When Does It Make Sense To Buy A "Parts Truck"?

There's a guy in my small town with an 09 Tacoma. It's been banged up a bit, but it's all cosmetic. I'm thinking about offering him a couple grand to see if he'll part with it (he owns a '19 Tacoma, as well).

My thinking is, I'd like to get the truck for parts. I have a tricked out 09 myself, but I'm worried about supply chain issues here in Northern Canada. It might be nice to have a second to scavenge from.

Does this ever make sense? Is it just better/cheaper to order the parts from NAPA? Anyone ever done anything like this?

Love to poll the community and see what everyone thinks.

 

Honestly only for full driveline or power train swaps or for total write off trucks.

So i4 to V6 or 2wd to 4wd.

An 09 in quebec likely has its share of rust.

 

Only makes sense if you have 2 "parts" trucks and are restoring 1 to a drive able condition.

You can only guess at which part you will need and when you would need it. Meaning the parts truck sits in the yard with the environment eating away at it. In time, the part you need could be degraded from the elements. Then you trundle down to NAPA to order your part.

 

Often the part you need is already bad on the parts truck.

It makes sense if you need certain parts you know are good on the parts truck and you can buy the wreck for less than the parts would cost you to buy.

Or if you are into stripping off all the good stuff and selling on TW to get your money back.

Just buying “in case you might need a part “ makes your yard look like mine and your bank account much smaller.

 

We live far enough up North that there's no salt on the roads (we use sand), but the rest of the point is well taken.

I had read this elsewhere (someone in Oz talking about a Subaru), and that makes sense to me.

I guess I'll just leave it be, then. Thanks for the advice.

 

Well, my yard does kind of look like that, but it's mostly rotting boats. Just thought it might be fun to diversify with some rotting trucks, as well.

 

If you are buying another Tacoma for parts just to have in case your current one breaks down mechanically, it might be a long wait. It's not like you own a Jeep.

 

Huh, are you saying it could be prettied up?

Sounds like a project, possibly?