Gas Lol

Hello all,

Lol, another gas rant that we all heard before lol. Am I crazy?! As a family of 5, we have a 2020 CM. We love this truck and I have always been a Toyota truck owner and very hard for me to stray to anything else. BUT… where we are located now (on an island where it’s stop and go all the time and no open roads where she can shine) and gas being $5 plus! and seems to be slowly rising! The only thing we really need the bed for now days is our dog. We don’t tow as well. Before we moved out here we’d use the bed for dirt bikes and other toys but we have none of those now. I love this truck, really do but $5+ a gallon? Am I crazy to want to step back down to a manual Tacoma (I’ve had a Tacoma(s) previously) or a GR86? Haha.

I’ve had this truck in the middle of America where open roads were plentiful and the V8 can sing but now, due to location, that’s sadly not the case

If I take a step back and make an honest assessment that if we really need a full size or the bed for that matter, we do not. Of course it’s a convenience for those “just in case” moments. We like it just for the cab space honestly. Our two oldest kids are in that age where they like to stay home because they’re “too cool” to hang out with their parents so realistically it’s just three of us in all that space.

I should mention we also have a 2008 runner.

With all that in consideration, what would you do?

Ready for the hate lol.

 

No hate!!! I vote if the bed is for the dog, then that's enough of a reason to keep it. I understand your point... But, you will regret dumping off the Tundra. If you check out the Who's got dogs? Post your pup! thread you'll have enough backing there to justify keeping the tundra.

All jokes aside, if you enjoy the V8 and the interior space of the Tundra, you won't be happy in anything else. I've had my 08 since new, bought a 19 4Runner, sold it, then bought 21 Pro (got rid of the 4Runner and still have the '08 as well, it's my pup truck). I bought the '19 4Runner to save a little gas and to be a little more agile. It felt so narrow and cramped inside; I didn't like it and sold it after barely driving the darn thing, wishing I had just bought another Tundra (which I ended up doing a couple of months later).

You have a 4Runner, and the Taco will be about the same inside as the 4Runner. If that fits you and your families' needs and your comfortable in it, then you'd probably be happy with a Taco. However, if you love the roominess and width of the Tundra along w/what the V8 offers, then you'll never be content in a Taco. Plus, if you sell it and then change your mind, you're looking at a Gen 3 if you want to buy new again or you'll be in the used Tundra market, and why do that when you already have an awesome truck?

If anything, dump the 4Runner for a new Taco or a GR86 and keep the Tundra (best of both worlds)!!!!

 

I will definitely check out those posts. You do make valid points. We loved the taco but it was tight in the cab and it just felt “gutless”. Plus our children were younger and had to tag along where ever we went because they couldn’t be home alone. Now, they can lol.

I guess I’m at the point where I’m contemplating if having the Tundra and the lifestyle we have now (due to location) is worth paying for when we don’t really do truck things anymore.

Thanks for your input! Just always curious to what fellow tundra owners think.

 

Its more expensive to buy something else than to just ride out the latest high gas prices.

 

I

i am looking at it from all angles and math on this decision lol.

 

Used prices are crazy, new vehicles are scarce and over priced.

going back to a Tacoma won’t really net you much savings in gas (unless you’re getting a reg cab 4x2). If you can turn wrenches, keep the tundra and find an old Corolla, civic, Hyundai, or something to “save” on gas. Or just drive the 4R and save the big fella for when you take your dog places.

 

I see where you’re coming from! I was thinking an access cab, 4x4, in manual. Reason being access because we have the 4 runner.

 

Taco is much smaller inside than a 4Runner. The Taco’s cab is more comparable to a Camry. The 4Runner has substantially more room, especially vertically, and you’re sitting up in a chair. In the Tacoma, you’re sitting on the floor with your knees up, and the biggest rear seat offered is a joke for anyone but young kids.

When I decided I needed a truck, I initially thought a Tacoma would be great. I was coming from a 4Runner and thought it’ll be just like a 4Runner with a bed. Boy, was I SORELY disappointed the first time I sat in one. I decided to skip it altogether and get a Tundra. We’re a family of five with a medium sized dog. Everyone has space, including the dog on the floor, and the Tundra handles all the truck stuff I do with ease. No regrets.

 

I'd recommend buying a Prius or a cheaper electric car Nissan leaf or similar. And running that for most of your days and using this Tundra and 4runner for the weekends ans/or special occasions.

 

With a family of 5 and all stop and go, I would look at Hybrid or EV. Most likely a Highlander hybrid.

 

I am definitely on the side of the tundra being the better vehicle in every possible way. I am glad to here that fellow tundra owners are actually using the truck as intended and benefitting from it! Being a family of 5 as well, the CM is definitely more than enough!

