Updated: A very nice "Toy"!! Spoil yourself with this Truck!

The time finally came when I had to let my old friend '84 Corolla go. (See http://widowsmites.epinions.com/auto-review-611C-B547F16-39667A5F-prod3 review). The timing belt had broken, clutch was dying, and brakes were going. That was enough to convince me to start looking more earnestly! Don't worry, we repaired it and gave it to a good family from church that needed another vehicle.

So, we now own a shiny gold-colored 2001 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double-Cab SR5 Truck! And it sure is nice to have a new vehicle since my last one was 17 years old! Let me highlight what I like and dislike so far and make some recommendations for potential buyers. I'll try to come back often and update as I learn more (only 350 miles on it, so still lots to learn)! A little over 600 miles with this update.

Likes:
. Wow, you like being able to see the driver of a Ford Explorer face to face? You need this Tacoma! After riding for years in my old Corolla that is just a few inches off of the ground, it is very odd to sit so high up.

. A new vehicle that starts everytime and runs smoothly. For those of you driving preowned or experienced cars, you will understand.

. With the SR5 package, the sound system has the radio, cassette & CD player! And sounds good too with 4 bigger speakers and two smaller ones that are located on the upper part of the front doors. It is really nice to be able to switch from radio to cassette to CD with a touch of a button. Big improvement over my Corolla where I think I was down to 2 of the 4 speakers working!

. Power locks/windows are nice. For the windows, they even let you raise/lower them for about 30 seconds after you shut the car off. The rear doors have child proof locks on them, which is a must for you families! Plus a good joke on Grandma when she comes to visit and can't get out of the truck! :)

. Have already used it to haul some limbs. It worked fine. I didn't buy the "bed extender" which would've cost around $200ish. If someone has one, let us know if it is worth it or not.

Dislikes:
. It rides like a 4-wheel drive since it has that body style. Which is exactly what my wife wanted, but something I could've lived without (I still miss our zoom zoom '94 Toy - see http://widowsmites.epinions.com/auto-review-1941-A423C94-3963BC38-prod4 ). Driving it doesn't take some getting used to again due to its size. Also, parking has been a re-learning for me.

. Gas mileage! I intentionally purchased the four cylinder (4 banger for you mechanical types) to get better gas mileage. My guess is the frame and body are so large, it doesn't matter much! I've only had to fill it once and I got a meager 15 miles per gallon with mostly city driving (stick says a bold 19 city, 20 highway but the finer print gives a WIDE range for both, something like 14-21 mpg)! Part of the update, it is still getting 15 mpg since I've been doing mostly city driving. Boo hoo!

. No rear-window defrost. Now that the window is "way back there" in the double-cab, it would've been nice if they had a rear window defroster (you know ... the tiny little toaster strips). This may not annoy most folks, but I live in the rainy part of Oregon, so lots of condensation to get rid of.

. Storage space is gone. You can fit a pair of jumper cables behind the rear seats but not much more. Plus the glove box is a little undersized, probably due to the air bag. The driver's console is nice with two major compartments to it but not a good place to store "emergency" equipment. I'd suggest you buy a truck box, but that would eat quickly into your precious 5 feet of bed length!

Major Bummer:
. I have to inform you of a major bummer that happened to the truck. In the first week of having it, it was mischievously attacked by a shopping cart! Nice 3 inch long ding behind the left back door. Bad enough that it will probably rust. A quote for repair from a body shape, over $500! Wow, am I in the wrong line of work! :)

Recommendations:
. Unless you are over 6 feet tall, get the running boards. They help for us "appropriately tall" people to get in and out.

. For a little more "peppy" ride, you may want to consider the V6. It may not impact your miles per gallon as much as you think due to the weight of the truck.

. Unless you really, really, honest to goodness need it, don't get the 4x4 version. It is so much more expensive, plus you lose two cup holders on the driver's console! :)

. If you are patient, you should buy used. Toyota vehicles hold their quality well. We would've waited except this model matched our families needs perfectly due to the double cab. And being a brand new model, we would've had to wait at least a year! :( As I mentioned, the Corolla situation spurred us on. Plus the dealer gave us a great deal, only a couple of hundred over invoice!