Moving.. oh my goodness I am so glad that we have no plans to move anytime soon, but my friend did and what better time to get a truck to review than a 2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited Double Cab 4×4. Sure it is a smaller truck, but it is still very capable and helped us move some of the smaller lighter items from their house. But this story is about more than just using a truck to move someone, it is about the best way to get to know a vehicle. Want to know what that is? Having to change the tire because of a flat.
So one of the days that I was picking up some of the flooring from Lowe’s for their new house, as I pull away the tires felt off. It didn’t seem like anything major so I kept driving. By the time I got to one of the streets close to their house, the tire was almost completely flat. I aired it up at a gas station and by the time I got to their house, may 2 miles it was flat again. I knew that it wasn’t a slow leak, it was major. Yep I somehow picked up a big spike or nail of some sort in the Lowe’s parking lot.
Why is changing a flat the best way to get to know a vehicle?
- You have to find where the spare is and hopefully it is not just one of those donuts that really shouldn’t be driven on, which the Toyota Tacoma Limited has a full size spare. I was able to drive it the rest of the week and use it for moving.
- You have to find out where the jack is located! In the Tacoma, the jack is located under the rear seat on the left hand side. Pretty ingenious place to put it so that it is out of the way. In this process I was also able to discover some of the latch restraints and other storage places under the rear seat. You don’t always think to pull up every cushion and look in all the nooks and crannies when you only have a week with a review vehicle.
You have to use the manual to see just how to jack up the truck in the right position. It took my friend a few tries to get the jack in the right position, but soon we were on our way to changing out the flat tire.
Not only is the Toyota Tacoma Limited capable of being used as an everyday truck for commuting and taking your family places, but also as an extra truck bed with enough space to be helpful when someone moves. We fit plenty of boxes, bags, and over 30 boxes of laminate in the back without the truck struggling. The truck that I was driving also had a removeable bed cover that cannot be lifted off unless the gate is unlocked and opened. This is a good to know that your can hide your items under it without it getting stolen. The cover was heavy, but I was able to maneuver it off and on when needed. I need to look into one of them for my husbands Tundra.
I was impressed with the look and drive of the Toyota Tacoma Limited. My kids had plenty of space in the back. Our only problem was that it was just a bit tall for my daughter to climb in easily so we could have used a side rail. Overall really impressed and after doing a bit of comparison to my friend’s old Tacoma I was able to see just how far the truck has come in design and function. My friend was just a bit jealous of the new one. She called her Scarlet and though she doesn’t drive hers anymore since she has 3 kids, the truck still runs. It just needs a little TLC. That proves that Toyota can build some long lasting vehicles.
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited Double Cab 4×4 in Barcelona Red : MSRP $40,020
- 3.5L V6 Atkinson cycle with dual VVT-I, 6 spd automatic
- 4WD Demand- Part time 4×4 sys with 2 speed and electronic control
- Coll spring double wishbone fr and leaf spring rear suspension
- 18″ polished alloy wheels
- Rear backup camera and rear parking sonar
- Blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert
- Star safety system
- Side impact door beams
- Tire pressure monitoring system with auto locate
- 5′ composite bed with 120V power outlet
- Deck rail system with 4 adjustable tie down cleats
- Easy lower, lockable, and removable tailgate
- Leather trim seats with heated front seats
- Power moonroof
- Entune premium JBL audio
- Qi compatible wireless smartphone charging
- Tonneau cover ($650)
- Tow package ($650)
Love this truck. Made me want one!