Upgrade or trade in

I have an 06’ Tacoma 4wd manual transmission with the 4.0 v6. I love my truck but it lacks all the upgrades I want...6” lift, rack, brush guard, supercharger!.. I have 235k miles. Opinions on spending the money on my current truck. Or trade it in on a new one and start the upgrades.. Financially, I could swing a new one but it would be a little of a strain. Mechanically my current truck is sound, for an 06’

 

Keep your truck. Then take the money you would be spending on a new one and put it towards upgrades.

 

The mods you describe would be close to $10,000 all together. I don't really see the point of dumping that kind of money into a 12 year old Tacoma.

 

Do you want a built truck with 235k miles, or a built truck?

Therein lies your answer.

 

That's a lot of money in mods, I hope its for some serious rock crawling lol

 

Lot of crawlers with 6” lifts and brush guards..?

 

At that mileage, you certainly don’t want to be putting any type of forced induction on it. That’s the type of thing you do with low mileage or new.

 

I'm in the same predicament with my '06...except I have 195k miles. I already have an OME lift, tires wheels sliders, etc....but the thought of having a truck payment kills me. The only thing I'm adding left are full skids $990, and an ARB bumper, $1000. It does have a new frame, CVs, etc...and it's just been a solid truck! I wheel and overland with it and it's my daily driver...driving it across country to Colorado and California from Virginia this Summer to wheel and do trails.

I asked some people with older Landcruisers and FJ's and they all have well over 250k miles, hard and heavy miles and they keep going. This is why I'm keeping mine. I'll drive it until it dies.

 

You got the right idea. Keep driving it until the wheels fall off.

 

I'm in the same boat.09 4 cylinder 5 speed prerunner.cant get the manual anymore.205K.keep it and save the notes, drive it till it needs a motor or buy new.

 

it all really depends on what your planning on doing with the truck. If you plan to do all those mods id say get a newer one, but if you were going to just daily it as is, the milage is just a number lol these trucks will run forever. However if your going to finance a new one it will be a lot more money to do those mods at the same time you make payments.

 

I would mod it but keep it simple. Maybe instead of a 6" put a nice set of coilovers. Rims tires. Etc. just keep it all bolt on. Nice thing about the new tacomas is the same lift, wheel tire combo, armor will still work. If you get a newer 2nd gen than bumpers will work as well.
That way if it dies. Pull everything off buy a new truck and reinstall everything.

 

Yeah...if you've done absolutely nothing with the truck, then maybe you should get a newer Second Gen and build. I'm only adding skids and a bumper at 195k. I've got everything else.

 

Oh, and if you do decide to keep and build...don't do the SC..and if you wheel don't do a brush guard. Get an OME coil lift, very solid and trustworthy. Sliders are relatively cheap, and find a bumper if you want. You don't need to dump a lot into a Tacoma.

 

Yes I second that idea.

 

Don’t do forced induction with that many miles on the engine. Like others stated upgrade the current because it’s paid for. Getting a new one you will want the same upgrades and not be able to afford them because of car payment. Plus the new ones have a 3.5 l

 

I’d address any mechanical issues if any then mod to your hearts desires. As far as boost may look into getting motor/tranny rebuilt or replaced if you go that route that’s a lot of miles or regear if you go big tires an add lockers.

 

Speaking just to the finance part of it... I’d keep my paid off truck over signing up for payments if that’s what you’re looking at. If you’re paying cash and it’ll just be tight for a bit, then I’d probably do it. 100% down payment is the way to go.