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Also the doors on the integrated bed storage bins don't lock and are completly removable. Anybody can see if you have anything stored in them and/or steal the doors with just a twist of the latch.
TOYOTA RESPONSE
"We apologize; the TRD sport package does conflict with option VD. The reason for the conflict is that the Limited Slip Differential is offered in both packages. Therefore if a customer were to purchase both packages they would pay for the limited slip differential twice. If you would like vehicle stability control + traction control with hill start ascent control and downhill assist control with your TRD sport package you will need to purchase option package VE rather than package VD."
90% street use/10% "off-road" - let me clarify. I am NOT a true off-roader, that is I do NOT drive over boulders, stumps, up and down hills etc. My wife and I are avid hikers and campers however, and we routinely drive long distances on some pretty nasty Forest Service roads to get "far from the madding crowds." We need good ground clearance and 4x4 capability, balanced against as comfortable a ride as possible given the distances we often travel to get to trail heads. We plan some day to pull a light trailer or 5th wheel (around 2,000 lbs.) for extended trips as semi-retirement looms ahead. In the meantime we'd like to sleep in the bed as the need arises. We're both short and could get away with lying down in the Short Bed if we get one of those Truck Tents. Another poster who shares similar pursuits mentioned that a Long Bed with top might be better for inclement weather situations. Don't know that I want to drive a vehicle that long (as we're pretty much committed to getting the Double Cab).
Do I REALLY need the Off Road package??? I gather from some of the comments that a Sport package with vehicle stability control + traction control with hill start ascent control and downhill assist control, limited slip differential, larger tires, and slightly stiffer suspension might do the trick. (We've been accustomed to doing our trips in a Pathfinder for years and haven't had any traction problems on the FS roads.) Plus it sounds like one will be able to turbo charge the Sport in the near future for extra power which may come in handy when we hit the towing years. I'm thinking that the stuff in the VE option would come in handy for the towing needs as well.
Thanks so much for any input!
I have a few questions:
Is it OK to put a STANT locking gas cap on the truck?
Has anyone found a hard tonneau cover that will fit and not interfere with the great rail system?
When I lock the truck with the FOB, the lights flash but the horn does not sound. It looks like the horn should sound reading the owners manual?
Under the radio the display has 2 "passenger" words written side by side in white. When the truck is running, the "passenger" on the right is lit up red when no one is in the passenger seat. Is this normal?
Would welcome any comments.
Tom Clark
(vmiman)
Tom Clark
(vmiman)
Tom Clark
(vmiman)
Tom Clark
(vmiman)
As for the 2 "passenger" labels; does the truck have a switch to turn the passenger side air bag off and on? If so, you probably get the red passenger label if the air bag is turned off and white (or maybe green) if the bag is turned on? Check your manual as I am only speculating.
If you don't buckle the driver side seat belt do you get a red light also?
I am looking for TRD Offroad Package 2.
I tested the Tacoma with the VIP system, and only the lights flashed when I locked the doors. That's only my experience. Has anyone else found the VIP system making the horn squawk when locking/unlocking the doors?
TOYOTA RESPONSE
Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. We apologize the dealership in your area is unable to purchase option package VE. Our system shows all available packages and does not have the ability to determine if a package is restricted in a certain area. Your dealership may be able to contact their Regional Office for further clarification. If you would like them to do so please contact the Customer Relations Manager.
"I brought my truck home from the dealership last night. The replacement bed hasn't arrived yet and anyways they want me to remove the shell before they change the bed (of course).
So far I haven't got any new information; the service manager said that he couldn't understand the Japanese that the Toy techs were speaking but they took a lot of pictures and notes. They also left a questionnaire sheet as to how the shell works and how much of a load I had in it while 4x4'ing. I told them roughly 750-800 lbs. Maybe they weren't expecting this much weight?
Anyhow here are a few new pictures for those interested. So far they still haven't said anything about my mounting method - good or bad.
Also, and I forgot to mention this before since it takes a backseat to the huge crack next to it, but look closely at the picture of the crack. To the right you will see two white marks on the bed. I thought at first that they were just rub marks from something rubbing (as things always do offroad no matter how careful I am). But if you rub your hand over them, they are 1/8" indentations in the bed! Turns out my metal Coleman camp stove was rubbing there for who knows how many miles, and it started to rub clean through the bed!!! What does this mean for long term durability? I had so much stuff rubbing against my Line-X'd bed in my old truck and it barely made a mark on the Line-X.
