Need advise on buying truck/car.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Drove my 68 c10 for the past 4 years. Been in the Airforce about a year now. Im looking for a toyota tacoma 4x4 to drive in Wa for a DD, Its hard to find something around $10K with less than 100K miles. Stumbled across a 2008 model (newer and more than I was thinking about spending) http://kpr.craigslist.org/cto/3357603891.html But its really low miles. Dont think I really want to buy a brand new one but wouldnt mind one slightly used. Should I keep looking for something older/more miles or consider taking out a loan and buying something newer/less miles. Or should I keep walking

Just trying to get as many different opinons as possible. Some of my family thinks I should buy a $1500 beater,some think I should buy a brand new off the lot vehicle

I know someones going to say c10 with an LS swap

Thanks for any ideas or advise

[vectorit]

I'd look for a 1st generation Tacoma 4x4 extra cab.
I have one, and it is an extremely reliable and tough little truck.

Check out the TTORA forum if you are set on getting a Taco.
http://www.ttora.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=44

[oldblue1968chevy]

Thats what im looking for, hard to find a clean one with low mileage. I just stumbled across the 2nd gen.

[GOPAPA]

I owned two of them ,,first one 1982 I bought brand new 22r 4/4 long box..about 14-15 city / 17-19 highway ,,empty or loaded..

I doubt you will find one anymore with anything close to low mileage though.. I really liked mine ,tough as nails ,only problem after about 10 years was hydrolic clutch went out almost made me run a stop light before killing the engine..

It was terrible on my back ,,had to use a pillow ..had no problem selling it ..and the second one I bought {1983} owned for about two years ,,a guy on cragslist came from Hiwawii and bought and shipped it home with him,,so i'd say they are well liked..hope you find one in good shape like I did my second one.. I got it in Sacremento ..

[oldblue1968chevy]

any imput on above link? I know there tough little trucks, dad had a 92 with the 22r now hes got a tundra with 180,000

[GOPAPA]

John ..I owned a 94 with V-6 and it was a lot different than my 82-83 road better and had lots more room with the extra cab that you couldnt get before 1985 IIRC.
but it didnt have the straight axle in the front either .. I'd say you will find a toyota in the 90ies sooner than the 80ies as many of them are rock crawlers now..

[oldblue1968chevy]

Im looking for a tacoma, not the earlier toyotas (way to hard to find a clean low mileage 20year old truck).

Thanks for the imput though

[meter swinger]

Looks like a clean one. Heck i probably drive by it every day on my way to work. S richland hes likely in the leslie rd. gage rd. area.

Last toyota I had was an 83 4X4. Great little truck but to small for me.
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[oldblue1968chevy]

Im new to the area, looks to be about 2.5 hours from spokane? Is that a good/bad drive? Mtns? lol

[meter swinger]

No mountains friend. Once you get outta spokane youll be in the desert. Take I-90 west to ritzville where youll take 395 south to the tri-citys. An easy drive. Be careful if youre traveling in the early AM. As that piece of I90 between spokane and ritzville is notorious for freezingfog/black ice.
Daytime is not so bad.
Are you planning to go look at it?
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[meter swinger]

A Tennesse transplant. LOL. I moved here from Destin Fl. 14 yrs ago.
The northwest will be a little culture/food shock for ya. But if you like the outdoors even in the least theres not better place to be.
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[cory d]

84-88 toyotas are pretty popular in washington. cant go wrong with the 22r, just ask my dad, he has an 84 4x4 daily, 84 and 86 4 runner

[cory d]

then once you hit ritsville, take your new toyota truck to moses lake and cruise the dunes. the sand it pretty hard so you dont get stuck too easily. there is MT. ST. Hellens ash in it too. if you find chunks of it under the sand you can throw it at your friends

[oldblue1968chevy]

I dont know, I'll know if im approved for a loan tonite. Then Ive got to find a buddy to go down this weekend to look. We'll see (Bit more than I wanted to spend but such low miles)

[vectorit]

If I were you I would look for an extra cab model, the standard cab trucks get really small on you after a while. That one you posted the link to in your first post looks like a strip down economy model, and 15k to me just seems a bit high for that level of trim options and cab size for the Tacoma.

For 15k you can get a heck of a nice 1st gen Taco with a TRD package.
Mileage on these trucks is not the first thing I look at, since they run forever it seems. So on the 4x4's I just make sure it doesn't have a lot of signs of abuse, like the skid plates showing battle scars all over and the like.
Make sure the 4x4 system works, and if TRD make sure the E locker works.

