Overall Reliability?

This is my first truck. I've been driving Acura TLs for the past 6 years, and I miss my car; but it was time to upgrade to a truck. My 04 PreRunner V6 has 108k on it, 2wd. How's the overall reliability on these things, especially the tranny? The TLs were notorious for tranny problems, and that contributed to me wanting something else.

This was a 1 owner truck from mid-south FL. The body is straight with no rust. I won't be doing much heavy duty stuff with it. I have a Honda PWC that I'll be towing with it occasionally. I just want to make sure I'm not in for any major expenses with this thing. I hear these trucks run to 300k w/o issue. I'm not sure if the timing belt has been done, but the bolts on the timing cover appear to have been removed before (you can see slight rounds on the edges where a tool had been placed on there). I hear it's a non interference engine anyway.

I'm going to pay it off in 2 yrs or less; I put a chunk down and did a small loan. I hope to get several years out of it without any major issues.

 

The 3.4L v6 timing belt has a service interval of 90,000 miles, so you are probably right about it already being changed once. That is, if the previous owner stayed on top of the maintenance.

 

For the most part, your truck should have many years of trouble free driving left.

Like any USED vehicles...you're buying someone else's baggage. Hopefully, they maintained the truck and didn't abuse it.

I had a 96 tacoma 4WD that I bought at 60K miles. I owned it for 5 years and sold it (110K miles on it). That was 6 year ago that I sold it. I see that truck driving around town....

Call your local dealer .... If the truck was maintained at a dealer, they should have records of what was done and when.

Then, go through and do all the maintenance just to be safe. Crawl underneath and inspect things....cuz you never know what the truck went through. Good LUck and hope it makes you happy!

 

Assuming it was properly maintained, getting 200,000 more miles out of it is completely realistic...

but as already stated about used vehicles...

 

The 5vz-fe is a BEAST of a motor and Tacoma's are bulit proof. (especially 1st gen's) as long as it was maintained right (and still will be), you will have it for a LOOOONNNNGGGG time.

 

and I have read that the transmission's are pretty sturdy and strong.

 

Nice truck. Wouldn't hurt to get the tranny flushed if you are worried about its longevity.

Might want to change the diff. fluid too.

 

Yup, don't worry about the motor, the 5VZ-FE is arguably one of Toyotas best motors as far as being near bullet-proof. I've been a mechanic for almost 4 years and I've yet to see a Toyota truck trans, or rear end for that matter, break yet and we work on A LOT of Toyotas. I've changed a fuel pump in every major manufacturers cars except a Toyota.

 

My g/f truck.. 1995.5 3.4L V6 4wd SR5.. Mileage is 260,000 original transmission (auto) and engine.. Replaced three batteries, one starter and cat converter. That is all. Still runs flawlessly and shifts perfect.