Go new or used?

I have a 2016 Tacoma sr5 double cab (owe 10k on it) and having just had a baby a rear facing car seat looks super cramped back there. The passenger seat is also pretty far forward because of it. So I really have to decide what my next move is and here are my options.

1. keep the Tacoma and suck it up.

2. buy a 2018 limited crew cab tundra for 38k and putting my payments at 350 a month. It’s a fully loaded limited with 70k miles. The older gen tundra has a outdated dash and no remote start so I figure for 700 I can add the Tesla head unit to modernize it and add remote start myself.

3. Go all out and buy a new 22 tundra and have about a 650 dollar payment a month. Sucks to have a huge payment with daycare but I could make it work just also have a 21 platinum highlander for my wife we pay around the same each month so double payments makes this decision feel worse but new is nice and we do make good money but spending close to 60k on a truck kills me inside.

4. Buy a 2019 limited tundra with 35k miles for 46k and again do the upgrades mentioned above to modernize but this has half the miles for 6k more. Payment will be about 400ish a month so getting close to that new tundra.

Considering a new tundra vs the older generation I think about mpg and the newer tech. I like the look of the older tundra over the new tundras but the interior is horrible for the older tundra. I was thinking the upgrades I mentioned above to a older limited will make it more modern (however the back of the center console seems like it’s from the 90s lol). I’m so torn about this so I would love to hear others opinions.

 

2 or 4.

 

Why not just use the Highlander when when traveling with the baby. Whoever is taking he baby drives the Highlander. Seems simple enough.

 

Well we usually do use the highlander for most driving but she’s the worst backseat driver when I drive it lol so I prefer to use my own vehicle. But since my truck seems cramped we never do. And call me old fashion but I prefer to drive when we are all together but maybe I’ll regret those words one day haha.

 

any justification to ease my indecisiveness.

 

No worries, it happens. Easier just to move this thread but the dinosaur can figure it out.

In my opinion the 2019 sounds like the better option.

The 2018 would be good, and I like the idea of upgrading it yourself. Paying $6k for 35k less miles is not a bad idea though, so the 2019 would probably get my vote.

The 2022 I would avoid for now. If you browse the 3rd gen section there are some fairly annoying problems surfacing. Its never a great idea to buy the first year after big changes, wait 3 years and the kinks will be worked out. Mpg might be better but at 1.5 times the price, the cost of fuel isn't offset and the potential for recall downtime is present. A 2018 or 2019 won't have much to worry about in that regard.

 

Went through the same thing when I had a Tacoma. Bought a 2017 Tundra and have no interest in parting with it. I love having it. Not sure what you have against the interior I like it better than my 2015 Tacoma.

Yes you will probably get more mpg with the 2022 but that engine is brand new so the reliability of it is unknown.

Last by crew cab I hope you mean crew max and not double cab because the double cab measures the same as a Tacoma in the back.

I'd go with 4,2,3,1 in that order.

 

Not on the 2018/19, I would have to research that myself. Hard no on the 22' because new gen 1st year buyers are the guinea pigs for the problems. The Taco doesn't sound like it's working.

 

I think the 2nd gen interior is great, aside from the chrome. Everything is easy to reach. Huge knobs you can adjust by feel. No need to take your eyes off the road. Mine is as simple as can be, yet it has CarPlay and dual climate. Some guys say the 2nd gen is uncomfortable over long drives, but I think that is very subjective, and may be a health/age/back pain issue. I have zero complaints other than the chrome, which is easily remedied with a rattle can or a kit from Meso or AJT.

While I think the 3rd gen Tundra will wind up being very reliable, I don’t think as many of them will get to 300k, 400k, 500k, and beyond relatively trouble free as the 2nd gens. The 3rd gen is just a vastly more complicated truck. I would absolutely love to be dead wrong about that, though.

My vote is for #2. #4 is a distant second…35k fewer miles for $6k extra? Doesn’t seem like it’s worth it considering the longevity of these trucks. Pay close attention to service history.

 

You already have one bigger payment, get the smallest payment possible for your truck

 

My order:
1. Don’t quote me in the exact timing, but the baby will only be in a bulky carrier for 1.5- 2 years. Depends more on the baby’s height and weight than length of time.

2. Mileage on these trucks don’t really matter as long as they are well maintained.

4. Lower mileage is always better. But you’re paying $8k more for the truck to have 4 less oil changes.

I’m not even going to list #3 because I don’t think it’s a good idea at all. Don’t make a long term decision over a short term inconvenience. Keep your monthly payment low, or pay off your taco. The freed up monthly income will provide relief during a stressful time (newborns are a blessing but can cause chaos is many ways).

 

Focus on a trk that will handle the extra 2 to 3 kids you'll have in the future, and remember the replacement truck will probably be your last truck for quite awhile.

 

The 3rd generation has a bigger interior than the 22.

 

If the Taco works for your needs other than the car seat issue, keep it. Babies don't stay tiny for long. Just about the time you get used to a stage, they have already moved past it. Use the highlander as the baby hauler and either get over your need to drive all the time or suck up the additional driving suggestions.

 

2 or 4

I had a DC 2014 Tacoma and moved up to my CM 2020 Tundra. I just put our rear facing car seat in the back of the tundra and it's worth having the larger back seat. Obviously the Tacoma is an excellent truck but it sounds like you've out grown it. Then if a second kid comes around? You'll be tight. manageable but tight. There were quite a few threads on TacomaWorld where guys had 2 front facing and 1 rear facing car seats in their DC Tacoma and made it work.

