Toyota is well renowned for producing incredibly dependable cars. Even though Toyota stopped producing motorhomes in 1993 (at least in the United States), you can still find them EVERYWHERE. This demonstrates the high caliber of these RVs.
Toyota mini-motorhomes frequently have original engines that have well over 200,000 miles on them. In fact, the Toyota 22R-E engine, known in the auto industry as one of the longest-running engines ever produced, is found in the majority of Toyota RVs.
Only 41,000 miles have been put on our 1989 Toyota Dolphin RV, and it still drives like a brand-new truck. When we are travelling hundreds of miles through the Mexican desert or exploring the wilderness in search of a boondocking location, it gives us confidence to know that our vehicle will function mechanically.
(Are you considering going camping in Mexico? Grab a copy of this vital manual, please!)
Sincerely, we would still save a ton of money by driving a dependable car even if we just camped in cities. The cost of mechanical work is high!
Our Toyota RV has made us so delighted that we would unquestionably suggest it to everyone as the best little motorhome on the road. There are several different versions of Toyota RVs, including the Toyota Chinook, Toyota Sunrader, Toyota Winnebago, and Toyota Itasca.
The Toyota RVs are all small motorhomes like our Dolphin. The quickest approach to find Toyota RVs that are for sale is to search for “Toyota Dolphin RV for sale” or “Toyota small motorhome for sale” on Google. These will return MANY choices. Finding a Toyota RV locally can also be done by looking through your local Craigslist.
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Are Toyota RVs reliable?
The fact that Toyota motorhomes are so extremely reliable was another key factor in my decision. The 22R engine is one of the most dependable engines ever produced, and if properly maintained, I frequently hear of these RVs lasting well over 200,000 miles. I personally have never owned anything other than a Toyota and have never experienced serious auto problems; the same was true of this vehicle.
Despite a few minor issues that required a new crank seal, alternator, and water pump, we managed to travel 20,000 miles over the course of six months in a 33-year-old car essentially incident-free. It will be difficult to accept anything less dependable than a Toyota after this experience.
How much does a motorhome Toyota Tacoma cost?
A Toyota Tacoma camper typically costs between $285,000 and $350,000, depending on the model and accessories you select. Better Tacoma models can cost as much as $325,000, and there are even custom-built BCTs available for purchase for more than $100,000. Additionally, there are secondhand campers priced around $2,000 or less available for purchase.
Does Toyota produce campers?
Outrageous New Idea Honors Toyota Campers of the Past and Growing Popularity of Overlanding
LAST NV (November 2, 2021)
With its Tacozilla Tacoma Camper1, a backcountry overlanding-ready “micro-house rig that pays homage to Toyota campers from the ’70s and ’80s, Toyota mixes downsizing with outdoor fun.
Tacozilla, based on a Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport truck, makes its debut today at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall’s 2021 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show display (Booth No. 24800). It joins other concept vehicles that are ready for adventure in the Toyota display this year as the pinnacle of overlanding.
According to Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Division Marketing, “Tacozilla is an exceptional embodiment of Toyota’s go-anywhere brand promise to our many owners who adore overlanding and outdoor fun.”
Tacozilla won’t be easy to miss, whether you’re walking the SEMA show, at that campsite, or on that off-road trail!
Tacozilla is a completely unique vehicle that Marty Schwerter and his colleagues at the Toyota Motorsports Garage created.
You’ll see that all of the sides are rounded since we really didn’t want it to resemble a refrigerator on the back of a truck, according to Schwerter.
Even though having sharp edges everywhere was the simplest approach, Schwerter thought rounded edges and smooth aluminum surfaces would better match the Tacoma’s body lines and make them appear more integrated and finished.
Our aim was to create a car that was properly engineered while still having a really attractive appearance, Schwerter remarked. “Having grown up around race cars, I think they have a sharp appearance. Additionally, I want campers to look good.
In order to assess what needed to be moved or removed in order to make room, the team began by removing the Tacoma’s bed.
In order for a person to be able to stand up within, the crew had to lower the frame height, according to Schwerter.
Then everything was shrunk and repackaged so there was enough space for the camper’s amenities and occupants and someone over 6 feet tall to walk the length of the interior.
The Toyota Motorsports Garage team subsequently constructed a simple camper structure to evaluate the original dimensions and fitment. The frame needed to be adjusted and strengthened after that. This maximized internal room while aesthetically matching the Tacoma’s body lines. Additionally, the thinner top and bottom make it simpler to travel routes and avoid impediments like trees.
