Best Year vs Best Model/ Least popular vs most popular insights.

I always saw the tundra as the true successor of T-100. The tacoma exceeds the expectation in everyday usage, but there is no more to do there. To be honest im only 24 tho and have no exp. Any input on random truck shit is usefull.

 

Tacoma is the truck of threes......

3 bodies.....standard, extended, double cab.

3 motors.....2.4,...2.7,....3.4

3 sub generations....

......95 to 97 distributor coil....and $1000 mass air flow sensor to match....

......97ish to 2000 ish......twin coil pack....

2001 ......started coil over plugs....

Biggest money difference.....is whether its a 5lug wheel.....these are the bargain bin ones....
and 6lug wheels....for the the big boys.....

On this forum the standard transmissions are coveted......
......but from my experience these take the longest to sell.....so may be an easier grab.....


The bitch on these is RUST.....with capital R....
....got to crawl underneath and tap.....

Blown head gaskets is one of the biggest reason for inheriting these.....usally been sitting for an extended time...
Head gasket jobs are a pain on these......not cheap.....



A lot of time when buy these.....they've either over done it with upgrades and maintenance and want way too much...

And the other more common extreme....nothings been done for years......and hundreds of dollars worth of work/parts needed...

And toyota is pretty proud of their parts......and their engines run like shit on non oem parts....


Its not uncommon that some shop for two years before finding the right one....
but they sold so many of these there is a steady supply of these....

IF you live on west coast or way north....prices will be scary......

if you live in south central....you can get a garaged one for about half....
especially around the rural military bases.......

 

Have a friend with the prerunner; imo the model to find (though you’d likely overpay) as long as you don’t have snow. 2x4 locker will still likely not help such a light vehicle in any serious snow.

They can’t afford a new vehicle after moving to the mountains, and so are interested in 4x4 conversion which is actually doable thanks to the frame