Supertacoans: ISO advice re Taco (i.e. Toyota Tacoma)

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slobmonster

Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 27, 2015 - 09:03pm PT
Hey all. Friday night. Good times.

I have been looking to buy a truck for work and lifestyle etc. Mostly work; purchase is a straight deductibel This one nominally fits the bill.

Listed at $10k, I have the dealer down to $9500 with tax, "fees", etc. included. My relatively good NESCAC college arithmetic leads me to believe this is ~$8500 purchase price, far below anything similar on the market. And tomorrow is the last day of the month; I know they're itching to get their units sold #s.

VIN report has one accident ten years ago, with damage to the right front center column (A pillar?).

One tire has stepped wear which could mean new shocks needed ASAP or normal 4wd wear.

175k mileage means timing belt and water pump replacement very soon at $1100.

Thoughts, hoi polloi?
labrat

Trad climber
Auburn, CA
Feb 27, 2015 - 09:09pm PT
Year and model?
WBraun

climber
Feb 27, 2015 - 09:09pm PT
timing belt and water pump replacement very soon at $1100.

$150.00 if you do it yourself.

Make sure you also replace the idler pulleys with the belt.
slobmonster

Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2015 - 09:11pm PT
2002 Tacoma extracab (or "Xtracab" or whatevs)

175k mileage

Big noisy tires

Reasonable price, but...
labrat

Trad climber
Auburn, CA
Feb 27, 2015 - 09:13pm PT
http://www.kaltire.com/commercial/truck/tire-wear-conditions/

Shoulder Step


What's Happening
This condition is typical of certain tire brands and long wearing tread designs. This condition is not linked to any maintenance practices.

Probable Causes
This condition is related to tread designs that provide extremely long wear. It is not seen as a major problem since the tread on the tire is wearing so slowly and the accumulated mileage on the tread will be so great.

Corrective Action
Tires with decoupling grooves appear to have a lower incidence of shoulder step/chamfer wear. If you have many tires with this condition, consider a tread design with a decoupling groove.

labrat

Trad climber
Auburn, CA
Feb 27, 2015 - 09:28pm PT
4 cyl (2.4L or 2.7)or 6 cyl (3.4L)?

Basic, Trd, or SR5 package?

What zipcode?

Price does seem good.... too good for a dealership.... can you get it checked by outside mechanic?
slobmonster

Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2015 - 09:43pm PT
3.4 L V6
TRD and SR5
"too good for a dealership" exactly
(did the link work, in original post?)
bvb

Social climber
flagstaff arizona
Feb 27, 2015 - 09:54pm PT
Are you paying cash, or getting financed? If you're a cash buyer you can do better; if not, this is probably a square deal. Did you ask the dealer if it's a salvage vehicle? Sounds like it's not. 175,000 is a bit of mileage at that price. I've got an 02 with 125K and it runs as well as the day I bought it.

edit -- it has a shell AND racks? That might be the kicker making it a very square deal.
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Feb 27, 2015 - 10:41pm PT
I have an '04 bought when it was 2 years old...now has 130K..

Goddam, I love that truck. (Mostly.)
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Feb 27, 2015 - 10:42pm PT
At that mileage if you go in far enough to do the timing belt and water pump you have to do the belt tensioner, cam seals, everything you can get to while the front of the motor is opened up. Skip anything you'll be sorry.

fwiw I had a tacoma about the same mileage, water pump went. I did the whole gig as above. I sold it to a friend at 200+K and he's driven it hard for several years no problems.

The accident thing would scare me off, personally.
slobmonster

Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2015 - 10:56pm PT
To echo some comments above, it is on the cusp. But as it needs to be a daily (work) (city) driver I think I can do better. Accident history, minor or not, plus soon to be required maintenance leads me to believe it might be just --barely-- too good to be true.
Willoughby

Social climber
Truckee, CA
Feb 28, 2015 - 01:44am PT
Closing in on 400K on my '98 and I haven't had any problems aside from a little wear and tear. Some HARD miles too, and lots of bumping around 4WD. U-joint, one set of shocks, timing belt every 100k, original clutch... I think the key is that I only change the oil once I start to feel really guilty about it. Definitely eats tires for some reason though; pigeon toed, can't figure that one out. Anyway, the 1st gen Tacomas are the greatest ever. If you don't buy it, maybe I will. On second thought, I want half a million before I trade mine in.
WBraun

climber
Feb 28, 2015 - 07:37am PT
When you have older used cars and you're not mechanically inclined to do a lot of your own repairs then your just throwing your money away.
Psilocyborg

climber
Feb 28, 2015 - 07:41am PT
have you ever owned a toyota?

I have a 1995 tacoma with 300,000+ miles...the only thing I have changed on it is fluids, tires, breaks, shocks and a fan belt. Still runs like a dream, but the valves are starting to make a little noise.

I have a 2003 4runner with 175,000 with only fluid changes, tires, breaks. I think I need to replaces shocks on this one. The 4runner also runs like a dream.

Both of these vehicles I bought with around 70,000 miles. Both of these vehicles have endured heavy off road use in the desert/mountains. The tacoma has full custom long travel suspension system, aftermarket intake and exhaust, while the 4runner is stock.

Maintenence costs are next to nothing on toyotas, and I do all the work myself
Norwegian

Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
Feb 28, 2015 - 07:46am PT
i'm happy with my 2007 Tacoma.
has 4 doors and 4 wheel drive
so the gas mileage ain't stellar.

i work the piss out of it;
i treat it more like a john deere
than a toyota though
it ticks onward.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Feb 28, 2015 - 11:31am PT
I have a 1995 tacoma with 300,000+ miles...the only thing I have changed on it is fluids, tires, breaks, shocks and a fan belt.

300+K no timing belt, water pump, hoses? I agree the Toyotas are great especially on maintenance, but I've never gotten that kind of service out of one. At least the new ones have timing chains, not belts. I'm up to 100K on an '09, drives like new, not even a brake job yet (although that's right around the corner.)
WBraun

climber
Feb 28, 2015 - 11:45am PT
100K on an '09, drives like new, not even a brake job

Have you even checked you brake shoes yet?

Several sar guys have all destroyed their rotors because they never checked and the pads were worn to metal on metal.

Don't wait too long ....
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Feb 28, 2015 - 11:59am PT
100k and mtn driving? Your rotors are toast.


While we're talking Tacos... Bilsteins on the 2007 4x4. What mileage to replace at?

Typical forest service roads and shitty California potholed asphalt streets and highways.

TIA
slobmonster

Trad climber
OAK (nee NH)
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2015 - 03:51pm PT
I passed on it. Something just felt funny, hard to say what... it might be just that I cannot stand car dealers.

apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Feb 28, 2015 - 04:18pm PT
Trust your gut.

Good luck on finding another one...they're worth the wait.
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