Buying a commuter base model

Close. Diet Coke, globe hopping with the wife and benevolent work in 3rd world countries.

And no debt.

Spent the first years of my working life as a cross country surveyor. Still love the outdoors, but the itch to use 4wd, being stuck, recovering others and being in places 99% of the population never sees was well scratched. No regrets

 

$5.000

Older and wiser

 

I’m looking for a 4 banger too. Was set on getting a first gen Tacoma access cab. Mpg on highway is great. That’s all I do.
However, upon more research, I discovered that an 07 Tacoma access cab gives 23/28 mpg. Can anyone verify this information???
I’m leaning towards this one for the fact that I can access the back more easily than the first gens.

 

I average about 21 miles per gallon. I have an ARB bumper and a fiberglass cap. Most of my driving is hilly rural northern michigan (60 mph) and about 20% city. I think I'm due for some new plugs tho. Consistantly got 23-24 before I added all the weight.

 

I'm on socal and gas prices are just rediculous. I also have a dirt bike that is collecting dust now that I have no way of moving it.

 

The Acura is definitely getting sold. I just bought it because I knew it was reliable and I needed a vehicle to get to work ASAP.
Also wanted to buy some time to find a decent tacoma

 

www.fueleconomy.gov says

 

5-lug trucks are the TRN220, 225 and GRN225. They're all 2WD and either come with the 2.7L 4-cylinder (auto or 5MT) or the 4.0L V6 (X-Runner, access cab, 6MT only). The 4-cyl 5-lug and X-Runner can swap pieces between them, but as was said not much will swap with the 6-lug trucks.

6-lug trucks are 2WD or 4WD, 4-cylinder or V6, auto or manual. You can really find them any which way for these ones. Everything is interchangeable for these, even between 2WD/4WD (except not having the front diff/transfer/etc.).

You could build yourself a pretty dope looking 2.7L 6-lug Pre-Runner 2WD that could haul some stuff.

Jeff

 

I bought my 2006 2.7 5-lug SR5 in 2009 with 40,000 miles. Price was $14,500 but after taxes and fees it was nearly $16,000 out the door. It's an automatic with 155,000 miles now, everything still runs and works perfectly. I average 23-24 MPG most of the time but I drive moderately most of the time as well. No modifications, it already does everything I need. Best vehicle I ever owned, seems like it will run forever.

 

All this.

Only downside to the 5 lug, 4cyl trucks is they are not quick, especially with the auto trans.
I test drove both stick and auto base models when I was looking for a new work truck. I didn't want a Prerunner because gas milage and tire bill. Plus I just didn't see the usefulness in a truck that had most of the downsides to owning a 4x4 without being 4wd (exception being actual built prerunners).
The manual trucks weren't bad, the autos were, well, a little too slow for my taste.

Then I saw the dealership had an X-runner on the used lot, asked "what is that" and the rest is history.

 

With my 2.7 automatic access cab, I verify that I can get nearly 30 MPG on long highway runs, helps to keep it under 70 mph. My average is 23-24 MPG with about 50% highway miles, so around town I estimate 18 or so? Hard to say. I take the highway wherever possible and reasonable.

 

Perfect. Thank you.

 

I wish i could have afforded an xrunner when i was buying. My budget said five lug access or 4x4 reg cab. I opted for the space. Still enjoy it but an xrunner would have been tits

 

XR's are really nice.

Not exactly a basic commuter though.

 

Well I think I found the one. It is a 2011 4 cylinder auto with 77k on it. Its a little dirty but nothing a good wax cant fix.
I know the usual used car check list but anything else i should be looking for particular to these trucks?

 

frame. you should know that one. up around the cat
as long as it's not leaking oil, that thing should spin for a while. valve cover and timing chain cover behind the alternator would be the checks
2011 still had the plastic coolant bypass pipe (i think). make sure it isn't coated with pink (driver side, in front in intake manifold)

as long as it all checks out, should be a nice cheap ride

 

Just got back from looking at it.
Body was really beat up. Definitely was rear ended and someone did a hack job getting it back together.

Definitely not easy finding a decent tacoma :/

 

I bought my '08 SR5 access cab, RWD, 2.7/4 auto in early 2017 for around $9000. Had 117,000 miles on it.

Now it has 137,500 miles. I get about 21.5/22 MPG (with a lead foot). It's a great little truck for me. I just use it to drive to school (~75 miles round trip each day).

 

That seems like a crazy good deal based on what I'm seeing around here. What state are you in?

 

MD. I did buy it from a family member (forgot to mention that, oops), so he gave me a bit of a deal. I think KBB was saying about $9500 was fair for it.

edit: The truck has been in MD all it’s life, but has avoided major rust. I got pretty lucky.