Is Tacoma with 225k miles too much?

Welcome to TW…

 

I doubt it has a rear locker. This is a base model prerunner with access cab. It has manual crank windows.

 

I appreciate your thoughtful words. Even after the seller dropped the price to $9k, it's probably still overpriced with 225k miles. I'll have a better impression once we go test drive it. My daughter would be thrilled to have a Tacoma as her first car even if it does have a LOT of miles. But, I also don't want to end up with a truck that gives us constant maintenance troubles either.

 

So, you've had issues with the head gasket on your 2005 Tacoma? Is this a common problem with the 2nd gen or just because of the higher mileage?

 

It's mainly an issue with 05 and early build 06 trucks, the headgasket was updated mid 06. Later ones can still have headgasket failure but it isn't as common, cooling system maintenance plays some part in it as old coolant starts eating away at things.

 

Good to know. Hopefully this 2007 would be less likely to have issues if the coolant was changed. I have the carfax for this truck; which shows some past maintenance. But, I'm only seeing motor oil, brake fluid, and PS fluid changes. Nothing mentioned about coolant flush/change.

 

is it a 6 lug PreRunner or a 5 lug
when checking the frame also check the joint in the midsection of the steering shaft, the get sloppy over time

 

If it's indeed a PreRunner it's a 6 lug.

 

yes but the manual windows comment made me wonder, I though PRs started on the SR5 package or am I confusing that with ORs and Sports

 

I'm not sure about what options were available on PreRunners but I do know PreRunners are all 6 lug, 5 lug trucks are base trucks.

 

I personally wouldn't pay $10k for a 2WD truck, but the mileage wouldn't concern me. I have around 208k miles on my 2015 and it's been incredibly reliable with very minimal maintenance, I have no issues taking it on road trips or anything else where an unreliable vehicle may give you pause. As long as the frame isn't rusted out, the trans shifts, and the engine isn't puking coolant I'm sure you'll get a decent bit more mileage out of it.

 

Is it the V6 or the 4 cyl?

 

Everything is dependent upon the prior maintenance of the Taco...

 

I spoke with the dealership yesterday and they've dropped the price to $9k and are willing to negotiate further. So, I feel pretty confident that I can get it for less than $9k, maybe with taxes and fees included.

That's encouraging to hear about your 2015 with 208k miles. I know that Tacomas can go a very long time. I'm hoping to get over 300k miles with regular maintenance.

 

It's a V6

 

Get a 3rd party inspection, before you buy - it will be worth the few hundred bucks for the piece of mind.

 

Frame, frame, frame, frame, then check the frame.

Seriously, a LOT of Tacos with rusted out frames get sold through dealers and few people really check them because the body looks so nice. ANY holes anywhere, no, any delaminating at the sides, no, heavy rust, no, undercoated, absolutely not, freshly painted and over rust, no, coated with something like fluid film, LPS3, or other clear lanolin based rust inhibitor, yes, if the metal looks smooth underneath it. Take a hammer and rap the frame, it should sound ''clear,'' if it's a ''dead'' sound and it's rusty, it's getting close.

You are buying an ''as is'' truck most likely. Some are screaming deals, others, they are getting dumped because they are on their last legs.

 

Offer them $1,000 under your budget limit (don't reveal it to the dealer) and tell your daughter to get in a fake argument with you that "she liked the Frontier you saw at the other place better". They're hoping for a Toyota enthusiast that just just -has- to have a Tacoma. With that many miles, I would only get one with the 2.7L 4-cyl and a manual transmission.

Welcome to TacomaWorld!

 

HA!!! I love this! Great idea!

They've already dropped the price to $9k. Maybe I'll offer $8k (fees included) and see where that goes.

This is a V6 automatic.

 

This Tacoma spent its entire life in Texas. So, I'm hoping there won't be a rusted frame. But, I'll be sure to crawl underneath and give the frame a good inspection. I like your idea of hammering on the frame to listen for "dead" sounds in the metal. Great idea!