Secondary Vehicle - How to maximize lifespan of my Taco

Hey guys could use your advice. I want to keep my Taco for at least 20 years (aiming for 25)

Truck will be used as a secondary vehicle (2015 Golf TDI as a daily driver)
-How often should I drive the Taco to keep her in good condition?

Climate here is very rough and the province puts an absolute $#@load of salt on the roads.
-Should I avoid driving her during the winter months? (I think I should)

Winter storage: I have unlimited access to outdoor parking, no garage.
-Is this a bad idea? Should I be paying for indoor storage?

Going to change oil every 6 months (severe)
- Is this unnecessary? Weather in Quebec is pretty shitty

Rustproofing
-Will do every year. Is this overkill? I'm leaning toward doing it myself w fluid film

This is my plan so far...

Dec - April
Outdoor parking
Minimize exposure to salt (10-16km every 7-14 days)
Wash truck each time I take her out for a stretch

April - Nov
Outdoor parking
Drive truck on weekends (camping, climbing etc) - around 4,000km / year
Big road trip 1x per year - 10,000km
Wash truck when required

I'm hoping to get to at least 20 years, 300,000km out of her. Doable?

Suggestions? Comments?
Cheers!

 

I have this same setup (except I run a company AMG in the winter) and use my taco for the summer to haul bikes and other fun summer stuff- I've always run a summer/winter vehicle setup and over the years you learn-

Parking inside isn't always great = the garage can hold moisture and rust prematurely- not a bad idea to park outside (I wouldn't pay for storage)
Rest of your plan sounds good. same thing I'm doing you always need a truck for something.

Mine today is in my garage which is sealed no mice etc. and stabil in fuel tank and on a battery tender. (thats it no starting no driving it) until March when the weather gets a little better and I can at least rinse the salt off.

Not sure if you knew the frames on the new TACO's are sprayed with wax from the factory - FYI

Hope this helps.

 

I store my low miles '14 FJC outdoors.
Oil (synthetic) gets changed in the Spring. I go by a once a year schedule rather than miles.
Last year, I picked up a solar battery maintainer with a OBD connector. Greatly helps the battery as my battery would go stone dead from sitting.
It will not charge a dead battery but will keep a "top charge" on a fully charged battery. I would recommend one of these if the truck sleeps outside.

( cool pic with the Château in the back)

 

Stored dry indoors will extend the life of the vehicle a lot. Unless you have a damp garage and can't find a way to use airflow to keep the moisture at bay, garage storage is the best. You keep it off wet ground, remove UV damage [which doesn't get noticed until years later] and reduce rust from condensation [dew] and rain and snow. Toss a real battery tender on it to keep from flatting the battery and you'll easily get 20 years out of it. Vehicles stored outside tend to have lots of issues, brakes, mechanical linkages, cables, anything that can sit in place and corrode together will. I would recommend one stays up on things like brake line flushing as water does get into the system, I cheat a bit and place saran wrap between the cap and reservoir while in storage with my vehicle that have that type of set up.

Even winter warm up's can really build up condensation moisture that takes a long time to evaporate off metal, especially in places that don't get good air flow.

I'll add this, I have a 1993 Miata that was stored every winter. All the rubber is still fine, the interior is fine, pretty much everything underneath is still original with the OEM stickers still on them, and it's about as rust free as a year old car is. I replaced the door speakers this summer and the inside of the doors were as rust free as a brand new car. I usually just dry clean it and seldom wash it. If it can stay that nice in Michigan, especially a car that has sheet metal a bit thicker then aluminum foil, dry storage is the way to go.

 

Interesting to see others in the same boat as me. I own three vehicles including a 2017 Tacoma but its not my daily driver. I try to drive my Tacoma to work twice a week, which is enough for 100 miles. I want to make sure that I run it so the fluids, oils, etc. are keeping the vehicle lubricated. But if it's snowing out I don't drive it.

 

It won't hurt a thing to let it sit, especially inside. It's far better then starting it and letting it idle for a short time and then shutting it off before it warms up completely, that is especially hard on exhaust systems and can build up condensation elsewhere also. I just spray a couple second spritz of Kroil into the tailpipe and stick a oil soaked rag into the end. Keeps critters out and the slow evaporation of Kroil, while probably not doing a lot, will help mitigate internal rust.

