Should I buy this 2002 tacoma.

I recently found this 2002 tacoma TRD for sale with pretty low miles but there is one problem that seems pretty serious. There is a small hole in the back right of the frame. I'm not sure if I should get it or not and need some help deciding.

 

If you're not capable of fixing a rusted frame yourself, just pass.

There truly is no reason why you should even consider one with a rusted through frame. Tons of clean frame trucks exist everywhere.

Unless of course it's super cheap and you can make out like a bandit on a great motor, interior, bed, and cab.

 

I wouldn’t exactly call that a small hole.

Looks like it was flap disc’d and painted.

I would be crawling all over it looking for more. I think the company is called Safety Cap, but they make replacement sections.

 

No. I would not recommend you buy that truck.

 

If you gotta ask.......

 

my guess is that whole frame is rusted out and has been painted over.

 

How’s your metal fabrication skills?

 

Don't be the sucker.

 

Good advice here. Don't walk away. Run.

 

No

 

Boxed sections rust from the inside out, so what you see is the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

I'm guessing you don't have a robust shop and another donor vehicle to mix and match the good parts.

So no, don't buy it.

 

If you can weld/fabricate and it's SUPER cheap, go nuts. I did this work on my inherited 1st gen recently, had never done frame work but I've done the same type of work on other things. That's a pretty unique situation though. Safe-T-Cap(s) are the way to go but you may need to do additional fabrication on top of them.

But, don't buy it if you intend to have somebody else fix it or you're not real sure about your skills. You'll spend so much money just to have a not quite equal to perfect frame, it will never be worth it.