Toyota Tacoma Advantages

[fmyth]

there are some huge toy hauler 5th wheels that can take full size vehicles

I had new 5ht wheel toyhauler with 21 feet of space but the max payload for the garage was 2,500 lbs. I broke the frame on my first trip hauling a 2,000 lb sand car. Spent the next few months fighting with the trailer manufacture and the frame manufacturer. Good luck finding one that will reliably haul a 5k pound Tacoma. 99% of them will have a Lippert frame under them. Google "broken Lippert frame".

 

[NateO 77]

I went from a Tacoma to a rzr and used it part of 1 hunting season in Idaho. After that I decided to go back to a Tacoma. It's pretty much as capable except on narrower trails and it has all the creature comforts you could want. I am past the years of denting up my trucks to get just a little further but don't shy away from scratches. I have no problem loading up all my gear and crossing multiple states to hunt and get back into where I need to go. You can't do that in a SxS without a trailer and tow rig. Add up all the extra cost and even a brand new Tacoma is probably cheaper than a reliable tow rig a trailer and the SXS.

 

[MT-Native]

Got a 97 2.7L Tacoma, manual everything. Been the only owner since I was a Senior in High school, 340k miles and still going strong. I retired her to a hunting rig only when she hit 300k. Over the years some top end work, a clutch all the rest has just been standard maintenance. These little trucks last forever. Now days if I’m travling anywhere outside the back yard for hunting, she’s hauled by the Cummins. I’ll would never sell this little reliable romper.

 

[Customweld]

I’ve had an 82,89,(2) 92’s, 2000 and now a 12. All have been 4cylinders. The 2000 was not a good truck and didn’t stay with me long.

 

[RW2013]

That's Implying tacos and 4runners go to the mountains, would be neat to see. I've only seen them at local paved campsites and Dutch Bros coffee parking lots. Cool RTT, rotopax and laders though.

I've owned 3 tacomas and two 4 runners. You know what else is reliable? A bike...and it nearly as fast and carries about the same payload

all in good fun, btw. Yotas are great, just a bit small for more than just a man and his dog. Full size, double locked truck was my answer, based on family size/needs.

If you haven’t seen them in the mountains then you haven’t gone up far enough. Keep going, past the Chevy on the side of the road.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I have a SXS and a Taco. I use the SXS on some of my hunts to get to my hiking point quickly without beating the piss out of the truck. There's a couple areas that I hunt that are about 10 miles of crappy trail/road to get to the access point, if it rains or snows you're not getting in there with the truck period. Without the SXS I'd have to walk 10 miles each way on an open road/trail just to get to where I want to start hunting.

 

[CorbLand]

Because they WILL NOT go places a sxs or atv will go. Not even close. It’s no comparison.

I don’t know about that. Allegedly you can fit a first gen Tundra down four wheeler trails.

 

[BigE]

I had new 5ht wheel toyhauler with 21 feet of space but the max payload for the garage was 2,500 lbs. I broke the frame on my first trip hauling a 2,000 lb sand car. Spent the next few months fighting with the trailer manufacture and the frame manufacturer. Good luck finding one that will reliably haul a 5k pound Tacoma. 99% of them will have a Lippert frame under them. Google "broken Lippert frame".

Agreed that most standard toy haulers are not very capable, especially the ones built with commodity components. There are some better grades that can. I don't have one, but ATC trailers is one example.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Full size Tundra with a Honda fourtrax in the bed. Best of both worlds

 

[CCH]

It seems like everyone is coasting by the “haul my 5th Wheeler with my side by side” part. That big camper seems to be a big part of the equation. If the OP has an additional driver to bring up the Taco that isn’t hauling the camper, that sounds like the way to go, otherwise it’s a compromise like most of life.

 

[collinjet]

I bought a 2022 TRD OR DCLB Tacoma last year and it is my favorite vehicle that I have ever owned. I've enjoyed the OR package thus far but eventually would like to lift it up 3 or so inches. I live in WI and it easily has handled everything out here. I took it to Colorado for a summer camping trip and it performed great off-roading. I was shocked to not scrape on anything while I was out there.