I'm really starting to worry about the longetivity of this bed."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/123Gone/Crack_RubMarks.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/123Gone/ShellAttachment.jp- g
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/123Gone/AngleIron.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/123Gone/ShellOnTruck.jpg
The owner installed a cap/canopy/shell (whatever you may call it) that he originally claimed was about twice the weight of the Toyota optional Snugtop. Presently, he says that another forum member reports that the weight is equal to the Snugtop. Accounting for exaggeration and lack of actual numbers, I suspect that it is heavier. The shell came off his 2002 Tacoma, which is narrower than the 2005 Tacoma. This means that the shell was not sitting squarely on the bed sidewalls, but loaded the inside of the sidewalls. That will tend to push them outwardly. Let’s call his 4x4 excursion a test track. He then took the vehicle on this “test track” of very rough terrain, which pushed/pulled those sidewalls out and in. The resultant fatigue failure is the crack we see. If you take a piece of sheet metal and subject it to repeated cyclic stresses and strains, which are even considerably below the ultimate tensile strength, it can result in cracks or complete failure. The composite material did the same and it appears to have ruptured from the top to the bottom in the pictures provided. The owner, in effect, modified the vehicle design, and his test trials proved his design inadequate.
How do you like your Tacoma with the PT option? I got mine on Nov 11th and it's the greatest. I also have the V6 w/6 speed tranny. So far no defects or problems.
Tom Clark
(vmiman)
I prematurely and expectantly show that I have the 2005 Tacoma in my profile. It is coming. It's scheduled to go through the assembly line the week of January 3rd. Delivery occurs around January 16-20. In it's place, right now, I have a 1986 Ford Bronco II, Eddie Bauer Edition. I presently have 4 offers on it because it is in such good shape.
I just got off the phone with the Toyota sales manager. It seems I ordered too much stuff on my Tacoma from the factory. They have a 15 option limit. We adjusted things as necessary.
By the way, "Coinneach" is the gaelic word for Kenneth. You can call me Ken.
Regards,
Ken Forbes
Puyallup, WA
My 1999 ExtraCab 4x4 went off to its new home today and the new one is a great, though not perfect truck. Watching me go through days of negotiation, my girlfriend/partner believes my mood change with the arrival of the 2005 means I should buy a brand new truck much more often. This could be good.
The interior is a big improvement over my previous truck. Front seats have lots of lateral support and I like the looks. My 95 pound Bernese Mountain Dog fits happily in the back on the folded down seats with room to stretch. The fact that it lies truly flat is a big plus. The critter has already been able to sleep fully extended behind the front seats. Instrument cluster seems fine and I can finally see the turn signal lights now that they've been moved to the bottom of the speedo hole. Used to be hidden behind the top of the steering wheel for me and I'd been known to drive for miles giving the car behind me the impression that I was about to make a left turn into the concrete lane divider on the freeway.
The radio is just the low-end stock CD AM/FM. I've been looking at aftermarket upgrades and I'm not sure how they are going to fit that little Pioneer or Sony into the huge area occupied by the one from Toyota. The surface it's mounted in is curved and silver. Best Buy showed me some adapters they have for some other cars, but what I saw would make the middle of the dash look like it had been modified by the mechanic for the Beverly Hillbillies. I'm going to sit back and wait while someone comes up with a decent solution. I would also say that I wish that Toyota had made this an easier process since audio components have become commodity items built to real standards.
I was surprised not to find an ashtray. I don't smoke, but I normally use this to hold meter change and a few little trinkets I like to have along for the ride. I see reference to one in the extra accessories list, but not sure what it is or where it goes. Oh well. Lots of other storage, including the sun-glasses pull-down in the ceiling, are plenty. I'm sure a lot of drivers are used to these touches, but they are new to me.
Exterior appearance: I like the truck going and coming a lot. Looks strong, like bull. However, I find the looks on the side to be something I'm going to have to get used to. The rear side window in particular looks small and misshapen to my eye. I happened to see a Double Cab today, and that truck looks great from a side view. Almost like the design decisions were made for the Double Cab first and then shoe-horned into the constraints of the Access Cab. I also wish the rear door windows popped out as on my '99 and that they were bigger.
My initial take on the manual tranny with the V6 was "why would you need 6 speeds?" Five gears seems plenty. I must say that it's nice to see the revs loping along near 2500 at 70mph on the freeway. Good choice, Toyota! Truck is very zippy, though I think I expected a little more pull given that the horsepower got a boost of 55, but the truck is heavier as well. Ride is sweet to my unschooled butt. Flattens bumps and feels quite solid.
Possibly my greatest complaint is the single choice of tires I was given. (I guess that's not actually a choice.) I do get off-road in places in the California desert where the penalty for a blow-out or puncture of a sidewall by a scrape with a rock can be very high. I need something tough that will get me in and get me out without problem. I'm careful out there, but a P rated tire like the Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A's just ain't going to git it. I've already got them for sale on craigslist and will get some Michelin LT's of some sort.