 

Or if 3 is the main number with occasionally 5, maybe a Accord or Camry to beat the gas prices? If you are good with a wrench (not throwing it, turning it) then maybe a 20 year old beater might be the temp solution, but as @PermaFrostTRD mentioned, used car market is out the window at this point. We are in Texas and with a 38 gal tank, it took me $130 to fill up ~29 gals last week. Don't like it, but cost/insurance/fix up of another vehicle would out-weight the saving you will gain in return. Now, if you already have a spare vehicle, I say garage queen the Tundra for a bit until prices come down.
Otherwise, as my wife aka DOF says, just drive the fxxk out of it and screw the gas prices.....lol

 

Stop and go is what kills it for me! Not to mention small lanes and tons of cars on the road. I am in Guam. Don’t get me wrong, it’s doable But not ideal. I know I wouldn’t be posting this if I was actually using the truck for its intended purpose (like I was before I moved). Now I feel like I’m just paying for the space in the cab… if that makes sense.

 

I'm preparing for the blowback, so here goes...

If gas prices and not needing a truck for "truck things" is your reason for considering a Tacoma, I think you're wasting your time and energy for minimal return. Between the two, the Tundra is superior in nearly every metric. Fuel economy is not significantly better in the Taco - especially in stop and go traffic. You'll just have to refuel more often due to the smaller tank.

Now for the shitshow part where I risk being perma-banned from the forum: If you feel the need for an open bed, perhaps you should look at Ridgeline, the Santa Cruz, or dare I say a Maverick. Unibody vehicles with an open bed space and actual better mpg while being smaller than the Taco (except maybe the Ridgeline) for the daily commute.

If you're not prepared to go there (and I wouldn't blame you if you're not), my vote would be to stick with the Tundra.

 

Sell you my lightning for $110k

 

we’ve been throwing around the idea of a cheaper vehicle for a daily driver and garage Queen the tundra but the catch is, we’re located in Guam with no enclosed garage leave any vehicle out for even a little bit and there’s this layer of salt or …. I don’t know what it is that builds up. it’s a 2020 and I’ve been here coming up on two years almost and I already have rust spots on my roof most likely rock chips from road tripping back in the states. $200+ to fill a full tank lol.

 

You GOT the lightning?!

 

Not in hand but is scheduled for production in 2 weeks and should be here by July.

 

I'm just taking allocation deposits lol

 

Sea wind is salt-infused for sure.... and rock chip that rip the paint out and not taken care of will result in rust spots.....
I don't think you need a completely enclosed garage, but again, I don't know what you have to work with.
Worse case is park it and cover it well with a tarp when not in use.
But the question you need to ask yourself is, how easy/cheap can you get a beater to get around town in place of the Tundra? Also the insurance and maybe the upkeep.
I did the math, even a $5K beater would take me close to 5 years to even go even, not to say if I need to drop some serious cash to just make it run safe without run-ins with police due to car falling apart and all that....
To me, nah, I will drive the Tundra to hell and back for that.

 

Ah, damn. Would love to see one in person. Saw a R1T on the road the other day, just looks, eh, too round...

 

No blowback from me lol I was expecting some flack for even considering getting rid of the tundra lol. I’m all ears though.

But yes, I am not ready to venture to another manufacturer lol.

I appreciate the honest thoughts! I love this truck, I do. I just feel like I’m not using it to it’s potential anymore and paying the collateral damage to my wallet lol

 

If you can hang on a couple more years, I just read where Toyota is considering rejoining the compact truck market, possibly as early as 2024-25.

I guess if you could find a good deal on a Taco RC, or an 80's model Toyota truck, you could sell the Tundra and pocket the difference.

 

I know a lot of people think that unless they are using the bed of the truck that the vehicle is being wasted or it's too much. However, as you just stated, a family of 5 takes up a lot of space; yes you can cram everyone into something smaller, but how nice is it to be able to have everyone hop in the the tundra and not be buried in each other's space? Room to move, to tuck a bag under your feet, to through some bikes or a couple of suitcases in the bed, that has to show value and 'use' not waste of the space in a Tundra.

 

How long will you be there? Will you use it to its full potential when you leave? It’s not really cost effective to swap vehicles and then swap right back.

 

I have 2 1/2 more years here. When we do move back state side we’d definitely use it for road trips and whatever we’d pack in the bed for the trips. I would safely assume I won’t be towing anything anytime soon either.

 

I can personally vouch that the new Frontier blows away the current Taco. Power train and drive train among many other things. MPG's...I averaged 24.4 on my last trip with a few hundred lbs in the bed.....several options and trims to choose from. If you want to downsize.......skip the current Taco. Buy for your needs.

 

How tight is the Frontier rear........giggity

 

funny guy......giggity You might want to take a closer look at your 22 rear end and report back.....

 

My tacoma gave me the same city mpgs, but worse on the highway.

If all 5 of you wanna go somewhere you’re gonna need to take both vehicles because the tacomas back seat is useless.