Betting on rust?

So, my '04 SR5 is showing it’s age and I'm considering swapping for a second gen. Last night I went to look at a low-mileage '11 TRD a local dealership has. One owner, local trade-in. So far, so good.

Despite the low mileage, it was pretty rusty underneath. In fact, the bracket for the wiring harness attached to the fuel pump(? maybe taillights? something attached just above the rear driver's wheel) had rusted in two, and so had the bracket holding the driver-side rear fender to the frame! (The salesman claimed ignorance of these problems). I crawled underneath it to find sand stuck in spots that missed being hosed off, so I wonder if this thing was a beach comber for a while? Always registered in Ohio, which makes that seems unlikely, but I've got no other guesses.

Otherwise, the truck was in decent enough shape, pretty clean overall. Now, I know Toyota just extended the frame "service campaign" to include 2011-2017 models and the salesman claimed this one had been inspected and passed. Ohio winters will not be kind to it, so.... here's what I'm thinking. Would it be crazy to buy it, rusted as it is right now, assuming a hole will develop in the frame and that I'll get a replacement frame in a couple years? I mean, it seems like a dumb gamble, but it also seems likely that it could work. Thoughts?

 

pics??

see:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-prevention-treatment-consolidation-thread.355928/

 

Yup, I skimmed through that thread which is what's got me thinking. I snapped a few pics, they're not the best of most telling, but I'll see if I can't get them posted later today anyway.

 

I wouldn't wanna make that bet. But also, in Ohio....it's bound to go down that road anyhow, so why not get a jump on it. It'd suck to make that gamble and not win though.

 

Meh. Pretty risky. Dealers have been giving people lots of hurdles to get some of these frames replaced from what I've been reading. So just feels like an extra unnecessary headache.

Unless you can get it from this dealer for crazy cheap because of the rust......

 

I don't think this dealership would be much of a hurdle, when we were talking about the first gen's getting new frames he made a comment referring to the mechanics in the shop saying something like "they'd replace them all if they could, every time they do Toyota writes them a 67-hundred dollar check." Not sure how that works, but ok. Anyway...

Here's some pics, first is the shock mount in the engine compartment (which my phone couldn't focus on apparently):
Next up is the sand and the rusted welds:
Here's the rusted through bracket for the wiring harness:
And here's the worst, which is the trailer hitch (I never tow anything, so I could ditch it):

The rest of the frame (except the welds, they were rusted) looks solid and even a little shiny as you can see in that one pic. So, I don't know, I'd have until what? 2023 to get it replaced? Seems like it could happen in that time frame, and the salesman emailed me today with a price that's pretty decent.... so I don't know.

 

Frame doesnt look bad. The connections do.

THROW THAT HITCH IN THE TRASH.

 

Keep in kind, with that much rust you’ll most likely have to cut off every bolt you replace underneath the truck.

All of the plastic pieces look good.

 

Run away,buy a Southwest truck,and fly out /drive it home.

 

I bought a used 2014 from Alabama in January 2019. Brought it back to Michigan and took it directly to the guy who oils my trucks. He said it was cleaner underneath than a lot of new trucks he sees. I wouldn't have bought a northern truck.

 

Exactly ^,why mess with buying another rust bucket.

 

You mean like the truck I have now that came from Texas and wasn’t eligible for the frame recall?

 

You mean a truck you bought from Texas that originally came from a rust belt state,I mean a truck that spent its WHOLE life in the southwest.The buyer is responsible for checking out a truck,BEFORE buying.

 

Find one with a clean frame and maintain it at least once a year.
Fluid film it and not worry about swapping it out in 10 years.
Good luck with your decision.

 

My truck came from Fort Worth, sold there new. Spent a little time in WV where I picked it up. So, if you have nothing helpful to add, please butt out.

 

Meh, my 2015 has less rust under it then an Arizona vehicle.

I do NOT drive it in the winter. Salt is what kills northern vehicles.

My 2001 built Durango, before I sold it in 2014, had zero frame rust.

 

I wouldn’t buy a rusted truck, after you owned it a while, you will regret it. Resale after you own it will be a problem.

 

Kinda odd to hope for more rust after you buy a truck but I wouldn't bank on the advice or opinions of a salesman regarding the frame recall on a truck that he's trying to get you to buy. The risk you are taking is a failed rust area that you overlooked or can't be seen. Even with a new frame, keep in mind that the rest of the undercarriage is still rusted.

 

Oh, it's totally odd, I agree. I did call Toyota to verify what I was being told was the truth, and it does seem to be. Everything except the connectors and the welds look pretty good, so if (and I fully realize, it's a big if) the frame got replaced, I'd end up with a low mileage truck with new bones. But yeah, I know it's kind of crazy, but it could be one of those "crazy like a fox" situations, should it work out. Seems like most folks aren't gamblers though.

 

Don't be a fool. Walk on this one!