Absurd values of 1st gens, has it always been this crazy?

Definitely has not always been this crazy. I paid $10k for my 03 SR5 4x4 V6 14 years ago & could probably get at least 1.5x that now. But what would I replace it with? New vehicles are hot garbage with way too much tech, crazy insurance rates, unaffordable repair costs & mortgage-like payments. You can't get a new, simple vehicle anymore. If you want that, your options are limited and dwindling. Supply & demand...

 

They're still available new straight from Toyota
https://toyotaparts.ourismantoyotao...m5PkOK6Om5J6mLXZLvkXAN6WWUyofOQzhMr6jfmTGfatC

Who knows what else they screwed up if they can't even handle a simple VIN parts search

The same damn dealer even has another 95-97 4x4 for sale (also for 30k).
https://www.shiftauto.net/details/used-1996-toyota-tacoma/106443641

So not one person there has a god damn set of eyes that can tell the difference and know that one of them is clearly wrong? This dealer even seems to somewhat specialize in Toyotas. Just embarrassing all around.

 

Lol lightweights...

This was $35,000 when they first listed it last year. I legit thought they added an extra decimal place by mistake. They dropped it to 26,500 now I see...

https://www.handytoyota.com/used/Toyota/1996-Toyota-Tacoma-1b42c5fe0a0e0834155170ee61ee38de.htm

 

Calling a Toyota dealer parts dept. is the best way to know for sure if it's available. Even though it says it's available, websites like these aren't always reliable if a part is discontinued/obsolete.

 

Definitely varies by region. PNW and CA are the worst. When I was looking for mine, I found that trucks in the SW were noticeably cheaper and ended up flying to NM for a smoking deal. But that was 2017, not sure if that's still the case.

 

This is what I was kind of expecting and more used to. What I'm seeing now is straight up comedy..
There's one currently listed on Facebook with 300,000 miles for I think 12,000. Crazy..

 

Any particular cities I can look at?

 

Lol

 

Wish I would have bought a couple more of em back in 2015, maybe I could retire early…paid 14k from Karl Malone Toyota in Draper Utah, with 63k on odometer.

 

My friend's dad paid 27K for his house, his friends told him he should sell it and get 400K for it. He said "you know what it's worth to me? 27K. Sure I can get 400K now but then I have to buy another house and that's going to cost at least 400K..unless I was radically downsizing, it would be foolish".

That and what you mentioned about the frills and payments. It's scary to think that the base mortgage on my house was $850 a month when I bought it 20 years ago and that's what people are dishing out for a vehicle payment..and no I didn't have a huge down payment for the house.

Reminds me of a 70 Chevelle in the newspaper when I was a teenager for $900. I thought it was odd but who knows, I called. Asked for the mileage and the guy said "nothing". I asked why it's $900. Turns out it was a misprint and it was $90K. This guy's dad bought about 10 cars like that new long ago that he surmised would appreciate well and never drove them...literally.

 

Yeah it's crazy now. I got so lucky finding my '00 TRD SR5 with 100k miles on Craigslist for $8900 in 2018. I know it was a steal back then only having a dent and some rat's nest in the engine bay, but I can't believe you can't find anything decent anymore for under $10K.

 

Here's a quick search I came up with.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...e605baaa753ba&searchRadius=200&startYear=1995

 

2020 year of stupidity and greed.
Houses and cars prices gone wild.

 

I'd just look at Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque etc and the outlying areas...Found mine in Farmington NM which required me to fly into ABQ and take a 3 hr bus ride but my time and trouble saved me a few grand. Expand your search and if you find a great deal then make a road trip out of it.

Also just found this in Phoenix lol

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/cto/d/scottsdale-2003-toyota-tacoma-sr5-v6/7824805754.html

 

LOL, crazy and it being a pinnacle of first gen purist specimens he chose to put those Busta rims on it. Ha ha

 

that thing has gotta be an oil burner with all of its short trips over 22 years

 

Holy shit, that's a well preserved gen1 but that price!! 39k that's going to a collector and sit in a museum like setting. If that sells it has to be close to a record.

 

The value of Tacomas have not done well the past two years and there seems to be a widespread decrease in demand. Still quite valuable relative to other 20-30 year old vehicles but the values seemed to peak in 2021/2022 and are currently decreasing.

 

Yeah, but that's all Tacoma's sold through BAT, so prerunners ect are included in those sales. The most sought after models are the 3.4L 4x4 manual with low miles and no rust and no mods.

It's my guess that those examples are not decreasing in price. As the supply dwindles the prices will either hold and eventually increase. All it takes is one buyer who doesn't care about how much something costs.

 

During the virus/riots BAT had “rare” first gen rust buckets going for 25k.