Cadd Buys a New Toy

Well the sun has finally come up enough to take the first photo of my new Toy-auto, just purchased yesterday afternoon. This is the 2009 Toyota Tacoma, and it's more or less fully loaded except it is not 4WD and does not have satellite radio.



I haggled just a little and got $1500 knocked off the sticker (I'd asked them to knock of $4000 ;) ) I put 1/3 down in cash so I'd have equity, and I financed it for only 2.9% through Toyota.

DANG! I remember paying over 21% to finance my first car (32 years ago.)

I was actually going to buy a Sequoia, because the discounts are HUGE right now (Like $10,000 off the sticker to buy an '08 Sequoia) but the truth is that I wanted something Judy could drive too if she had to, and at 5 ft. nuthin' she could barely see out the windows of a Sequoia. To her, parking the Tacoma will seem like parking the Queen Mary, and a Sequoia would simply be impossible.

Gas mileage sucks at 20 MPG on the highway (My 3.8 liter Bonneville gets 30) but I'm still going to be commuting on the bike, so except for a little joyriding and irregular trips to home Depot, it's probably going to get driven when it rains, which is about the minimum required to keep it from rusting up.

[trip]

Well, you did good in my book, Cadd. I have always been a Toyota guy. I really believe in their quality and longevity. Right now, I own a 2003 4Runner, a 1998 4Runner and a 2001 Highlander.

In a couple of years, I plan on buying a Tundra truck to haul an RV around. Tundra's are built in Texas.

[jussmatt]

Congrats on the Truck Purchase there Cadd!!! Looks Very Nice!!!!!!!!! I'm sure you're gleaming like a Proud Papa of a New Boy!!!! LOL!

[ells]

Another proud Tacoma owner joins the ranks. I'm getting about 23 mpg on the 2.7L, '02, 4WD, auto, but truck is perfect after 70K.

[pirate]

Nice looking truck! I'm seeing more and more Toyotas on the road these days.

[audiogooroo]

Congrats man!

Very nice Cadd!

[Top Cat]

Congrats Cadd, I was going to buy a Tundra 4x4 when I got my truck last year. Couldn't afford a new one $43,000 and there were no used ones for sale round here.

Thanks, you guys (and Sue). We bought a new V-6 Camry in 2000, and it's been a really trouble free car. I figured you can't go wrong with a Tacoma, because even if I end up not liking it, the Tacoma's got the best resale value in the business. So far I'm liking it more each time I drive it.

Now a plain vanilla lookin' pickup truck doesn't really represent the level of butt jewelry that a Nomad does; but as cages go it's got my official okie-dokie. Cost notwithstanding, I am really much prouder to ride the bike. Everyone and his dog has a truck in Clovis. ;)

We have a big Toy dealer here in Clovis, and he had at least 50 Tacoma's on the lot and virtually no customers, so I got my pick of the litter. They are 4000cc (about 250 cu in) now and have rather complex valve gear with variable valve timing. It makes 236 HP which is as much as a 350 cu in Chevy did just a few years ago, so it'll be plenty fast.

More photos when I get the time.

[scion0]

Really nice!

[Blue Rebel]

Great, you helped me with another paycheck, (ha ha).

The company I work for, (Japanese), we manufacture the plastic connectors and components, stamp the terminals and we also make the wire harnesses, basically for all the automotive OEM's. Toyota is about 47% of our business right now.

Toyota makes outstanding products.

I wish the bed wasn't plastic. What I originally took to be a poly bed liner is actually a glass-filled composite molded plastic. It seems pretty strong, and it won't dent or rust, but I'll bet it weathers in the sun.

The gas tank is also plastic. I'm not sure I like that.

Also on the Tacoma World Forum (and you wondered why I wasn't posting as much here today?) they say NOT to load a big motorcycle over a ramp on the tailgate. The tailgates aren't strong enough to take it without bending.

[lw]

Nice ride. I'm having new vehicle envy. On wet days I drive my beat up old '92 Ford supercab. Dear Wife drives her '00 Expedition. I offered to buy her a new one, but she said she is perfectly happy with her "paid off" truck.

[Top Cat]

I don't know how much of a problem rust is in California, probably not at all, but here in NY the winters are really tough on vehicles. The plastic gas tank is a good idea here. I have had them on my trucks and you don't have to replace them like you do the metal ones.

[macmac]

Cool.... I wouldn't worry about plastic gas tanks. I've never heard of a problem with any plastic gas tanks.. I don't know when the first ones came out either, but the 85 Saab I used to have had one, so I know they date back that far.

So it won't rust and blow the seams either, and it won't condensate as much.

I am not so sure if there were electrics problems, 'I' would be wanting to sych it all out.

I still haven't forgotten the beating i took on a Ford tarus, with a cracked windshield. It had a all night draw to kill the battery by morning. I recall 7 computers, and a mess of fuses I pulled and STILL it drew current.

I simply had no idea in the windshield there was a shorted de-fogger running, and this one was dead shorted due to the crack. Lets just hope nothing like that happens.

So what plants will you be growing on the dash board? (You guys would not have believed the vegitation Cadd had on his Poncho dask and windshield LOL)