What Have You Done To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Simmer down sally. If you meant that not washing a vehicle makes it rust, you could just say that instead of making vague references to aging and claims of dirt holding moisture…
If you like washing your car, then own that. You don’t need to justify it. You just like it to be pretty and that’s fine.
To me age=mileage. Function and reliability are way more important to me than sparkles

 

I think…no scientific proof…clean paint will last longer. I personally don’t wash my Tacoma very often maybe 2 times a year as I choose to spend my time elsewhere. To me, a truck is a truck and mine doesn’t need to be shiny to do what I need it to do. If I have paint issues, I’ll deal with them. Would the truck possibly last longer with cleaner paint finishes and not have issues…maybe but that’s a future me issue.

I agree with you that nice cars should be shiny and clean. I feel like when you buy that kind of vehicle you sign up for that. Maybe a truck is the same. If you want it to be a rough truck and don’t car how the paint looks then so be it. If you care then keep it clean and waxed! Too each their own.

 

Hundred percent. I make tons of problems for future me! I’d sure hate to be that guy…
It’s always funny to me when people assume everyone has the same priorities. When I was 16, I used to polish the hell out of my AMC eagle that rolled off the line before I was born. I remember being at a self serve and the bay next to me had a rebuilt vintage hot rod dude was cleaning up for a car show

 

I think coming from Subaru I've been traumatized . Drove to the gym last night, we back into our regular spot and get out. As soon as I open the door a strong coolant odor from the ground. Freak out thinking it's the Tacoma so I pop the hood but no smell. My brother raises his eyebrow looking at me like I'm crazy. I ask him "don't you smell that?" He points at the car next to us, coolant dripping Dude driving acting like it's fine, drove off like nothing was was wrong. Funny enough it was an older STI.

 

But most dealerships aren't using ASE Mechanics to do cabin air filters no matter what they charge it's typically an unqualified "helper" some are good some are not, it's a crap shoot. If you can't change your own CAF, maybe you should be riding public transportation, no one is that busy either, make time, or pay the man!

 

I think sarcasm would be a better way to describe my post, maybe humor but it really wasn't that funny. But given the world we live in if some silly post on some internet form made me angry, everything else would have made my head explode by now.

 

Yeah my wife’s 2023 4runner gets washed at least bi-weekly due to it being a pavement princess. It will see some dirt roads from time to time but it’s never going to see any serious time off pavement. When it gets washed I also do all the door jams and a quick vacuum. Granted it’s a brown bear wash so it’s quick…but helping the paint and her car last a little longer. My truck I’m just not that concerned with. I will put a sprinkler under my taco from time to time just getting road grime and dirt off of it. I’d rather spend time doing mechanical things to my truck or driving it than detailing it. A good wash every so often with a vacuuming and wiping interior panels seems to work ok. One of the last trucks I traded in the salesman looked at it and said “this thing looks like it’s been driven through the woods” I replied with a quick “that’s because it has”. I use my trucks as trucks

 

Absolutely correct.
In most dealerships and shops people start as a laborer sweeping up and taking out garbage, then next to vehicle washing, then doing oil changes including all filters and same level is doing tire work. Most don't last a year or long enough to get promoted to where they start apprenticing to 1st year tech level.

 

Well…a little update on my Bilstein setup.
It has been 4 days since installing these, and the suspension has fully settled. Even got my rake back. I will say that I can no longer classify these coilovers as stiff in anyway. They ride awsome! Very glad I didn’t go 9/11 on the circlip and max out the preload.
These things soak up bumps so well, no matter the size. Here is a after installation and now pic (4days later)

 

Finally got a picture of both roof racks together.

 

Sometimes I want extra beef on my Taco...

@TOTAL CHAOS cam tab gussets (had them on for the past year) now paired up with @Marlin Crawler LCA frame braces and front shock tower reinforcement rings
New oem Toyota UCAs
Not pictured and going on tomorrow: RC Fab gusseted spindles and WarFab tie rod sleeves, alignment

 

2023 SR5 4x4 25k miles, 20K towing. Installed hayden transmission aftercooler, prefilled, drained, and flushed 4 quarts at 25K miles. Posted here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/to-flush-or-not-to-flush.851948/page-2#post-30582475

 

Falken wildpeaks 285 75 17 on 0 offset method wheels and eibach stage 2r lift kit with a dobinsons light duty 2 inch leaf pack in the rear, and some freedom offload UCA's. Super stoked with where this set up is at and not planning on messing with it for awhile we shall see lol

 

Nice set up! I also went with Freedom Off-road UCA’s. Love the clearance they provide and the extra 3 degrees of positive caster.

 

woah this forum is fuckin' SPICY

 

Added some decals to my softopper

 

There’s parameters we try and stay within, I never want to come off as that guy, but some times… lol
I appreciate how moderated, on topic (usually) and supportive this forum is (for the most part) and try not to be a complete ass hat. Sometimes a lil Reddit-quette nonsense slips out of me though. I apologize to everyone for that. This forum skews in the upper age range but I try my best to be respectful and keep my digs/insults to a minimum. However if I feel like you’re asking for it I’ll be your huckleberry!

 

Couldn’t have made it more simple to understand. Everything is expensive plain and simple unless you do it yourself then it’s less expensive. You value your time more so you hire out the work, the cost is the cost or you shop it out. You value savings so you put the time in yourself and make it happen. And sometimes it bites you

 

Exactly...
As a retired Master Tech (disabled now), I can rebuild the transmission (once I have any/all the special tools for it) if needed, and I have done engines, transmissions, rear ends, front ends, electrical, rewired bumper to bumper, HVAC, diagnostics etc etc and have worked on thousands of vehicles, including big all terrain forklifts (Lull)... I pretty much do all my own work, but damn, sometimes I'd rather just pay to have something done, cause I have done it and got that t-shirt, so I don't need to prove to someone I know how to do a filter etc... lol
Now my son does most of the work, I walk him through it if/when needed, but I am still involved...My 24yo daughter knows how to do a lot of stuff to vehicles also, she has done struts, brakes, axles, engine mounts, etc etc, heck a few years ago she asked me to supervise her doing brakes on one of her friends cars... she was helping dad early on in life, but has always worked her ass off, she worked 40-50 hours a week while going to college full time... Now she had rather pay someone to do maintenance on her vehicle...

No disrespect to anyone, but my prior post was just educating whoever as to how and why things in the automotive world cost so much, unless you are in the field, you have no idea...

And most shops go by flat rate and have set fees for items, it doesn't matter if the freaking janitor does the work or a 50 year Master Tech does the work, the price is the same either way, and yes techs will do quick jobs if waiting on parts or the sales staff to sell the job etc, or even sometimes the shop might be running behind and if an appt comes in they might ask a tech to knock it out real quick if he/she is waiting on something... If the flat rate pays a 1/2 hour for a job, then the labor cost 1/2 the shops hourly rate plus the parts and any shop fees added on like paper floor mats, steering wheel covers, and seat covers so your interior doesn't get grease in it... (hopefully lol)

 

Sorry man. Glad you’re ok. Fingers crossed everything is taken care of for you.