Hello Tacomawrld!

My name is Tim, I'm from Detroit and I just discovered your forum while searching for a replacement for my 1996 Tacoma which just died of frame disease (rust). My mechanics say it is too bad to work on. Since I found this out I have learned I did not care for it well enough. Right now I badly need a replacement but don't have the money to get a very good one, apparently. It seems to me that rust on the frame is the Achilles heel of Tacomas.

What I would like to know here is can I inspect prsonally a Tacoma's frame well enough to confidently buy it? I am thinking of a 2010 with 57,000 miles on it for about $12,000 or a 2004 with 147,000 miles for about $9000. I am not an auto mechanic but otherwise am somewhat mechanical. Is it at all possible that I can go and see the cars, get under them and conclude whether or not the car is worth buying? Or will that require taking it to a dealership (not the one selling it, of course).

Is it ridiculous for me to think of doing this? I am not greatly concerned with other features, as all vehicles have them.

But can I get under there and learn enough to buy?

 

Welcome to TW!
These truck have issues, states that have a winter present the biggest challenge to keeping them healthy.
Here’s a thread about restoration. Will help you see the bad and the good, should help when looking at new / used trucks. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/frame-restoration-did-it-myself.368199/

I recommend a small shop to inspect and give a serious review before buying. Will cost a few bucks but may save you in the long run from a big mistake.

 

Welcome! Good luck with your searching. Also, congrats on the Lions win today.

 

Thanks about the Lions. Goff was perfect, 18 for 18!

To MarX, you said take it to a small shop. I have one here that I trust but I don't see other Toyotas there much. I was thinking I would take a good candidate to a Toyota dealer (but not the dealer I was buying it from).

 

In my intro I mentioned I was considering a 2004 Tacoma. It is actually 2008, with146,000 miles on it for $8,900.

 

Welcome to TW! Good luck!

 

Thank you, buckhuntin-tacoma! and by the way, today, about 15 minutes after my wife drove off at 7 a.m. to the school where she teaches i looked out the front door and lo and behold! there was a buck eating acorns under the big oak tree in our front yard. fand this is in the city, inner-city Detroit! Cars came upo and down the street right behind him and he didn't flinch. I watched him for about ten minutes before he stalked off, not toward the big park across the street but toward the neighborhood behind me! a six pointer, nice but not real big. this is the second time we have seen him in our front yard. last week we were coming home and starting to turn into the driveway. there he was (i think it was the same guy) eating acorns! we watched him for about 15 minutes before he jogged off into the park. And all this is in inner-city Detroit! On the edge of Rouge Park, if you are familiar. yesterday a huge woodchuck ran out from under my wife's car!