Fellow 2.5 gen owners, now that the 3rd gen is out...

I treat it like a vehicle that can be replaced. It’s an object that some people put sentimental value to. Yes I take care of it to not beat it up or let it fall apart. I make sure all maintenance is up to date because I want it to last. But at the same time, if I get smacked by a dually on my way to work in the morning, I’ll collect my insurance monies and either get another similar 2.5 gen or a 3rd gen. Whichever is a better value and deal to me. I’m not scared of some unforeseen accident that is out of my control happening to it.

 

That's great that you take good care of it even if you don't really care about it, and then mock others who really care about it more than you do.

 

Haha not mocking but ok. Everyone's free to do as they please. Didn't mean to offend anyone.

 

I’m in the market for a 20 Trd Pro in AG or a 23 Pro in Black. Gearing up for a family fly fishing trip across co, Wy and mt this summer.

The 23 pro has got to be one of the most fun driving experiences I’ve ever had. And that was just a test drive. It’s hard for me to decide but I think I’m going to bite bullet and get the 23 and buy every extended warranty I can on it and hope that it doesn’t give me any problems. If it does I’ll bring it back and get the 20.

I know I’ll have buyers remorse if I don’t buy the 23 pro. It looks like a blast for a long family trip in the mountains.

 

I don’t wish it upon you and I’m sure the new pro is an enjoyable ride, but waiting roadside for a tow truck on a long family trip in the mountains sounds terrible. I saw it just happened to another member 10 hours from home on a trip resulting in a blown engine. Sure, it can happen to any vehicle but it is clear which is more likely to have such an issue at this time.

 

You don’t know my wife and kids but waiting for a tow truck would be the least of their concerns. They would just wander off w their fly rods and bear spray and tell me come get them in a few hours. They’re easy. Knowing we have a vehicle fully under warranty will bring me peace of mind. The 23 trd pro was made for overlanding and is just too much fun to pass up. I’m only on this earth once I heard.

 

Sounds like a good family! They’re gonna love the new pro in this case. I’d be more concerned about having to drive the rental Honda Fit they drop off for you to use the rest of your vacation, and then having to have your truck serviced at an unfamiliar dealer 2 states away from where you live for an unforeseen amount of time. I agree, you’re only here for a short time so get what you enjoy. I know I did. I decided to have my cake and eat it too with a few mods to my truck.

 

You’re right that the rental vehicle would prob be the worst part

Of course having to go back 2 mos later for a solo vacation to pick up the truck might be a good thing.

 

Yep that’s me right there!

 

Having a warranty in the current climate does not give me peace of mind at all. Driving a vehicle that arguably doesn’t even need a warranty is what gives me peace of mind. Being told that issues are normal, being blamed for those issues, or waiting a month for parts/repair—these are all things I am extremely allergic to. That’s why I drive a truck that is extremely allergic to having any issues at all.

Read Motor Trend’s review of the new Pro. I generally see that publication as an industry hype mag, but they were pretty brutal with the 3rd gen Pro…highlights include being bullied by a trailer within its tow limits, severe axle hop, rough ride unloaded on smooth roads, and an overheated transmission on a very mild off road course.

I agree that it’s a cool truck, but I just think the 3rd gens still have some growing pains going on.

Less so than the 2nd gens, IMO. Yes, there is offroad tech that was missing in the 2nd gens, but the 3rd gen took a few major steps backward with worse approach and departure angles, lower ground clearance, and a substantially larger turning radius. I did basically the same thing you’re talking about in my ‘21. I took my family up all over SW CO and up and down Imogene pass in torrential rain and brief hail. I never even slipped or had any wheel spin. The 2nd gen’s angles are higher and tighter, it has better visibility, a short front end that is easy to see over, and there is substantially less truck out in front of the front wheel.

I don’t have a hybrid twin turbo, camo flares, a panoramic sunroof, or a giant screen, but I do have a drivetrain that I can take out into the middle of nowhere with absolute confidence.

It sounds like your mind is made up. Just some things to think about. Best of luck with your new truck when you get it.