 

How do you say "trailer queen" in French; reine caravane? Just drive it.

 

Lots of good input already and you have a good plan. I drive it weekly to stretch it's legs at a min. Get a battery maintainer for while sitting, and def hit the frame with Fluid Film annually.

 

Just be diligent with the fluid film. Get a engine block heater if needed. Use an OTC 0-??w synthetic oil. And drive it.

Oil changes are more important on mileage than time (especially short times as you indicate). If you want to prove the health of the oil, use Blackstone or some other independent lab to test you oil, and learn the right OCIs for your conditions.

 

I tried that with my last Tundra, take my advice sell the Volkswagen. Drive the Tacoma for 10years, sell it and get another one. That’s the cheapest, funnest, most enjoyable way to go!

 

I live in a similar environment although we are a bit colder this week, -27c is the forecasted high this week. I would suggest that you use rust check or fluid film yourself. Having it done commercially is not a good idea. They spray everything and when Rustcheck or Crown gets on rubber parts it swells the rubber and destroys it. They even apply it to the plastic box. Apply it yourself to the inside and outside of the frame and along the bottom seams of the doors and tail gate. The biggest thing is to wash it to keep the salt of of it. If you can store it inside that the best thing to do but don't store it in a heated garage. Make sure the mice don't get at it, change the oil, put it on a battery tender and drive it in the spring. This is how I store my father inlaw's Tundra when he heads to Florida for the winter. If you have to store it outside you will have to drive it occasionally to stop the brakes from rusting up. When the temperature rises any moisture that will get on the brakes will rust the rotors. UV light will damage paint and rubber and plastic. Be sure to wax the truck and the best thing to use on the rubber and plastic parts is a product called 303 Protectant. It protects against UV light and doesn't wash off. Great for the tires as well to stop them from cracking.

P.S. My truck came in early and as soon as it arrived I drove it down to Florida. Nice and warm today with a high of 26c. I'm down here for three weeks!

Forgot to mention, always store the truck with a full tank of non ethonal fuel with some stabilizer in it. Canadian tire sells non ethanol fuel. As far as the oil changes do the sever if you going to drive it during the winter which is every 5,000 kms. If you do hold off in driving it during the winter then every 8,000 kms.

 

Rust will be the biggest obstacle to your goal, lots of good advice in here. I’m hoping to get at least 20 years out of mine too, but would be closer to 300,000 miles since I drive it almost every day.

Good luck and enjoy your taco!

 

Funny, sounds like half the threads in my Corvette forum

 

I'm of the belief that mileage isn't what kills Tacomas its age. Having a secondary vehicle to keep down the mileage on the Tacoma is fine (I have a secondary car myself for the same reason) I just wouldn't go overboard trying to keep miles off of it. I try and not let mine sit for more than 3-4 days without driving it.

 

You are correct, if you love your Tacoma, just drive it. I have a Civic (that I hate) for commuting 100 miles/day. I bought my Tacoma thinking it would be for the weekend, but I drive the truck all the time and the Civic sits taking up space in the driveway waiting for my son to finish college and take it.

 

I have to force myself to take the Honda to work most days.

 

I have to force myself to start the Civic and take it to the supermarket once a month to keep the battery charged !!!

 

Here in coastal California I don't need to worry about winterizing. But after putting over 40K on my 2016 Taco in 2 years, mostly long road trips plus also DD, we just bought a used Golf. 1.8T gasoline, 5 speed, so a good complement for driving fun and fuel economy as well as to take some mileage burden off the Tacoma. This week we're doing a 1500+ mile road trip to visit family and I figured we'd take the Golf, and my wife suggested we take the Taco "in case we want to explore some dirt or snowy roads" while we're in southern Oregon. Hey, who am I to argue with that?

 

Damn, post like these remind me how good we have it in California. The only time most trucks see salt here is when they drop a in-n-out French fry on the floor mat. GL OP

 

Drive mine once or twice a week. Just want to make sure there are no potential issues and get all the basic mods done. The truck was never meant to be mine, just babysitting it until my daughter gets done with basic and tech school later this year, then I will hand it over to her.