Looking to buy 2nd gen Tacoma

I love my ‘05 5MT 2.7 but wouldn’t tow with it and only one kid at a time.

I love my dad’s ‘06 DCSB SR5 v6, zoom but frame is rusted.

good info on the SAIS stuff but I wouldn’t sweat the year other than some ‘05-‘06 v6’s can have head gasket trouble. Hopefully that’s all surfaced by now.

all about the frame. On any Toyota pickup. Frame first.

and, yeah, AC is a RC with space for luggage. DCSB is an SUV where your gear gets wet.

I want a 7 passenger 4wd or AWD to complement my fleet. None of my trucks are good at more than a couple of things.

And, yeah, LSD is so much better than an open diff. Easy enough to solve for that and regear too.

 

10-4 a V-6 it is, will the V-6 automatic 4x4, get 20 mpg ?
Mostly smooth driving, not zipping around town & 65mph hwy, Mostly stock truck?

Most folks here say frame rust and avoid the 2012 yrs. Got it.
Thanks,

 

On flat ground keeping it under 65 yea it should, my 6 speed will get 18-19 at around 60 on flat ground and manuals are rated 1 mpg less than autos. Hills and/or over 70 it tanks pretty quick.

 

Combined rating for a 4x4 4.0 was about 21. I wouldn't expect averaging 20 on an older, not 100% stock vehicle. Different tires, removing an air dam, adding weight, all of these things and others would drop MPG. Id think realistically estimating around 18 is better, but you could get a little more in the right conditions, and summer gas.

 

How would one complete a rust inspection on the frame? Do you just get underneath and visually follow the frame and welded brackets, for holes and flaking etc? Is there another way to test for the frame integrity ?
Do the other areas fenders, bumpers, and floorboards, have the same issue?
I guess I could take it for a vehicle inspection.
I have building inspections experience, so I’m not afraid to get dirty and inspect underneath, would the rust issue be clearly noticed? sorry for all the questions, I’m spending $20K on a used truck, I want a solid vehicle, Thanks,

 

I could be wrong but Toyo corp warranties the frames for 11 yrs
You could get the vin and call to see if truck is still covered
Not much time left on a 14 or 15

 

A very bad one should be pretty obvious but I would really recommend getting a pre-purchase inspection done on any used vehicle by a good shop, so many people do a post-purchase inspection only to find out they got screwed.

There are very specific guidelines for the extended frame warranty, first it only applies to trucks originally registered in certain states. Also the frame had to be inspected and coated by the dealer at least once to qualify, at this point most trucks that meet the requirements have had theirs replaced. Most others would no longer qualify so I wouldn't count on the extended frame warranty being any help.

 

There is an excellent guide here, applies to Tacoma just the same:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-...ught-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/#post-2980386

A small ball peen hammer is a good tool. But keen eyes and fingers w gloves is enough with proper lighting. 10 minutes crawling around gets it done. Try to find a questionable or poor frame to calibrate yourself first.

 

As others have said, check the frame first. If the frame is suspect walk away quickly. People move to Oregon from salt country so it is still a concern. Be aware ones that had the frame replaced (like mine had) will have significant rust elsewhere and be an absolute pain to work on. Provided you are comfortable with fighting the other rust a truck that Toyota replaced the frame on is still desirable. Just not as desirable as one with a clean frame.

Look at the power steering rack and the boots. Power steering racks on these leak and are $1K+ to replace.

Check for play/clunk in the steering. The Intermediate Steering shaft goes wears and gets noisy/sloppy on 2Gs.

Lastly listen for the front bearings going out. This is a common wear item on 2G as well.

My truck experience all of the above and that is not unexpected or alarming. The problem with used is the seller my have not fixed the power steering rack/ISS/Bearings and simply decided to pass the truck onto an unsuspecting buyer. If all 3 are a problem you are looking at $3K+ to have a shop fix those.

For your use case get a long bed.

 

I just went through a long search for a '13 SR5 AC, looking all over the place.

You will not be able to have passengers in the rear of an access cab. Full stop.

$20k+/- should get you a good truck in good condition, but you need to be REALLY picky and look over a wide area. 100k miles isn't hard to find, you can go lower but low miles really pushes up the price.

I get more like 15-16 MPG around town, in the winter, with my automatic, but I'm pretty sure that the previous owners didn't do stuff like changing the differential fluid and greasing the drivetrain, so I'm hoping that I can get a bit better results once I've caught up on those items.

You want the V6. The 4cyl is only a tiny bit more efficient for about half the HP.

Double cab / long bed is kinda rare in my experience.

Don't get fooled into paying more for stuff you don't need. I decided early on that I didn't want a Sport, and I didn't need an Off Road. Aftermarket stuff doesn't raise the value of these trucks, don't pay more because someone made the truck the way THEY wanted it.

The value of a Toyota Tacoma is reliability, longevity, and a large pool of resources to modify and maintain them. They are not fast. The Gen2s are not large and spacious. But they can be comfortable and I like they way they drive. Do your best to do ALL the maintenance items, not just oil changes. It makes a huge difference.

Good luck!

 

Wow that is some great insight into the 2G tacomas,
Would a high mileage 2016 have similar issues as the 2013-15 tacomas?
thanks for the replies!

