Double Cab Tacoma vs 4Runner

[bluecollarjock]

Hi...been shopping for 4th Gen 4Runners but time is limited now with full time grad school, long commute, and other stuff going on....4th Gen 4x4 V8s at the right price near me are hard to come by with lower mileage, and Ive had some nightmare experiences driving really far to see beat down or not well cared for 4Runners....

Retail on the used 4Runners is so high, that paying $20k plus for an 04-06 4Runner 4x4 seems ridiculous at times....Im almost tempted to say hell a brand new, brand new double cab Tacoma with TRD Off Road (yea locker) can be had for $30k sticker on some of them, with some dealing I bet less than $30k...and Im friends with a Toyota sales manager who probably can do me some good on a new model....

Problem is, I have a girlfriend with two boys, and it doesnt seem like the truck has much room...if we get married soon and pop out another baby, serioously would be limited with room....not to mention she really doesnt like a pickup bed, for trips to mountains and family vacations she is like where the hell we going to lock up all the gear, clothes, etc? I said a cap or a lockable cover maybe, and I kinda agree with her she is like thats not practical or as nice as a SUV for grocercies or having the kids stuff in reaching distance while on the highway....I agree with her...and yea seems the 4Runner has much more leg room in back.....

Just getting a little burned out on shopping, but already this week commuting is killing me in gas money and Im so ready to buy....crossing my fingers I find a good 04 4Runner 4x4 soon in the right price range....but if not, what are some of your thoughts on making a double cab Tacoma a family vehicle and creative ways to make the bed space more user friendly and practical?

Thanks!

 

[Mytoy4]

I can't really speak about the truck because I don't know much about them. Two boys in a 4runner and all their "stuff" will be just fine...add another kid to the mix and rooms going to get tight. Not sure how old the boys are and if they are in car seats but it's hard. I have an 11 year old, 3 year old and an infant. So two are in car seats and my daughter is sandwiched in the middle. I do have 3rd row seating but she hates sitting back there because there is no leg room and getting kids into car seats that far back isn't easy...oh and then to add to the mix, we have a Great Dane.
Some days are tight but I'm not about to give up my 4runner

 

[bluecollarjock]

hahh thanks thats good input!

 

[Uneek]

Unless you're getting a 4Runner with a 3rd row, V8, or you prefer to have full time 4WD, the Tacoma in all honesty would be a better choice.

I have a '05 Tacoma DC with the short bed (which you'll end up with in order to get the locker). Much more versatile than the 4Runner, try hauling some building materials from Home Depot or Lowe's with the 4Runner and it can be frustrating how useless it is.

The Tacoma is a bit noisier than the 4Runner and over some bumps it's a bit more harsh, I probably have about 300-500 lbs of junk in the bed at all times. But the bed will allow you to carry a lot more things. I have a SnugTop shell with mine. If I didn't get the SungTop, I would get the Pace Edwards retractable roll cover. I can understand why you don't want a truck if you don't have a cover over the bed of some type. The 4Runner does offer the convenience that someone in the second row can reach over and grab something out of the cargo area without having to stop.

I'm not saying the 4Runner is a bad choice or anything, just that the Tacoma can do better more areas. Good luck with your search. If I was buying today and not having both, '11 Tacoma or '11 4Runner, it'll be the Tacoma. If I had to do it again back in '06 and not have both, it would be the 4Runner given that I wanted full time 4WD for driving to the Sierras.

 

[bluecollarjock]

Thanks for the input. I love trucks, and a DC would be nice. Im NOT getting a new 4runner, I dont like the new models, and way too pricey. What I was considering is that since most of the nice 2004-2007 4runners with V8s that I want, are $20k plus, and for $10k more I could get a brand new, full warranty, no previous owners damage to interior, DC Tacoma....its the girl who is not into trucks, and yea I can see her point as far as without me first getting a bedcover or a shell, we cant take off on a family vacation with the kids and have room for gear, our bags, etc, with it being secure. Or loading groceries in a bed versus loading groceries in the back of a 4Runner....

I appreciate the input, and if finding an affordable 4Runner becomes too much a hassle and PITA, I might just think about getting a brand new TRD off road DC, and throw down a shell or hard bed cover on the credit card as soon as I get it so we can lock gear, bags, whatever in the back.