The camper’s back door was particularly difficult to construct because of its tapered design. Although the crew could have installed a flat door, they determined the finished product would not look as seamless. The team spent over 100 hours designing the back door alone in total.
The team overcame another significant structural issue by building a pass-through opening between the camper construction and the cabin of the Tacoma. The solution needed to provide appropriate bracing and support for off-road driving, allowing the cabin and camper components to cooperate and twist on uneven terrain without endangering the vehicle or posing a danger to drivers.
The team was able to utilize the Tacoma’s current features by fitting the original rear fender flares over the camper’s wheel well apertures and extending the normal Tacoma TRD Sport suspension by two inches. The team mounted a set of 285/70/17 General Tire Grabber X3 all-terrain tires to assure traction.
The procedure is flexible, like with the majority of custom builds, and changes can be made in the middle. When the team decided to add a sizable pop-up Lexan skylight to the camper framework to give ambient light, natural air circulation, and more headroom, for instance, they were well into the process of covering the camper structure in aluminum. Other customized features include a gasoline tank filler that is entirely separate from the camper to guarantee that fuel fumes are contained and a second battery in the Tacoma’s engine bay to help give more power without taking up space in the already-constrained camper.
A seasoned and dependable Toyota partner, Complete Customs in McKinney, Texas, assisted with customizing and took care of the paint job. The completed camper has a white base coat with vintage-inspired yellow, orange, and golden accents. With teak sauna-style flooring, a full bathroom with a hot water shower, a fully functional kitchen with a stove and sink, a 3D-printed dining table that transforms into a backlit piece of wall art, and plenty of sleeping space, the fully insulated interior is exactly what the team had in mind.
1Vehicle is a unique prototype project car that has been changed with imitation components and accessories that could render it illegal to drive, void the warranty, and affect the car’s performance and safety.
What do Toyota campers cost?
Select your packages after choosing a TRD Sport or TRD Pro Tacoma. 33-inch tires, a long-travel suspension, an improved rear suspension, a stronger chassis, a fully built rear axle, and a dual-swing rear bumper are all included in the Stage I package, which enhances the Taco. 35-inch tires, a high clearance front bumper, front and rear winches, updated front and rear lockers, an air compressor, an enlarged fuel tank, and the ever-important snorkel are all options in stage II and stage III packages.
Almost everything you would need to live off the grid is present inside the BCT. A queen bed in the cabover and a dinette that can be made into a full bed allow it to accommodate up to four people. Other features include a wet bath with a cassette toilet, a fridge/freezer drawer, and a galley kitchen with a two-burner stove and oven. The skylight and seven safari-style dual-pane windows provide plenty of natural light. When choosing either the Stage II or III package, you can add hot fresh and gray water tanks, air conditioning, heated floors, and Internet connection.
Amazing, isn’t it? So, prepare yourself for the price, which is high even by camper standards (or maybe reasonable if you were looking at an Earthroamer). The BCT costs $285,000 when the truck is included. It will cost more if you want a nicer model than the access-cab TRD Sport.
Additionally, you’ll need to be prepared with cash. There are no financing options available, the Tacoma must be completely paid for when purchased, and a $50,000 non-refundable deposit is required to secure a production location.
Toyota stopped producing RVs when?
There are several different Toyota RVs available. Up to 50,000 are thought to have been made between 1972 and 1994.
Businesses ordered the Toyota truck without the beds so they could affix their own campers to it.
The Toyota Chinook, Toyota Dolphin, Toyota Sunrader, and Winnebago Warrior are a some of the more well-known examples. Others wear badges with less well-known names including Slumber Queen, Blue Marlin, Pioneer, Americana, and Belair.
Toyota Chinook
These early versions were created through a sort of collaboration between a Californian business and Toyota. Other American vans and trucks that the firm had previously transformed into RVs.
The early 1970s oil crisis gave rise to the experiment with the smaller Toyota automobile. At that time, petrol costs unexpectedly quadrupled, driving Americans to seek out smaller, more fuel-efficient automobiles and trucks.
In 1973, Toyota began selling its first Chinooks. Built on a Toyota long-wheelbase half-ton truck chassis with a Toyota 18R powertrain and a regular rear axle, they included pop-ups for added headroom.
Toyota Dolphin
From 1979 through 1990, National RV produced these. Many of them are so kind that they essentially have a cult-like following.
A recall involving axles severely hurt the business. Some of the campers that were being manufactured were too hefty for them, which led to the recall.
A 22-foot Dolphin Model 500 with complete gasoline, propane, and freshwater tanks and options like roof and dash air conditioners, cruise control, and AM/FM stereo is described in a 1985 review that was obtained online as having a 775-pound cargo capacity.
