Are first gen Toyotas actually worth the price?

i would like to see some of those clean 1st gens for that price in your area, KY is on the 'cold climate' list as far as i know
and i would expect a clean 1st gen to go for way more than that there, unless nobody is wanting an old Tacoma i.e. less demand lower price

 

I saw a silver '02 or '03 double cab sell for $6200 on Craigslist earlier this week that had an ARB front bumper and looked really clean. Sold the same day it was listed, someone got a great deal. This is about as expensive as 1st gens tend to get:

https://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/d/carrollton-2004-toyota-tacoma-4x4/7052029618.html

We're right on the edge of the salt belt, I think of the Ohio River as the dividing line. A lot of storms track along the north side of the river. Past couple of winters have been pretty mild. If trends continue I don't think we'll be seeing much salt or snow in the future. But there are still plenty of rusty rigs out there, like this guy:

https://lexington.craigslist.org/pts/d/frankfort-1995-toyota-tacoma-4x4-extra/7040366069.html

 

Ok, the parking comment seems reasonable and true but the rest of it idk seems pretty wacky to me.

 

maybe if you are more than 6ft tall its a non issue!

 

The prices @CrustyTaco quoted are definitely not the same as they are here in So Cal. 1st gens can be picked up as low as $2,500 and 2nd gens as low as $6,000. Oh I just reread your post, you wrote "clean" which is opinion.

 

I'm 6'2" and parking the 2nd gen is slightly more difficult than the 1st gen.

 

OMG, lmao. Because more interior room, bigger payload, more towing capacity, more power, etc etc etc are such terrible things. I love all Tacomas but I can logically analyze something and come up with a somewhat logical answer at least.

You might have paid $8,400 for the truck but you had all of that work done immediately after purchase (it sounds like) I interpret that as you didn't pay $8,400 for the truck. Idk, around $9,500 I'm guessing. Why? Because it needed work and wasn't ready for use.

Jesus I'll have to remember to never buy a Tacoma in Colorado. I got a killer deal on a RV in Colorado so I guess it's not all completely insane there.

Uhmm, 2nd and 3rd gens have steel bodies. Maybe you're referring to the pathetically weak 1st gen steel front bumper, or maybe you're referring to the bed that rots out and is easily punctured.

Parts a dime a dozen? The parts that are cheap are cheap because of lack of demand which goes hand in hand with age until rarity occurs. It has nothing to do with being a Tacoma. The rest of those parts ain't cheap at all.

 

IMHO, it really depends on what you’re going to use it for. Kind of like asking which is better a Phillips head or a flathead screwdriver. What you spend is a factor of how bad you want it, and what condition it’s in. If you have to invest an additional 5k in it to make it what you want, your initial purchase price will need to be adjusted accordingly. Frame condition is a big factor. Any mods that are on it have to be considered, but if they are poorly added, or poorly maintained, they may or may not be of added value (ie. Lift kits, gearing, engine and airflow/exhaust mods etc.). The more stock and fewer miles the better. This is probably all stating the obvious but I figured I would weigh in none the less.
I owned an drove a ’95 4cyl. for years that I bought new in late ‘96. On and off road it was, pound for pound, far beyond compare to anything in stock condition on the road at the time. All in all it was a mini tank.

 

If I wanted something bigger than a 1st gen Taco, I would have kept my 2nd gen Tundra.

The douchespray coming off that troll is pathetic. FO already.

 

if you are more than 6ft tall the 2nd/3rd gen have much more headroom, leg room, but i am probably 5'10(ish) so head and leg room have been a non-issue, if i was taller then in the 90s i probably would have had to get a T100 full size pickup
thankfully i am not that tall

 

oh yes i recall the comparisons for ground clearance amongst the compact detroit trucks and the only one that had more HP than the Tacoma 3.4 was the Dakota v8

 

The bigger hp could be nice, but it was how it was put to the wheels that was the real sweetness to that Taco. The 4:10’s were making ideal use of the 150hp of that 2.7l. More power can potentially be a problem in some cases, more spinning=more digging=more stuck. Hahahaha

 

I’m not referring to any of those things regarding interior room etc as negatives - simply referring to the pricing of the 1st vs 2nd gens around here. For example it’s common to see a first gen double cab listed for 10-12,000 with 220,000 miles, a second gen listed for 15,000 with 180,000 or a 2014 with 120,000 for 21,000 etc my opinion being that I would rather pay 35,000 and be covered get the brand new one owner with a warranty than a second gen for a decent chunk of money without those things- our family situation opted for a clean first gen that didn’t “need” any of the work I mentioned done but I was raised on the notion that you change these trucks oil and replace the timing belt and water pump and they go go go- which hasn’t failed me yet- regardless,I felt that my price plus my decision for preventative maintainance still left me with a lot of room compared to the second gens cost around here at a starting price to make some upgrades or repairs down the road . Just my two cents- not bashing anyone’s opinion or any gen of truck I love the Tacoma.

