Tacoma Stalking, er...uh, Spotting, with Charlie™ (1st Gen Edition)!

Prerunners were all the rage in the southwest region, used to be that was 99% of all the Tacomas you'd see around here. Until the 3rd gens came out and 'overlanding' took Youtube by storm, now practically every 3rd gen Tacoma I see is a 4x4. But most 1st/2nd gens around here are Prerunners.

 

Yeah the 4runner front ends are very boring

 

@04Pre_Runner

 

Swap out that grill for the LC one with the Toyota logo and it would look way better

That underbite and flares not matching the rear though - lol

 

Set her up with a taco front clip

 

Just mesh with the Toyota logo would be perfect. Less chrome

 

I went with a 3rd gen 4Runner front clip because it was cheap. Good luck finding an intact core support/fender aprons off any Tacoma in a yard these days.

This cab is bent up pretty bad anyway from multiple wrecks. Not pretty but I’ll get a steel bumper on at some point.

My ranking on front ends.
95-97 Tacoma
01-04 Tacoma
96-98 4Runner
98-00 Tacoma
99-02 4Runner (only because of the front lip bumper)

 

I had ZERO need for a 4wd when I was in GA so thr PreRunner was right up my alley: height of a "normal" truck and not the expense of a 4x4.

Now that I live in the NE, a 4wd isn't an absolute but it sure is a nice insurance policy to have.

 

When I was in GA the vast majority of rural 1st & 2nd gen tacomas were 4wd. In populous areas the PreRunners were more prevalent.

 

Love the 95-97 and 01-04 front ends. Can't choose between them, I'd be thrilled with either. 98-00 were meh.

 

Nope! I like the middle years as well. But I'm not impartial since I had a '99 until 2018. That said, the early years are my favorite. I did not like the '01-04 fronts. Just my opinion

 

I favor the '95.5 through '97. I may be biased, but I have a '96 myself.

 

Clean. Very clean.

 

I mean under Warranty from Toyota since all dealers are independent who can say .

A customer Shows up with a 2 Year old Tacoma holes in the frame who can know if any where replaced

 

The 95-97 I think has the best grill. I wasn't a huge fan of the 01-04 front end, but when they decided to create the 2nd gen I got off the pot and bought my 04.

 

Thank you!

 

What's amazing is that I remember when the Tacoma first came out and now I'm seeing them with antique/classic plates; Really makes me feel old!

 

I like the 01-04, I usually like the latest of generation of any vehicle. The 95-97 look good, the 1st run of any generation of vehicle usually looks the best, as that is the original design, and hasn't been influenced by what sells, or the bean counters after the fact. Nothing wrong with the 98-2000.