I don't even know

Ok, so I bought a 2003 taco one month ago. A week after purchase I got the frame inspected as it was undercoated in 2010.

I bought this from dealer A for almost $12,000.

Dealer B did the initial inspection post purchase. Well they said it was phenomenal and I didn't have a chance to look with them and ask questions. I took it today, three weeks later, to dealer A and the tech let me look with him. He started looking and his jaw dropped and he says "wow, this is one of the worst frames I've seen rust wise." Well, because there's no holes, or weak spots they could find with a hammer, I can't get a new frame. Beyond the idea of wanting a great condition vehicle that looks good, I want a safe vehicle. It worries me that even a minor fender bender could result in a bad accident with the frame folding or something.

I have until 2018 that I'm covered, but what really pisses me off is that I bought this from them a month ago.

Any suggestions on how to deal with this? What would you do....

I've dealt with dealers good and bad, and my experience with every Toyota dealer thus far is sub-par, and I'm significantly regretting my purchase.

 

If he said that was the worst frame he's ever seen and yet there aren't any holes or weak spots then that tech needs to get out more.
Surface rust is not a problem. It only becomes a safety concern if it begins to cause structural issues by rusting through. You have until 2018, just fluid film it and check for rust holes every few months.

 

What is fluid film?

 

Comes in cans from any automotive store or automotive section of Walmart. Just an anti-rust/lube

 

Thanks

It's not so much surface rust in a lot of places. It's bad deep surface rust. Almost so much that if I took a putty spreader (the wide end thing you scrape wallpaper with) to the rust and scraped it like wallpaper I'd be missing half the frame. My fathers 1995 has surface rust. This is different looking to me.

 

Why don't you talk with the owner of the dealership about it before it gets any further along. Explain that you just bought it and what you were told and where it's at now.

 

Take some pics and post them up.

 

Talking to the owner is in my plans possibly, and I will if this rain lets up before dark today

 

Is Fluid film oil based? If its not it'll just hold water against the frame and could make things worse. You want something that will "seep" into the metal and reple water. "Permashine" undercoat is bad for that. RustChek or Krown are the way to go in NS (IMO)

My suggestion is spritz some salt water on the frame for a month or two and hope for some soft spots. then they'll replace it for you

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/331864-look-under-tacomitch93s-taco.html

Here are some pictures of the underside of my truck. The back end where the trailer hitch attaches is god awful. I have to take the box off at some point before winter and clean it up.

 

Snapped this best I could while it was raining and I'm at work lol.

This is how half or so looks, the other half will has the 2010 undercoating on it.

 

not the worst that i have seen. question though, did you not get under the truck and look at it when you bought it?

 

I did. However I didn't know about the Toyota frame rot issues and had only heard raving reviews about tacomas so I'd be lying If I didn't say that gave my tunnel vision somewhat. It's no excuse, but this is how it looks after peeling undercoating back, and the frame was fully covered in that stuff when I checked. The rust I saw was mild surface rust.

 

Is that what the entire frame looks like?

 

Oops should have read. If there aren't any holes you should clean it up best you can (lots of elbow grease) and paint it and then undercoat the shit out of it

 

Well I supposedly have until 2018 July. So I'm thinking risk it? Bc I think my chances are that ill end up with a new frame.

 

Another four years!! Keep and eye on it for sure. Unsafe vehicles aren't cool.

 

Hell no. It makes me not want to take any other passengers in it.

 

At this point let it finish rotting. You should reapply undercoating since that is what gave you warranty until 2018.
Watch the areas around the leafs, that is where the 1st gens like to rot the worst.

 

Check front bed mount area, behind rear leaf shackles, lube the hell out of your emergency brake parts,brake line junction assy over and in front of drivers rear tire, spare tire lowering assy. Got to keep certain things working until cancer takes over frame. (Safety parts). GL

 

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice.