alright, noob with a metric ton of questions

I want to get a Taco! but after reading around for a few days, I'm coming up with a lot of questions.. sorry in advance!

I want to get a used 2nd gen. I'm in AZ. I think I'm interested in doing non-major off-roading. Wife wants me to get a cab with enough room in the back for a baby seat in prep for the future.

Will a baby seat fit in an access cab? or do I need to go for the double cab straight away?

How many miles do these trucks normally last? A long time like other Toyotas I assume.

Is there a model year that is worse or stand-out better than others?

I built a new one on Toyota's site, all pimped out nice and it came to 32k. That's about twice what I'm looking to spend: what year/mile range should I be able to get for ~15k?

I need a list of terms. Are PreRunner and Xrunner mutually exclusive? or is one a subcategory of another? Can I get a 4x4 PreRunner? What about TRD offroad vs TRD sport vs PreRunner, etc.

Is the blue color rare? I see people giving extra props to blue tacos.

I haven't seen any pink taco jokes. Are they not as common as I thought? Do I just have a dirty mind? Or am I just not catching them?

If I'm interested in off-roading: is non 4x4 acceptable advisable? I see posts saying "you prerunner guys should be okay." what does that mean? Auto or Standard? Due to past experience, I have a huge fear of getting stuck in snow/mud, I want to get over that by experience. What are "lockers?" 4 cyl or V6?

You guys that have dark trucks, is it bearable in the summer heat?

Is there a list of "things to do first?" such as the hose clamp on the tailgate, etc. Are there mods that are frowned upon like in other car circles? Alteza tails, wing/bookshelves, etc.

Thank you much for any questions you can answer. I know these long noob posts can be a pita.

 

Xrunner is 4x2 and i believe a lowered version of the Taco. Not sure if it comes with a ground effects kit but I think they do. A PreRunner has the suspension of a 4x4 without the actual 4x4 ability (sits a little higher than normal). You cannot have a 4x4 PreRunner.

 

PreRunner => Same suspension as 4x4 but is only 2wd (looks like 4x4)
XRunner => Sporty 2wd version with body kit that makes it look like it's lower to the ground
4x4, PreRunner, and xRunner are all mutually exclusive.
TRD packages (either sport or off-road) are available on 4x4 or PreRunner only.

They're around... trust me.

PreRunner will be fine for anything off-road where you have plenty of traction... like trails, deserts, etc... if it's real muddy or you're rock cralwing, you'll need 4x4 most likely. Since the PreRunner has the same suspension as the 4x4 the only difference are whether you need those front wheels pulling. A locker locks the differential so that both wheels must spin at the same rate... so that if you get one wheel stuck in some mud or up in the air, the other will keep you moving. A limited-slip-dif kinda accomplishes the same thing automatically whenever it detects major slippage. Lockers/LSDs have no mechanical relationship to 4cyl or V6, but in Toyota's offerings, they only come with TRD packages (Sport=>LSD, Off-Road=>Locker).


Good luck!

 

Welcome to the board- Enjoy readin around!!

 

thanks for the help guys!

I'm thinking 06-07 silver, DC, short bed, TRD sport!

now to decide manual/auto and 4cyl/v6..

 

Sounds like your on the right track! Good luck with your decision. Personally, I'd go V-6, auto. Great 5 speed transmision and mileage is actually a little better than the 6 speed. Enjoy