2022 Toyota Tacoma SR5, V6

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Not following this. But maybe "tolerable mpg" is the issue. To do work, you have to burn gas, so... yeah the mpg goes down in the hills.

5th gear will return 10~14 mpg at 75-80mph.

Regearing is going to do the same thing, increase rpm in each gear.

Kind of, but the difference between 3.90 and 4.88 in a given transmission gear is smaller than the difference between different transmission gears.

Can't win. Either accept the hunting (turn up the radio?) or lock out a gear, and take a slight mpg hit. You can always let it go into top gear on the flats, and proactively drop down before the hill. Used to have to do that in the bad old days.

You can win by getting a different vehicle that doesn’t have the same ridiculous problems. My Honda Pilot, which also had a 3.5 v6 and a 6sp auto, didn’t have nearly the same issues. My friend’s Ranger Tremor didn’t have the same issues.

I know on my prior Toyota's I stopped using cruise because of hunting like this. It'd do double downshifts, then hunt. Want to say, I could nip that by clicking one down, lock out 6th, and it'd be much better--but in general, for mpg, I gave up on cruise, I could do vastly better building a bit of speed before the hill, then letting it droop as I ascended. YMMV of course, my hills are pretty tame.

Yep, cruise is broken on the third gen Tacoma.

 

[Delta]

I know on my prior Toyota's I stopped using cruise because of hunting like this. It'd do double downshifts, then hunt. Want to say, I could nip that by clicking one down, lock out 6th, and it'd be much better--but in general, for mpg, I gave up on cruise, I could do vastly better building a bit of speed before the hill, then letting it droop as I ascended. YMMV of course, my hills are pretty tame.

Cruise control works great in my manual Tacoma; it doesn't shift in and out of gears

If it does, I'm getting out right then and there...

 

[Pablo]

Cruise control works great in my manual Tacoma; it doesn't shift in and out of gears

If it does, I'm getting out right then and there...

I’ve never used my cruise control

So there is that

 

[supton]

Cruise control works great in my manual Tacoma; it doesn't shift in and out of gears

If it does, I'm getting out right then and there...

No kidding, cruise was fine in all of my manual transmission cars also.

Odd thing about those vehicles, the transmission never hunted and they always seemed to be in the right gear too.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I have never felt taxed by the automatic transmission shifting. The trucks doing the work. 6 th gear will be more useful for 40-60 mph backroads than 75 mph I interstate. Even my 4 runners screamed through gears when I lived in Colorado. The Toyota cruise control has always been a bit “do or die” for holding speed.

Pull the stalk back when you approach that hill and put your foot into it before you get there. Burst and coast those mountain's.

 

[cptbarkey]

What?

I have nothing against trailers but they are a pain to use 90% of the time, in the sense of driving into town for just about everything I do. In fact anything I bought in the last 4 years for all the projects, would not have needed a trailer. I didn't need a trailer. Sure ultimate payload capacity is not huge at around 1500#, and yes could tow a larger load, but I'm not often needing 16 sacks of concrete or whatever.

I contend comparing a truck and dump trailer is apples and oranges. Trailers are cheaper, but not cheap for what they are new. They sit there. You can't drive your trailer.

The 10%, you are correct. I want to get another trailer to flatbed my ZT mower - well if needed. But not needed now. I had a trailer, before never really used it - it just sat there. Trailers are good, select a multipurpose trailer and tow it with your small/medium pick-up.

My 2019 Tacoma is perfectly fine. Thanks.

Have you tried pricing out a trailer vs a pickup? Its nice that you already own one, good luck to a new buyer.

For example: Tacoma: $40k.
Flat bed dual axles (without brakes) $2k in my area.
with brakes $2.5k.

I'd take the hitching hassle anyday and practice what i preach.

 

[supton]

Have you tried pricing out a trailer vs a pickup? Its nice that you already own one, good luck to a new buyer.

For example: Tacoma: $40k.
Flat bed dual axles (without brakes) $2k in my area.
with brakes $2.5k.

