the two vehicles on an annual basis. The difference in payment based on 60 months after taxes and fees would be $56. Over the life of the loan you save $3,360 in vehicle price and interest.

That would require you to drive 6 years before you save a nickel from fuel due to the price disparity.

Simply put, Toyota's are overpriced, and small trucks don't make sense given TODAY's huge rebates on full size trucks that aren't much larger than the model you were looking at.

And other than fitting in a smaller parking space or making a smaller environmental impact, there isn't much the Taco does better than the Titan on road or off.
 
"2007 Toyota Tacoma:
18/21
Negotiated Price of $26,000 after $750 Rebate"

I paid less than $26k for a new 2003 Dodge 3/4 ton diesel 4x4 quad cab, and get pretty much the same mileage in town (17 to 18 mpg in the city, 19 to 20 mpg hwy).

Ain't progress great ?
 
You should probably check out tundrasolutions.com for real world experiences. I followed them for a while before I bought my 03 DoubleCab, which, incidentally, has been troublefree for 56K miles.
 
Quote:



2007 Nissan Titan
317 Horsepower
$33,000
14/18
Negotiated Price of $23,000 after $5,000 Rebate

P.S. Estimated annual fuel costs based on the NEW fuel consumption standard put a $559 between the two vehicles on an annual basis. The difference in payment based on 60 months after taxes and fees would be $56. Over the life of the loan you save $3,360 in vehicle price and interest.

That would require you to drive 6 years before you save a nickel from fuel due to the price disparity.

Simply put, Toyota's are overpriced, and small trucks don't make sense given TODAY's huge rebates on full size trucks that aren't much larger than the model you were looking at.

And other than fitting in a smaller parking space or making a smaller environmental impact, there isn't much the Taco does better than the Titan on road or off.

Click to expand...


Why are you confining the only other possibilty to Nissan?
Ford and GM make great full size trucks.
 
I have one. 07 Prerunner V-6. SR5. Trailer Pgk. 6sp. Electric locking rear differential. Extended cab. 6 disc CD changer. C.C.

I really like the truck. The fuel mileage could be better(19hiway, 17city. The brakes take some getting used to. I don't like soft pedals. New pads, shoes and SS lines are in my future. Power is more than enough. Handles well, without a lot of suspension dive in the corners.

I have no regrets. If you are buying one for fuel mileage, get the 4cyl. If you don't mind 16-19mpg, by all means buy the V-6. The automatic gets better mileage than the 6sp manual. Keep that in mind.
 
Quote:

I have one. 07 Prerunner V-6. SR5. Trailer Pgk. 6sp. Electric locking rear differential. Extended cab. 6 disc CD changer. C.C.

I really like the truck. The fuel mileage could be better(19hiway, 17city. The brakes take some getting used to. I don't like soft pedals. New pads, shoes and SS lines are in my future. Power is more than enough. Handles well, without a lot of suspension dive in the corners.

I have no regrets. If you are buying one for fuel mileage, get the 4cyl. If you don't mind 16-19mpg, by all means buy the V-6. The automatic gets better mileage than the 6sp manual. Keep that in mind.

Click to expand...



Worse mileage than a full size and can't do as much.
Unless a mini truck can get 30mpg it's a total waste of time.(to buy brand new) That said S-10's are the best cheap and cheap to fix beaters going.
 
FXjohn,
First, you don't know how much I paid. Second, the Toyota Tacoma that I bought does everything I wanted it to do, which is good enough for me.

Lets see 2 or 3 years down the road how well the resale value is on any of the domestic brand 1/2 tons that they are giving away. They won't hold a candle to the Toyota's resale value. Ever wonder why Toyota doesn't give them away? They can sell everyone they make with little or no incentives. Reputation? Maybe. Better quailty? Certainly.
 
Quote:

FXjohn,
First, you don't know how much I paid. Second, the Toyota Tacoma that I bought does everything I wanted it to do, which is good enough for me.

Lets see 2 or 3 years down the road how well the resale value is on any of the domestic brand 1/2 tons that they are giving away. They won't hold a candle to the Toyota's resale value. Ever wonder why Toyota doesn't give them away? They can sell everyone they make with little or no incentives. Reputation? Maybe. Better quailty? Certainly.