 

I don't think I'd recommend a early 3rd gen, I'd go 18+ if I was looking at 3rd gens but that's probably gona be out of your 20k budget.
2nd gens are less complicated than 3rd gens to work on though they lack some of the "fancier" amenities that 3rd gens especially later ones have.

 

I own a 2016 and (as mentioned) a 2005 (granted 2.7L I4 vs v6 but I do have my dad's '06 v6 4.0 to compare to).
I wish I were cool enough to remember which is 2gr vs 2tr vs ... but unless or until I retire and train as a Toyota mechanic, I always have to look that up.
They are all very different. Very. The biggest "whatever" about 3rd gen v6 is the torque at low rpm. You can do all sorts of tune/pedal commander/regear to get around this one but it never really goes away. The 4.0 v6 pulls nice off the line but also guzzles fuel a bit more. The 2.7L I4 has zero testicles but smiles at the pump and really does appear to be utterly unbreakable. They all have pros and cons.

If OP is serious about towing, just go full size half ton (eventually you'll end up there so just save yourself the Tacoma detour) or at least Tundra. The Tacoma can tow in a pinch but more than once or twice a quarter and you'll look to upgrade eventually. Even with the 4.0. Sure, others will chime in and say "it'll be fine" but for each of those there are 10 who went to a half ton and/or diesel to just stop thinking about towing.

Outside of that, none of these engines is particularly good on fuel economy, not a single one, and definitely not my '02 Tundra 4.7L or the 5.8's. If you want a truck with good fuel economy, diesel is the way forward. Even the F150 gets better mileage on paper.

Buy Toyota for near zero depreciation effectively making it a safe path to try without any real downside other than TTL.

I love all 3 of mine, wish I could add one or two more to the fleet.

 

Thanks for the insight, I should have mentioned the towing would be a little motorcycle trailer 2000lbs or aluminum fishing boat or similar.
I have a F350 dually diesel for the fifth wheel. But the gas Mileage is terrible for a short trip to the lake. I just wanted to know if it can pull a small aluminum boat 12’ or something, I know the 4cyl. Models are pretty weak power wise.
Price wise, I think the 13-15 yrs with the 6cyl. are best for me.
Thanks,

 

Mmm. I don't really know TBH. I saw lots of 16-18s but I was specifically looking for Gen 2 because I do not want the more modern features for my own reasons (I wanted the proven engine, I wanted the smaller light truck size, I did not want telemetry going to outside parties, I really miss my old '96 T100 and the Gen 2 is very close in a lot of ways).

You can find a 100k+ Gen 3 for a reasonable price, I could have gotten one that was a good buy, but I think the other posters here have covered the pros and cons fairly well. I'm not sure about the availability of various trim and equipment packages on the Gen 3, but I believe that generally the Gen 3 is going to be closer to a true half ton than a Gen 2, which is really a light truck and not the best for hauling or towing.

I think if you don't have an affection for the older models, you should probably go with a Gen 3 because they are really much more modern feeling. The look and trim and electronics are much closer to a 2025 than a 2012. I think the engines probably put down more power as well? Not sure. I see that you're going to tow small stuff, and finding a Gen 2 with the actual towing package is going to be harder than a Gen 3, and the older 6cyl is fine but not really great at towing. I think you might regret it eventually. And people really like the Gen 3s!

If you already have a heavy truck and just want something fun, I think it comes down to how modern you want it, because there's a pretty clear line between 2 and 3.

 

In canada the dclb is common. I have an 07 base sr5 4x4. Newer frame. 325,000km and it is a nice riding truck. This website allows you to pick a year that suits your needs. I have added intermittent wipers, cruise, 3rd gen struts and wheels. I think you ould find good value in a nice used unit. I just put new oem calipers on it. The sky is the limit on upgrades but stock is very reliable.

 

I have a 2013 DCLB TRD Sport. Put 3 inch lift on it, smaller rims (3rd gen off road models) went up slightly in tire size. Have nearly same overall diameter from factory and my mileage is around 16-18 routinely and on straight highway it’ll get 20 but barely.
These trucks can tow but they aren’t great. Keep it reasonable, it’s a midsize. You’ll be fine. I tow with mine occasionally too.
You’ve already gotten the skinny on the model. Good luck with the search.

 

@AR15xAR10

 

I’m original owner of a 2013, 190k miles, I wouldn’t hesitate to drive it across country or up a mountain. The truck has been awesome for the last 11 years.
Speed kills the mpg, if you can stick around 60mph you’ll be close to 20 mpg on highway trips. The 6 foot bed is great for your gear or work.
Towing is fine but your mpg won’t be great.

 

Hey thanks for the input, I think the 13-15 model will be the one for me. The mileage isn’t as high as I’d like but is pretty good for a compact truck. The 4cyl i think will leave me disappointed.I mostly need for shorter trips, around town and up to lake for fishing and hauling gear for side jobs in town. this year of truck sounds perfect for me to purchase.
I can get a child car seat in the back, when I need to pick up the grandchildren and big enough to take the wife or daughter to the beach with surfboards etc.
I have a full size super duty for the fifthwheel towing, and hauling the heavy stuff, but she is inconvenient around town and short trips….