Are first gen Toyotas actually worth the price?

In a capitalistic system things are worth what people are willing to pay for them. A buddy was selling a manual 5 lug at some huge SoCal used-car flee market like place where you register for a spot, park there and people approach you. Dudes were getting into damn near fist fights bidding on his truck and this was a number of years ago, way before the loan and used car market got insane.

Some cars/trucks start to go down in history as hidden gyms, their build type great and not likely to be done again. This truck is one of those, almost reaching cult like status- the engine options, the weight, the size, the transmissions- these are now known as one of the goats of small trucks. It ain't no NSX, or J80s for that matter (J80s are skyrocketing in price and IMO cause people know rigs like that will never be built again) but I know I can get more for my truck now than I paid for it almost 15 years ago- thats just wild, but that is the market. I tried to haggle at that time and the seller had another buyer lined up and ready to fly over to buy it, so it is what is is- and again this was before the crazy times we are in now.

 

I am original owne of a 2wd Tacoma I purchased in 2001. The pickup I had Chevrolet original owner purchased in 1982 both are good.
The up side to Tacoma is 26 mpg . The down to the Chevrolet was 15 miles to the gallon.

They both very good pickups

I am very happy to Own Tacoma a California built pickup and the gasoline mileage.

Dave

 

At the risk of hijacking this thread I’d be curious to hear your mileage on both. Here in the northeast you don’t see ANY fords or chevys that are older than 10 years that don’t have rusted out panels right above the rear wheels unless they just sit in the garage. I am certain that in California you don’t have the same issues if you’re not near the coast. In addition, the frame coating on gmc trucks appears to make them susceptible to bad frame rot although I admit I’ve never owned a non Toyota truck.

 

nada says mine is worth the same as MSRP back in 98. Cool! But - it's not worth selling because they are getting hard to find and what would I replace it with? Not too much available as far as compact 4x4 pickups is concerned. More importantly I don't want to deal with the jackasses who seem to know exactly what it's worth. ya know - " I just sold one for (X amount) for this price" or "it's only worth $4,000. Definitely not worth dealing with the D bags. Prices are as high as people want right now because there are people paying that amount. Good luck! I am gonna hang onto mine for as along as I am able.

 

The Tacoma is first pickup
Most trucks I own was Chevys.
The last Chevys was over 110,00 miles the od read 10,000 it had flp over.

Dave

 

My 1gen made it into that 'minimal work needed' category. My '04 has lived a mile from the SF Bay until 2008 then 1.1 miles from the Central California coast (north of Ventura, minimal rain) through now. It has been washed less than 30x since new, which is why I think the orig. paint and trim looks as good as it does when cleaned up. I have only washed the underside a couple times, but it is still surprisingly rust free. It has never been coated on the underside so I
guess being 1.1 mi is just far enough from salt water to avoid heavy corrosion. Now at 265k, the only work done past oil/fluids/wipers was tune up at 190k with new plugs+wires, fuel filter, clutch, brakes, belts, and water pump. Still all orig hoses that look good, the only thing it probably needs is ball joints which are long overdue. It does seem the 1gens run forever if they get >99% gentle highway/street miles.

 

Mind is over 20 years old with no rust.
If live where there salt for ice ❄ roads or close ocean is where see a lot of rust.

Dave