Buying 2nd Gen Tacoma...What to look out for

Hello,

Wow...what a great forum...I surfed around a bit, but thought I would post.

I am in the market for my 3rd Taco...had a 01 extra cab...and an 04 double cab. I really like the look of the 04 DC, but have started to lean towards the second gen.

Found an 06 w/ 116k miles....DC, TRD, Indigo Ink..4x4...looks real nice...Figured the miles must be almost all highway since it would be near impossible to rack up that many miles. ( almost impossible..I suppose if someone drove around all the time it would be possible) Price is 16,900

Inside looks real nice..outside has some nicks...think the front bumper has been repainted..probably chipped up

So..I know plenty about the 01-04 Tacos....but really don't know too much about the second gen.

If there is a place on this site that lists options etc...for each year, and a brief description of the what each model had..etc..? Wikipedia was pretty good actually. From what I have read, there is a leaf spring issue w/ the 05, and the radios are pretty bad in general I am ok w/ buying a toyota w/ high miles ( my daily driver has 213k ( a 99 Corolla)..and I bought it w/ 99k on the clock)

Are there any engine maintenance items I should look out for ( assume engine has a timing chain not a belt?)....should there be anything I should ask if it was done already...I am good at looking out for general items when buying used, but curious if there are any taco specific items

Thanks in advance for any info. This would be for my wife actually as her daily driver.

Curt

 

is it the TRD sport or TRD off road? sport has the hood scoop, the off road has a rear locker. those are the main differences in the two. the sport also has color matched door handles, grill, and rear bumper.
the off road has chrome rear bumper and grill and black handles.
2005's had motor mount problems but not in 06 up.
thats a lot of miles. I just sold my 07 with 35,500 miles on it. try shopping around a little longer for a lower mile rig.


Welcome to TW

 

Thanks for the reply...Sorry....trd off road

16,900 sound reasonable based on what you sold yours for ?

Functional hood scoop? or just for show?'

I like the color matched....

thanks again

 

The hood scoop is only on the Sport models and is non functional , if the the truck you are looking at is an off road it won't have the scoop ,or the colour-matched bumpers and handles , but does have a rear locker . ( As pointed out by Kevin ^^^^ above )

 

wow thats alottt of miles, i just bought my 06 Double Cab Long Bed TRD Prerunner with 70,017 miles for 16K. it has the scoop, bucket seats, JBL speakers, color matched bumpers, mirrors, door handles, bed electrical plug...the whole TRD package. i think if ur intersted in the truck uve found u shud be able to get the price lower. gluck!

 

Thanks....Hood scoop looks pretty cool..although my wife doesn't like it...so...since this is for her....I guess Off Road is the way we will be going!

 

Thanks for the info..wonder how much the prerunner offsets the miles I have based on the price.

Truck is at a Toyota dealer...so I know there is some wiggle room. Think it says something when a dealer will keep a 116k on their lot....of course this may either be b/c they are into it for too much when they took it on a trade...or they know the history perhaps...

 

cant go wrong with a taco

 

agreed....and that is part of the reason I don't mind the miles....like I said...w/ my Corolla, if I have put $1000 into it..maybe $1500..in 114k miles...that includes maintenance..etc..

Just curious what to look out for while shopping aside from what I would generally look for.

thanks

 

Was it a one owner?

Things I would look into..

- check the motor mounts, if it was an early build 2006 worth a look see.
- The air intake on my 06 rattles like crazy at first start up even after having the TSB done..its minor & I put weatherstripping insulation where it goes into the fender well...something to look at. You could check the TSB list that effected the 2006s. I had 3 or 4 of them done under my 3/36 warranty granted not in effect on the one you are looking at but good for some bargaining wiggle room if they don't apply.
- Make sure the 4hi & lo works, my acuator went at 16k.
- Minor stuff, check the gas door hinge, they break easy & the overhead compass/temp is working. Its an easy fix documented here but again bargaining chip...
- tailgate straight? Some got bent along the top.


Are they giving any warranty or as is? I always take my used stuff to my personal mechanic to get it up on a lift. For $50 its worth having it. Are you thinking of doing something like that?

 

Thank you...

Interesting about the motor mount...I will get to that in a second.

Went and test drove the truck today..

No...no warranty...I actually crawled under the truck today....looks pretty clean..no excessive rust.

Drove it...looked around...pulled the dipstick...looked at the coolant, under the oil cap..all looked good.

So we go for a test drive...right out of the lot, I could have sworn I felt a little "bump"....For those of you that have towed, it is the same bump you feel when you are towing, and from a stop , you start..the bump is from the slop in the ball on the hitch....very slight but it is there...almost like ring/pinion slop...or driveline slop.

My wife was driving at the time, so we swapped about half way in....I felt it also, as did the saleman in the back. Salesman thinks it's a trans mount...I am thinking driveline... So we get back to the dealer...basically has the shop look at it..says there wasn't any grease where there should be...sounded like the greased the suspension..( grease fittings on the leaf springs??)

So, after the lube job, and an oil change...they ( salesman and mechanic) take it out for a ride....they say it is gone.

we haggle over some prices for the trade...and eventually I want to take it back out. So, we go for our second drive..."bump" is still there.

We get back to the dealer...and the salesman goes and gets the "lead mechanic" to go for a ride w/ me. He feels it also......we swap and he drives....still there...says he has never seen this in a taco before...Mentions maybe the limited slip rear....does some figure eights while in 4x4 to I guess loosen up the limited slip...not quite sure.


Mechanic looks for any TSB's..and the only thing he can find is an engine mount causing vibration...To me it isn't a vibration..more of a bump...but...oh well.

So they are going to order the part...and we will see if it is still there.. My guess...yes...don't think it is a mount...but who knows.


As for if I am taking to my mechanic...I think I will...want to have the brakes looked at...etc..I tried to feel for the pad thickness...seemed a little thin..but hard to tell.

 

My Dodge Dakota used to make a bump when the gas tank was about 3/4 full. It was the gas shifting in the tank. I would have swore it was in the drive line or rear end, but when the gas went down so did the bump? I doubt this is the problem, but thought I would mention it just in case.

 

I would pass....