1st Gen. vs. 3rd Gen Dilemma

I'm in a bit of a dilemma with my next truck purchase. I want to buy me a new/used Tacoma. In my situation I can either buy a used 1st gen double cab with 100-150K miles for ~$12K or put down a nice payment and finance a new 3rd gen TRD double cab (~$32K purchase price) at approximately 2-2.49% apr. I'm pretty frugal and don't want to be wasting money and was originally considering 1st gen but now with low depreciation rates and planning to keep the truck 10+ years, I don't quite know what is a better option. Any thoughts, ideas?

 

There's a lot to consider here...what do you want the truck for? 1st gens are very basic compared to 3rd gens. A brand new Tacoma will come with all kinds of creature comforts and bells and whistles...things you won't find in the first gen. But if those things don't matter (they certainly don't to me, which is why I went with a used first gen myself), then consider the first gen.

Then of course, there's the peace of mind you get with a new vehicle and it's warranty. For a lot of people, that's worth spending considerably more money and buying new.

 

I definitely enjoy the creature comforts and the piece of mind but at the same time I do appreciate the fiscal responsibility and being debt free which might tip the scales.

 

You can't go wrong with the 1st gen. This is my second. My only regret. I should have gotten a red one over white.

 

Like this Just picked her up a week ago.

granted she's not a double cab. That's a clean looking '04 you got!

 

A red one! I want a red D-cab to match my bike.

 

I love my 1st gen... that's all I got.


Go Cats!

 

Absolutely love my first gen 3.4 manual trans

 

First gen best gen

 

Why not buy 1st gen and put 20k into it? Youd have a hell of a badass truck.

 

Never buy the first year of a new model. Wait a year or two for the third gen.

 

I would go first gen, but if you want a new truck, I'd look at the 2015's maybe fewer tech features inside but would probably be a more reliable truck since they had time to work all the kinks out. Just something to consider

 

Why not both

 

Hey that's my thing

 

Looking for a D-cab? Extended cab? Single cab?

 

Buy what you like the most and have no regrets.

 

Double cab in both arrangements

 

Gonna need more scratch. D-cabs are highly sought after.

 

For a family vehicle I'd definitely go 2016, I own a new ram, and trucks have come sooooo far in the 12+ years since the first gen.

I own a 2004 sr5 that I use for working in the woods, and I love it, but no where near as much as my new truck.

Just my $0.02

 

1st gens are a lot of fun and easy to work on or modify. Hell I'd sell mine just to just to build up another. I enjoy when something breaks just so I can drink brew and fix it! However I enjoy making old stuff new. There's a lot of 1st gens out there move in ready if that's what your looking for. Either way you can't go wrong.