new to tacomas

what up guys, im new to this forum and tacomas. i dont have a tacoma yet, but ill be buying one within the next week, and i need a few opinions.

im stuck between getting a 1st gen. tacoma or a 2nd gen. i know tacomas or any toyota in general lasts a long time, i just would like to know which is better in terms of reliability, resale value, etc. id like to get either a 1st gen extended cab with the 3.4 V6, or a 2nd gen extended cab with the 4.0 V6. I test drove a 2006 4.0 today, lots of power and room also. ive read that the 3.4's are known for blown head gaskets, but only certain years? while im leaning toward the simplicity and ruggedness of the 1st gen, i do like the 2nd gens also. which one would be most likely to last the longest, lets say 300k miles or more? i just need a reliable truck to last me throughout college and as longas i can keep it reliably running. im dont lack when it comes to maintenance, so i know it should last a good while. any opinions or comments are appreciated.

 

i like my 2nd gen. welcome to tw!

 

I was in your shoes for a while. Im glad i got a sec gen DC with a long bed. The extra room is great. and unlike the 1st gen, u can actually get a double cab with a long bed. 1st gen DCs have that super short bed which is only good for... nothing. plus the 4.0 has more than enough power. the 3.4 has power but you will notice the difference between both. my 05 with 158,000 miles runs just like new. No problems what so ever.

 

my parents are helping me pay for the truck, me and my dad were looking and weve found some very nice 1st and 2nd gens in great shape. only modification id do is possibly a flowmaster 40(dont want to be too loud, but sound good at the same time) i average around 30k a year, and yes fuel mileage is definitely a consideration. looked at a 2006 4.0 today with 104k miles, and they wanted 12,900 for it, so they definitely hold their value. 99 percent of the tacomas ive looked at have excellent resale value. i know people have gotten 250k plus on their 3.4's, whats the average lifespan for a 4.0? is it built as well as the 3.4?

 

Both 1st and 2nd generations are good trucks. Just pick out the one you like best. Welcome to TW!

 

I've had both, a 99 extended cad 4x4 sr5 and my current 2010 dcab 4x4 trd off road. All tacomas are great. Get the newest you can afford with the least miles and enjoy modifying it to make it your own. The 2nd gen is just awesome. I used to live in Louisiana. My family is in St. Tammany Parish now. Welcome to TW.

2010 Silver Dcab 4x4 TRD off road