Overland Rig Possibility

Back story: I'm fairly young and am about to graduate college in May. I just found out about overlanding and found a sweet 89 Pickup for $9k. The issue is I am also joining the Army after graduation. They will send me to Missouri for 6 months then to another station for another 3 years or so. I already have a daily driver in my 2016 Tacoma so this 89 Pickup would just be my modding rig. It wouldn't be hurting the bank but it would be difficult to drag it along over the next few years. My fear is if I let it go, I won't find such a good in-shape, low mileage, and low price as this. Opinions? I'm basically in between letting it go or buying it and storing it for future me. Any ideas?

 

Welcome to TacomaWorld
1989 Toyota pickup for $9,000 ?

 

Yes, very good condition, minimal rust, very low mileage

 

Overlanding is what your grandfather called car camping (except with a station wagon or mini van). You got a 2016 Tacoma, why can’t you use that?

 

welcome , how many miles on this 32 year old truck ? A good Friday thread .

 

$9k for a 32 year old vehicle that you'll just have to park for ~4 years? Hmm. I'd wait and see how you feel in 4 years - things change.

 

4 years wiser !!

 

It's my daily so if I needed to work on it and need to take it apart, i'm out of a vehicle to drive. Not to mention mods for the newer trucks are double in price than they were for the older ones. And also, with all of the on board computers, I would not be confident in doing a site-repair on these newer trucks

 

115k miles for that 22RE engine, all original stock still. And that's my fear is something like this in 4 years can't be found or the price will be jacked up because of these trucks getting highly sought out for

 

Hopefully I would be able to take it out during summers but not fear is in 4 years, the price will go up because of how sought out these are or that I can't even find a stock, low mileage one anymore

 

Jealous you are able to afford a modded 3rd gen Tacoma as a college student. I had to drive a shitty Honda Accord. 9k doesn't seem that cheap to me for an 89. I use my 3rd gen in some pretty remote places here in NV. Id be more hesitant about bringing an old truck into the desert and having something fail.

Not too familiar with the older models but a quick craigslist search resulted in this one. 73k miles and asking 7500

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/d/sebastopol-toyota-pickup-22re-4x4/7252850031.html

 

Long story short, life insurance paid out.. but anyways I've checked everywhere for these clean pickups and $9k actually seems run of the mill, actually less with this kind of mileage. That was another route though, making my daily into the rig and just getting like a car for my daily. Problem is the mods are just very expensive comparatively, it's difficult to work on the newer computer systems, and I'm a huge fan of those older pickups.

 

You do realize that for 98% of 'overlanding' that 95% of the mods you are reading about aren't really needed. Right?

For the 9k you'd dump in the other truck (as a starting point) you could complete at least 75% of the valuable mods needed. Add insurance savings, general repairs to a 32 yo truck THEN the mods to THAT truck, and you'd have a bucket 'o cash to go into your current truck.

And after 4 Army years you may never want to think bivouac again. While the back of a truck might be a bit better than that, you could also have a wife, kid and need a full time job by then too.

Now, PM me the addy of the '89.






Just kidding.

 

So you're thinking my Tacoma would be better. That kinda brings me to a question I've had for awhile.. people always say those older vehicles are easier to work on but what could I repair on an 89 that I couldn't on a 16 if I was out in the desert? Isnt it true there are more systems that could be damaged? Not to mention the fact that the 89 truck mods are at the MINIMUM half the price of the 16 truck mods.

It is true all you really need is good tires, good suspension, and full under body skid plate (imo) but whats the fun in that if you can't go 'glamping' while overlanding getting a front bumper with lights and winch, rear bumper with swing out table, rock sliders, nerf roll bar etc. There needs to be a line between functionality and down right cool and fun vehicle to have to survive with.

PSA: i'm not leaning one way or another, just providing counterarguments to get the full picture.

 

I've seen people 'overland' on a bicycle. It is what you want it to be.

I like the old and simple stuff too, thats why I like my taco so much. The part that I'm not sure about is preemptively buying an old vehicle because you're convinced you won't be able to find another good deal when you're actually ready to start using it.


And from what I've read, I'd rather have something with a 3rz than a 22re anyway, but thats another topic.

 

Valid point about preemptively buying a vehicle before using although I planned to modify now and hopefully take it out in this summer and any following summers. It would get use, just not as much and with moving around with the Army, I can't take it.

What I mean is modded or not, my buddy and I wanted to do a quick trip in the summer to dip our toes in this new world

 

The old one is easier to fix in many ways. If you have the knowledge and the parts on hand. It's also, just on age, more likely to break. Unless you do a complete refresh of all the common wear items.

For example, every piece of rubber is likely in need of replacement, every fluid etc etc.

My point is by the time you buy it, make it reliable for what you think you may do, then add mods, (even at half price), you'll have spent more money than buffing up the '16. It's called TCO.

And if the Army sends you out of country, you have two rigs to store.

I actually understand the interest. Those old rigs can be a lot of fun. But I'd never want to overland (hundreds of miles / several weeks) in one. Long weekends, maybe. But that's not overlanding.

 

A little honesty here, speaking from experience, I’d stick with the ‘16. Reason I say that is I’m assuming you’re going officer and you’ll be going through bolc? You’re going to be busy, or you should be. Moving with two vehicles can be a pain and Storing a 32 year old truck isn’t ideal.

You’re blessed to have a ‘16 right out of college. Enjoy it. Use it. It will do any ‘over landing’ you need. Save $$, Focus on learning and establishing yourself within your career field. You should spend your years as a junior officer soaking up and learning. Get away on weekends and have fun in that 16. In the time you’ll get the financial stability, not to mention more time to enjoy another vehicle.

 

I would do this in the truck you have now. You learn a lot about what you need and what you don't on such a trip that you probably don't know now, so it seems really preemptive to be commiting to a specific vehicle at this point

 

Ughh you guys are killing me. Yes it's to BOLC and yes I very much so want an older Pickup rig and yes it would be a hassle to have two vehicles. But this is why I made the thread, experience beats curiosity. I think I'll hold off on the 89, even though it's immaculate, and modify my current. Thank you to everyone that has replied. I've been considering this for 2 weeks now and never could pull the trigger because something felt off about the timing and price. I'm sad I can't learn on those older work horses but like you all said, save the money and use my already-good-for-overlanding-use of a truck. Maybe sometime down the rode I will fulfill my rig dreams. I appreciate y'all and the Taco world!