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    This website is the passion-project of a USMC veteran/mechanic, @Tyler. I created Tacoma3G.com to share my knowledge of this subject with others and to provide like-minded folks with a comfortable space to ask questions and create 'build threads' within our Tacoma Forums. Now, if the format of this website is confusing to navigate for you, or if you're interested in my full mission and T3G's history, check out the Help and About pages.

New guy, help me spend my money!?!

G

Gene Neill

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Tacoma3G Supporter
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Aug 20, 2022
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Greetings everyone, thanks for having me! I'm the former owner of two access cab Tacos. One was an '04 (I put 350,000 miles on that one), the other was a 2014, which I only had for two years and a measly 80,000 miles. Then, in 2016 I traded "up" to a new Tundra. It's a nice enough truck and all, but it's got 208,000 miles on it now, which I think is getting up there for a V8. Time to trade her in. Nothing against Tundras, but I can't WAIT to get back into a Taco. But which one, which one, which one! Help me narrow it down??

I have to have a long bed for my work. And I want 4WD, even though 98% of my driving is on pavement, a mix of city and highway. And I want SR5 or higher trim. Beyond that, I can't pin myself down, and it's driving me crazy.

#1 question at this moment: Do TRD offroads handle differently on pavement than other double cab/long box Tacos? I don't "need" a TRDO, but (surprisingly) it seems like that's where I can get the most truck for my dollar right now. The Sports I'm seeing almost all include "premium" packages, which I really don't want, adding thousands to the sticker. And the savings in SR5 vs. TRD isn't much, especially since I don't like the all-black SR5 rims I'm seeing, and would have to replace them. (No offense! I know black rims are popular, it's just my personal taste).

#2 question, can anyone describe how a double cab/long box feels to drive, compared to the access cabs I've owned in the past? It's "only" one more foot of wheel base, but that makes it exactly the same as DCLB Tundra, and same turning radius. Seems wrong somehow. I don't necessarily need four doors, but every once in a while the extra seating/cargo space will come in handy. And if there is a price savings in access cab vs. double cab, I'm not seeing it.

#3 question, can anyone tell me if the interior room (particularly in the back seat) of a 2022 access cab is the same as it was in '04 and '14? We had kids back then, and I seem to recall they outgrew that back seat very quickly. To my eye, it still looks about the same.

Okay, I'll shut up and listen to your words of wisdom. Thank you in advance. I've been quietly sniffing around here for a few days, and the crowd I'm seeing is a lot more knowledgeable and a lot more helpful than certain other sites. Cheers!
 
1) ride is a hair better in the long bed. We've got a lot of long been guys here, I'm sure they'll chime in.
2) trd-off road is definitely the value point. Locker and off road doo-dads without all the extra stuff. The suspension is supple and works well stock. I had a trd off-road in 2016, loved it. Now have a 2020 trd pro, wish I had saved the extra cash and done an off-road.
3) interior in the rear is plenty for an adult or two, though the front seats are a little odd, takes some getting used to. 2020 and up have the option of power seats driver's side, highly recommend.
 
I've got a long TRDOR even though I'm a single dude with no kids. I wanted all that space for long trips. Long bed to sleep in, roomy backseats for more stuff, like a fridge or a dog when I adopt one. No regrets, except when I ride in my friend's 4runner and watch them choose any parking spot they want.

I removed my back seats and put a platform in and it's been great. Like @Biohazard said, the off-road trim gets you nice features, like the rear locker. I'm not 100% on this, but I think only the OR trim puts all the brake booster stuff on the driver side of the engine bay (it gives you Crawl Control), which frees up some space on the passenger side. Many folks mount a secondary battery or air compressor there, which isn't really doable if the brake components are in the way.

With that said, this is the only Tacoma I've had. So I can't compare it to earlier years or other configurations. But I agree with @Bird dog that you should just get the OR!
 
Only point I can comment on is the space of the access cab.

I went with the access cab because 95% of my driving is just me to work.

Occasionally I wish I had the double cab when I'm picking up groceries or it's raining on the way home from camping. I definitely wouldn't want to be an adult sitting back there for more than 30 mins or an hour. No way you're gonna have 2 happy people back there, unless they are really small.
 
