Checked out a '05 TRD Sport today @ the dealer and surprised to see no skid plate on the fuel tank and the transfer case plate nothing more than the size of a CD case. Doesn't look like much protection at all. Is any tank protection offered? Oh well, get out the MIG and let the fabrication begin......

Sadly these trucks have evolved into yuppie grocery getter rigs. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Might've just found yourself a job! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Man I think you're right; yuppie rigs. I love my Taco, and I like the design of the new ones, but I think they've definitely gone the way of trying to appeal to the upper-middle class yuppies who don't need an ultra-tuff last-a-lifetime truck....it scares me. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" />

its not that "yuppies" Buy them now. But how many people have actually Needed a gas tank skid plate on there taco ? Othere than the people in these forums that make up a VERY small %

Ya I guess I'm asking for too much. Good old Japanese 4WD has gone the way of 4X4, bigger fuel tank, plastic front bumper, no manual transfer case shifting, wheel flares that look like they were stolen from the General, yada yada yada. But looks have defintely improved over previous models and i guess at the end of the day, that's what sells. Must be a heap of people wondering what that 4L setting is on dash. Geez if I didn't know any better, I'd crank the knob to see what would happen, on pavement of course.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

It's true that most buyers, even 4x4 buyers, don't "need" skidplates. But Toyota should make them part of an option package (perhaps a "TRD+" package,) in order to retain the small but significant number of loyalists who previously bought Tacos because of their offroad ruggedness.

This is True! I do wish it had a manual transfer case.