Thinking about buying a Tacoma...

[PEIslander]

I'm thinking about trading in our tired 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee for a new 2015 Toyota Tacoma. We'd get the 4x4 Access Cab (2-door) with the SR5 package and the 236 hp 4.0L V6 with 5-speed automatic. It will have a 6-foot box. Fuel consumption ratings in US gallons are 15-city, 17-combined, and 19-highway. That poor milage is similar to the Jeep so, sadly, we are used to it. Kelly Blue Book rates the Tacoma as having the best resale value of any vehicle. (At 3-years old they say the Tacoma holds almost 75% of its value and 60.4% at 5-years). The towing capacity is 6500 pounds so it should handle our small but mighty Camplite 11FDB with ease.

[rideandfly]

The 4.0L Tacoma would handle your mighty 11 easily!!!!!  Like the 6' box, too. Have a 6' box on our 2.4L Tacoma and miss it on our 4.0L Frontier, current TV.

Really like the durability of the Tacoma, too. It's our lowest maintenance vehicle we own. 

[PEIslander]

It's our lowest maintenance vehicle we own.

That's good to hear. Our Jeep is a maintenance piggie.

[PEIslander]

Well today our Jeep was traded in on the 2015 Tacoma. We are liking the upgrade muchly but I have yet to test it by towing our trailer. That test will come in a few weeks when we have a trip planned to beautiful Nova Scotia.

On eTrailer I found a plug'n'play wiring harness made for using my Tekonsha P3 brake controller with the Tacoma so I didn't need to tackle removing the old wiring from the Jeep. The harness is ordered along with two >> RockyMounts Clutch ST Truck Bed Rail Bike Carriers << made for the Tacoma.

Here's a pic of our new truck taken a few minutes ago in the evening light. Although it looks darker in the pic, the truck is a metallic silver colour.

[rideandfly]

Congrats on the fine looking Tacoma.

Looking forward to hearing how easily it handles the Mighty 11!  Our 2.4L Tacoma is a daily driver for us and TV for some of our other trailers.

[Merlin]

Great move. Should make an excellent TV. Tacos are very popular so there are lots of aftermarket (as well as Toyota) accessories to "customize" it. I bought a Toyota truck cheap years ago from a construction company that had beat the *&^% out of it. An oil change and new tires and that truck ran trouble free while I owned it. I sold it for almost what I paid for it.

[Paul]

Nice truck!

[PEIslander]

Tacos are very popular so there are lots of aftermarket (as well as Toyota) accessories to "customize" it.

My first Taco mod was to order a couple >> RockyMounts Clutch SD Truck Bed Rail Bike Mounts <<. (I actually ordered them before I bought the truck --- I guess trying to commit myself to going forward with the truck purchase). The mounts attached easily to the bed rails and the bikes attach easily to them. I was surprised how firmly the bikes can be held just by the front fork dropouts. The model I bought incorporates locks and both mounts are keyed alike. RockyMounts also sell a similar but lower cost mount without the lock. The mounts themselves take up practically no room - I like that. If you look at the pics on the eTrailer site I linked you'll see the mounts can be installed behind the cab or to the side rails. I currently have them behind the cab but when I go camping I'll likely move them to opposite side rails. With them opposite I think the required offset would be less than if on the same rail. The goal will be to leave more usable space in the 6' box for my cooler, axe, camp tables, bal leveler, lawn chairs, bla, bla, bla... 


(Image was copied from eTrailer Site).

[Paul]

Nice mod! I can't wait to see your new truck on the next livin lite international gathering

[PEIslander]

The Tacoma was a very comfortable ride pulling the small but mighty 11-foot Camplite. Sure I knew it was back there on the hills but remarkably transparent in normal driving.

I have a >> Equalizer hitch << I had bought for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and I optimistically used it without adjustment on the Tacoma. I just slid it into the Tacoma's factory receiver, hitched up the small-but-mighty trailer with its factory-installed >>Quickbite coupler <<, and completed the set-up with the installation of the Equalizer's unique four-point anti-sway weight distribution bars. I (feeling like Dr. Frankenstein) stepped back and inspected the stance of the Taco & the CL11FDB. It looked good. Real good! Like a prom date! Prom dates need no fussing and neither did the Taco-Camplite lovers on this their first date. So much promise! I was rewarded for my trust. As chaperone on this first date - I'll admit I was a little nervous but then the ride was so smoooooth --- a match made in heaven. With the Jeep there was always a bit of porpoising at around 35 to 40 mph. It really didn't like that speed and it let me know. In contrast the Taco-Camplite are mucho deeply in love. Smooooth from the drive-away to the campsite. If I could have I would have left them coupled throughout our stay -- that's what the new lovers wanted. Unfortunately the site wasn't level and I needed to uncouple them to level the trailer. I felt sorry for the Camplite -- the BAL Leveler and tongue jack wheel are no substitute for the secure loving coupling the trailer had with its never-let-go >> Quickbite coupler << had on the hitch's 2" 10.000-pound rated love ball.

The new Taco's backup camera is also a blessing. How did I live without one?

[Paul]

I agree with you PEI, the backup camera is really nice to have!