94 vrs 04 which one to chose?

Hi folks, new member here and I have come to the forum with a question that I hope your collective exsperience/knowledge can help answer.
Briefly, I lost my first tacoma (91 SR5 ext cab with 165k) after an accident (wierd story for later, but I walked away unhurt). I replaced it with a 2004 SR5 ext cab V6 with all the bells and whistles but not TRD. At first I thought it was a bit foofy with automatic hubs and electric windows but I put it to work hauling stuff to camp and found it to be a very tough truck. The truck is stock with 74k and I'm happy with it. Butt...

A friend at work has been talking about selling his 1994 SR5 ext cab V6 for years. I asked him for first refusal when the time came to sell it and the time is now. A few details about the truck. It is pretty much stock with 134k. He put in a new clutch, timing belt, and waterpump 15k ago. After a quick look at it last week I found only 2 minor problems. The front seal on the rear differential was leaking and the rear bumper is rusted otherwise the truck runs like a top.

I parked mine next to his and looked underneath both and was surprised to find that the frame on the 04 had more rust on it than the 94. I have been notified by toyota that my 04 is on the frame rust monitoring list. The winters hear in Maine coast are tough on vehicels as they salt the roads some wicked.

Here's the conundrum. I want a truck for the long haul. I use it for my short daily commute to work (when I don't ride my motorcycle) and on the weekends I treat it like a truck, haul firewood, tow my boat, haul building materials to camp. I only put about 6k on the truck a year and do all of the routine maintenence myself (oilchanges, brakes ect..). I have no problem spending monie on good quality upgrades.

I was thinking of selling my 2004 and taking the extra monie and useing it to build a cabin at camp. I cannot justify owning both as I have a young family to support. I owe nothing on the 04 and my friend is asking $2500 for his 94.

Alot of people think I'm nuts becuase I would downgrading. Whats your opinion? I have to give my friend an answer soon as someone else wants to buy the truck. Which one would you choose?

 

i like the look of the 94's better.

 

the 94 has the horrible 3.0 v6. I would go with the 04.

 

I love my 94 but would rather have 01 or 02. I would keep the 04 but i guess it comes down to how much you want that cabin...