Most desirable year?

I am going to chime in here, b/c in the last 15 yrs I have been all over the map.

My first Tacoma was a 1995. I bought it in 2002 when I was in college after selling my (hand me down rusted out F100, that stalled when you ran the radio and the ac). I drove that thing everywhere. I did everything wrong ha ha. I installed a hockey puck spacer lift, i put giant mud tires on it. I taught myself some real basic mechanics. I drove daily on beaches, through giant mud puddles with no snorkel. The only thing that ever happened was eating through my cv's.
I sold it and got a 2003, alittle older I put an OME lift on this one and some good AT tires. I drove it all over the US, down to baja a few times, british colombia. I sold it at 225k.
I then bought a 1st gen tundra, had for 6 months and it got stolen.
Then I got an FJ62, and built up. I drove it for awhile and got an offer that I could not refuse, so I sold it.
Next a 3rd gen tacoma, I built it, OME-bp51, SSO bumper, winch. I sold it after 6 months, hated it.
Next a T100, this truck was amazing. The aftermarket does not exist, custom fabrication gets spendy quick. Plus I sold it for a more than I paid for it.
I strayed from toyota and got a 2015 power wagon. I took up in the mountains and could not turn it around on the trail, I had back down, it was nightmare. I sold it
Then back to 1st gen tundra. Its a great truck but for me something is just lacking.

Now I am back to a 1st gen tacoma. IMO you can not go wrong. You just need to decide what you want from the truck the 95-97 are tough, they are louder and have zero creature comforts. The 2000-2004 are still tough but are quiter and have just the right amount of creature comforts IMO.

Side note, I spend a good amount of time down in central america. You don't see tundra's, raptors, power wagons. You see alot of toyota's and alot of stock TRD 1st gen tacomas traversing terrain that is unbelievable for a stock vehicle.

Hope that helps

 

Those aren't Tacomas you see in droves down in South America, it's Hilux. While they share similar roots, they are actually pretty darn different from one another underneath that similar body size/look. Hilux is a very heavy duty pick up. Unfortunately we do not get them here in the States.

 

what are these creature comforts you speak of?

 

that passenger airbag is a creature comfort, too ... that I don't have
but in turn i have a mini fridge up front and center by the A/C vents to keep my DQ treats nice and cold in the summertime that is comforting no doubt!
and coffee hot in the winter time!

 

Actually they have both. Believe it or not our tacoma is becoming popular, could b/c so many expats drive them down or b/c they want what they cant have just like us. I would love a clean 90's hilux. I know it is technically possible. I just have not found a clean one for under 20k.

I really wish they would have kept the beveled tray with ties downs on our tacomas.

 

1. I never said 2001s "resemble" 2000 and older trucks. Re-read my post.
2. I never said they were "made in Japan". Again, re-read my post.
Seriously. Go read my post again, work to comprehend what I stated, and come back and tell me again what I supposedly said wrong.

 

they are similar and might share some parts, but nowhere near identical.

 

You're picking on my statement because you aren't getting what I said at all. I know damn well they were built in the Fremont plant, the "Mother Japan yadayada" was in reference to the idea that the highest standards and best practices of Toyota Japan was still pretty fresh and in play back then, yet to be diluted due to more demand/higher production.
I even complimented the quality of YOUR year truck but that obviously fell upon blind eyes.
Gees-regret posting here now, thanks.

 

Are you near the Toyota factory in TX? Its cool to be near the process.

 

I'm not even gonna respond with specifics man. Hilux front suspension is different(it's torsion bar like mini trucks), Hilux has different engines, along with the 3 eng Tacoma has as well, I mean maybe you could say Tacoma shares some components and shares interior with Hilux but Tacoma is no way a Hilux, kid.

 

Except for the shitty frames of course

 

Exactly what my point was! Add to that they did it consistently, truck after truck, where the other guys just didn't.

 

Yeah there was that-but it was a regional problem that Toyota more than made up for.
Mine lives a California life and other than a little road grime, it's still as spankin' new as it was in 2001.

 

Rub it in why don't ya

 

Sorry bud-but it's the truth

 

My folks had a '67 Buick Electra and even then in the late 60s-early 70s, the stuff they laid down on the roads in the Illinois winters rotted the shit out of that car. I was a kid so I never comprehended what was going on with the frame/chassis on that Buick, but I was out there weekly with my dad's Simoniz rubbing compound and Turtle Wax trying to stay ahead of the rotting body panels in order to keep Dad's car respectable. My friends all were well-off and their folks always had newer Caddys, Imperials etc.
We weren't well-off so I put in the work for Dad. I wasn't even a teen yet. No other kid did half what I did as a kid.

 

That's not something that's unique to the 2001's, let alone 1st gens. 2nd gens got that design "feature" too...

This is as rusty as my frame gets after nearly 15 years of doing literally nothing to it.

 

rope hooks rust in the south?

oh no not another

 

I hear rope hooks are safe on 3rd gens...