New vs Used - Tacoma

[Brent.ff]

Curious peoples opinion on going new vs used for a vehicle that just doesn't want to depreciate.

Currently looking at a 2014 Tacoma TRD Sport, should be around 38k out the door.

The equivalent 2013 model, with 10-20k km is ~35, or you can go up to the Sport Premium (leather and nav [could care less about Nav]) for another grand or two.. I'm sure I could knock it down to ~32k.

My thoughts are that why bother going used if you're only saving a few grand, have crappier financing (currently ~5-6% on used for 60 months, compared to 1.9% on new).

Anything else I should think of?

thanks.

[ExtraSlow]

For trucks in Alberta, unless you are going at least two years old with over 60,000km's on them, you are much better off buying brand new.

I just went through this with F150's, and a one-year-old truck that is in good shape, they want 99% of new price, and sometime even higher. For the Toyota, you probably aren't looking at the huge facotry incentives that you get ont he domestics, but you end up in the same situation.

If your numbers are accurate, and I'm sure they are, I would buy new.

Also interesting, depending on your needs, you can get a 2014 F150 with some nice options out the door for around that same price. Not everyone wants or needs the larger truck, but for some guys, it's a good option.

[Brent.ff]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Also interesting, depending on your needs, you can get a 2014 F150 with some nice options out the door for around that same price. Not everyone wants or needs the larger truck, but for some guys, it's a good option.

Mostly looking for a truck just for camping/fishing excursions, rarely tow, think the F150 is too much.

[carson blocks]

The way Tacomas hold their value, I'd go brand new and take the cheap rates. That said, I'd personally take a Ram 1500 over a Tacoma as it's cheaper, better equipped, way nicer interior, and can tow/haul way more. Gas mileage isn't even that different, everyone I know with a V6 Tacoma gets terrible mileage.

[benyl]

But a Ram will depreciate.

The Tacoma will still be worth $30K when it is 4 years old. The Ram might be worth $20K.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by Brent.ff
Curious peoples opinion on going new vs used for a vehicle that just doesn't want to depreciate.

Currently looking at a 2014 Tacoma TRD Sport, should be around 38k out the door.

The equivalent 2013 model, with 10-20k km is ~35, or you can go up to the Sport Premium (leather and nav [could care less about Nav]) for another grand or two.. I'm sure I could knock it down to ~32k.

My thoughts are that why bother going used if you're only saving a few grand, have crappier financing (currently ~5-6% on used for 60 months, compared to 1.9% on new).

Anything else I should think of?

thanks.

Buying a year old vehicle is generally a better strategy for domestic vehicles.

For Toyota's, I'd go new. Their resale prices are borderline stupid.

[jsn]

Good thing about buying a new tacoma is they keep their value really well. When I was in the market for a used mid sized truck, it was either the frontier or tacoma. The only reason I went with a frontier was that for the same year, mileage, and features the tacomas were on average $2500 to $3000 more than the frontiers. Great if you're buying new and reselling down the road.

I do however, wish I went with a f150 instead. Like someone mentioned, these v6 mid sized trucks do not save much gas at all. Only benefit of a mid sized truck is it's easier to maneuver and park around town, but if you're using it as a camping vehicle, that's a moot point. You lose out on towing and hauling space without much benefit from going mid sized. Even if you don't tow, it's nice having more hauling space especially if you're going camping with it. If it's just a camping vehicle for you, I'd definitely go with a f-150 or something comparable. But other trucks do depreciate faster than the tacoma after it's a year or two years old, so if that's your main concern, tacoma may be the one for you.

[btimbit]

I usually say buy the slightly older one and save on depreciation.

Tacoma is the opposite. You're barely saving anything on a used one, go new, especially if there's good rates right now. How those things hold their value is crazy.

[klumsy_tumbler]

My bf and I just went through this in January. Exact same situation, he started looking at the used tacomas first but decided on new after doing a quick cost-comparison.

With new, you get WAY better interest rates and warranty. With used, you're not really saving anything...

[ExtraSlow]

If you have to finance, New for sure.

[redblack]

Go new for sure. The price some people ask for used is ridiculous. I was looking at Tacoma's and frontiers but decided to go with a larger V8 truck. They get almost the same fuel economy and way more space inside.

[Kjonus]

How much fishing and camping you planning on doing to need a new truck that you're only using part time? Or is it going to be your full time driver too?:dunno:

[rizfarmer]

I just sold my '09 double cab to pick up a '13 double cab. If you have potentially months to wait around for a deal, and are a cash buyer, then buy used. Make sure you get at least a '12 if it's your only daily driver. If you need a new truck now, lease it. At the end of three years you'll owe less on it than what it's worth.

I'm sold on tacomas based on the build quality versus a full sized domestic however it really pisses me off I don't have satellite radio in a $40k vehicle. So if features/creature comforts are what you're after, buy a full size.

[Brent.ff]

New tacos have sat radio, so that's a bonus.

Kjonus, I'm currently driving a CRV, so upgrading in a big way for a fishing/camping rig. I do probably every weekend of the summer, plus multiple weeks in Terrace fishing. I'd say a every other day driver as a girlfriend has a matrix, and we take the train to work (few km from home)

Now down to color. Spruce Mica is awesome, but a month wait to get it. Or Magnetic Grey.