Click to expand...


If you keep your truck for 200-300k resale won't matter.
Better quality slightly. More expensive parts MOST CERTAINLY. Anyone buying a new Ford or GM and sticking to the kind of maintenance laid out on this forum along with the warranty will quickly pass your investment in superstition and japanese build. But hey it's YOUR money, I like to keep mine in my pocket. If you buy something and want to take care of it, it will last. If your an interest payer and non mechanical person pay extra for japanese. time and time again.
 
Quote:

Worse mileage than a full size and can't do as much.


Click to expand...


I have often wondered why people buy these given the fuel economy issues and the severly impaired towing capacity.

My dad bought an '06 2wd 4 cylinder Taco loaded with automatic. He uses it like a car and gets mid 30's on the highway. The odd time he'll put a piece of metalworking machinery in the back and bring back from wherever he found it.

This kind of choice in a down-size truck makes sense to me.

He's really pleased with it. It replaced an '89 toyota 2wd pickup with the v6 and automatic. It got mid 30's on the highway as well.

You can darn-near cut that fuel economy in half with 4wd.
 
FXJohn,
Don't tell me about Domestic build quailty. I have an 05 Mustang GT that I am suing Ford under the lemon law. 5100mi and 20,that's right 20, trips to the dealer and it still is not repaired. Bad radio, slipping transmission, 3 master cylinders, 3 trunk releases and the list goes on and on. Junk. Pure and simple.

I have had my Toyota since March. Want to guess how many times it been back to the dealer in the same amount of miles? Zero!

You also state that the price of parts are more expensive. Well, if you don't need as many parts, the overall cost is lower.

I am not an "interest payer" and I do my own maintenance. So the cost of ownership for me is low. Initial buy in might be more expensive, but less time and money wasted at repair shops or under the hood doing it myself is worth it. How much is your time worth? If you have the time, great. I don't.
 
My friend has an '06 Tacoma (that I actually recommended to him) and he hasn't had an ounce of trouble with it yet. The only thing he's had to do is just put in some gas, some more air in the tires and get the oil changed. He really likes it, and if I were in the market for a pickup that would be my choice.
 
FWIW I have a 2001 Dodge 3.9 V-6 with the 5 speed long bed and it gets 19-21 mpg on the highway and 16-17 around town. Averages 18-19. No problems in the 6 years I have owned it that I had to pay for. I had a battery replaced and steering column intermediate shaft fixed under warranty though. Unless you're getting a regular cab 4 cyl 5 speed 2wd compact truck, a fullsize is a better choice.
 
Go small or go big... this mid-size stuff in the pickup market OUGHT to be the "best of all worlds", but it appears to be the worst of all options.
 
People talk about resale values and its 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

Lets say I have a domestic product that retails for 24,000 and a Japanese product that goes for 28,000. After 3 years, lets say the Japanese product has a 57% residual and the domestic product has a 50% residual.

Either way, your product has depreciated $12,000 if you do the math. Except when you choose the domestic product, you finance less money and you payed less interest as a result. About the same total cost of ownership.

I chose the Titan as the a comparison to the Tacoma because it is the best value in the market. All the problem areas from the launch have been addressed. In addition, the engine and transmission are SOLID. The ECU is actually smart enough to lift throttle between shifts for the automatic.

The Taco is overpriced and there are better options out there. It's a cult following and Toyota uses their propaganda like resale value and reliability. I've already covered the resale value. On the reliability side of things, they actually recalled more vehicles than they sold last year.

If the mid sized trucks (which means they are not full sized trucks and have less capability) were CHEAPER, it would make sense. But they often cost the SAME or MORE.

Imagine if the Corolla cost more than a Camry. Who the heck would buy a Corolla? Nobody with a brain. You are looking at the same situation with trucks.
 
offtopic.gif


Wow! That was the shortest "permanent" vacation I have ever seen!
 
Quote:

Go small or go big... this mid-size stuff in the pickup market OUGHT to be the "best of all worlds", but it appears to be the worst of all options.

Click to expand...


Looks that way, unless you get a regular cab Taco, Ranger or Colorado with the 4 cyl 5 speed. The others get the same (some worse) mileage than a fullsize.
 
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