My "Heartbreaking" First Gen Buying Story.

I believe you are correct here. In one of the pics you can see the edge of the switch next to the column. The locker would be closest to the column.

 

If it's a real TRD then it has the locker. Better check really good for rust. If the bumper is that rusted out, then there must be rust other places. Check it out really good. Climb all under it, tap around. Could of easily sprayed over rusty areas with undercoating to hide rust.

 

Also in one of the pics, of the driver's interior door panel, it appears you can see a corner of the Locker's instruction tag that I always see in that location in other 1st-gen TRDs I've looked at.

That poster had me confused for a second, I actually went back and double checked that it was a 6-cyl, even though I was almost positive it was since I haven't been considering the 4s and I've been passing on their listings.

 

Would Toyota have done this, sprayed over bad areas? In our emailing back and forth he said the frame was inspected at Toyota of Newport (coincidently, the same dealer that I lost out on the silver 03 TRD with 73k miles lol) in March 2011 and the frame passed inspection and was recoated. I could see a "regular" person just spraying the coating, but surely the people at the dealer wouldn't do that correct?

 

In theory no, but I've read on here where people have had hassles with the dealership and the whole frame issue. Would a dealership spray over bad areas that haven't rotted yet so they don't have to deal with it, maybe/maybe-not. Would I be surprised if they did, non at all.

 

http://lexington.craigslist.org/pts/3707731243.html

 

My bad, yes, that makes a big difference.
I was thinking the truck was a 4-banger due to a comment by a previous poster about the timing CHAIN (all 4-cyl 2.7 motors have a chain, and 6-cyl motors have a belt).

 

Hey man no worries, I appreciate you lookin out. Was (or IS, when it comes to te 2nd Gens) the TRD package available on the 4 bangers? I don't recall in any of my searching seeing any of the 4s with the TRD decals, but I'm specifically looking for a 6-Cyl so admittedly I haven't paid much attention to the 4s.

 

damn i got lucky i was looking for a first gen for about a month went to all the dealerships in town spent a day driving to all of them even the small ones hoping to find one then i checked carmax just typed in tacoma and there she was in burbank ca went over and over with the salesman with what the truck was trying to make sure it was everything i wanted v6 excab 4x4 so pulled the trigger payed 149 to have it shipped to vegas was calling the guy everyday till it got there when it did told work i was going to be late and immediately went down and picked her up i know because i payed to have her shipped no one could take her but i wasnt taking any chances

 

Damn, I WISH my search has gone that well haha. I search all the websites every single night, and each weekend I go driving around the dealerships for a bit, just hoping to see something in the lot that isn't advertised yet. But when I do find some they haven't been what I've wanted, or the condition or price has been wrong. But as others have said, when I DO find "the one" it's going to be that much sweeter.

And I just checked out your build thread from your sig, that thing is SICK dude! I see you're in Vegas, everytime I go to Vegas, especially the 2 times I've gone out to the Grand Canyon, I've always been jealous of living there for all the off road awesomeness (but I couldn't live there because I go nuts when I'm
away from the ocean for a long period of time lol). Everytime I leave the city, or just look at the area surrounding the city fm hotel rooms, it just looks like a giant playground. If I lived there, or anywhere that there is good off road terrain, I'd love to do a build too, a specific "toy" truck, instead of daily driver that also goes on trails sometimes, like mine will be. We don't have much around here for terrain. For one, I'm on a small 10 mile long by 5 wide island, and even the areas off the island aren't really much, it's more like driving through woods on a dirt road, no big elevation changes, wide open sand/dirt areas, big boulders, etc. I'd have to drive 2+hrs to start finding worthwhile terrain to justify owning a project vehicle JUST for off roading.

 

The problem is you're living next to the wrong ocean.

I have no doubt that you could find the truck you want out here in So Cal. There are Tacomas everywhere out here, and since we don't have the harsh winters there isn't the rust problem on the fames that you see back east.

Good luck with your search man!

