2004 SR5 2.7L V4 Manual Pictures

Hello all,
I am a fully new member (2 months) and find this forum fantastic and informative. Several of you have already helped me in gaining understanding of certain parts. I am brand new to the truck world and always wanted a 1st Gen Tacoma. So, please don't eat my lunch if I ask a stupid ass question. I don't know what I don't know. I am ignorant and willing to learn. Thanks!
On 28 March 2024, I was able to purchase a Tacoma with 45,991 miles. Hard to believe, but I did my due diligence as much as I could. Eventually, one has to pull the trigger to buy or not. Since I purchased it, I put approx. 1,200 miles on it. Its condition is a 9.8 - 9.9 on the interior and exterior. One of its previous owners (I think the first or second owner, to my understanding, had it directly undercoated by Toyota.) I am uncertain whether I will ever go back to owning a vehicle. As a homeowner it is essential to have a truck. I just got tired of the same BS of not being able to haul anything and asking. I hate imposing on anyone. Plus, I can get into the country and explore.
Anyway, enclosed are some of the pics. Offer me your honest thoughts if you care to.
I am having the struts and shocks replaced soon with Bilstein's. I ordered the Bilstein 4600 assembled Coilovers with OE replacement Springs with Rear Shocks.

 

Welcome Wow what a beautiful truck - you've got a real gem ! Find a mechanic you trust if you can (mine is a master mechanic and only works on Toyotas), and try to avoid aftermarket parts at all costs. I've always gone to Toyota dealers and have had zero problems (other than trying to figure out why the exact same part is priced different at 3 local Toyota dealerships), but I digress. I've also installed parts from a 2000 Toyota Sienna that are discontinued for my SR5, yet a perfect fit. Dealers seem reluctant to cross reference parts from other vehicles despite them being a perfect fit; makes no sense. At 362,245 miles I'm as happy now as I was when I bought it in 04.

 

Thanks a whole heap! I love the 1st Gen Tacoma. Its look, feel when driving, just all around it is a solid, solid truck. Funny part is I bought one back in 2018 a 2004 TRD OffRoad. Same color as the pics I added here. Its interior was just like the one I now own. It had I believe 68K or 72K miles. I sold it five or six months later because it was an automatic transmission. The family I sold it to totaled their Tacoma after skidding on black ice. I neither lost nor made money on it, but I just don't enjoy driving an automatic. At least I sold it to an elderly couple who needed a Tacoma and understood its value.
In hindsight I should have kept it and adapted to an automatic transmission; it was a mistake. Well, Live and Learn. Now, I have an SR5 manual 2.7L v4. with 45,991.
As for installing OEM only--I fully agree. I actually posted my very first time on TW (under a different thread in New Members) and there were several replies saying certain parts that are not OEM are just as good. The guys were very helpful. So, I purchased my struts and waiting on the CoilOvers from www.SuspensionLifts.com and will get them installed by a friend mechanic whom I've known for more than a decade.