Disappointment

Hey guys, my name is Dan and I've been creeping this forum for about a month. I'm looking at purchasing a 2001-2004 Tacoma to serve as my daily driver and weekend wheeling warrior. I plan on eventually lifting the truck, new tires/wheels, and whatever other mods/upgrades tickle my fancy.

Just wanted to share with you all another disappointing weekend... My fiance and I just drove 275 miles round trip to take a look at a beautiful 2003 Tacoma, SR5, TRD, 4x4, Double-Cab, that is located in Duluth, MN.

Here is a link to the truck:
http://www.millerhillsubaru.com/used/Toyota/2003-Toyota-Tacoma-3a920bdb0a0d06690168162924e395e1.htm

Everything checked out wonderfully on the truck, but this vehicle has spent most of its life in Wisconsin. The frame was treated for rust in 2010 but upon further inspection of the frame during my pre-purchase inspection, the frame is looking pretty rusted and I can see it being a problem not far down the road.

I'm just curious as to how many of you have shared a similar experience? My biggest issue with finding a 4x4, TRD, SR5, Double-Cab is that they are not common at all, and the ones I have been able to see have all had extremely questionable rust problems on the frame! I live in Minnesota and am considering flying elsewhere in the country to find the right truck. I've also been able to call the VIN number into Toyota to check if the frame has been treated or replaced. At this point I feel the only truck I would consider purchasing is one from a southern state or one that has had the frame replaced. What do you guys think? Have any advice for a fellow Tacoma enthusiast who just wants to own truck with a solid frame?

 

If he has the frame warranty, you can have it replaced within 16 yrs from model year.

 

I've talked to 2 different people at Toyota dealers and they've both said that once either the rust treatment or frame replacement has been done that that is all Toyota will do. So the truck I looked at today had the rust treatment done in 2010, meaning that regardless of what happens with the frame in the future within 15 years of the In-Service date, Toyota will not replace the frame since the rust treatment was already done...

This is what I have heard/read, if anyone knows differently I would be very interested to know! Maybe I can call Toyota customer assistance to get the details ironed out.

 

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FWIW ... when I lived up north and in Canada ... my vehicles showed rust after first winter (Montreal salt) and I would not want a 1st gen Tacoma (with frame rust problems) that had lived almost 10 winters in a heavy salt area.

In the south (away from the ocean) you will find the best vehicles at the best prices. CA has some nice vehicles too, but are usually more expensive than in the south.

These are general statements and there are some exceptions ... but I would look in the south for local vehicles. Atlanta would be a good place to start too because of pricing, availability & weather.

Auto trader around big southern cities is a great place to look & check prices ... --> http://www.autotrader.com/
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Also FWIW, I don't know much about the pricing for these trucks in your area, but that seems like a very high price. I paid 15k for my 02 with 48,000 miles on it this past summer. Other than that, you just gotta be patient to find the right one. I searched for four months before finding the right one. Like others have said, stay away from anything with rust or it will be an issue down the road.

 

They do seem to be pretty high priced in my area. I've been looking for just over a month so hopefully the right one will come eventually. Thanks for your input.

 

I'm from Duluth and have looked at that truck. I know how you feel, last weekend I drove 500 miles round trip to look at one and the frame was worse than my 99 (which got bought back) and this one was already sprayed. I'm also looking for a trd 4x4 double cab but my issue is my price range, I have about $1,500 over blue book but they're going for 2 to 3 grand over blue book so I'm having trouble finding one I can afford.

Looking at the frame on that truck I guess I thought it was more rusted then an 03 would be compared to my 99 but I probably would have purchased it If I could afford it. I would love to fly somewhere to get the perfect one but plane tickets aren't cheap and neither is gas to drive the truck all the way back. Not to mention your buying a used vehicle with over 100k miles and regardless of how it looks, maintenance is always questionable for that long journey home.

Living where they salt is hard. If I do get one with some rust on the frame I'm gonna watch it closely and if it starts to get bad get out the welder and start patching because I want my next tacoma forever.

If you want me to take another look or take pictures of something specific of that truck let me know.

 

I don't think it works this way.

I believe THIS is the case. I've searched extensively for information about Toyota's "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM" (WEP) and so-called "Limited Service Campaign" (LSC). According to documents available at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/tsbs/, the WEP covers frame problems (i.e., rust) for 15 years from your vehicle's in-service date. The LSC allows owners in CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV to have a "corrosion resistant treatment" applied to their vehicles. (I'm not a lawyer but, as I understand the documents I've read, those eligible for the LSC must undergo inspection & treatment to maintain WEP coverage.) I previously posted a couple of the (large) files on this topic. (See questions 4 & 5 on page 3 of the first/larger of the two attachments.)

I, too, searched for my truck for nearly a year... tigerfan's advice is worth following.

 

you make some good points about travelling to find a truck. Curse this wretched salty state! Maybe when we both get a truck we can go wheeling sometime? And I may just take you up on your offer of looking at that truck for me, which I really appreciate that offer btw. I'm having second thoughts about it and may end up purchasing it depending on what I can find about the rust warranty.

Thanks for your info about the rust warranty. I may reconsider my choice and purchase this truck if I know the frame is covered for a few more years. Otherwise I'll take tigerfan and bassman's advice!

 

That's incorrect. If it had the spray done, and the spray failed, they have stated they WILL replace the frame up to 15 years from the production date. They won't do it if it NEVER had the spray done. There is a PDF of the most recent document toyota sent out floating around somewhere on the board in a thread from a couple months ago.

 

The more I have read about it the more I realize I have been misinformed. It makes me rethink my decision about the truck, maybe next weekend if it's still around I'll go pick it up.

 

Not true in all cases. Only owners in CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV are eligible for the (Limited Service Campaign's) "corrosion resistant treatment," yet all VINs listed in the second attachment here are covered by the "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT." (As an example, I live in a state where I "do not need to to do anything at this time," despite my truck being included in the list of affected VINs.)

Bottom line: Those eligible for the LSC must undergo inspection/treatment to maintain "enhanced warranty" coverage, while the rest of us need do nothing.

 

haha i like that! sig worthy sir!

 

This thread is a few weeks back but I wanted to share my search............7 Months and at least a dozen claims of "rust free" ads, an 8-hour drive to Denver...all ended in disappointment or missed it by that much! Anyway, about to stop my search but then it appeared in the middle of Nebraska a darn near rust free (one 2" seam in the middle of the bed and some surface rust underneath......SOLID FRAME TOO) rRegular cab, 4 cyl, 5 spd, 4x4 with A/C, Cruise, NO MODS and everything worked. Talk about a clean find. Needless to say, I bought it within hours of the posting on Craigslist. Now working my way through all the necessary tune up items, fluid changes, brakes, cleaning, etc so I know what I have. I was following TW to learn more about what I was looking for, now I am using it to determine what to use on mine.

Patience SUCKS but sometimes it pays off............Don't settle, find it.

 

Congratulations! FWIW, you are NOT alone in enduring a LONG search for the "right" Tacoma. Mine lasted the better part of a year and also spanned multiple states.