Thanks everyone

[AE92_TreunoSC]

I know and have helped a few buy Taco's in the last year or so. Buy new. Better rates and you pay 4 grand more for the exact truck you want.

The new blue is awesome in person.

The 14's have homelink, sat radio and a FULL SIZED backup camera finally.

[Skrilla]

I just did the exact same thing in March. Was looking at some 2-3 year old Tacoma's, but the price was ridiculous. So with the rates and such I went with new, plus the truck I wanted (White Acc. Cab w/ 6 Speed in TRD/SR5 trim) was a pain in the ass to find. I love the truck, and I came from a F150 (2011) I will be buying another one in two years when this one is up!

[Kavy]

I was in the same position a few years ago so I will give you my insight.

I purchased a brand new Tacoma in 2012 to be a camping and towing vehicle. Mine was a TRD Sport fully loaded with leather, factory lift, lightbar, TRD rims and 34" tires. I paid 41,000 when I bought it and received 39,900 when I traded it in with 31,000kms on it. Taco's hold their value big time. It was bullet proof and a great truck for the time I had it but everyone saying the gas mileage is an issue is 100% correct, The Taco is a great truck but efficient it is not.

Last year I upgraded to a Ram 1500 and get better everyday gas mileage and way better mileage when towing. Being able to travel 900km's while towing vs 320km-340km while towing is a huge difference as gas stations are not very trailer friendly. The taco averaged around 19L/100 in town and 28L/100 while towing vs 15L/100 in town and 18L/100 towing on the Ram. The bigger tank in the fullsize is also a big bonus

I would bet money that within 2 years you will be looking at buying a fullsize, especially if you tow.

[msommers]

Buy new, end of story. Doesn't make sense. Tacos hold their value insanely well because some idiots are actually buying these 1 year old vehicles at near new pricing to keep that being the norm.

Don't be that idiot. Buy new.

I bought a 1 year old 4R. Saved 10k from invoice price though, mainly from all the extra crap the guy bought from the dealer + a ridiculously long extended warranty :D

Tacos and 4Rs are different. Except for 2000/2001's. I don't get how or why they continue to sell for as much as they do.

[benyl]

So if the prices for used Tacos are so high, do they actually sell if new is a better option?

Or do people just hold on to them and there is very little in the used market?

I am tempted to replace my F150 with the Taco because of size. My wife hates driving the F150 as it is simply too big.

Is there are new model coming out soon?

[ZMan2k2]

I may or may not be helping you decide, but my '06 Tacoma has been rock solid. I'm approaching 100k Kms, and it's still as solid as the day I bought it. I'm not looking to sell it anytime soon, but I've had offers from people for $25k just for my '06. To me, that's just crazy, considering I came from domestics, when I traded in my last car for the Tacoma, I was upside down on the financing. I owed more than it was worth. Now, with the truck paid off, and warranty expired, I still have no worries about things breaking down or falling off. I've had a few parts replaced and I can list them for you, but most were warranty stuff, and I didn't pay a dime. Go new, get the warranty, and find the truck you want, don't settle for one you can get now. You'll never be happy with it if you settle. I wanted the red I have now, and waited 3 weeks to get it, but I'm happy I waited, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Warranty parts replaced:
-Rear springs, they were too soft from the factory, and with a couch in the bed, I was bottoming out. Took it to the dealership, and they swapped in the 4-leaf pack and upgraded my shocks to the TRD specific ones.
-Airbag Clock Spring, apparently there was a recall for this soon after, but my airbag light came on, and it was the clock spring being worn. Simple swap out, took them an hour, and I haven't had problems since.

Non-warranty:
-General maintenance stuff, brakes, plugs, oil. Replaced the front pads and refinished the rotors. The rears still have a lot of meat on them, so no need to replace, just clean up and lube. Spark plugs every 30k kms. They use a standard plug, costs $25 and an hour of your time to swap 'em if you DIY. And oil. I use Mobil1 and a Toyota filter. No leaks, no problems, never had an issue doing it myself and them denying warranty work.
-Airbag sensor. This happened about 6 months ago. The airbag sensor on the bumper went bad, replaced for $80. No issues since.

That's all I've had to do, but I think next oil change, I'm going to replace the idler pulleys and belt, just because of age. There's no issues with them, but, just to keep up the general maintenance and ensure I have no further issues.

There is some frame rust, but you'd expect that after 8 years on Calgary roads. Nothing severe, and a wire brush and some truck bed liner gets rid of it.

[rx7_turbo2]

1-2 year old Tacoma or new? If those are the options, new all the way.

It's hard to talk people out of a Tacoma if they have their heart set on one. I just downsized from a Tundra to a Tacoma. I don't need the size or power anymore and my wife likes driving the Tacoma (DCSB) much better. However you really do have to ask yourself if the Tacoma fits the bill the best. Put aside the "I need a Tacoma!!!" googly glasses for a moment. A full size truck may be the better option if towing is involved. The most I throw on my Tacoma is my dirtbike, more than that I might have kept the Tundra.

