About to (sort of impulsively) buy a 2nd gen, but trying to wrap my head around the frame issues

FWIW $29.998 is what I paid for my sport new in September. I had no interest in the limited because of the initial price jump, but that's a good price. The sport you linked is nice. Wheels, tires, tonneau, rear defrost is listed are all add ons. I would go look at it and see how much they're willing to deal.

 

This one seems to be priced a bit high right now. The wheels are nice, but an afternoon and a couple of cans of plastidip and the stock sport wheels will look good enough. The tonneau is cool, and when I eventually find a cap, i imagine the cover will sell quickly. As for the rear defroster, that must be why it has a switch in the dash under the radio.

For pretty much the same asking price, I can get am MGM 2014 TRD off road with 15k miles and factory warantee left http://www.edmunds.com/inventory/us...ma Double Cab&invtype=USED&defaultType=&mode=

If I could find the perfect Taco, it would be a TRD Sport in Magnetic Grey Metallic with a cap and running boards <20,000 miles for under $30,000

 

After having been thru the whole frame replacement game (which was not a happy 5 months), I'd make sure I knew exactly where the truck has been and for how long. Have the frame thoroughly inspected by a trusted body shop. My 2006 spent most of it's life in Virginia and the frame was covered in surface rust, but the large hole and bad warping wasnt easily visible until they took the bed off. The largest hole was on the cross beam right above the gas tank (see pic). Supposedly the 2009's and up were rust proofed much better than the previous years, but who knows. Another consideration would be where you live. You don't have a location listed, but if you are anywhere that gets a lot of snow and ice and they use salt to treat the roads, I'd have a second party rust proof the frame just to be on the safe side. Toyota's way of rust proofing after the fact is pretty terrible from everything I've seen and read.

 

Holy crap! One of my buddies had a 1st gen that was bought back by Toyota so he then bought a 2nd gen... That was inspected and had two rust spots so they are going to be replacing his frame. They let him keep his truck while he waits for his turn to get the frame replaced. He still swears by his tacomas.

I just updated my profile. I am in MA, and live in a coastal town, so rust will be a concern.

 

Thanks everyone, I found my tacoma! It is a 2014 TRD Sport 6 speed with 13,3xx miles. It has an ARE cap with Yakima racks on both the cab and cap. Exactly what I was looking for! Now I just need to find a set of running boards. This was driven two hours to me to check out, I then brought it to a local Toyota dealership to give it a once over and find me a reason not to buy this. They came back and told me that it was in perfect condition, and they couldn't find any reason not to buy it.




It also has a trailer brake controller installed... I don't need this now, but it will be nice if I do.

 

Wow is that nice, good job on finding that one. Congrats on the new sweeeet ride.

 

Thanks... now I need to stop looking for wheels, tires, suspension, seat covers, etc.

Time to post all of my leftover jeep gear so I can buy some new toys!

 

Man that is a nice rig, like the 6spd.

 

That was certainly no impulse buy. Nice find with all those aftermarket parts (cap/rack/brake controller) that can add up real quick.

Enjoy your new truck and welcome to TW!

 

Thanks! The reviews on the 6 speeds were mixed, but I test drove an auto at one dealership and this 6 speed. Coming from Jeeps, this 6 speed was fine. I took 10 seconds to be used to the clutch and throw of the lever.

Thanks. I am glad I held out and searched around. I still really like the look of that pyrite mica 2010, but this one is sweet too. I will probably bro it up like my jeep and plastidip the wheels and emblems until I can justify new tires. I am not so sure these tires will get me where I would like to go. I had BFG MT's on my Jeep, but I will probably go for Duratracs when the time comes. As for the accessories, I would have had to waited a while before getting a cap and rack, so I am pumped.

 

The original OEM Dunlop Dueller tires on the Sport are crap. Chosen to meet VHN values, they are anemically P rated (not LT) and you'll get stuck in a puddle of pigeon shit. I had a 2008 with those soggy bagels on it and they didn't even last as long as the bumper to bumper warranty period (not covered, BTW). I replaced them with Cooper AT3's, and when I traded the truck for a new 2012, I had the dealer switch out the tires between the two trucks.

New tires are a must if you are going to go offroad. You can try to sell the ones on the truck as a swing set and put the money towards real tires.

 

This isn't entirely true...

I can't site a source or whether I read it as I cruised the forums but IIRC, Toyota change the frame supplier or how they were sealing the frames in late 2007, early 2008. My frame on my 08 has minimal rust that is isolated to the welds and passed the frame inspection. Utah use salt like it is going out of style...they lay it down so thick it flakes off the roads and makes it look like you are driving down a dirt road with the cloud it leaves behind you after storms.

 

Yeah nice new truck man! I had a 2002 Taco that had a horrible frame. I was told by Toyota that the frame recalls are only applicable to the original owner so I was shit outta luck. Glad you got a clean one.