Second Gen Auto Transmissions me - School me please

Sorry if this is in the wrong spot, wasnt sure if i should put this here or in the technical section. so, Tacomas are still on my list of replacements for my current tacoma. i have a question regarding the auto transmissions in these trucks. how well do these things hold up? i know a lot of it depends on how well the vehicle was maintained, but i'm going to assume i'll end up buying something that there are no service records and i'll just assume the worst for maintenance lol.

the trucks that are in my price range have been 2005-2008 DCSB, some TRD Off road, some not, all with between 100K-130K miles on them and all automatics (i know....obviously otherwise i wouldnt be asking this question).

i'm trying to get as much research done as i can now so i'm not blindly looking next year. and i'd really like to not drop 15-16 grand on a used truck and then need to drop another 4 or 5 grand in a rebuilt transmission shortly after.

 

so, not necessarily a concern if i test drive one with over 100K on it and it seems fine?

 

oh yes, absolutely. i maintain my vehicles pretty religiously so whatever i end up getting will get the same treatment.

 

My buddy works in sales at a big transmission parts warehouse and he said they very very rarely get calls for Tacoma transmission parts. Chevy's on the other hand....

 

These trannies are bullet proof by my books. I've had 3 Tacoma's and not a single problem with either of them. My first 05' Tacoma had 151,000 miles before being totaled and not a problem on that one. My 11' was flawless I trading that thing in for my 13' which I currently have also not a single problem. Before all that I use to have the GMC Sonoma Highrider with the 4L60 E Auto and that thing was a POS, always slipping and not catching gears properly.

 

i'm really glad you brought up the 4l60E, because a silverado was on my list of possible replacements due to my budget. i love the way the highriders and zr2s look, but they are too small so Silverado seemed next obvious choice from GM, but i'm not 100% sold on them. i still have bad memories from my old s10 lol

 

I would never ever have a vehicle with the 4L60E, I had problems after problems with that thing. I loved my ZR2 or HighRider to death and probably put up with it longer then I should of, that and also 3 fuel pump replacements. After 80k miles its like the fuel pumps have a self destruct timer on it.

 

Keep the tranny flushed every 60k and should be good. If it has never been done and ur truck is closer to 120k get it done by shop that guarantees their work so if something goes wrong they fix it for free. Then drain and fill every year once flushed.

 

thanks for all of the replies, definitely puts my mind at a little more ease

 

Never heard ( not saying they don't exist don't get me wrong) of a shop that will guarantee a transmission after they flush it.

 

Well if it was a warranty service, which I don't know if Toyota requires since its a "lifetime" fluid, then they should definitely guarantee it if the tranny starts acting weirdly, like if under-filled or over-filled. Should also ask them if they changed out the filter and gasket, and if not, then tell them to.

 

i've personally never been a huge fan of flushing out the transmission fluid if the vehicle is getting up there in mileage. tried it twice (both with 4L60E transmissions ironically...) and within another 5K miles they were both done for and needed rebuilt. i think i would probably stick with a filter and gasket change and a fluid change, but not a flush.