Assistance with pinning down a price to ask for my '96 Tacoma

My 1996 Tacoma is seeing little use since I bought a '23 a month ago, so I reckon it's time to explore selling it. I've browsed most of the internet markets to get some idea of the price to ask and my head is spinning with what I see. The cheapest comparable truck was a '99 with close to 200K miles with a cracked radiator and non-functioning gas gauge at $7,000. At first, I thought I would be happy accepting $4,000 but I wonder if I could reasonably expect a bit more.

Anyway, I'd appreciate your opinions about what my initial asking price should be.

About the truck:

1996 LX Extended cab, 6' bed 4WD
2.7L 4cyl 5sp manual
118,000 miles
Everything is pretty much original. Well maintained.
No mechanical or drivability issues needing attention.
Newish tires on premium Enkei alloy wheels.
Body is good though there are a few dings. Hood has a rash of chips on front edge. Tailgate was replaced (dark green but blends well with the black)
Frame is completely solid.

I've uploaded some pictures in my gallery: https://www.tacomaworld.com/media/users/nc-gazzer.406812/

Thanks much.

 

Ask for $12K, accept anything over $10K.

 

Seconded. Sick 96.

 

Well if you sell it, I hope your old....

because most who sell their 1st gens, regret it for the rest of their lives.....seriously


especially when the made in mexico one starts giving them problems.

With it being the 2.7 could expect 6K to 7K range......with probably minus 1K for the body condition...
if it was the 6 cyl 5vz.....maybe 2K more...

and of course if its got a lift or SC......people get stupid and pay way way more...
most not realizing its going consume a steady supply of parts....

the low miles and standard tranny might hook the right person for whole lot more...but that price would scare everybody else away in the process....


A lot of the ones you see for sale here......for like 10K and above..
most of them have 1 and 1/2 times that in just extra parts on that truck...
so you're not hearing the whole story....


Not only that but the older they are, the parts are getting more difficult to source..........In central Texas that would be about a 5~6K truck.....
they are a lot more plentiful here.....and without the frame cancer...

 

On my second 1st gen tacoma after losing my first one to frame rot. I had two other toyota pickups in between the 1st gens, an 83 2wd and an 06 tundra. Neither hit the spot like the first gen, hence why i bought my 03 last year. 1st gen best gen.

 

Gazzer……PM sent
(Chargedshot is pretty much bullseye accurate)

Factors to consider
Bc of age, mileage non factor (yours is LOW miles!)
Again, this is a classic database, so options really don’t affect ACV(you have TRD option….again good for you)
Cheers

 

That thing's gold, hang on to it. Here in the southwest it would probably go for $12000-13 easy.

 

And its not just miles.....next year that truck will be 30yrs old....
and dinged up....

There's bunch sitting around in disarray that could reroaded for half what these guys are telling..
especially the ones with body work, or blown head gasket ones....

Price is really more location dependent than anything...


I've got about $7K in mine.....but that's with a brandnew motor that's just now getting to its 20K birthday....



Dont know what these guys been smoking.....but here in the south this is typical....

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2003-toyota-tacoma-94/

 

Low miles and good rust free frame win the day every time. Look for comparables here, though BaT does bring a premium and sale prices need to add 5% for BaT fee...

https://bringatrailer.com/toyota/tacoma-n1x0-1994-2005/

You might consider listing with them (but you'd want to paint tailgate black....)

Good luck.

 

I'd post like 13-14k and sell for at least 12k. Its barely over 100k, 4wd and manual. Only things driving it down are the hood and the 2.7l.

Closet truck I can find in my market is a 120k white 2003 3.4, salvage title and they want 11.8k.

BAT has this prerunner: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2000-toyota-tacoma-23/
2.7L 2WD that sold for 12.5k with 122k miles.

I think everyone's undervaluing the miles.
I'm also used to the southwest/Arizona market which is a bit driven up by all the rust belters buying clean trucks here to take back home to let rot to dust..

Clean prerunners with 250k are still asking more than 10k.

At that many miles, you might be at the point where putting some money into cleaning up the paint and dings would actually pay dividends. Super clean low mile 1st gens can get crazy money these days.

 

I do see the note lot ones south side of my city asking 10K to 12K for 300~400K tacos...
but all those looked like they just came off the showroom floor.....

 

agreed everything stated above

 

Shoot for 12,500!

 

Thanks for the advice, kind folks. Gives me a lot to think about. I wanted to list it as-is, but I wonder: Is there an easy investment that I can do pre-sale that would give a better return on the market. I thought of new paint; which would make it pretty, but my long term personal rule for buying a used car is to walk away from any that have had recent paint jobs.

Thanks again.

 

Don't do anything that costs money to get it ready for sale, you won't get it back. That is someone's dream truck as is.

 

Paint the tailgate. It's a craigslist truck with non-matching body panels. It could be a BringATrailer truck if matching. Take tailgate off and bring to body shop. Should not cost much.

Make it best possible condition without major investments. Clean in, out, and under. Shampoo interior, etc.

 

It is a $7-8K truck as is. Let the next guy put money in it to fix the cosmetics.

 

IF you've got a buddy on west coast.....have em run a FaceBook ad for shits and giggles....

out there they are in short supply....and high demand...

somebody might come and pick it up.

Thats how to get 10+

If it were me on east....Id list for 9K....
and take anything north of 7500.....

If no bites in 30days.....down a K....

Here in Okla, Texas, Kansas you'd have to take off another K off


You're really lucky you have that truck.....any others chevy, ford, nissan, you could even get half that price..........even with pickup blindness....



Thats the reason the owners kick themselves in the ass when they sell it later on....
especially if they sold way too cheap.....


To be devil's advocate, these old girls don't well if they sit for long long periods on time.......if your not gonna use it....not doing yourself any favors by keeping and letting rot...

 

^^^that is a poppin idea about California FB OS!

 

IF it was in cali,,,if it was 6 cylinder,,,,if dint need bodywork,,,,if didnt a paint job,,,,,if it was raised,,,,,if it had bad ass tires/rims,,,

then yeah....the 15K is on the block.....

Only problem with that......is some poor O' sole selling that one would probably have over 20 in the truck.....
and selling at a loss even then....

Because he way over paid for it too......and put a but load of money in it...