Help with decision

An 05 with less than 100k miles? You don’t see those to often anymore. I’d keep it

 

Trade it in . Then do this every time you have to make a monthly payment .

 

Depends upon if you can afford it.
To some 40k is chump change. To some it's 7 years of payments.
You only live once.

 

Repair it and run the wheels off.

 

Sorry for the late reply. I appreciate all of your responses. I've decided to keep my truck. You have all made me realize that my truck isn't as old as I was perceiving it to be. I guess I got anxious when things started breaking down. $500 to replace fuel/oxygen sensor, $900 for fuel pump, $950 for a/c compressor...

I recognize that most people on here would fix these things themselves. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I don't have the confidence that I could fix these things without breaking something more expensive. I would like to, but when it comes to my truck, I just don't have the confidence.

For those who asked about the fuel pump. The dealership was in contact with Toyota engineers to follow a troubleshooting flowsheet. The last step was to test the inline pressure of the fuel line. They saw that the pressure was 20psi lower than it should have been. They concluded that it was something faulty with the fuel pump. I believe they also did some electrical test as well to support that conclusion.

BTW, I plan on being an active member of this form. I know that I can learn a lot from this community.

Thanks again,
-AliasTacoma

 

Although I'm not in the Houston area, I greatly appreciate your offer.

 

We all had to start somewhere in fixing our own vehicles. I don't make $100.+/hr, I'm certainly not gonna pay it unless i absolutely have to.
If you break something... Shit happens. Think of it as an investment in education.
My 06 has 279+ thousand miles on it. Your truck has a looooooong life ahead of it still. Keep up with maintenance, and you'll be golden.

 

Every mechanic out there has broken their fair share of stuff. The important thing is to learn from mistakes.

 

He has a new frame. They should be manageable.

 

A famous quote by many living on a marginal pension and wishing their 'once' had been more thoughtful for their future.

It doesn't mean you don't have fun and enjoy life.

But I've never spoken to anyone who was in their final days who valued what they had owned over the experiences they'd enjoyed, or the love they'd shared with others. This has been consistent across a broad range of ages and financial positions.

 

Are these dealer diagnoses and prices? Sounds kinda like it.

If they are, find a quality independent mechanic and get second opinions / prices.

I'm assuming you have no interest in DIY efforts and want to farm out the work.

If you know how to calculate total cost of ownership across the life of a vehicle, you'll find that keeping your described truck will always win over buying a new one.

If you decide to proceed with a purchase, keep in mind you'll never really know what you are paying for the new ride unless you negotiate a cash and carry price. No dealer financing, no trade. Think of it as a shell/pea game. You have to remove 2 of the shells to ever find the pea.

 

Take Mr. Buffet. Big money and doesn't enjoy it IMO. Look at what he drives.
I have seen some people have big bucks and can't get past it to spend a dime on themselves.
It works both ways.

 

You should heed the advise of al these very knowledgeable folks on here. Those are fairly simple repairs that you should be able do yourself with the aid of the forums on here. The ones that you feel are beyond your abilities, get another estimate. -or three. That truck is still young in Toyota years.

 

What area are you in? Probably a couple members on the forum who'd be willing to lend a hand if they're close.

 

I vote keep it also .. she’s still so young with a fresh frame

 

You can buy a gage set and vacuum pump for the AC work at Harbor Freight. I don't normally shop there but for that kind of thing that you only use occasionally, they are fine.
I replaced the compressor and condenser on my son's car a couple of years ago and the cost of the tools way offset the cost of having it done somewhere. Watch some youtube videos, it's not that difficult.

I've never replaced a fuel pump, in tank, but I'm sure you could find some videos of it and a friend to help.

Give it some thought.

 

An '05 with < 100k miles is pretty awesome. Sure, the vehicle might be valued at 10k prior to needing the repairs (so let's call it 8k), but a new truck will run you a minimum of 30k, though you might be able to find a used 2nd gen for around 15k? Anyway, it's not really the point. In all honesty, if these are the repairs you are facing with the truck and it has no other issues (you mentioned the frame was replaced in '15), I would say eat the cost of repairs and keep on trucking

At the end of the day, it costs less to repair it rather than buy another vehicle.