This is a neat thread--pretty cool to see the varied sentiments, happenstance, and logic that arrives us all at the same end goal. Respect to all the different roads, so to speak, that led us to our trucks. I landed on my Tacoma in the same manner as many of you, process of elimination, a mixture of conscious and subconscious of inspiration, and a sprinkle of serendipity. Here's the Tarantino version of it:
Winter 2015, I was heading up to Vermont (for a little shredding of the gnar) via route 100 in southern Vermont right by the Jacksonville Country Store. Parked in front of what is now that cheese shop was a clean looking lifted blue 2nd gen, probably on 35's if my memory of proportions serves. As I rolled by, I thought to myself, 'huh.' At the time I was driving a 5 speed '03 Corolla, happy as a clam.
When we all first started driving (around '05, to date myself), my buddy owned a series of 1st gen Tacomas. His were MT, had stupid amounts of rake, and one of my fondest memories in one was sitting in the bed while he ripped donuts in the middle of a nor'easter in an intersection of a local turnpike. Dumb and limb threatening? Without question. Memorable? Undoubtedly.
Fast forward to early 2017. My kid brother was getting close to 16 years old, and as I was incredibly fortunate to be gifted my first vehicle ('71 AMC Hornet--FUN!) I thought the right karmic thing would be to pass on my corolla to him. But what to replace it with?
I had been working in my 'big boy' job for a few years, and had put away a good amount to put a substantial down payment on a vehicle. I knew that I wanted three things: a new(er) vehicle that I would drive for the foreseeable future (thus would need to grow into as life stuff happened), manual transmission (more fun and engaging that AT, no disrespect to the two pedal folks) and four wheel drive (New England winters). That limited things a bit. Basically my options were a Mini Cooper, a Wrangler, a Tacoma, and Subie.
I kept building this Mini JCW Countryman online, but it just didn't feel right. Then one day that aforementioned Vermont 'huh' popped back into my head. My buddies have always owned pickups, I was now a homeowner, and could use the utility, plus I knew from experience how reliable my Corolla had been. Weeks of online research, reviews, building and I thought: I think I'll see what the truck life craze is all about.
I walked into the dealership on a Thursday just to test drive. The moment I closed the truck door I knew. Hadn't even turned the damn thing on. Felt like Sully joining those hair tentacles with Toruk Makto, if y'all catch my drift. Bob stillman at Toyota of Colchester, if you're still around brother, I owe you a debt of gratitude. That man spent weeks tracking down the exact spec'd '17 Tacoma I was looking for, and found one fresh off the line down in Texas. Every day driving this truck had been my favorite day driving it.
I had no intention to modify, off-road, or camp with the truck, but late spring 2018, armed with a Smittybilt RTT on some KB Voodoo cross bars, I took a 21 day cross country trip, hit about 12 national parks and a reggae festival in Monterey. One of the best trips of my life--but that's a story for another thread.
Thanks for reading, and Viva la Tacoma!
-Joel
