2004 Tacoma Input

I'm well aware of it, actually. I have a list of people I'd kill before I sold my truck.

That doesn't mean I think $20k for a 15+ year old truck is reasonable. Even 15k is exceptionally high, IMO, and I live in CA, where prices are typically at least 2-3k higher than the rest of the country.

There was a truck that apparently sold for like ~$20 a while back. low miles, pristine condition, typical barn find, if that's a thing for a 15 year old truck. Pretty much everyone here (rabid Tacoma enthusiasts) laughed at how much that person paid.

There are all sorts of reasons that buying an ultra low mileage truck for that much is not what it's cracked up to be. If anything, it's worse for an engine to sit for that long and never get run. None of the rubber seals ever see any flowing lubricant. ALL the same parts that would need to be replaced on a moderate mileage truck like timing belt, bushings, seals, vacuum lines, etc... need to be replaced anyway.

It's a Toyota Tacoma, not a museum piece. I'd much rather buy a 150k mile truck with good service records for $10k than some truck with 15k miles that's been sitting motionless the majority of it's life for 15 or 20k.

 

*decides not to say how much he bought his truck for*

 

who, me?

I said a couple posts ago I paid ~$24k when it was less than a year old.

 

haha no not you, me

I paid not too far from that as well, but 3.5 years ago lol (24k miles on it, wasn't cheap)

 

Haha,

If it fit your budget and it’s what you wanted, that’s great. But I think it’s important to note that just because some people are willing to pay a premium for a specific truck, that’s not a “normal” price, and it artificially imflates the price people himk their truck is “worth”.

 

Ultra low mile, top condition, 4WD, big cab, 5 speed. They don't grow on trees. And they aren't making any more of them.

Anybody who has one and wants to sell for $12K, just let me know.

 

The OPs truck isn't a "normal" truck. Not by any measure. It's probably in the top 1-2% condition of all those still on the road.

As I said earlier, I've already got my museum-quality Tacoma stashed away. Else I'd make a reasonable offer on the OPs truck.

 

I never said it was a “normal” truck. It is obviously a rare truck, but only rare given it’s condition and age. There are thousands of them around, just not in that nice of condition, paint and interior wise. Engine and suspension wise, that thing will need nearly the same attention as something with 150k or more miles. If you want to pay $20 for somehing that will still need a timing belt, bushings, vacuum lines, etc... that’s your prerogative.

 

I'm not surprised. My last 1st generation, clean and all stock. I had people just walk up to me and ask ... "hey you wanna sell that thing ? "... people I didn't even know , it was common. ... think it'll happen one day with 2nd , 3rd gen ??

 

You've actually suggested multiple times that the OP offer his truck for sale at $12K.
That may be what you think the truck is worth, to you, but market data would suggest otherwise.
There's little point in going back and forth. So I will bow out of this discussion.

 

Looks like a very clean truck, I'd say $12000 to $15000. I'd be all over it if it was a V6 and had the rear locker. What a bummer.
Good luck, someone will have to have it.

 

when my truck was driveable i had people offer me 12k for a truck with almost 300k on it... i still cant believe it. now with my 1st gen tundra i keep getting offers to buy it from random strangers.


too bad i like them too much to sell them

 

Damn...you should've taken that and bought a lower mileage one lol

 

no.. my father bought my tacoma new and i actually chose the color.


plus its what i learned to wrench on, learned to drive in (and the corolla i own now...) and well. theres a lot of firsts with this truck. hell it took me to prom


now the tundra, for the right price? i might sell.. but ive come to enjoy the beast.. other than the gas mileage

 

A datapoint for OP from CA. This is nearly a replica of mine, condition looks similar and I’ve had 2 offers in the last year of $10k and it has 240k highway miles.

By my experience 2004 is an excellent year to have. Never had a problem with it.

 

Thanks everyone for the input and the different points of view, very interesting to read everyone's opinion. Based on the discussion that has been going on here, I was thinking of starting at $17k and see what type of interest it generates.

 

I may have missed where you're located but I can say for sure out here in SoCal a 34k 4x4 1st gen like yours could fetch that easily... the fact it's a 4cyl instead of a 6 might get some people to talk you down on the price some but not much. There are a lot of die hard Toyota 4cyl enthusiasts out there as well so you never know. Good luck!

 

I pulled that number out of my ass as a random number to START. I also said that if you get a bunch of offers to raise the price.

The truck is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. YOU might be willing to pay $20k for it, but if no one else shows up with $20k in their hands, it's not worth $20k. It's worth what someone is willing (and able) to pay.

 

Unless you're talking about putting it up for auction/bid I think that's a backwards way to go about pricing - you should start on the higher end and be open to negotiate.

I wouldn't want to deal with a seller that advertised their truck for a certain price and when I call them wanting to show up with cash in hand they say "Never mind I'm getting a lot of interest so the price is now $xxxx more". I'd assume they aren't knowledgeable about the vehicle they're selling or just not serious and playing games.

But yes - ultimately it's only worth what someone's willing to pay.

 

It's a beautiful vehicle ... when the buyer comes to pick it up will you throw in a full tank of gas ??