So yea Im searching for 04-07 V8 4x4 4Runners....but slim pickings for those that have 60-75k miles and the owners are not wanting to gouge you for 2/3 or more of what they paid new...or they didnt take too good of care of them....I cant believe stuff sells out here in Cali, but 4Runners with 100k-150k miles on them will still be listed in the $15-19k range....you can kiss my a$$ buying a vehicle with 100k plus miles on it for that price....Id rather spend 10 grand more and get a brand new DC truck....just need to sell the girl on it...and know that we can fit the kids in it and lock the gear and take vacations in it....

thanks a ton! gives me ammo to work on my woman

 

[JohnsD90]

I have a '05 Tacoma DC with the short bed (which you'll end up with in order to get the locker). Much more versatile than the 4Runner, try hauling some building materials from Home Depot or Lowe's with the 4Runner and it can be frustrating how useless it is.

I do just reccomend you get the DC Taco, cause you can get it locked, no thirsty V8 with minimally more power, and your can get a 5 or 6 speed manual in it which is so much nicer than a 5 speed auto, Plus its a GF not a wife so dont make any desicions about vehicles about something that isnt confirmed to be permanent.

Yeah they are SOOOO useless to carry stuff in the smaller 3rd gen:

Would it be easier in a Pickup? Yeah, but it can still be done...

Sheetrock and plywood:

Full size Fridge:

Queen Mattress and Boxspring:

A skid of unbuilt cabinets:

50 40lb bags of wood pellets

4 tires:

Ive carried many other things like 100 18x18 inch tiles, a front bumper to a Jetta, and stuff i have forgotten....

 

[Ducmonsta]

Just out of curiosity. Do you always take pics of your load? Sorry for hi jacking.

 

[JohnsD90]

Just out of curiosity. Do you always take pics of your load? Sorry for hi jacking.

lol Only the good ones, but this is over like a 2-3 year period, and i usually just post them on facebook, but they come in handy when people say that 4runners cant carry a load.

 

[Dagobah]

Wow I need to start taking pictures of the really big loads that I carry in my 3rd gen.
Just this morning I had 33 boxes of various food ingredients (17 of those boxes were Bulgarian yogurt, plus olive oil, blue cheese crumbles, peeled garlic, buttermilk etc.) AND two fifty pound buckets and a 25 pound bucket of honey, plus a 50 pound bag of dried milk, and a 25 pound bag of salt.
(not to mention I was fitting it all around my box with two 12" subs)

With the rear seats down, I think of it as a single cab pickup with a camper shell.

Didnt mean to thread jack, just forgot about how insane this mornings load was (its usually not that much) until John posted those other load pics...

 

[ndcent]

@John, 40 x 50lb bags wood pellets = 1 ton, YOW!! Impressive man!

With a 4rnr you can always get a hitch carrier too..

 

[Thai]

You can always rent a trailer or something like that for dirty jobs.

It seems like you are serious with this GF. If so, then a truck is no-no as the primary (only?) vehicle. Now, if your GF/wife was going to get a SUV or minivan, then yeah, get the truck for yourself for the above reasons. But, as the only vehicle for long distance, a truck sucks. I have sat in both Tacoma 4dr and Frontier 4dr...and there is no way grown kids can get comfortable back there for the long haul. The backseat is too upright...legroom is half decent, but the seatback is way too upright to get comfortable on the road. A 4runner is far superior.

Now, i know that you are friends with Toyota dealer, but i think that you need to look at the Nissan Frontier Nismo (or PRO4x or something like that). IMO, other than more aftermarket support and better looks, a Tacoma can't match a Frontier. Frontier: better crash testing scores (good for family), rear disc brakes (why the hell does a $30k+ car still have drums??), FULLY BOXED FRAME (derived from bigger brother Titan), cheaper (since it is not as popular as Tacoma), and just as good in reliability and durability (as per Consumer Reports).

Since we have a minivan in our family, i would take a Frontier over a Tacoma in a heartbeat. However, Nissan will stop making Frontier next year i think. So, resale value on the Frontier may not be as good as Tacoma (despite stellar reliability ratings). If you're going to sell the truck down the road, then Tacoma may be better.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Also remember with the DC you get a shorter bed which limits lentgh of stuff you can haul but having a real bed is nice since cramming alot in the 4Runner can be hard on interior surfaces if you don't cover them with something. Now with all that said I've hauled alot in my 4Runner including brick,cement,metal yard trim,etc. and it's always met my needs and if it doesn't I have several family members with full size Fords I can borrow.

