In the Market for a Used Toyota Tacoma Truck - Is +100k Miles an OK risk?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - In the Market for a Used Toyota Tacoma Truck - Is +100k Miles an OK risk?

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:09:01 AM EDT

I have heard many people on this board driving their Toyotas to the 250k mile mark. I'm in the market for a used Toyota Tacoma myself (I've always wanted one), and was looking to spend around $8000 or so on one, but looking around on autotrader.com, everything in my price range has over 100k miles. Usually it's 125k-150k. I don't have a lot of experience in the used vehicle market, so any advice/insight would be appreciated. My father can loan me the $8000 so I don't have to worry about a loan with interest.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:09:29 AM EDT

[#1]

267000+ on my 1984 toyota truck, only things replaced are the water pump, distributor, timing chain and tensioner

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:10:26 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
I have heard many people on this board driving their Toyotas to the 250k mile mark. I'm in the market for a used Toyota Tacoma myself (I've always wanted one), and was looking to spend around $8000 or so on one, but looking around on autotrader.com, everything in my price range has over 100k miles. Usually it's 125k-150k. I don't have a lot of experience in the used vehicle market, so any advice/insight would be appreciated.

Depends how well the truck was maintained, nothing goes 250K without maintenance and care.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:11:55 AM EDT

[#3]

I think you are fine. My uncle's yota has 238000 miles with no major maintenance/repairs done.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:25:42 AM EDT

[#4]

You should have lots of options living in AZ for a nice, rust free, good running Toyota. Along with autotrader, don't forget your local newspaper and buyer's guides.

Autotrader is great for us guys living up north that are trying to find a rust free vehicle, but since you're in the heart of rust free land, your options are almost limitless.

Good luck.

vmax84

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:31:29 AM EDT

[#5]

Tacos with 125K+ still bring in over $8,000?? Holy crap, I like mine even more now. I just had mine at the dealer a couple months ago and they were commenting on ihow it looked brand new for all practical purposes. It's a little over three years old, with about 32K miles.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:41:48 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Tacos with 125K+ still bring in over $8,000?? Holy crap, I like mine even more now. I just had mine at the dealer a couple months ago and they were commenting on ihow it looked brand new for all practical purposes. It's a little over three years old, with about 32K miles.

Apparently they do. I even looked on Kelly Bluebook.com for retail prices and it was about right.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:45:09 AM EDT

[#7]

Mine has 144K and I have no intention of getting rid of it. Basic maintenance is all it needs.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:50:59 AM EDT

[#8]

I bought my Tacoma about 3 years ago. It's a '95 4cyl. 5spd. 4x4 extended cab with only about 57,000 miles on it at the time. I paid $9,000. Not a great deal, but about fair market value by the best I could determine. I still felt like a sucker for paying up to market value, but I was tired of looking, it was in great shape, and had very little miles on it, esp. for it's age.

Anyhow, when I first started shopping I got a real eye opener as the value reporting sites out there, like Edmounds, greatly undervalues what the used truck market actually is. I don't see how they could have been so clueless. Maybe they have gotten better now, but they sure were off the mark back then.

Moral of the story: You will probably end up spending way more than you initially thought to get the type of truck you want.

Furthermore, I wish I had spent a little more and gotten the V6, but the 4cyl. does what I need it to do well enough.

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:51:21 AM EDT

[#9]

I had a 92 4x4 PU before I bought my 04 Taco. The only thing that went out was the hydraulic clutch master cylinder. I had the original clutch and that was starting to go at 180K. And the exhaust was starting to rust a bit. The only thing I ever did was have the oil changed and it ran for 12 years! The only reason I sold it was I needed AC down here in the south! I couldnt take it any more!

Posted: 4/10/2006 9:57:39 AM EDT

[#10]

my 97' tacoma will reach 100,000 this week....now i go offroading a bit hard on it and have had to replace a few things here and there...but the performance is on par with the way i treat it

Posted: 4/10/2006 10:58:35 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
267000+ on my 1984 toyota truck, only things replaced are the water pump, distributor, timing chain and tensioner

you're lucky I had to replace on my 1985 2WD truck with 246K miles:
- starter x 3 (replacements were cheapies)
- alternator x 3 (replacements were cheapies)
- coolant hoses
- radiator x 2
- rear drum brake pistons
- water pump x 1
- master brake cylinder
- clutch slave and master cylinders
- mechanical fuel pump
- some of the innards of the carburetor
- igniter
- my A/C died and just clipped the belt that runs it, fuck it, old R12 system, but lasted till 2002 I think

Wear and tear items:
- front brake rotors
- thermostats
- belts
- brake pads
- front wheel bearings
- exhaust downpipe gaskets
- exhaust from cat back
- tires
- headlights, bulbs
- plugs, dist cap, plug wires, rotor
- clutch x 2

Major repairs:
- bad head gasket, probably caused it myself by overheating truck when coolant hose leaked out all the coolant

For good measure:
- replaced timing chain and put metal chain guides in when the head gasket was repaired

Overall it's been reliable truck for the past 21 years!