[Brent.ff]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2
1-2 year old Tacoma or new? If those are the options, new all the way.

It's hard to talk people out of a Tacoma if they have their heart set on one. I just downsized from a Tundra to a Tacoma. I don't need the size or power anymore and my wife likes driving the Tacoma (DCSB) much better. However you really do have to ask yourself if the Tacoma fits the bill the best. Put aside the "I need a Tacoma!!!" googly glasses for a moment. A full size truck may be the better option if towing is involved. The most I throw on my Tacoma is my dirtbike, more than that I might have kept the Tundra.

Ya I'm really not planning on doing any major towing. I have a drift boat that weighs less then a 1000 lbs (towed it with a CR-V with no issues, so the tacoma will make short work of it), and other then that want it to be able to throw a raft in the back and camping gear. Not planning on buying a travel trailer or anything, certainly not in the near future. My version of camping is different then the Beyond Ballers :D

[Sugarphreak]

...

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Are you new to Calgary or something :rofl:
My thoughts exactly. Can barely go to the grocery store to buy milk without a pickup truck in this town.

[Kjonus]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow

My thoughts exactly. Can barely go to the grocery store to buy milk without a pickup truck in this town.

That's kinda my point, there are so many people in this city with more money then brains and spend it on stuff that they only will use a hand full of times a year. How many people are sitting on RV payments of which it spends more time at the storage lot then out in the wilderness. How many people have a truck in this city when 95% of the time all its use it for is going to the grocery store or the mall.....just saying that's all.

That's why I asked if it's his only vehicle or daily driver, in that case yes go ahead and buy a new one (you'll have it for years)....if its a second mode of transportation then why spend it on something like that. Get something older which your not going to care if it get a rock chip or paint scratch from doing those activities. This is why I have a 11 year old Pathfinder as my second vehicle that has over 170,000kms on it of which I've put 130,000kms of them on and have had to do nothing but the normal maintenance....my 2 cents

[Aleks]

Originally posted by Brent.ff


Ya I'm really not planning on doing any major towing. I have a drift boat that weighs less then a 1000 lbs (towed it with a CR-V with no issues, so the tacoma will make short work of it), and other then that want it to be able to throw a raft in the back and camping gear. Not planning on buying a travel trailer or anything, certainly not in the near future. My version of camping is different then the Beyond Ballers :D

Sounds like a Ridgeline would be perfect for this light duty use and as a daily driver it's way way better than Tacoma. They are very expensive new though and unpopular with the "real" truck crowd.

[JRSC00LUDE]

The ridgeline is great for travel and camping and such, UNLESS you need a true 4WD. If your travels will require that, it's a bad choice. If you're only travelling AWD terrain then it's a good choice. But ugly.

[Brent.ff]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
The ridgeline is great for travel and camping and such, UNLESS you need a true 4WD. If your travels will require that, it's a bad choice. If you're only travelling AWD terrain then it's a good choice. But ugly.

so very ugly.

I want the full 4WD for some of the Northern BC roads.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Another one to check out would be the Nissan Frontier... a tiny bit cheaper, but I know somebody who was cross shopping last year between these two and they swore up and down the Nissan was better.



I ended up with the Frontier when I was looking years ago. It was a far better truck back then. 4 wheel disc brakes, much nicer manual transmission, metal box, and Nissan usually offers far bigger discounts.

I have no idea how the trucks compare today though, and Toyota owners/fans are known for being impossible to have a logical discussion about it. Most of them argue like Iphone fans lol.

Disclaimer: I've got nothing against Toyota or its vehicles. This is not an attack on anyone on this forum that has a Toyota.

[CapnCrunch]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2
Put aside the "I need a Tacoma!!!" googly glasses for a moment. A full size truck may be the better option if towing is involved. The most I throw on my Tacoma is my dirtbike, more than that I might have kept the Tundra.

I'd say it's probably equally true to make the opposite argument to a full sized truck buyer.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by CapnCrunch


I'd say it's probably equally true to make the opposite argument to a full sized truck buyer.

You're right it goes both ways. Plenty of full size truck owners who don't need or use their full size truck for what it's intended.

Really comes down to having an honest conversation with yourself regarding what you actually need.

I will agree both the Tacoma and the Frontier could do with a substantial overhaul. If you're Toyota though why bother? You sell every one you make, and the used market is insane.

The AWD system in the Ridgeline is a deal breaker for me.

[Brent.ff]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2



I will agree both the Tacoma and the Frontier could do with a substantial overhaul. If you're Toyota though why bother? You sell every one you make, and the used market is insane.



Very true. Frustrating, but true. I've been waiting for years for a new engine, but it's highly doubtful it's happening any time soon, so I'm finally pulling the trigger.

And if it does get a big update, at least there's a high resale. Considering the TRD Pro is pretty well just a slightly upgraded TRD, with no difference to engine. Tacoma has something like 50% market share

[Kjonus]

I'm sure you might not what to wait till fall but nobody has said anything about the new Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Canyon that's coming out. I'm really liking the look of the Colorado http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/vehicles/chevrolet/colorado/feature