Thinking of making the switch from 1st gen to 2nd gen

I love my 04, paid top dollar for it earlier this year because it had such low mileage. Compact pickups are the best, never getting rid of mine either if I can help it

 

Yeah, I shopped around for quite a while. I remember going to a Toyota dealer and telling the salesman (and I quote) "I'm looking for a 2001-2004 TRD xtracab or dblcab, with the locker." His reply was "does it have to be a Toyota?" Yes dummy, I wouldn't be at a *Toyota* dealer asking for a TRD if it didn't have to be a Toyota.

I had relegated myself to waiting a while longer after going to 5 different dealerships and CarMax's, and as I was wondering through the rows and rows in the lot of what was going to be the last dealership of the day. Then, the clouds parted and rays of golden sunlight shined down upon her. There she was, an '04 Double Cab TRD, in Impulse Red with 24k miles. That was 10 years and 100,000 miles ago.

 

Yeah most of those sealesman at the Toyota dealerships don't have a clue! When I bought my 06 TRD Sport, the salesman was saying anything & everything to get me to buy a truck. I was planning on it anyways but this guy was saying stuff like he raced in the Baja 1000 in a Toyota or his Toyota at home was this & that. But he had to look at the Window sticker to see if it was a 4x4. LOL!!! My buddy was w/ me and we called him on his BS so many times that he started to get upset. Of course I went in there trying to buy the base 4x4 model w/ steel rims and no power anything. But left their w/ the most expensive truck on the lot! HAHAHA!!!

 

Nice! I found my '04 last March with 24k miles too, haha. Paid a pretty penny for her but I love this truck. Currently at 41k miles so I'm racking 'em up

 

I've really started to like the look of the 5th gen runner too! It'd have to be a pro though, the front end is so much sexier lookin!

 

Yeah, except you're looking at $40k minimum for one. I'm having trouble staying under $30k for a 2012!

I guess 4Runners have gotten a little nicer since my '86... lol

Granted, I've mostly just been antagonizing my wife with adds from my Carmax app...

 

@scocar
@jberry813

 

Well it sounds like they had the last laugh...

 

They are damn expensive!! Especially the damn pro with all the goodies that come.with that package....lucky me though the other half is the one that wanted one first! She even likes her runners with a nice lil lift aswell. Which is really awesome since i dont have to do any convincing, i just knod my head and go along with it! They look really sexy with a bit of lift and some nice meats under em!

 

Isn't that how it works? I still had a sweet set up. But ended up rather having a 1st gen DC. 4x4 V6. Kids!

 

I'm still considering the '05 but am leaning towards just keeping my 01. My 01 is a first year production of the DC 1st gen. So I thought about the fact that the '05 is first year of a completely different gen. But from what I see online places like "car complaints" the '09 Tacoma has more issues then the others.
I would like more room as I have two car seats in my truck 90% of the time. I like the more modern interior design of the '05 also.
But I am concerned with having more issues with the 2nd gen VS my 1st gen.
Thanks everyone for your input so far it is helpful.

 

Not from the sound of it, You got talked into buying something other then what you wanted. Sucks to Suck.

 

Hey Everybody,

Here are my thoughts on this first generation verse second generation. Remember OldMoTaco, you asked which one was better on a first generation thread so it is inevitable that members on this thread are going to be partial to first generations. If you asked this same question on a second generation thread, the results would hands down favor second generations.

First generations have pretty mundane interiors and dashboards. To some people, this is great because they like the simplicity of first generations. Second generations are much more comfortable to ride in than the first generations. We have a first generation and my friend Ken has a second generation, and his is way more comfortable than our truck in any kind of terrain. It is also much bigger on the inside than our truck, which adds to its level of comfort.

Neither one has a great turning radius. It is true that first generations are smaller so they can certainly fit in many more places. The beds on second generations are more useful because they are bigger and deeper. Fuel consumption is the same for both of them because even though the 4.0 liter is more powerful than the 3.4, the 4.0 has the variable valve timing to help it with efficiently consuming fuel. Second generations are more powerful. They have a bigger engine, and as a result, are faster and can pull more than first generations.

I, personally, love first generations, and this is strictly for emotional reasons rather than legitimate scientific reasons. I love their body lines, and I love the Toyota 3.4. Remember, though, this is not really a fair comparison. First generations are small trucks that when equipped with the 3.4, have a relatively powerful engine for their size. Second generations are mid-size trucks that have a big engine when equipped with the 4.0. You can't really compare these two generations fairly.

Hope this helps.
Good Luck,
Paul

 

Thanks Paul.
I hear ya on posting in 1st or 2nd gen threads and have gotten some responses that probably have been... I have this so it's better.
But overall I posted in both to see if anyone who had a 1st that bought a 2nd but preferred the 1st or vise versa not on a style standpoint but reliability standpoint.
Overall I think I've had very good thoughts in each thread. Some in each tell me to keep it or at least offer a very non bias opinion.
Thanks also as I understand what you're saying for sure.
I don't offroad really at all so size isn't a huge deciding factor except for the added room inside the cab.
Thoughts behind posting in both would be more on the reliability of each. Thanks again

 

OldMoTaco,

I don't know much about the reliability of second generations. I am sure you can find a lot of members who can help you with this over on the second generation thread, and I pretty sure that they are built well. The first generation both the inline 4 cylinder, and the V6 are extremely reliable engines when well taken care of. There are plenty of members on this thread with insane amount of miles on both of these engines. Keep in mind, though, these rigs have received impeccable care from their owners. My family's Tacoma is like the old snap-on wrench in the tool chest. It never misses a beat.

Good Luck,
Paul

 

You really have to take people's opinions with a grain of salt (in regards to reliability). I've read threads recently that complain about the reliability of the TRD lockers (independent of 1st/2nd gens), when in reality it has more to do with that person's expectations of how the locker *should* function, vs. how it was designed to function.

 

My personal opinion is you should keep the one you have. Although the 2nd-gens are a beautiful truck in their own right, they do not posess the "legend" the 1st-gens do. The 1st-gen was built to higher standards simply by virtue that the staunch Japan best standards and practices in the 1st-gen era were more closely adhered to. They were not degraded by higher demand. 2nd-gens started showing problems vastly mentioned right here in this forum that the 1st-gens never did. You have a gem there pal. You'd miss it.

 

One of my biggest complaints of the second gen really is its size. I hate how the compact/mini truck has died in america. I dont much see the use for a mid sized pickup. Its just kinda stuck in an area where its built to be somewhat light duty and kinda underpowered, similar to how a mini truck was built. So i guess atleast in my eyes i dont want a almost full size truck that cant do much more than a mini truck. Im gunna skip over the mid size and get a real truck that dosent have a bunch of limitations like payload and towing ability ect. Of course this is just my desires speaking here...id jump from a 1st gen and go older tundra or get a sweet Cummins myself...

 

Well I appreciate everyone who has commented and given me their opinions. I received a lot of great things to consider. I have decided at this time that I am going to hang on to it.
Unless he contacts me and says he's willing to take a 1000 less... which I couldn't pass up a deal like that. HaHa

Thanks again everyone... Great site to be a part of.

 

I know having multiple vehicles isnt an option for some but if possible i think people should always keep the first gen, then if something newer or bigger or a great deal is found, then jump and get yourself that 2nd gen. Then theres best of both worlds and will never be any regret and heartbreak cause you're missing the 1st gen!