I would also find a 4x4 with upgraded front suspension, because the 1st gen's are already due for replacement bout this time. So there are some really nice high end systems available from Fox, Bilstein, Icon, and King. Better to find one that has the suspension already in there, since it will be a couple grand worth of suspension upgrades.

In my case on my '02 taco I upgraded the old TRD stuff, took it all out and replaced it all with King fully adjustable coil overs, extended upper A arms, and Bilstein rears. Truck rides unbelievably well on the street, and off road I have yet to find a reason to regret the upgrades.

Most everyone I have been in contact with who play with the 2nd gen taco, all wish they would have held out in their shopping for a nice 1st gen taco.

The older HiLux yodas like the early 80's were bullet proof, but they are straight axle leaf sprung front and a buck board of a truck. I had an '83 SR5 Long bed years ago, best truck one could get those days when on a budget. But the carburetors are worn out by now, and they are expensive to replace plus the 5 speed trans was a lemon and had bearing issues. Everything else was and still is great.

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

I owned two of them ,,first one 1982 I bought brand new 22r 4/4 long box..about 14-15 city / 17-19 highway ,,empty or loaded..

I doubt you will find one anymore with anything close to low mileage though.. I really liked mine ,tough as nails ,only problem after about 10 years was hydrolic clutch went out almost made me run a stop light before killing the engine..

It was terrible on my back ,,had to use a pillow ..had no problem selling it ..and the second one I bought {1983} owned for about two years ,,a guy on cragslist came from Hiwawii and bought and shipped it home with him,,so i'd say they are well liked..hope you find one in good shape like I did my second one.. I got it in Sacremento ..

I have owned the SR5 Long bed HiLux '83, '87 4runner, '97 Tacoma, and the one I have now an '02 Tacoma.

Drove the crap out the 83... That truck was the best, and I ended up selling it to missionaries from South America so that they can do their missionary work in the jungles. Truck had close to 200k on the clock, and had a blown head gasket. The mechanic they brought with them verified that he could fix it for them for nothing, and I sold it for three quarters what I paid for it 10 years earlier!
The early 4runners are neat looking, but they were a pain in the but for me. Traded the '87 in on a '97 Taco 4x4, v6, 5spd, xtracab, man that was a hot rod of a small pickup! Bought it used for 6k, sold it for 6,500 hundred.
My current '02 Taco I bought new, and I see them selling for only 5 grand less than what I paid for it new!
These trucks really hold their value, especially if they are and SR5/TRD.

[meter swinger]

I agree with vectorit about the price being high. And honestly cars and trucks in the kennewick/pasco/richland area are typically higher than other places in the northwest due to supply/demand and that the economy here in the tri-city area is pretty strong compared to other areas in the northwest.
Better deals can be found in the larger metro areas like portland/vancouver. And the seattle puget sound area. Though you probably don't want hear that since its more driving.
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[oldblue1968chevy]

Yeah, the 2 hour drive is more than I want to do. I think im going to call the guy ask a few ?'s see if its still for sale, and ask if its negotiable price. Im working on getting pre-approved for a loan now.

Yeah, ive found some trucks N of seattle but they were like 6-8 hours away Cant do that.

[oldblue1968chevy]

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/3392794756.html

Id be all over that if it wernt a rebuilt title. No tellin if it was very minor or a cheeto lookin truck before the bodyshop.

[brad_man_72]

I love my nice ls powered 67 and love my $800 miata with 130k miles.
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[oldblue1968chevy]

Nooooo!!!!!!!!!

[Tx Firefighter]

I custom ordered one of them in 2008. Best truck I ever owned. Honest 20 miles per gallon. I looked everywhere for a regular cab 4x4 but there were none to be found in a search of Texas and all surrounding stated so I had to order it through Toyota.



I paid 19.1k dollars total out the door with tax and everything.

That's the one truck I regret selling badly. I never regretted getting rid of any of my old trucks. but that one still stings.

My wife to this day refers to it as "Kevin's beloved Toyota truck" when it comes up in conversation.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Talked to the lady 2nd owner, shes put 1000 miles on it in 2 years. Id be spending half of my monthly paycheck on payment/insurance gas (2 year loan). Its a nice truck but more than I originally wanted to spend. Im going to try to keep saving for a few months and keep looking for a clean 1st gen tacoma. Want a small/short payment or none at all, for my needs I need a bicycle with a heated cab

[meter swinger]

Smart move. All my stuff is old but I don't miss any payments.
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