I'm on my 2nd Toyota Tacoma ('97 2.7 4x4 Xtracab) and both have been flawless in terms of comfort and reliability.  Considering a '95-'98 Toyota T100 Xtracab V6 4x4.  I have driven a few from 100k-185k miles and they all run great, seat 6 in the larger cab and the bigger bed is great too, plenty of power with the 190hp 3.4 V6.

What are the problem areas to watch out for?  Are there head gasket problems on the 3.4 V6's like there were on the older 3.0 V6's?  I assume they have timing belts and not chains that need periodic replacement?  I have seen several 3.4 T100's and Tacomas with well over 200k miles.  Anything to watch out for?  I just need a truck that can fit a child's car seat in the extracab and Tacoma's can't.  I don't want a full-size truck because of price and also because of gas mileage and size.  The T100 seems to fill a nice mid-size truck niche.  Thanks.

Worked for Toyota.

T100 is a good truck.

Not a bad truck. Go to www.ttora.com and search around. Later

Quoted: My brother has had one for five years.  No problems so far--except the damned seat belts are slow to retract, just like all Toyotas.

Ya, that happens with most Tacomas as well, my seatbelts don't retract hardly at all.  

T100's are hard to find, you see a ton of them on the road but hardly any for sale, that must be a good sign.  I'll be scouring Autotrader.com and local papers to find a good one.

The early T100s share the 3.4 liter V6 with the 4Runner (I own a '99 4Runner).

As such, power will be adequate, but never 'good'.  If pulling a load, it will be poor.  The 3.4 is otherwise a very good engine.  Oh, and the 3.4 does NOT have head gasket problems.

Quoted: The early T100s share the 3.4 liter V6 with the 4Runner (I own a '99 4Runner). As such, power will be adequate, but never 'good'.  If pulling a load, it will be poor.  The 3.4 is otherwise a very good engine.  Oh, and the 3.4 does NOT have head gasket problems.

Surprisingly, I've driven 3.4 4Runners, 3.4 T100's as well as V8 Tundras and the T100's that I have driven at least feel faster than both the 4runners and the Tundras.  Don't know if it is the weight or the gearing or what, but that is what my "butt dyno" told me.  I don't plan on towing more than a few motorcycles here and there.