 

Yeah it was a nice truck but after rebuilding the engine it started having all the same problems as before oil leaks lack of power and bad noises so I made a bad Decision and sold it But you live and you learn and I got my new taco so it's cool but its all stock and I'm kind of enjoying the stock look for now maybe someday I'll build this one like the last one lol

 

Any update OP?

 

I read the whole thread and until the financing thing came up I thought the OP had the CASH on hand...when I bought mine, I had cash in pocket, didn't even drive the sucker, cash, signed pink slip, done...when I sold my previous wrecked TACO, the phone was still ringing off the hook days later, damn if I didn't get $1200 for that mess, it is amazing how much these trucks are worth even wrecked (Tboned a trailer hitch real bad, radiator against front of engine, probably frame damage too...)...lost $8000 on that one....

Oh, and I only paid $5000 for the replacement to the wrecked one, but she needed some work, nothing like a project to keep your interest up...budget was strained, paid $9000 cash for 1st 2000 taco, well $4000 cash and the rest on my AMEX GOLD, had 23 days to come up with the balance and somehow all my billings came in the day before I had to pay the AMEX...I did not want a payment...

Here is my take, if you are SERIOUS about getting a 1st gen, you are going to have to figure out how to strike IMMEDIATELY, even if it means you have to leave work in a lurch for an hour or three, or maybe a whole day....

As far as the financing goes, you live and learn, since your credit background is limited, I can understand the lack of knowledge on financing older cars...you should get your loan kinda 'preapproved' with the credit union, they will give you parameters on the financing, ie, how much you actually qualify for based on your income and how much you plan on putting down to finance, the more you put down, the better your chances are of financing a 1st gen, you get the balance low enough, the bank will write the loan against the title...

Good luck...

 

there is never a time where someone isn't waiting to jump on a decent priced tacoma. i wanted a tacoma myself for several years, even an older "pickup".

you literally have to be within hours of craigslist postings for the good deals. i got my 98 v6 extended cab, 4x4, manual trans with 140k original miles for $2500.

guy posted it with no pics, seemed sketchy. regardless, he had over 150 calls and 200 emails within 5 hours. people are always waiting. cash in hand and ready to jump instantly, or a bank pre-approval will go a long ways in getting what you want before someone else.

 

Yeah right!

Each and every 4WD 1st gen is doing drug duty in Mexico or farm chores in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, etc. The South Americans have picked SoCal clean of 4WD 1st gen Tacomas.

Over here on the East Coast, its the damn Africans that are buying the 1st gens and shipping them over to Africa. But at least here its much easier to find a 1st gen. In SoCal, they buy em and drive em over that day.

 

OP,

I know you're looking for an 03-04 acces cab V6 auto, but really, buy this:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/3734357860.html



1996 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 for sale. 192530 Miles on it. PASSED MARYLAND EMISSION TEST.

Vehicle is very well maintained and ready for Work. Vehicle will pass any safety inspection.

$3500 - PRICE NOT NEGOTIABLE

NO Air conditioner AC

option:
4 cylinder engine
4 wheels drive
Automatic transmission
MP3 CD Player
Radio FM

CALL - 240-280-6770

For $3500, you cant go wrong. Buy it and i'll drive it up for you, provided you'll pay for an Amtrak ticket for me back to DC.

 

39,500 mi, V-6 Auto 4x4 X-tra cab TRD Buckets Console Tilt Cruise A/C Power Steering/Brakes/Windows/Mirrors E-Locker ABS Tokiko shocks, Dunlop Radial Rovers, Leer shell, full Bedrug liner, needs nothing.



Truck belongs to my 81 year old Dad and it just sits too much. Don't need to sell but thought we'd trot it out there. It's not perfect but it's pretty freaking nice and probably the only low mile first-gen Taco available.



$16,500 firm



Picture link: http://chuckracer.smugmug.com/Other/2003-Taco/27876064_DhFbc4



Please contact me at Chuckracer AT gmail DOT com

 

Not mine, Found that in the b/s/t 1st gens