1997 Toyota Tacoma SR5 resale value

I could possibly buy a 1997 Toyota Tacoma SR5 (3.4 with manual) -

• 90K miles
• has sat for 10+ years
• Mice are eating wiring, belts, vacuum lines
• Engine turns over and starts
• Unable to drive it at the moment
• Clutch master cylinder is gone (reservoir detached from body)
• Black paint is faded and scratched

What I want to know:

• What do you think it is worth on open market?
• What maintenance would you absolutely do to protect it before moving it?

I can handle the majority of the work required on the vehicle to get it work but it looks like parts cost is around $3K to $5K just to get it up and going.

If I get this, I am buying it for myself and fixing it up! I also have an original 1987 Toyota 4runner SR5 but it needs some work in it's current state.

TerrapinX

 

Where's it located?
How's the rust?
How's the frame?

 

If all else is good, $5k absolute max. And be prepared to be working on gremlins for the next 5 years

 

It sounds like it'll be quite a pet project, if you've got the space, time & money. Re-sale wise i don't think profit is in the cards.

But to have fun with and keep on the other hand?

 

I just took some pics of the frame. I will post those pics when I get a minute. There is definitely some rust on the frame but surfacy at the moment. The black paint is flecking off the frame rails under the bed. The shock pick-up points are not great but still solid.

The frame is straight. Clean title, but it looks like I have to pull the bed off the frame rails and clean up the rust or I may regret my purchase.

Is the frame rail rust even something that can be cleaned up?

It is in the high desert in the South West so it has seen some snow and mud.

@treyus30 Gremlins? Those I know for certain - I laugh every time someone tells me how great the early 4runners (mine is an 87) are - I just nod but in my mind, I am like, sure, window switches that dont roll windows up and down, barely passed smog in California for years on end, intermittent misfire after engine warms up (airflow meter internal wiper?), persnickety rear window when it rolls down, and who knows what else.

I am weighing out the grief my wife will give me for buying another project (I only have the 87 4runner as the other project) vs a fun project so yes, @2004tan , fun to have and maybe break even.

I also own a 2020 RAM 3500 - 90k miles and the maintenance on that costs some money. I currently live in the South East and it seems the humidity out there does not play well with the Cummins emissions control system (frequent regens - long story). This truck would be just to get around town in and hopefully be less of a pain (and less costly) than the RAM is currently.

 

I just bought the exact same truck in Southern California for $7,500. Except the previous owner had already done a lot of the maintenance (including replacing the engine) and it was in full functioning order.

If I had gone to buy it in the condition you stated for your potential buy, I probably wouldn’t have gone above $3k, and I think that’s being generous considering the work it’ll take for it to be road/trailworthy.

If you did drive away with it, I’d check EVERY fluid first. All the diffs, trans, everything. Worst thing would be to grenade the transmission or diff on the way home.

Also tie rods, steering stuff. Obvious tire damage.

 

I just paid $5k for my 04' @120k in Ohio, lots of salt damage but clean frame and interior. Personally i'm just having fun working on an old car again as a project.