 

I kind of have the same mindset as far as accidents go. Really cannot do anything about that. However, at this point in my life I will try hard not to have to replace it. I happen to have an older car that is in excellent working order so I take advantage of that while it's still around to keep some wear and tear off the Tundra. It also saves money on gas and requires very little maintenance, so running the numbers, believe it or not, it is actually saving me money over the year.
With that said when it finally dies the Tundra will be the daily. Yes the Tundra is easily replaceable, and if that happens it happens, but I'm not going out of my way to make that happen anytime soon. The price of a new replacement truck is just about out of my reach at this point. An a used one is not far behind. So trying my best to keep it around as long as possible. Plus it's badass and now there is no V8 available in a Toyota truck.

 

All good points. Trust me I’ve been back and forth on this.

 

I get it. Different stages of lives call for different situations. Some people get to the point where they have a vehicle and they plan on it being the last vehicle they ever buy. A tundra can easily be that vehicle. Some peoples lifestyles also call for a 3rd gen as their preferred vehicle over the 2.5. That's fair too.

 

“Frankly, that sums up our impression so far of the new Tundra: better than the old Tundra but perhaps not better than the segment leaders.” — Motor Trend

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/toyota/tundra/

 

You might be better off in the 3rd gen section talking to them about how they feel after making the switch. The 2.5 crowd probably won't be to hot on the 3rd gen. Most of us were dissatisfied with what Toyota spent 14 years working on to replace the 2.5 gen.

For what it's worth, 60k all in towards a used 2.5 is going to give you a lot more than 60k for a 3rd gen.

Supercharger stage 3 (650hp)
King or Fox shocks (top tier)
Kick ass sound system
Katskinz (quality leather seat covers)

All of that in a ~40k truck would give you a beast setup in a reliable and proven chassis/engine.

 

“One part of the current Tundra we don't mind biting the dust is the 5.7-liter V-8 engine that serves as its sole engine option. Its 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque is middling in 2021. Plus, peak torque doesn't arrive until 3,600 rpm, and that means the Tundra doesn't have any real get up and go until you stick your right foot into the carpet, shortly after which the transmission will upshift early leaving you in a low-down, powerless part of the rev range.” Motor Trend 2021

 

Yeah I'll still take the V8, any day, over what it has now. YMMV.

 

You can buy a lot of horsepower for the 5.7 for the price difference between a lightly used 2nd gen and a new TRD Pro.

 

Their opinion which does not match mine whatsoever. My 5.7 liter V-8 is absolutely fantastic (for my uses). I drive unladen mostly and rarely tow and this thing kicks ass. Being 2wd, I get an honest 17-18 highway mpg which I am totally fine with.

What I am uncomfortable with is flogging a 3.4 liter V-6 with twin turbos to get 400+ horsepower out of it. I would be concerned about reliability and longevity.

Dan

 

Like I said man, you won't find many in here that agree with Motortrend.

These guys might https://www.tundras.com/forums/3rd-gen-tundras-2022.128/

 

I’ve seen a few 3rd gens around now and they’re decent looking imo. Depends on the trim level I think. I seen a 1794 edition the other day and it just looked too extra for me.. I plan on keeping my truck forever, and will put less than 10,000km on it per year considering I have my Lexus IS350 for the summer months. I just had tranny fluid, coolant, F&R diff + transfer case oil replaced not long ago. My truck has about 77,000 miles on it so I’ll definitely be staying on top of the maintenance, as I do with all my vehicles. But I’m not afraid to stomp on the pedal at any given moment when driving lol I try to be tame 75% of the time to keep my fuel consumption down, but you gotta giver at least once a drive

 

Yeah...let's just say their opinions don't match mine.

It's not the fastest, but (mainly due to some jerk just...being a jerk, and me saying "Ok, let's see how it does") it's fast enough to walk a 2020 Ram Rebel to 70MPH by about 2/3 or so truck length. Not too shabby for a 14 year old engine.

 

I don’t think it would be as quick from a dig due to gearing and a 6 speed vs an 8 speed, but I posted this video in the SC thread. I synced up a video of my stage 2 Harrop tundra doing 50-80 with a TRX video doing the same. I have 500lbs of extras on the truck including 65lb tires, and I’d say the TRX has nothing on it from 50-80 anyway. TRX-like straight line performance for less than half all in, of a TRX price tag. Speed isn’t everything in a pickup obviously, but the extra power makes towing a lot more enjoyable. Worth considering if power is the goal anyway. https://vimeo.com/800292309

 

Better how? More dependable? You’ll get the most hassle-free mileage for your money? Of course not. They’re talking about the numbers on paper. The 3rd gen gets better fuel economy, has more low-end torque, and has a giant screen to match the rest of the segment, but it’s still mid- to rear-pack on almost every metric. The 2nd gen sat at the back of the pack, too, but it did so with extreme dependability, which people like myself value more than all other metrics combined.