The Dolphin has a fully functional galley despite its small size. This micro-mini, which is based on a Toyota design, has a payload capacity large enough to comfortably fit a small family.
Toyota Sunrader
This one, which was produced by the Gardner-Pacific Corporation, came in 18-foot and 21-foot variants and had a fiberglass shell.
A four-wheel-drive variant came introduced in 1985. In addition, it included a wide picture window and a dinette in the back.
A 26-gallon petrol tank and more external storage were possible improvements for the Sunrader Classic, which also had cedar closets with lighting.
Don’t pass on these vintage Toyota RVs if you’re searching for a motorhome. They provide a lot of campers in a compact form!
They would undoubtedly rank on our list of the Best Small Class C RVs if they were still being produced.
They can get you into some of the most confined camping spaces, are tall enough for you to stand up in, and have their own restrooms. They are trustworthy and dependable, like we indicated, and they also have a bit extra. They stand out from the crowd because they are unconventional, retro, and cool.
What size Toyota motorhome is the smallest?
At Burning Man, we first noticed Toyota RVs. In reality, I was driven in a Toyota Sunrader to my very first Burning Man. These little motorhomes drew our attention repeatedly because of their modest size.
One of the smallest motorhomes available is our Toyota Dolphin, which is 21 feet long and just under 7 feet wide. We are nearly the same size as a Sprinter van, but the over cab bed gives us much more useful space!
Micro motorhomes are extremely rare, and in the US, Toyota motorhomes are pretty much the only micro little RVs on the market. There are many towed mini trailers available, but we preferred something self-sufficient so we wouldn’t have to worry about getting a tow car. We couldn’t be happier with our choice to travel in a little RV.
Do you sell Toyota Tacozillas?
While a Toyota Tacozilla is not for sale, you may get a ticket to see one at a car show. It has been seen at vehicle events in New York, Chicago, and Las Vegas. Nobody knows where or when this beast will appear next.
Tacozilla has been described by Toyota as “a special prototype project vehicle modified with non-genuine parts and accessories that may render the car illegal to run, void the warranty, and damage the safety and performance of the vehicle,” so it’s unlikely that you’ll even see it on the road. We may all nevertheless daydream about it!
What do you think about Tacozilla? Would you think about using it for your off-road vehicle?
How much does the Toyota Tacozilla camper cost?
This retro-themed family camper was unveiled by Toyota, the top Japanese automaker, just in time for this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show display. The Tacozilla is perfect for your family’s camping needs because it has incredible extras like a huge 4 by 4 skylight, a fully functional kitchen with a sink and a stove, and sauna-style teak flooring. The V6 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine of the Tacozilla camper has an additional two inches of lift over the ordinary Tacoma TRD suspension fork. The Tacozilla is offered with an average price of $39,255, according Thefocus News.
The Toyota Tacoma Taco Villa camper costs how much?
Update: A photo gallery and more details about the Tacoma “Tacozilla” camper have been added.
Do you recall the stylish pop-up Toyota campers from the 1970s and early 1980s with the utterly retro stickers on the sides? Those motorhomes were among the incredible things that once existed and were constructed in cooperation with an RV business called Chinook.
If you want to buy one, there are quite a few still operational examples available that cost between $12,000 and $13,000. The Tacoma-based “Tacozilla,” which was inspired by those magnificent Chinook campers, has been presented by Toyota, so if you’re looking for a more contemporary version, you’re in luck.
This retro-themed camper was manufactured by the Japanese manufacturer in time to be displayed at this year’s SEMA event. The original Chinook and Tacozilla’s finished form can be seen in the photographs above, respectively, on the left and right. It pays respect to the original vehicle faithfully, if a little more aggressively than necessary for an outback vehicle. It sits on a Tacoma TRD suspension that is two inches higher than stock, mostly to clear the back wheels.
Gallery: Toyota Tacozilla Tacoma Overlanding Camper
With a contemporary touch, the Tacozilla tries to revive the coolness of the Chinook campers. The photo gallery up top demonstrates how meticulous attention to detail was paid to creating a very stylish modern camper with retro style. The base truck will be a Tacoma TRD Sport with a manual transmission, which is even better.
Now that the construction is complete and the truck is on display at SEMA, it’s a true contemporary take on the vintage that literally has everything. Tacozilla features cozy sleeping quarters, a full bathroom with a shower and hot water, a full kitchen, and a pass-through from the truck’s cockpit to the main cabin for added convenience.