On the fence about buying an 09 Taco

Love to see pics!! I would keep the '99 as a spare rig to share the miles and to haul especially if the '09 is a shortbed(5ft) vs. longer bed on the '99.

 

I considered it after your suggestion before but my wife isn't keen to insure more than 2 vehicles or to have 3 cars in the driveway. (c; I will miss the longer bed, not to mention I'm still skeptical of a plastic truck bed.

 

I've always keep an extra paid off beater around(although I don't consider your '99 in this category) and it has saved me more often than not when my wife or my vehicle needs to be in a shop and down a few days or I'm expecting a possible hailstorm on a work day. Our composite bed is quite durable but I doubt the payload is better than your '99.

 

There is much to be said for meticulously cared for vehicles.

The prior owners of my 2004 clearly beat the crap out of it offroad. It WAS fun to drive. Even at 125,000 miles.

But the 2008 had a meticulous owner. The detail was not in the CarFax - it was in the Toyota service computer. Regular factory maintenance since inception. I don't think they ever took the 2008 off road. (I will.) Still, the fact that they would make it a "certified" vehicle and add a year warranty was as convincing as the fact that it has almost no scratches anywhere.

And the double cab/safety features really are nice. It's a little less fun to drive, being bigger and heavier. But if you are hauling people and want to keep them safe, then yes, the 2nd gen does make a big difference. A new engine is much cheaper than even an afternoon in the hospital getting MRIs and X-rays.

 

Wish you all the best with your new truck! I just bought a 08 Access Cab TRD 4x4 V6 6speed Manual with 59,000 Miles on it. Also has a procomp lift, 18in Rockstars and New 35in Nitto's for $19k. Purchased private.Looked at all of my local dealers but they did not have and good deals on used trucks.
Had it for a month now and absolutely love it! Best of luck to you with yours! Let the Mods begin!

 

Thats a great price Justin, you definitely got the better deal and that truck is beautiful. I'm loving the ride in this bigger truck for sure, having to get used to my changed perspective (bigger hood in front of me, longer tail behind me) when parking. I definitely like that I don't have a car payment and can just start tweaking the truck now and probably head in a similar direction to what you had from day one.

 

Check the frame for rust