1st gens fade away?

Not planning on selling mine ever. My dd and just rolled over 300k miles.

 

don't count us lurkers out just yet. 20 year old Taco Mall Crawler here. Maybe 3 days a year on forest roads and 2 on snow, but still a daily mall crawler. ARB up front, Relentless in the back. 119K miles.

 

Most folks that pursue these trucks, particularly the overlanding/outdoorsy type, want newer features and styling as tastes evolve. Not to mention lower miles for perceived reliability. These first generation trucks are long in the tooth no matter how you look at it. 275,000 miles or more being common on most of them on the used market, not to mention rust and common mechanical problems of a 20 year old vehicle. They are physically small, underpowered, and pretty spartan compared to even a 2nd generation truck. The interiors are obviously dated. Aftermarket support is slowing fading away for fancy bolt-on type stuff as well. All that adds up to less ownership by people who participate in places like this. (And Facebook groups heavily cannibalizing forums for the last 5+ years doesn't help.)

Personally a lot of those "problems" are why I like these trucks so much, but I'm weird. The underpowered statement is a real one though, along with being limited to a 5spd transmission.

 

Not some much under powered than over loaded...over sized tires and wheels, bumpers, rtt's, axes, shovels, tooĺ boxes full of who knows what, etc.

 

Also my daily and only vehicle- just crossed 150k. Seen here in remodel mode (sporting some cheap Amazon racks):


They've been really handy. If I keep them after the remodel, I'll probably figure out how to mount them more securely. Just the alloy c clamps right now, which bend quite easily.

 

Wow, just wow. Beautiful truck

 

03 here just hit 200k runs like champ wasn’t a truck guy but 3 years ago I turn into the dark side taco world an don’t regret it . Love working on this rigs

 

I think my favorite thing about these trucks is the reliability. I haven’t really modded shit on this underpowered beast, and I like the fact that it gets 21 mpg and does what I ask it to: be my daily driver and get me where I need to be. I perform maintenance as needed and it just keeps going..nothing major. I love taking my time shifting through the gears and watching someone in a mustang or whatever blaze past me all the while knowing their POS will end up in a junkyard in less than 5 years. I don’t cherish these days because they won’t last forever but the 1st gens will last longer than most.

 

We still have a whole bunch of 80's and 90's pick ups running around here. So 1st gen Tacomas are just part of the mix that'll be here until they die and have 5.3's dropped in them.

 

Really that's a lot of it right there. My truck is definitely fat and slow now. Lol

 

Most of us do it. My 98 is pretty much stock except for the over width tires and campershell. I've gotten better but I'm sure I'll find something that I absolutly "need"...

 

98 with 206k and doesn’t skip a beat…expect last month p0446 code! Still love her.

 

Our 1st gen trucks are fat & slow like the owners

 

nice truck!

 

Still going strong, need to update my build thread though…

 

Still putting in work, 23 years after it rolled off the production line.....

 

friggin nice truck!

 

Thanks! Still got some more parts sitting around in the garage to put on it too…

 

Like what? Pray tell?

 

eBay snorkel, 22rethan skid plate, Prinsu rack, inclinometer from an FJ60 Land Cruiser that might be it. I’d have to look. I’m good about buying parts and letting them sit around forever and a day.