Thanks for your post. I have the 2005 Access Cab with the TRD Sport Package, V6 and 6 speed tranny. I also got the Dunlop tires which I was very happy to have. I didn't like the Goodrich's either!!! First thing I did was to scotchgard all my seats. I love the truck (mine is the indigo blue). Only thing I don't like it the white skid plate on the front. Why couldn't they have painted it black??? It really sticks out. I will probably have it repainted. I also bought all the goodies: cargo divider, bed net, bike rack, cross bars and ski rack, and the mini hooks for the front rail. Set me back about $700, but hey, might as well take advantage of that great new rail system. I plan to put a hard or soft tonneau cover on the truck as soon as a company develops one that will work with the rail system (I don't want to have to modify it). I had a 2000 Dodge Dakota SLT that I traded for the Toyota (just saw it got recalled yesterday, boy did I time that right!!!).
Tom
The dealer gave me $2000.00 off the sticker price of $29736.00. Is this a good deal coming from a Toyota dealer? I've never dealt with Toyota before.
Thanks
Bob
My target price is 26,500 for a truck that lists at 28,130. That gives them about 5% over invoice.
Also look at their document fees. 2,000 under MSRP isn't such a great deal if they hit you with a $700.00 doc fee in the finance office. The lowest doc fee I've seen is $200.00
Happy hunting and let us know what deal you get.
In my case, my goal was $450 over invoice and I actually beat it when I inadvertantly engaged two dealers in a bidding war for my business. It takes some footwork/phonework. If you have some or most of them reject the sale, then you know you're on the right track. The more whining and complaints you hear from them, the better. (I once helped a friend buy an Accord using this method and while we were sitting in the sales office, the guy told us to tell friends about the dealership, but not to tell them the deal she got. That was satisfying!)
You have to remember what a sleazy business selling cars is and how these people are schooled in manipulating you out of your money. They will use whatever they have to in order to seal a deal, including deception and outright lying. Most of my contact with auto sales people leaves me with the feeling that I should promptly wash my hands. (I'm sure there are exceptions, but they are rare indeed.)
Your 5% over invoice amounts to more than $1250 and though any car salesman reading this will disagree, let them make that much profit from a sale to someone else.
That may have to do with your shopping method... most of the good sales folks who hang out here know better than to engage in bidding wars over the phonea & would politely tell you to take a hike.
I deal in person and I seem to have no trouble getting competitive deals and minimum hassle... not to say that I occasionally have had to beat a retreat at a store that had more of a "come on down, low down, low payment" approach.
'05 Tacos are pretty hot, so if I were selling them, I don't know I'd go for the 5% over routine either.
-Mathias
I got the 5% figure from several sources that say 3-5% profit over invoice is fair. I don't want to be robbed, but I don't want to rob anybody either. I just want a fair deal.
I called the regional manager in Portland, OR to verify that it was/was not available in my region. He was busy, but the receptionist tried to get that information for me. She called the office expert and told me that the VSC is not available with the Limited Slip Differential.
"Tacoma for 2005 offers some of the most sophisticated dynamic control technology in the Toyota inventory and in the compact pickup truck category. The optional VSC and TRAC (Traction Control) systems give Tacoma models traction on or off-road by helping to keep the vehicle going on its intended course. The system detects front-wheel slide and rear-wheel slide during cornering and attempts to control either condition with throttle intervention and/or by braking individual wheels."
"The VSC and A-TRAC systems include Automatic Limited-slip Differential (A-LSD), which uses brake intervention in place of a mechanical-type LSD unit to help reduce tire slippage at the rear wheels (the TRD Off-Road Package uses a locking rear differential, and the TRD Sport Package is equipped with a mechanical limited-slip rear differential)."
"On automatic transmission models, the VSC and TRAC option also includes Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). When the option is ordered along with the TRD Off-Road Package on 4x4 V6 automatic models, it also includes the Downhill Assist Control (DAC) system."
"By independently controlling the brakes at each of the wheels as needed, the HAC system helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or slipping sideways during transition from a stopped position to climbing an upgrade."
"The DAC system uses engine braking to regulate downhill speed and independently control the brakes at each of the four wheels to improve directional stability. The feature also works in reverse and is automatically de-activated if the driver depresses the brake or accelerator pedals, presses the DAC button, or shifts into neutral."
http://www.toyotaoffroad.com/Articles/Toyota/2005_Tacoma/2005_Tac- - oma.htm
But a certain way of shopping encourages certain sales tactics, and vice versa. To assume that anyone who is critical of bigandy's approach is a car salesman is kind of silly.
-Mathias
There are businesses that are not run as zero-sum games, but rather in a way that both buyer and seller and seller can work toward mutual benefit. The car business is unfortunately not one of them.
So maybe you could flesh out what's "biggoted and offensive" about what I wrote.
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After a bit of a software snafu last week, we'll try to get a harder count on how many of you are coming to the Philadelphia Auto Show on Feb 5th and 6th (that's the first weekend of the show) so we can figure out how many goodies we might need! So stop in at one of the chats this week and let us know!
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