The higher performance numbers come at the cost of being an entire order of magnitude more complicated than the outgoing truck. And despite seeming like it tows far more effortlessly, the TTv6 is by nature far harder on itself than a NA v8. The 5.7L is perfectly happy to run high rpm. The 5.7L also makes 90% of its peak torque at 2600 rpm, which is pretty great for a NA v8. Also, less than 3mpg difference between the two (look at the ‘21 vs ‘22 Tundra on Fuelly) isn’t changing anyone’s life. Especially if that person is paying $10k over MSRP for a 3rd gen.

None of these publications seem to praise the choice to leave any aspect of a vehicle alone. They thrive on hype, change, constant updates, and new techy solutions in search of a problem. They need the change so they have something to talk about that will generate clicks.

Your stated use sounds similar to my own: lots of time off pavement out of mobile reception. This kind of use is exactly why I’m in the most bulletproof truck that one can still currently buy.

 

Exactly! Excellent post. You had me at 2600 rpm. A motor designed for a truck??? Mind blowing! This is a dying concept in anything half ton and lower unfortunately.
Cuz, numbers!

 

You know JMO, I had a 2014 Tundra DC XP TRD and wanted a CM and settled for the Titan. Decided to go back to the Tundra and was debating getting the new one or staying with the older Gen. After researching and seeing some peoples issues (no all, small percent) I remember I had my 2014 for 7 years and did not have one issue with it other than maintenance. I found a 2020 SR5 CM MGM XP with only 4k miles on, (looks brand new) for over $20k less than a 2023 CM TRD without leather but had crawl heated steering wheel. Believe me I am very happy with my decision. Dealer gave me a great deal (my opinion) on platinum warranty, lifetime motor and drivetrain warranty (comes with every purchase with them) and 7yr maintenance services pre paid for per manufacture recommendations. I think I did ok. Not looking back at all and enjoying personalizing it with MODS. LoL

 

Where I live there are more deer and elk in town than I ever see in the woods. It's not because of a lack of hunting, but rather that fact that hunting is illegal in town. They know where it's safe. Then the mountain lions come to town too, because they wonder where all the game went. It's a frickin zoo.

My '86 pickup was a deer magnet... I hit deer on two different occasions, and the guy I sold it to hit two deer in the first year he had it. None with the Tundra so far... and I don't worry about it.

 

I'll admit I hated mine until I got a Hike-it throttle mapper. Nothing wrong with the engine at all, it's just software which is easily and cheaply fixed. Mine wouldn't GO!! unless I pushed it to the floor... then it would promptly spin the tires, and the nannies would kick in and slow it down!

 

I put an aluminum bumper on mine with a hoop to try to prevent it from being totaled in some situations, including deer strikes. I am tempted to find a low mileage identical 2021 and put it in long term storage. My fear is definitely around getting totaled in a random highway or similar accident. I feel like the 2014-2021s are like the late 1960s muscle cars while 2022+ are about to be EPA’d into the ground like the mid 1970s variety were. Similar to the legislation to ban small gas engines, a battery chainsaw is “neat” and works in some situations but doesn’t replace a real Stihl.

 

There's a lot to be said for this. I've got several friends @ work who tow regularly using their Ecoboost engines; and two others who tow with a 6.2L Chevy and a 5.7L Ram, respectively. Obviously those with the Ecoboost 'do so easier' but I can tell you for a fact that from a powertrain POV, the latter two have had far fewer issues. 5.7L has the 'Hemi tick' but it runs like a top otherwise. All of those who've owned the Ecoboost engines have had various issues (leaking oil pan; oil consumption issues; cam phaser issues; etc.), with one having a long block replacement.

I'm not going to say the Ecoboost is worthless. I totally get that it's a cross-section, and anecdotal. But aside from one person - literally, one person - I know of no one personally who has had anything more than the odd O2 sensor or the like with their Tundras; and the 'basic old' engine and transmission has tons to do with that.