I have an ID black bear tag and will be taking the Taco as my only source of transportation. Looking at 27 hours in the rig but I know she will do just fine. I'm looking into getting a dual sport motorcycle to be able to use as a secondary source of transportation while hunting. That will have to wait though as I'm broke from paying off the Taco LOL!

 

[sacklunch]

If you haven’t seen them in the mountains then you haven’t gone up far enough. Keep going, past the Chevy on the side of the road.

Yeah, false, they're all at the highway turnoff with their RTTs popped drinking IPAs in their BHA gear

 

[justinspicher]

I live in SW Colorado and while there is a good amount of ATV trails here, they won‘t get you anywhere you want to hunt. For that you’ll just have to walk. With that being said, my 1996 single cab Tacoma with a 5spd and 4wd is a great vehicle. It gets me to every single trailhead, carries all of my gear and I can drive it daily, as I have done for the past 8 years. I still use the standard 31x10.5 tires on it, usually an AT tire and it goes wherever I need to. I don’t own a winch, but I have a couple winch straps that have gotten me out of some tight spots. I put LED lights on it, head lights, brake lights and turn signals, as well as reverse lights. That was a big help, specifically when backing up. I can finally see behind me. I added a 10” LED light bar up front and that was a game changer for late nights with shitty weather. The down side to this rig is that it is small, you and a buddy are familiar with each other by then of a trip. It also has a 2.7L 4cyl engine so any extra weight adds up for long trips. I recently put a rack on it, which is lighter than a camper shell, but I think it will offer me way more options. I had a SxS when I first moved here, but it was expensive, took up room and required additonal registration to get use. It didn’t get me anywhere I was trying to go that my Taco wouldn’t get me so I got rid of it.

The taco option isn’t for everyone, your personal requirements will help determine what you actually need, but for where I am, and what I do, it is absolutely perfect.

 

[ArcherAdam]

Though I am jealous of the taco after-market options, don't hesitate to add a frontier pro-4x as a less expensive yet reliable option as well.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Drive a 3rd gen 4runner,drove daily 8 years and its been good,one reason toyotas have better longevity is they are way underpowered.
They really need to bring the supercharger back that they used on some of there rigs.

 

[MallardSX2]

Buy you a Honda pioneer 500 sxs and a Tacoma 4X4.

Have best of both worlds and you don't break the bank terribly.

 

[Gman12]

I have a Tacoma & a SXS. I use the Tacoma unless I need to get to a place that only the SXS can go. SXS's are loud and I don't want to announce my presence to every critter within a mile. If I do use my SXS, I try to be real easy on the throttle so as to not rev the motor and make as much noise. Then I will not drive close to where I intend to hunt and make a further hike to get to where I want to hunt. SXS's are real handy for recovering animals.

 

[Yarak]

Been driving a 2005 Tacoma since new and now has 278k and about to invest $10k back into it on upgrades and paint
Bought a SxS and kept it one season and sold it
The Tacoma does everything I need and much more
Just finished running my seasonal trap line with it and now its time for a good cleaning and then upgrades

 

[Davisjj8]

So I wanted to ask my fellow sliders about this. I have a 3/4 ton Diesel that I pull my 5th wheel with, and a side by side to take up the nasty roads and trails that we see while hunting. But I know a few guides and avid hunters who swear by their Tacomas and have no interest in buying an ATV or side by side. Anyway I’m kicking around the idea of buying a Tacoma to use in the hills but wanted to gather as much info as I can.

So what are the advantages over using a side by side to hunt or tool around the hills in? Strictly as a hunting vehicle?

Snag a geo tracker for cheap.

 

[Coldtrail]

I recently bought a Tacoma which I'm finding to be a perfectly good vehicle for my needs, took some getting used to after having full size trucks but I have learned to like it a lot, the biggest thing I tow is a 2000# pop-up with no issues.

I do not own a side by side but have ridden in several, pretty unimpressed for the $$$. I'm somewhat biased against the SxS movement, most of the hunters I see running SxS kind of fall into a certain mold & I'm not young but just not there.....20yrs and 50lbs could easily change that though.