Thanks for the input, guys, I appreciate it! I've put a deposit on a TRDO in Jacksonville, FL, at the only dealer I could find who is not adding market adjustment $ to the MSRP, which was $42,728, including $2600 worth of packages and accessories ... most of which I didn't really want.

So what's the deal with the "cash penalty" Toyota is applying? To get the stated price, you can't pay cash, you have to finance with Toyota. And there is a penalty for paying it off too soon. The salesman was unclear as to the exact amounts of the penalties, or how many payments had to be made to avoid them.
 
Gene Neill said:
Thanks for the input, guys, I appreciate it! I've put a deposit on a TRDO in Jacksonville, FL, at the only dealer I could find who is not adding market adjustment $ to the MSRP, which was $42,728, including $2600 worth of packages and accessories ... most of which I didn't really want.

So what's the deal with the "cash penalty" Toyota is applying? To get the stated price, you can't pay cash, you have to finance with Toyota. And there is a penalty for paying it off too soon. The salesman was unclear as to the exact amounts of the penalties, or how many payments had to be made to avoid them.
Click to expand...
Toyota makes money on financing. To get make their "deal" financially viable, they are factoring in the money they will be making on your loan over 3-6 years.

Pay it off early, you're eliminating the interest they would have made. Pay cash, no financial profit.

While I certainly feel the pain, dealerships have struggled in the last few years and continue to do so due to low inventory. Salesmen have been let go, admin staff has been downsized, all just to stay open. Fewer sales with higher profits ("market adjustments") are still leaving them with tight budgets. It takes something like $200,000 monthly just to keep a typical dealership open, without any actual profit.
 
Biohazard said:
1) ride is a hair better in the long bed. We've got a lot of long been guys here, I'm sure they'll chime in.
2) trd-off road is definitely the value point. Locker and off road doo-dads without all the extra stuff. The suspension is supple and works well stock. I had a trd off-road in 2016, loved it. Now have a 2020 trd pro, wish I had saved the extra cash and done an off-road.
3) interior in the rear is plenty for an adult or two, though the front seats are a little odd, takes some getting used to. 2020 and up have the option of power seats driver's side, highly recommend.
Click to expand...
Bio - Love the truck man, that think looks sick! Some say the white on black look is too plain but I've always loved it myself. Hope to wrap mine in the future in a satin or pearl white.
 
I've found the TRD Offroad to handle pretty well on pavement, though its true spirit shines when you hit the trails. As for the double cab/long box feel, that extra foot of wheelbase makes a difference, especially regarding seating and cargo space. It's like having the best of both worlds with practicality and maneuverability.
Oh, and speaking of getting the best value, have you heard about games to play for money? It's a cool way to have fun and potentially earn a bit on the side. I came across this nifty list on Wealth of Geeks with some interesting options. Anyway, I'm super glad you're finding this community helpful – there's nothing like a group of knowledgeable folks to guide you.
 
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Gene Neill said:
Thanks for the input, guys, I appreciate it! I've put a deposit on a TRDO in Jacksonville, FL, at the only dealer I could find who is not adding market adjustment $ to the MSRP, which was $42,728, including $2600 worth of packages and accessories ... most of which I didn't really want.

So what's the deal with the "cash penalty" Toyota is applying? To get the stated price, you can't pay cash, you have to finance with Toyota. And there is a penalty for paying it off too soon. The salesman was unclear as to the exact amounts of the penalties, or how many payments had to be made to avoid them.
Click to expand...
My "window sticker" had in phrased as "additional dealer profit",..... basically, it's written in the deal if you pay cash.
You can argue it and win if you finance the truck,..... if you pay cash the dealer will tell you its a Toyota rule of sale.
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(seeing "INCLUDED" makes you think psychologically that you're getting a deal,...... no,..... its stuffed in the price.)
Easy way for them to get the $1,500 to $2,500 depending on where you buy the truck without any sales lot talk.

So..... 2,500 + 1,215 = 3,715.00 which is 10% of $37,150.00 (base sticker price)
DONE! seal the deal Toyota. Great way to keep the lot talk to a minimum.
 
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