1998 Tacoma, Help with a tire issue.

Hi mentlegen,

So, I just did a test drive a 1st gen tacoma I might be buying.

I had noticed that the rear passenger side tire is ready to be replaced(tread wise). While all the other tires have a little more than 40% tread left on them.

The seller side something about the drive being on the passengar side. Any help? Along with that, I ran a carfax on it and it said it was involved in a front impact. It hit a motor vehicle. But the vehicle was still functional.

Buy or Run? he wants 5500, its a 1998 black tacoma 4cyl, 5spd, 4x4.

Thanks.

 

its all about if you like it. Did he do a lot of off road in his 4x4? might be moe used if that is the case. Hit www.kbb.com to determine market value

 

To be honest, I would love to have the truck. Im just wondering if the tire thing is a precursor to other problems?

 

might b from doin burnouts

 

so burnouts could cause 1 tire to be more worn than the other back tire?

 

yea if it has an open diff. im not sure that truck has 1. i had a blazer in high school that i did that 2

 

chris4X4 said my truck had a open diff on it, so its possible the 98 u looked is the same. yeah, that would be a good reason (him doing burn outs) to have 1 tire wore, especially if he had never rotated the tires.

 

is an open diff good or bad?

 

More importantly how does it drive ? It sounds like the seller was maybe a little neglectful. Is it tight? Drive straight? More or less mechanically sound?Toyota or not you don't want to plunk down hard earned money on ANY vehicle of ANY brand that is going to cost you more to make it reliable than its worth. Open diffs are actually easier on tire wear than limited slip or locking diffs, but it all comes down to driving habits etc;.

 

It seemed to drive well. The clutch seemed fine. The issue is that I am not very knowledgeable in cars. It does drive straight. How do you define tight?

 

The truck has an open diff. All first gen taco's did. If you had the TRD package with the V6, you go a selectable locking diff (meaning it's open until you hit a button, then it's locked.)

I'm pretty sure the drive wheel is the pass rear side.

I drive kinda spiritedly sometimes, and my pass rear has less tread than the other 3 tires.

Basically, anytime you can hear your tires making extra noises, those tires making the noise is losing tread at a faster rate than the other tires.


Once I get new tires I'll probably drive more sane....but until then I'll keep trying to slide thru turns. If anything, it'll help me get new tires sooner!!

 

I define tight as not being a total rattle trap going down the road, if it makes too much noise bolts are loose or worse brackets are broken , welds cracked & or broken, frames bend and not always straighten back 100 % in layman's terms there is alot of vehicles out there that are beat to shit beyond normal, avoid these if possible.

 

Would it be wrong to offer what KBB says?

 

What is KBB compared to what he's asking? DEFINATELY would not offer what he's asking, if it's more than kbb. I'd try $750 - $500 low - all he can say is no.

Do you know a reliable mechanic who can check it out for you first?

In the end, it comes down to what you think of the truck and how badly you want the truck.

 

KBB says 4500-4750 and he is asking 5500. And yes, I do have a mechanic.

But how does one get the truck inspected at a mechanic before the sale? Just kinda wondering, Im never been in a private sale before.

In MA we have a lemon law which means, you can get it inspected 30 days after purchase and if anything is super duper wrong they have to give you back your money. It usually ends up in court from what I hear about people's experience's with it.

EHHHH

 

the passenger tire being bald is a sigh that someone was burning the tires to the point of serious smoke. Is this a sign on anything? just stupid if you are trying to sell it

 

I've never gotten my tires to smoke, and they've been made to squeal many times.

plus, one wheel burnouts are lol.