My wife has a 2016 Accord which will be great to get the baby in and out but we will be using both vehicles equally. It would be very difficult for you guys to use the Highlander as the primary vehicle.

Option 3 would be great if you're willing to spend the money.

 

#2 ... and a distant #4

like others have mentioned keep your payment low (*you can always double up*)

If the 2018 is well maintained jump on it.

Plus, the reduction of cost per month allows for minute farkeling - right???

 

Stay in debt you will make a great employee until 65. Whatever happened to owning what you have.

 

Buy a used Tundra CrewMax. 2018 is a really good year, has the TSS upgrades and the trans cooler. Unless you plan on keeping it for 10 years, I wouldn’t worry as much about the mileage as good maintenance records.

I’ve got two car seats in the back of my ‘17 CrewMax, one rear facing. Still a ton of room for wife, gear, dogs, etc. Even when the kids do go front facing you will still want to put your front seats all the way back and be able to haul the family.

 

Not everyone can do that so therefore, paying interest on a purchase is worth the cost in order to have the product.

 

keep the taco and buy a Tundra. Best of both worlds?

at least that's what I tell myself

 

1. keep the Tacoma and suck it up.
Sounds like you are outgrowing the Tacoma.
Cramped car seat leaves no safety room in a crash
My dads 2020 Tacoma is so small, just barely bigger than my 98 4runner inside.
When I get in those things now they feel like a coffin to me lol.

2. buy a 2018 limited crew cab tundra for 38k and putting my payments at 350 a month. It’s a fully loaded limited with 70k miles. The older gen tundra has a outdated dash and no remote start so I figure for 700 I can add the Tesla head unit to modernize it and add remote start myself.
Matter of opinion, but this seems to be the better year to get based on updated tech without having all the latest intrusive stuff.
Tech 12 volts for remote start plug and play was cheap and easy, love mine.
Love my 1794 dash and use only android based phones since forever, but I would never trust android for my vehicle.
Also, more touch screens in my life are just more bacteria/viruses/cleaning/scratching etc to deal with.
I think these are a bad modern trend and a step backwards in general. They have uses but should ALWAYS include many buttons also.
Buttons rarely freeze up like touch screens either.
Whatever floats your boat, but yes the stock entertainment system is total trash, and an embarrassment.

3. Go all out and buy a new 22 tundra and have about a 650 dollar payment a month. Sucks to have a huge payment with daycare but I could make it work just also have a 21 platinum highlander for my wife we pay around the same each month so double payments makes this decision feel worse but new is nice and we do make good money but spending close to 60k on a truck kills me inside.
This doesn't sound like the right budget move since you are not dying for the new truck and you may regret it for various reasons.
Also, you could end up at the dealer a lot more, and even be out of commission for weeks or months the way things are going with the new truck issues.
I always recommend avoiding the first edition of anything complicated like a vehicle. Let them work out the bugs on beta testers, I mean first buyers.

4. Buy a 2019 limited tundra with 35k miles for 46k and again do the upgrades mentioned above to modernize but this has half the miles for 6k more. Payment will be about 400ish a month so getting close to that new tundra.
Same as 2 above.
Mileage is not super relevant imho.
Save money with 2018 and buy more mods or pay it or the highlander off sooner.
Unless you prefer whatever new features came in 2019.

Considering a new tundra vs the older generation I think about mpg and the newer tech. I like the look of the older tundra over the new tundras but the interior is horrible for the older tundra. I was thinking the upgrades I mentioned above to a older limited will make it more modern (however the back of the center console seems like it’s from the 90s lol). I’m so torn about this so I would love to hear others opinions.
Love my interior front and back but I'm biased with a 1794 model. I feel lesser trims do look worse/cheap but that's imo.
New Tundra= New release issues, longevity/reliability concerns, negligible mpg increase, negligible towing increase, negligible payload increase, high cost, high repair costs after warranty, unproven resale value.
Previous Tundra = Issues mostly settled minus 2021 PS recall sadness, proven to last forever on average (YMMV) and very reliable, mpg directly proportional to regular driving style/terrain and mods including lift tires and weight in general, proven resale value.

Thats my take on the situation.
Full disclosure, I would immediately sell the 2022 Tundra if someone gave me one for free.
Pretty much hate everything about it, as far as I'm concerned, it's simply the entirely wrong truck compared to what they should have made, and most of us wanted and needed.

Hopefully you will be happy with whatever you decide to do

 

For me, safety takes precedence. I feel like my tundra could survive a nuclear attack and everyone riding in it would walk away from the carnage (I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but tow truck drivers usually put their kids in the largest vehicles possible). AND I love, love, love the room in my crew max back seat. Kids grow and come with a lot of ‘stuff’ to keep them happy.

 

The '22 is the 3rd gen.

 

22

 

Whatever you do, if you get a Tundra, make sure it's a CrewMax.

I have 3 kids in the rear of mine, and I expect it to continue to hold them comfortably until they have their own verhicle.

 

Given your scenario, I suggest option #2 and selling your Tacoma on the open public market. Do not trade it in.

 

^^^ What he said! DO NOT TRADE!

You'll likely get top dollar for your Taco in the market.

 

I love the crew for the kids but man does it turn into an abyss.

 

Not sure if y’all are having more kids later on but the crew max gives my three kids plenty of room in the back.

I’ve got a booster seat and a car seat back there and my oldest still has plenty of room

 

It was paid off but I took out some money against it since auto loan interest is so low ( 1.5 percent). But your right that’s one thing to think about !