I'd take the hitching hassle anyday and practice what i preach.

What can tow a dual axle trailer? I'm guessing that's 5k+ for required towing capacity? I like my trailers--but what do I pull them with? A crusty 'burb? I keep trying to justify a cheap 2wd truck but everyone shoots holes in that idea.

I agree, prices on trucks are insane... but that's true for all cars too.

 

[cptbarkey]

What can tow a dual axle trailer? I'm guessing that's 5k+ for required towing capacity? I like my trailers--but what do I pull them with? A crusty 'burb? I keep trying to justify a cheap 2wd truck but everyone shoots holes in that idea.

I agree, prices on trucks are insane... but that's true for all cars too.

I bought 6 - 55 gallon nearly new oil barrels from a gentleman who was using one with a 4 banger mazda tribute. It doesnt have to tow the full capacity all the time. A riding mower is 400-500lbs, also easily doable with a Grand Caravan.

 

[dlundblad]

I have a 6.5x12 and 4x7 trailer. I still want a pickup truck.

 

[supton]

True enough, although even a Grand Caravan is like $10k or more and few think of those transaxles as "robust".

 

[Pablo]

Have you tried pricing out a trailer vs a pickup? Its nice that you already own one, good luck to a new buyer.

For example: Tacoma: $40k.
Flat bed dual axles (without brakes) $2k in my area.
with brakes $2.5k.

I'd take the hitching hassle anyday and practice what i preach.

Trucks are CRAZY expensive! My truck was under $30K and that's still crazy.

Again apples to oranges. I can't take a trailer to play pickleball.

Trailers are kind of expensive here for what one gets. Beaters are $2K.

 

[dlundblad]

A Tacoma is about the same price as a similarly equipped 4Runner.

 

[Pablo]

Around 1200 pounds this AM

 

[supton]

Wound up parking next to a Taco when I was just at the grocery store... darn it, not a bad size, really.

Afraid to go and test drive anything, I have a nasty tendency to make rash decisions.

 

[Delta]

Wound up parking next to a Taco when I was just at the grocery store... darn it, not a bad size, really.

Afraid to go and test drive anything, I have a nasty tendency to make rash decisions.

Come to the dark side!

 

[Bighorn2500]

Driving an Enterprise rental 2022 Taco extended cab with V6 now while my diesel is in the shop.

Has just over 30k on the odometer. Wind noise if greater than I expected in the cab. 20-21MPG back & forth to work so far.

Not that impressed so far.

 

[supton]

Come to the dark side!

Ha! tempting, as I "need" another vehicle.

I did do a bit of research and despite "everyone" saying the Frontier has a huge turning radius, it didn't seem to be worse than the Tacoma? Maybe neither is good, maybe that's the actual truth.

Someday, I'll have my truck again.

 

[Nick1994]

Ha! tempting, as I "need" another vehicle.

I did do a bit of research and despite "everyone" saying the Frontier has a huge turning radius, it didn't seem to be worse than the Tacoma? Maybe neither is good, maybe that's the actual truth.

Someday, I'll have my truck again.

I’ve been looking into Ridgelines lately for a family member. Pretty darn good bargain for what you get. Seems the price actually drops like a used car should. Rear seats flip up too.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Big enough to tow the largest U-Haul trailer easily, small enough to ride a U-Haul car carrier. Good for yard work.

 

[supton]

I’ve been looking into Ridgelines lately for a family member. Pretty darn good bargain for what you get. Seems the price actually drops like a used car should. Rear seats flip up too.

I've eyed them, but have fears of the 6AT. That leaves first gen which in this area of the world is pretty old. I'm holding out a couple more weeks before thinking of shopping in the south (don't want to drive something unknown home in a snow storm). [Only reason I'm looking is that there is one used lot that has a selection in the $15k or so region. I've been afraid to swing in and look.]

Still a $10k+ vehicle. Everything's expensive. I'm getting the impression that my buying power this year is not as good as I hoped, so I have to keep my expectations low.