I'm partial to an SUV since I like an enclosed interior all the way to the back,better balanced in the snow without having to add weight and doesn
't get tossed around as much at speeds over 75 in the wind from my experiences with a few Tacomas..

 

[Jay Rob]

Let's face it. They both have their pro's and con's. You just have to decide which one fits your needs the best. Two years ago for me it was a 4x4 double cab sport. As of two weeks ago, it's now a new 2011 4x4 T4R.

 

[bluecollarjock]

Awesome input, and I will look at Frontier tonight when I get home from school...yes Im serious with the GF...she has a Lexuz 330 something or other, kind of a cross between a wanna be SUV and station wagon....she wished it had more room, and she likes 4Runners and Tahoes (as do I!). Tahoe wouldnt be something Id ever wheel or lift, but it gets same dang gas mileage as 4runner and hauls major a$$, so I could deal with it....Id so love a 4runner but yea getting tired of the run around, and its crazy to me that vehicles that are 6-7 years old with 60-80k miles can still get 3/4 of their original price!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So thats where I was like hell, pay another $100 month over a loan and get something brand new with a warranty might be a decent option.

Ill check that truck out.

Before I met the girl I had my lifted Rubicon (full steel bumpers, winch, full skids, super heavy crappy mpg) and a 1987 single cab shortbox lifted GMC 4x4, mint, sweet, built up, 350, gorgeous I miss that thing...but as soon as I met her both became pretty unrealistic or practical...and now that I have grad school 80 miles commute 4 days a week, the Jeep is not practical....I sold the GMC shortly after meeting her, 10mpg and no room for her and the kids I was like dang...and I applied to WVU PhD and didnt get in, which I was daydreaming of living in West Virginia with a Rubicon and lifted GMC which would be heaven and those vehicles are practical Cadillacs out there

 

[bluecollarjock]

Here is an older Nissan dirt cheap

Premier Auto Sales | 2003 Nissan Frontier XE- V6

2003 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab 4X4 5spd Manual (LIFTED)

Dont think the lift and bigger tires would help gas mpg though haha...but compared to a Toyota double cab in this area, it is way cheaper!

Going to price out brand new Toyota DC 4x4 TRD Off Roads this weekend......I used a half tank of gas in my Rubicon today to school and back with one errand also...not good.....I need a more economical 4x4 ASAP....

 

[gptoy96]

I have an 04 T4R v8 4x4 and a 05 Taco (only access cab) but with cap, so I thought I'd throw in my $0.02.

The 4Runner is definately more comfortable for daily life, the Tacoma is nice for the bed space and with the cap knowing I can lock stuff up in there is handy to have. I also have 2 younger girls so knowing that side of life when we go on trips that we can reach over the back seat of the 4Runner to get things is definately nice. On the flip side, having the box with the Tacoma for dirty yard work or longer loads is also nice to have too. If it weren't for yard work etc. and I could only have one it'd be the 4Runner.
All depends on your own needs and the pluses/minuses. Prices seems really high in your area, they're fairly close here too but in Canadian dollars, which are always more pricey.

 

[olsen_karl]

My wife had an '05 Tacoma that we sold a few months ago; replaced it with a Subaru for better MPG.

An older post I wrote on the comparisons between the Tacoma and my '08 4Runner (see also #20 in the link):
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/60805-kids-second-row-2.html#post504448

 

[bluecollarjock]

Thanks guys for all the continuned input!!

Ill check out that link to the other thread soon

 

[JohnsD90]

Is there any reason you NEED a 4wd vehicle, you see be complaining about fuel economy but a 17mpg V8 isn't exactly economical, if you are buying a new vehicle why not get a new VW jetta TDI wagon or an 00-04 Jetta TDI wagon, and keep the wrangler for the instances when you need 4wd. As the jetta will give you almost all the space and cargo room you want, within your price range and it is quite practical at 43mpg when you drive fairly hard.

 

[leebay88]

I've owned both

2010 Tacoma Double Cab Sport with ToyTech ULK

and now a 2007 4runner LDT V8 with lots of goodies

Stock for Stock the 4 runner is a MUCH nicer DD. Overall it's just a much nicer vehicle. I do believe the Tacoma is more versatile for off road/ expedition use.

What really made me make the switch was I just wanted a nicer vehicle. I couldn't stand the seats in the Tacoma and as a stock truck it can't handle any payload to be called a truck.

I do miss the flexibility and versatility of the tacoma but it sure is nice to have the V8.