Your opinion on this 2002 frame rust!

Hello everyone! Glad to join this community

I am looking at a 2002, TRD V6 Tacoma in Canada. It has 161 000 miles on it and is in amazing shape. I am interested in having it inspected and buy it if everything is good to go. I bought the Carfax, it had 2 owners and 1 minor accident. Before having it inspected, I would like your opinion on this frame as I don't know enough to see if it is good or bad.

Here is the album of the rust: https://imgur.com/gallery/UJRqk

And this is the car: https://www.lespac.com/beauport/veh...MlM0ODAyMDY5NFM0ODAxNzI1MSZkPTA&requester=SCH

Thanks everyone!

 

You might have to inspect it in person. Unless there's obvious perforations in the frame due to rust, it's hard to tell "surface" rust from "don't buy it" rust.

It will be interestng to see what thd others say...

 

Really hard to tell from that album. It's clearly been sealed with something, though when it was sealed is the key issue. If they did it before rust set in, it could be fine, but that's unlikely.

The inside base of the frame is where you need to test it. That's where the bulk of the bad deterioration happens. You need to slide under with a steel hammer and bang the heck out of the inside of the frame. Go for the flat part of the frame rails just ahead of the rear leaf spring mount. That big soupy looking sealant they used could be masking something like this:


(PS - that's my truck, which I had to have the frame replaced on).

You cannot bang too hard on the frame to test this - it's the spine of your truck.

 

Parts truck and nothing more

 

It definitively needs a wash. This region of the world is really hard on trucks. From the picture I would say its not so bad, and the body looks good. Can you go over there and take a look?

 

Hey everyone thank you so much for taking the time to help. I can go there and take a look for sure, but it is 2 hours away so I wanted to know if it was even worth it! If I go, I will bring it for an inspection at a Toyota dealership.

 

I would also look closely at the seam in the bed above the frame rail, That seam looks like it's already rotted through by the spar

 

Where are you from? If you go to a toyota dealer I highly recommend to go at Boulevard Toyota in Quebec, its pretty close from where the truck is. Ask for Jeannot, he did a lot of frame replacements (including mine) and gives good and honest advices ! Not sure about his english skills though.

 

Hey man I am from the South Shore of Montreal so I can definitely speak french . Thank you so much for the advice I appreciate it. I already called Boulevard Toyota to know if they would inspect it if I were to come down

 

ok ok cool man! I could have go check on it but I am in the end of semester rush at university. There is not much quebecers with a 1st gen on this forum! I hope you'd be the next haha!

 

No worries I appreciate the thought though! Good luck in your finals

 

Just remember he frame isn’t the only thing that gets rusty. Even if that frame is given a clean bill of health, there’s a LOT of other rusty stuff on there, like the engine bay in those pics. Basically every bolt you will ever turn will probably be rusted. That can turn a 10 minute brake job into 4 hours of frustration, bloody knuckles, and $45 in the swear jar.

 

Pass on it

 

It all comes down to price !

Then a 15 year old truck is going to need Tender loving care some areas are always neglected

Just depends if your able to do the work needed or paying the going Labor rate

 

It is 5600$! Of course I am willing to take care of it as I would like to keep it for many years! (Sub 15 000 miles per year) I just dont want to buy a Tacoma with a bad frame and be stuck with it

 

My advice is stay far far away from any vehicle that has frame rust. I bought an 2004 last year that had similar rust. The frame was strong though with no holes. It was even still covered by Toyota’s frame warranty. So I bought it and ended up cleaning the rust off and recoated it. The vehicle itself was in amazing shape. After a few months I went to take it in to get a brake job and they said they couldn’t get the bolts off to change the rotors, drums, and a million other parts. I wanted to change the suspension also but those bolts were rusted too. Needless to say it was going to cost a lot to fix up some very minor things. Heed my advice and don’t buy it! If your getting it for super cheap as in 5600 then your risk goes down but just know there will probably be a lot of hidden things you didn’t think of before.

 

Hey Andrew, thanks for your input. Do you think an inspection before buying it would have helped?

 

An inspection would be a good idea especially if it’s someone you can trust. I would make sure to ask about the bolts and other components then just the frame.

 

Bring yer hammers...ha!

 

Haha I will then. I hope the guy will know why I have a hammer in hand . So is there specific places I should “hit”?