Tacoma question for y'all

Good morning folks. Before I am reminded that this is a Tundra forum......I wanted to reach out to y'all because often times great advice is shared.

Looking to get a new Tacoma for my son as he gets finished with college.

Looks like it is down to either a Chevy Colorado or the Tacoma.

Do any of y'all have any input one way or the other on either vehicle?

The good, the bad, and the ugly if any?

And yes....I have been looking at their respective forums and this is one reason why we have ruled out the Ranger despite a decent test drive with one of those as well.

Thanks again for any input.

Side note......still in college, won't need it to tow much more than a small bass boat and or taking kayaks out etc...etc...

 

Are you looking to buy new or slightly used?

 

TACOMA ALL DAY LONG. Sadly I just laid mine to rest after 10 years... but It was my first truck, so many great memories and Id do it all over again. they are the best small truck on the market in my opinion.

 

My son wanted a Colorado for his first car. Reviews talked me out of it quick. My son in law has Tacoma and does a lot of driving with his job. It has been pretty trouble free for him.

https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a33233676/problems-with-chevy-colorado/
https://www.motorbiscuit.com/2020-c...ew-vehicle-you-can-buy-says-consumer-reports/

 

Loved my 2005 tacoma DCSB. It served me well from graduating college until I bought my Tundra. Only upgraded to fit three car seats easier....

Only problems I had were an intermittent fuel gauge and an electrical problem in the gauge cluster. That stuff popped up in the last year or so of ownership.

Private party resale was crazy for a one owner, garage kept tacoma.

 

Thank you all for the prompt responses so far. Sorry to see the pics of the crash. As a flight paramedic....I have to ask how did all fare in the vehicle? I hope everyone was good to go.

And yes....it does seem like more gripes on the Colorado than the Tacoma on the forums so far. And of course I am a recent Tundra owner because of my lack of faith in my 2015 Silverado 1500 that I talked about back in April.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Stay safe out there!!

 

Probably new only because the slightly used are dang near as expensive as the new lower trim Tacomas are. And my general lack of faith in humanity worrying about getting a flood vehicle or something someone ragged before we got it etc.....etc.....

 

My cousin was a GM guy through and through. He sold his Duramax Colorado after less than a year because he couldn't stand the transmission. I think he's actually in a Ridgeline now, though he also has a Powerstroke for when he needs a truck.

 

Ended up pulling the trigger on a Tacoma for my son. Will need black running boards or tube steps, a bedliner, and possibly some window tint to complete the package but should certainly meet all of his needs.

 

Nice! Lucky kid!

Not sure what you mean by bedliner since it’s a composite bed, but a rubber bed mat is invaluable in a Tacoma.

 

Between the two... Taco all day long. The resale value is just one positive point. Nice truck, I am sure he will enjoy it.

 

Wow that’s awesome. Congrats, sounds like you’ll be borrowing it a lot

 

Nice truck and I like that color a lot.

 

Does he have a job?

 

Nice looking truck! Think you made the right choice. .

 

Dual major at a great engineering school. Aeronautical and mechanical and keeping straight A's. Started a fishing club at the school. Has an internship coming up in Jan for several months. Come next fall.......goes back to finish senior year.

Wifey cosigned with so he can start building credit.

And he understands that if he becomes a tool and the grades change.... then the Tacoma will be here to run errands and keep my Tundra company.

 

Maybe this is a dumb question.......but the last few trucks I have had I have always put the line x type spray in liners ......when you mention composite bed.... are you saying it does not need or would not benefit from a similar liner?

Thanks for any info on the subject.

 

The entire tacoma bed is composite rather than steel. Supposedly it’s lighter than steel, is more durable, and it obviously can’t rust. I’d check out tacoma world for more info, but I was under the impression that there’s no benefit to spraying it and there was some question as to whether it would even stick well.

The composite bed is super slick though and that’s where the rubber mat comes in handy.

 

The Tacoma bed on the inside is plastic. There is no metal. It looks like a drop in bed liner but is the entire bed. I guess you could bed line it, you can bed line anything. However, I have never heard of that. Look up tacoma bed mat. It is a rubber mat, and awesome for the Tacoma. Have on in the Tundra also.

Edit: There is a thread on TacomaWorld with somebody asking the best way to prevent cargo from sliding around the bed, and there are over a hundred replies suggesting the rubber bed mat. No joke. Moral: Get the rubber bed mat. It runs about 100 bucks.

 

https://www.sparksparts.com/oem-parts/toyota-bed-mat-short-bed-pt58035050sb?c=bD0yJm49U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM=

https://www.sparksparts.com/oem-parts/toyota-bed-mat-long-bed-pt58035050lb?c=bD0xJm49U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM=

Your truck looks like the SB version, so top link.

 

Sounds like he’s a good kid with a great work ethic. Getting him a new truck should not alter with that.

 

buy a rubber stall mat from a feed supply store. It will require a little cutting around the wheel wells but a much cheaper alternative that achieves the same purpose

 

I had a tacoma. The bed is tough as nails but slick. The bed mat is great.

 

From the sounds it his work ethic may have been instilled in him and you may not have anything to worry about. Those grades will certainly be maintained. Be proud and diligent

 

I think you should consider a Honda Ridgeline.

 

Good choice,
I have a 2014 tacoma that I drive only for work. This keeps the miles of of my tundra, and the taco is cheaper to maintain and gets better mileage. I currently have 170k on it and have only replaced the ac compressor. Other than that, tires and oil changes. Still have yet to get an alignment done, and tires still wear evenly.

 

I had a 2015 TRD Sport Taco DCLB with the 4.0, I sold it for what I paid this past March with 42k miles on it. It was a great little truck but I couldnt haul my tractor with it, otherwise id still have it.
I cant speak for the Colorado, but my 2017 Silverado work truck has had over $10k in repairs already including a fried wire harness, a starter that went and left me stranded, and new transmission at 73k miles (warranty item, luckily).
If Chevy was my only choice for a personal vehicle, i’d buy a god damned horse instead. Just my .02$

edit: just now saw you got him a Taco, great choice!

 

Wow I wish my dad got me something like that... My first truck was a 1987 Jeep Comanche, that they surprised me with but used my own money to buy

 

My son has a 2018 Tacoma TRD Off-Road since new (also a college graduation present, but from grandparents) and he modded it with every accessory that you mentioned. He also does some ECU tuning for his truck. PM me for his contact info if your son has any questions. He would love to talk to another Tacoma enthusiast.