 

Wow, it never fails to amaze me how much attention these old first generation Tacomas receive. I no longer am surprised when somebody drives clear to the other side of the country to chase down a 2003 extra-cab V6 4x4 with a clean frame that has over 200,000 miles on it. The buyer will then post on Tacoma World that he got a screaming deal on this truck with a price tag of $14,000.00.

One of the reasons why these old first generation Tacomas receive so much attention is that they are both simple and stupid. New vehicles, and when I say new vehicles I am talking about vehicles built in the last ten years, have a great deal of intelligence built into them. For example, the new SUVs can intelligently put themselves into four wheel drive without any user input. Because first generation Tacomas are both simple and stupid, they can easily be maintained by a not so gifted mechanic. A lot of things can be done to a first generation Tacoma by a non-skilled mechanic. They also have powertrains that when properly maintained will probably out last the homo sapien species, which the way our species is going is not saying a whole lot.

As I indicated in an earlier thread, here are the troubles with these first generation Tacomas. These first generation Tacomas were off the drawing board, and into production in 1995. Toyota never really put comfort as a priority when designing these first generation Tacomas, and it shows with how ergonomically unfriendly their interiors are. The interiors found in these first generation Tacomas are basically the same interiors found in the mid 1980s Toyota pick-up trucks with a little face lift tuck here and there. Technologically speaking, with the exception of the drivetrains and suspension systems, the first generation Tacoma is basically a mid 1980s Toyota pick-up truck.

My family has owned our 1999 Toyota Tacoma since 2005. Next month, I will have owned our Tacoma for 15 years. Damn that is a long time to have a vehicle. I bought this old beast when I was pretty young. I think I got it when I was 36. I am now an old pregnant 51 year old son of a bitch with a bad back. My life has gone through major changes since I purchased that old Tacoma. I was pretty healthy when I bought it. It has served my family and my friends well. It has been responsible for helping a lot of my family members and friends move as a result of nasty divorces. It has done this countless times during its lifetime. At 51, I can no longer drive it for more than a 1/2 hour. The 60/40 bench seat that is in it just kills my back after about thirty minutes to the point I have to pull over and stretch and walk for a good ten minutes before I can deal with the thing again. I imagine my ability to tolerate the old beast will continue to get worse as I age. The reason why we still own the old 1999 is that it is paid for, and it is as reliable as hell. We also have a fixer upper house so it has become the house's fix it truck.

At this point in their lives, these old first generation Tacomas are basically large mechanical wheel barrows. They can not be fairly compared to the new stuff. They are from a different time period. Automotive and truck technology has exponentially moved forward since these old first generation Tacomas were last produced.

Take it easy,
Paul

 

If I had to pay around 12k for a 1st gen I'll be looking at 2nd gens with low mileage. Dead serious.

 

there's no need to be dead serious or anything, if its what you personally like nobody can argue with you and they would be dum to do so!

 

I fit in my 1st gen like a well worn but still functional glove. Comfy cozy lol I drove it 500 miles to see my parents several times a year.

In my 2nd gen I can stretch out. It's the first vehicle in my life that i prefer not having the seat back as far as it will go. That's amazing to me because I've had a lot of vehicles. I can shift positions now whereas before I couldn't. I drove it up a 7 1/2% grade from a dead stop and was actually a little amazed. My 1st gen couldn't have been remotely close to being able to keep up.

It'd be cool to do a comparison test, you know real world stuff. 7 1/2% grade 0-60 that's my challenge to all the stock engined 1st gen 6 lugs (lol, I feel trouble in my gut hahahaha!), no TRD blown stuff give me a freaking break lol, you have a head start because mine has 37's and stock gears. But other than ride quality that's the only game it has - if that's even game lmao it's a one legged mall crawler

 

I don't recall exactly word for word what I wrote before but life was a.. going in the incorrect direction so if I was harsh I sincerely apologize.

I'm not saying 2nd gens are cheap. I got a smoking deal from a close personal friend, but I researched before buying it anyway because I wanted to know what it was worth without a hook up.

The 2nd gen for $15K if it's perfect yes sounds decent. Off the bat though I gotta mention you're referring to double cabs which is the most desired cab. I mean if you're looking at a 69 Z28 you gotta consider what you're looking at right?

 

its been eons since i tried climbing that kind of grade in Colorado and probably Utah and i honestly do not recall how that went but would most likely keep it in the slow lane

 

Are you kidding? 1st gens are killer trucks!