Posted: 4/10/2006 11:16:40 AM EDT

[#12]

Bought my '95 Tacoma 4x4 used from a fellow I worked with in '98. I knew he took care of his vehicles (a fanatic). Bumper to bumper Mobil 1 synthetics; don't know if this helps or not, but why go against the flow? 269,000+ miles so far; still runs good. It's been a good one so far.

- starter; only the copper contact (most common problem with Toy starters)
- A/C dryer and misc. parts
- head gasket change out (recall item)

Wear and tear items; routine maintenace:
- coolant hoses
- water pump x2 (changed at 100K & 250K along with timing belts; routine maintenace)
- front brake rotors & brake pads
- thermostats
- belts, tensioners
- tires
- headlight bulbs
- plugs, plug wires, coil pack

Posted: 4/11/2006 7:44:20 AM EDT

[#13]

It's hard to find a good deal on a used Toyota truck.

My Tacoma has 115,000 miles on it, and I'm hoping/ plan on getting another 115,000 out of it.
I've had it 8 years, and if I had to drive to California tomorrow ( eeeewwww!) I know it would make it with no problem.

Take care of basic maintenance, and they last a long time.

Posted: 4/11/2006 12:59:50 PM EDT

[#14]

How much does it leak?
Test drive it, then park on clean pavement and wait 15 minutes or so, and look for oil/trans/axle drips.
No drops=excellent, a couple=great, a few=okay, more than 8-10 drops=do not buy.
~

Posted: 4/11/2006 1:01:53 PM EDT

[#15]

$8k for a Tacoma with 100,000 miles on it is way too much.

Hell I've got a Ranger 4x4 with 150k and I bet I couldn't get 4k for it.

If the price is right, go for it, but no way I'd pay more than 4-5k for a compact 4 cyl truck with 100k miles on it. V6 4x4 in good shape maybe.

Posted: 4/11/2006 1:03:44 PM EDT

[#16]

what's the kelly blue book value??? start there.

Posted: 4/11/2006 1:05:20 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
$8k for a Tacoma with 100,000 miles on it is way too much.

Hell I've got a Ranger 4x4 with 150k and I bet I couldn't get 4k for it.

If the price is right, go for it, but no way I'd pay more than 4-5k for a compact 4 cyl truck with 100k miles on it. V6 4x4 in good shape maybe.

Yeah, a V6 4x4 is what I want, but it's tough finding all of these:

less than 100k miles
V6
4x4
Automatic Transmission (more city driving than anything)
xtra cab (willing to leave that out)
6" or so lift
Reasonable price! Hell I'd be willing to maybe go as high as 10k! The problem is finding all of these in one truck.

Posted: 4/11/2006 1:05:48 PM EDT

[#18]

few trucks better than tacos. why you think insurgents worldwide prefer the taco for their technicals..

check kelly blue book for reliable price info. also check your local paper and check autotrader for prices people are asking..

i kinda want a new taco 4x4 but i also want a vette and cant afford both..

Posted: 4/11/2006 4:21:06 PM EDT

[#19]

Go for it. Bought mine at 106K and sold it at 186K and only did U-joints, plugs and wires.

Posted: 4/11/2006 4:39:45 PM EDT

[#20]

It's an ok risk but people seem awfully proud of them. They think that because they are reputed to last 250k that their run down piece of shit is worth a ton of cash.

The best example I saw was a 1984 2WD Toyota pickup truck, with 350,000 miles on it. They wanted $4500.

This was in a November 2005 Thrifty Nickel issue for Fort Collins, CO.

Posted: 4/11/2006 6:47:04 PM EDT

[#21]

How long did it take them to put that kind of mileage on it? For example a Work/commute truck

20 miles to work each day = 200 miles per week, times 50 weeks a year is 10,000 miles a year or 30,000 miles in 3 years. if it's at 100,000 and 3 years old, then they put about 100-120 miles a day on the truck. That's a lot of hours on the engine, did they get an oil change about once a month?

Look at the whole picture, the body might be in good shape cuz he took care of it, but the engine may be damn close to tits up.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - In the Market for a Used Toyota Tacoma Truck - Is +100k Miles an OK risk?

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