1995-2000 recall/buy backs!

Today is March 18, 2010.

If you have a 1995 threw 2000 Tacoma, you may be elligable for the recall on your frame for excessive rust.

First, my experience: In September of 2008 I took my 2000 Tacoma (4X4, extended cab, TRD) in for service. The service guy asked if I was notified of the recall on the frame. He said the recall was for excessive rust; that Toyota got a bad patch of steel that was used to make the frames, and they rust threw premature; and that this affected modle years 1995 threw 2000. Sure enough mine was rusted threw. I looked at in more closely after I got home. There was a hole threw the frame on the drivers side under the cab, but it was a small hole. Small enought that I don't think I could have passed my hand threw it, at least not with cutting it up really bad.

They did'nt want me to leave the dealership, stateing that the truck was unsafe on the road, that the frame could snap. I was not going to be pressured into anything (more on this later), I need to think what I was going to do and if the rust was anything to worry about or not.

Now for Toyota's offer: They offer to buy the truck back for ONE AND A HALF TIMES Kelly Blue Book value, at HIGH VALUE. Also give me a free 30 day rental untill I deside what to do. I wanted more then that to think about things.

Again, my truck was a 2000 (purchased June 2000), with about 73,000 miles on it; and it is now September of 2008.

So, I looked up what my truck was worth (with the low miles)...Kelly B.B. said about 12,000; and N.A.D.A. said about 12,500.

Now I was informed to ADD anything to the price...meaning, add the cap, and the hitch I put on after market, and anything else I did to the truck. This was "Mother Toyota" herself telling me this. So I did. And informed Toyota of everything I did to the truck.

Toyota came back with a price, that they would be willing to buy the truck back from me. The price was a little over 19,000, if I remember correctly about 19,200-19,300 dollars. Not bad for a truck with 73K miles that I bought 8 years earlier for 23,250 (befor tax).

Now some other info: The buy back was just that! No matter what, that is what they were buying the truck back for. Then as an insentive to buy another Toyota, and BECAUSE I was part of the recall, I would get another 500 costome loyalty twards a Toyota CAR, or 1000 costomer loyalty twards a Toyota TRUCK. ( I choose a new Tacoma). That 1000 was only offered to people who were part of the BUY-BACK/RECALL! So basically I got a little over 20,000 for my old truck.

Now for some other info that has nothing to do with that recall: I bought the new truck, and I want to tell you what I payed so others can use it to help negotiate a price when buying. I beat them up!!! I played two dealerships against each other, telling them that I don't care where I buy the truck, but who ever has the lowest price wins. I FLAT OUT TOLD THEM "Give me your best price, because I'm going to shop around! And I am not playing games, don't screw with me, because if you do, I wont buy from you on prrinciple!" They still played games though.

The new truck: 2009 Tacoma, 4X4, Access cab, TRD. Sticker 30,293 (after the 950 extra value package MSRP discount) I got them down to 27,400 (befor tax); this is 600 below invoice. I got the invoice price from the library, they have a great book called the New Car Cost Guide. It lists MRSP and INVOICE prices for every car and it's options; All broken down individually and as packages compleat with thier order code.

So with tax it cam to about 29,000. So take that a subtrate the 20,000 form them, plus an additionall 500 cutomer loyalty offered to ANYONE buying another Toyota, and I did pretty good. One thing I must mention is that, I was taxeed on the whole purchase prise of the new vehicle. The 19,000+ buyback money is not concidered "trade in money", so it never comes off the purchase price of the new vehicle befor tax is figured.

Oh and one more thing: When I turn the old tuck over to them, I never gave them the cap!!! I kept it!!! That did not affect the amount they payed me, even though they factored they trucks price WITH the cap on. I now have the cap on my 2009 Tacoma. I anyone tells you it won't fit...thier WRONG!!! It will, it's not perfect but it fits. You need to fab a "gasket" for the top portion of the bed alond the cab to fill the gap, and you need to make some angled brakets that will bolt to the rail system so you can use the faseners that came with your cap that normally hook under the bed rail on the older trucks. Do NOT be tricked into buying a new cap from Cap Dealers, saying the old cap will not fit the new trucks!!!

 

So did you trick them to give you $$ for the cap even though you kept it at the end?

Oh and it's 1995 thru 2000, not 1995 threw 2000

 

There is a HUGE thread already going on this subject.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/6549-95-2k-rust-help-toyota.html

38 pages and counting.

 

LOL...my spelling sucks!!! LOL

No, I did not trick them. They told me to tell them everything I added to the truck, so I told them I had a cap, put a class 3 hitch on, a Go-Rhino grill guard and aux lights, and lifted it with Fab-teck coil overes and an AAL. They said they did not have anything in their "price factoring chart" (or what ever they called it) for the suspention, so what they said what they did was factored my truck as if it was "loaded" from the factory...meaning upgraded wheels and stereo and such. Then muliplyed the number by 1.5.

Mother Toyota did'nt care that the cab was not on because buy law they needed to crush it...their words were "we're going to turn it into a box. It won't be resold"

And if they would have given me a stink about it, (because it was already off when this all started) I would have told them, fine come and get it, I can't lift it myself, it's a fiberglass cab and weighs too much for one person (me) to lift and put on. But them never mentioned one word about it at the dealership.

 

SIGH oh course, after I spent all that time typing...I'm a very slow typer. lol

 

Happens to us all.

 

wow, checking my frame right now

edit-mine looks fine

 

just because it looks fine, doesnt mean it is. take it to toyota

 

Did you check on the front shock/strut towers?

That's one of the major issue points.

 

I will check more thoroughly tomorrow and possibly take it to Toyota over the weekend. I am kind of hoping mine does have a problem so they will buy it back because I've been wanting a bigger truck anyways.

 

Just got my $6200 check for my 180,000 mile 1996 Tacoma with a rusted/cracked frame.

Took off all the after market stuff and put on a set of worn $100 junk yard rims/tires, they didn't care.

And brought a base 2010 4x4.

 

is there a particular code or reference number for this recall.

 

Where have you been for the last few years?

From 95-2000 Toyota will buy back your truck.

From 2001 to 2004 or so they will repair it.

Just drive to your dealer and ask them to check the frame.

99% of all Toyota truck owners got a letter from Toyota about this a few years ago.

 

Jeez louiz, As you can see I dont get on these forums to much. I am the original owner of my 98 taco. I may have to check into this. I currently have no issues. Ive put Revtek lift kit, Bilstein front and rear, camper shell, K & n Air induction kit, warn bumper winch kit. A tow package. I currently have 208.000. I never got a letter. I live in Gilroy,Cailf

 

You might want to read part of this thread.

Since you live in Calif, you may not have the issue but then again.

Basically if you had up to a 00 Taco, they were paying 1.5 of the KBB value.

I had a 00 4x4 reg cab and got over 18K for it.

Just go to any dealer and ask.

 

My rear frame mount to cab just behind xtra cab has surface rust on the mount, but nothing to signify or warrant them taking my truck.
What have they been doin. when you get to the dealer are they taking your truck or are they giving you some time to remove the accessories from your truck. I wonder if my camper shell will fit on a newer truck.

 

Often the rust is where you can't really see it without a lift.

Mine and a lot of others had been near the front shock towers.

They were supposed to, if your truck failed, not let you drive it away. But that was different from dealer to dealer. I haven't heard of anyone who was denied taking anything, extras they installed, off their trucks.

They were also giving rental cars out, free of course.

I was told that they were paying extra for things like shells, but I have no personal experience with that.

 

Hahaha did OP not think we already knew about the recall when he typed this in March?