Bought a 1st gen PreRunner step-side! thoughts?

Finally started looking for my second 1st gen truck over the past couple weeks. Previously had an 04 double cab PreRunner 2.7 which unbeknownst to me had a burnt valve. Guy sold it to me in a bank parking lot for a seemingly good deal and it was clean so I bought it. Check engine light for misfire came on while driving home...Anyway I sold that one soon after and have wanted another 1st gen for a while.

I've scoured FB and CL and have seen some decent 200k mile 5vz ext cab 4x4 trucks in the 8-10k range that sell really quickly. Can't quite stomach 10k+ for a 20 year old 200k rig. Saturday morning I find an '02 PreRunner Stepside 5vz auto with the TRD locking diff and 200k miles listed for $5500. It's only 45 minutes from me so I hop on it quick with a wad of cash and he works down the price a tad for steering wheel vibes. Frame is absolutely perfect, runs and shifts great, body is in nice shape with a few dings and a newer paint job that's actually pretty well done by a local body shop! Came with a toolbox, Allpro front bumper, 33's and some kind of crappy spacer lift in the front. Never thought I'd like a vibrant red step-side PreRunner, but it's growing on me haha! Only issue I've found so far is the steering wheel vibrates pretty bad from 30mph on. Haven't shook it down yet to find the culprit. Tires are 33" General Grabbers that are worn evenly. Previous owner said it was like that when he bought it... Here's a few pics of the new to me Taco- (hood was popped open don't mind the gap):

 

Sweet find for a GREAT price

 

So the burning question is does that mean he just ignored it (along with other maintenance needs) or he learned that the cost for repairs was something he was unwilling to spend?

Hoping for your sake it's a simple fix.

 

Not a bad looking truck, paint job looks pretty good. As long as your happy with it, and can fix the steering issues, then everything is good. Where you located at in N.C. ,I'm in the Salisbury area.

 

My exact thoughts haha. I asked him how he lived with it and his story was he drove it around town only. We did meet at his business across the street from his house...so it sort of made sense but it would bug me to death. He did ignore pretty severely leaking VC gaskets, so maybe his style. Hoping its just a tire balance issue. The carrier bearing has a little wiggle to it in the center bushing, not sure if that's normal or not.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm hopeful it's not the rack or something structural bent but it feels like a worn part or tire balance to me. Nice! I'm in Carrboro near Chapel Hill.

 

Nice rig!

One valuable lesson I’ve learned from owning a taco is that year/mileage don’t mean much. I’d rather spend 10 grand on a well-maintained 300k than a neglected 100k.

With that said, looks like you found a good one. Let us know how the shake down goes!

 

Sexy color

 

Missed one ∆
@Taco critter

 

Just replaced the VC gaskets with blue Felpro kit along with new Felpro plenum gaskets. No more massive oil leak on the back and sides of the motor. This was a bigger job than I thought having to remove all the lines and plenum. Put new NGK plugs in it and found #6 plug was seized in the head! Managed to slowly work it out with a 1/2 breaker bar and Kroil going back and forth with it...phew. It had Autolites in it! Then when replaced VC gaskets I did pop in new full moon cam seals but left the half moons in place. Used Yamabond to seal the contact points on the valve cover that Toyota service manual shows to use FIPG. So far no leaks!

Little update trying to solve steering wheel shake:
replaced carrier bearing with spicer unit, no change
removed front wheel spacers and clearance brake calipers slightly with dremel to fit rims, no change

Just bought energy suspension steering rack bushings and rented autozone ball joint service kit to do that this weekend. Also ordered OEM upper and lower balljoints and bolt kit from McGeorge toyota since mine look original with 217k on them!