Why do you own a first gen Tacoma?

I bought mine brand new so I haven't had a car payment since 2007. It is running perfectly and is my daily driver so I will keep it until it falls completely apart.

THAT is why I own a first gen Tacoma.

 

How many miles so far?
That’s awesome...1 owner truck pushing 20 years. I’m like the 3rd or 4th owner of my truck.

 

Currently at 223,000 miles and counting since it is my daily driver.

 

Because reading around the new car rags back in late 2003 I realized that Toyota was going to up-size the Tacoma for 2005. I wanted a real mini-truck, not one of the "new and improved" bloat jobs. So, despite being out of work at the time I plunked down $13,700 for my base model Taco. They got me out the door for $14,500 including tax and licensing. It was the basic truck with the "enhancement package" (rear bumper, AC, interior upgrades) and 5 speed manual. I took delivery with 34 miles on it in February 2004. When I got home from work today the odometer read 63,773 miles.

The dealer swapped the carpet floor mats for the factory ribbed gray rubber mats. Much later I added the factory in dash clock, the tonneau cover, and the 16 inch wheels. This summer I plan to have the factory metal bumper parts powdercoated to restore the original metallic gray look. The frame looks good, but I would like to find a shop around here that could give it a lanolin coating for extended protection.

 

I bought my 03, 4x4 with rear locker Tacoma off of my brother which was the original owner. He got stationed in Italy and couldn’t bring the truck with him so I took it off his hands for $7,000. I was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC and would drive my truck every year back to California to visit family. So far the trucks been to California and back 4 times with no issues what’s so ever! I like knowing that I’m driving something that’s going to get me from point A to B without worrying that it’s going to break down on me. The community behind Toyota’s is awesome too!

 

I feel the late 90s early 2000s were the pinnacle of vehicles, all brands. My 3 vehicles are a 98 Tacoma, 2003 Duramax and 2000 Honda Accord. I wish I could buy a brand new version of each today. I hate all the safety nannie shit on the new vehicles and how everything is complicated and electronic. I need to invest in some new seats and suspension for my Tacoma, I'm in my 40s now and it has become very uncomfortable on long drives. To the point I will admit I've test drove a 3rd gen and thought about it but I should just stick with the old school shit.

 

If I could go back in time I would buy a 2004 Tacoma and a 2006 Duramax. Last year without all the emissions crap. But then again if I could go back in time I would do a lot of things different and have enough money to pay someone to do a cummings swap in a square body Blazer with one tons for my DD.

 

I am on my third fuel pump. My Tacoma needs one every five years. That's the only repairs needed in twenty years

 

That’s when most of the automakers were in a reliability race but nobody really cared about “tech.” You have 3 vehicles that can easily hit 300,000 miles. I drive about 5,000 miles per year. I could double that and it would still take me about 60 years to get my Tacoma and 2001 Duramax each to 300,000 miles.

 

Honda has 311,xxx, Tacoma 220,xxx and Duramax 106,xxx

 

Bought mine from a buddy a few years ago. I knew he took care of it, but also used it. I was pretty good at working on vehicles, and he'd enlist help if it needed anything. I knew the history of the truck, and knew it had been rock solid for him for many years. I previously owned a 84 toyota pickup, a corolla, and a camry. All of them treated me very well. The other non-toyota vehicles, not so much. So decision to go toyota was easy. Decision to go Gen1 was because he gave me a great deal when he upgraded to a Gen3.

 

I'm not big on change in any way, so for my first vehicle I wanted 1 vehicle I could get at *least* a decade of use out of and do everything I wanted.

I ride dirt bikes and ATVs and would love to eventually have a boat so bed space and towing capability was a must.
I like simplicity and nothing more than necessary.
I like hanging out with friends and fam so a couple extra seats was also a must.
The beach is like my 2nd home so 4x4 was required.
I'm addicted to manual transmissions and the 1st gen 5 speed is great (vs the 2nd gen 6 speed which I hear can be questionable).

I find this truck to be an awesome "jack of all trades, master of none." It doesn't master any 1 thing, but it does everything you might ever need quite well, which makes it a great long term or drive-forever type of vehicle imo!

also makes a great first car lol

 

small but can haul

 

They are the shit

 

My grandpa bought his '04 Tacoma brand new and babied the heck out of it. It's the car I learned to drive in. I have many fond childhood memories of him driving me around in it. Before he passed away last year, he gave it to me. He kept it bone stock, and I've had lots of fun kitting it out.
Needless to say, I'm not getting rid of it any time soon. (It currently has 95k miles)

 

Lighter trucks crawl better and you can't beat Toyota reliability.

 

I bought mine (2001 limited) for 500 bucks that did not start to replace a 2012 GMC acadia thats a complete POS as my work vehicle. New fuel pump and the taco is in business. Nothing like having a 11 year older vehicle be more reliable. I drive about 25k a year for work, and this little taco makes the drive fun now. Best 500 bucks i have spent in a very long time!

 

I have driven BMW's for the last 20 years, taught high performance driving for the BMW club all that time. Totally enjoyed it, but got tired of fixing everything that I broke at the track on the weekends. So I sold the cars, found this site and decided a 4wd Taco was my going to be my next rig. I found a somewhat clapped out '01 dbcb with a supercharger and have gotten it fixed up to the point that I really enjoy driving it. It's totally reliable, starts every time and everything works (except my dome light and that's next on the list). Upgraded the stereo so I can take phone calls, upgraded the suspension and took care of all maintenance, added sound deadening in the cab.. This truck is now just about perfect! I also have an 07 F-150 to tow a trailer, I hate driving it, it's huge compared to the Tacoma, needs heads like all the 5.4's and just isn't nearly as fun to drive. With the upgrades to the Tacoma it has everything the Ford does and more. Now I just need to get the wife out of her Ridgeline and into a 4Runner....

 

Fairly simple really. 1st gens were the only option for Tacomas in 1997 when we bought ours brand new.

Wife drove had it as a daily drivet from 1997 to 2008. Then I drove it from 2008 to 2017 as my daily driver. Since 2017 it's been my son's daily driver.

250k miles on it and it is still running strong.

 

I own my '96 regular cab because it's the shortest wheelbase V6 pickup that's available, and may ever be available. From what I heard (don't know the full story) they put a V6 in the regular cab from '95 1/2 to '97 and then the fed said no more V6s in regular cabs because too many people were killing themselves, it was "too light for the engine." I found one in great shape with 196K a couple of years ago. Been my daily driver ever since.