Badly rusted '97 frame. What are my options w/ the truck?

Hello everyone. I have owned my '97 Tacoma LX 5 spd, 4x4 ext cab, 2.7 since '01.
I am the second owner. It currently only has 190k miles and the frame is so bad the tech at Hudson Toyota in New Jersey wouldn't even take for a test run. I love this truck and want it on the road many more years but may have no choice. I am seeking options and opinions about this issue. Any help is appreciated.

 

This dosent help but I suppose you were never contacted or heard of the buy back from Toyota over the rust issue? There is a lot of info on here regarding the issue, but at this point you're scrwed for the buy back. The '01-'04's got frame replacements and the earlier ones got bought back at way above book value...
If...you live in a salt state or the "rust belt"

 

Thanks for the info. I heard about the buy back a couple years ago but it was too late. The extended warranty had already expired. I was moving around a lot when I moved to NY five years ago and never got the memo from toyota. I'm not sure what to do now. Drive the truck until it breaks (which could suck), sell it, part it out, donate, or recycle.

 

Pictures would help

Build a new frame or repair what you have

I am guessing you don`t have the skills to do this your self ??

Paying to have a new frame built or major repairs done I doubt would be cost effective $$$$$ then it depends just how much you really want to spend

 

I don't have extra cash right now or the skills. I just wonder if I'd have a case with Toyota to get a frame replacement or buy back. I had the truck in NYC since I moved here in '07 but it was registered in Kansas until '13. So I never received a notice about the warranty. Maybe Kansas trucks didn't even qualify for the buy back but my taco was definitely in a high-salt region during those years.

 

Did you get any quote on a frame?I would say drive it and further along save money and get yourself a new or newer one. The thing is you can soak money into it and get into an accident and not get much for it.If it is your toy for off roading only then fix it up.

 

I wouldn't drive it. Looks dangerous

 

Good lord, that thing could fly apart at any moment.

 

....sorry man that looks bad! I would guess it would cost you more to get a new frame and have the work done then the truck is worth, if your paying all out of pocket. Good luck though, hope you find a good solution.

 

Holy crap. I don't have any advice but it looks like you need a new truck. Good luck

 

I fixed worse ones then that.

I am sure it must happen but I have never heard or seen pictures of one that failed completely.

Then I did not really do major searching either.

Being it is a 97 that warranty ended a while ago.

 

I personally wouldn't drive it..... UNTIL I got done cutting and welding new metal in, then plating, and boxing.......... Then jumping it at the dunes \

But that's just how I roll!

 

Looks like scrap. Sorry.

 

therein lies the problem. It is a Kansas truck which did not qualify for the TSB. If you had registered it in NYC you might have gotten notice (not guaranteed though) but being it spent its "life" in Kansas past the extended warranty period there's not much hope in Toyota helping

 

My 07 was bad too and they treated it but every time I looked at it I became more upset so traded it off on my 15.Love this 15.Just forget what I said earlier and yes it looks dangerous.get rid of it.

 

Keep that frame on your 15 well taken care of before that damn cancer starts all over again!!

 

i hear ya about not getting a notice, the first time I had heard about it was from a palTalk chatroom in late '10 from someone in Indiana with an early 2000s model that had a bad one getting replaced.
the trouble i recall going through to get the local dealer here in NE, which is one state north, to check my relatives '98 single cab (which failed the hammer) and my truck was unreal. They had bought it used in 2oo4 from the dealer lot (not sure if they had the weather proofing package or not, or maybe the original owner did but i highly doubt it!)
no notice was sent to have it inspected so it was a super hassle to have it inspected, even though i had no idea about the problem areas and what exactly to look for, oh how I wish i had some pics of that truck around but I don't think any were taken.

the local dealer service dept had no clue whatsoever in '10 what I told them I had heard and was wanting them to do, they had to make calls to see how they were supposed to be paid to check it.

 

with that much rust i would not drive it.. that crack is about to split by the looks of it. only real option is sourcing a used frame or buy a new one.
or sell the truck on

 

I'm sure the truck is long gone.

3 year old thread.

 

well uh.. heyy thats what i get for responding to a post on my phone! Derp.