Buying a Tacoma with 200k miles or with 70k miles ?

2003 is 15 years old.

 

Prices are figured pretty much by a few things.

How bad do I want to sell the truck?? I would like something newer but I need X $$$ to make it happen if it does

How fast do I need the money?? Wife and girl friend both having babies the same month

Buyers How bad do I really want this truck? I know I have been there .

 

math is hard... lol

yeah yeah, I know

 

I blame the schools and this common core math. When I did the math it told me I had 3 apples.

 

I'm 39... and a professional scientist who deals with math all day long.

I have no excuse. Just a brain fart.

But as a father with a son in the common core math stuff now, I think the way they are teaching math is better than the memorization crap we were taught. They are gaining a better core understanding of place value, etc... I think America's placement in world education standing necessetites a new way of thinking about teaching: what we've been doing so far hasn't worked.

 

The $20k truck is perfect

The $10k truck is in great shape with a 2 year old frame that still looks new. It also is fully loaded.
Only stuff that scares me:

1) the seller has owned it for 2 months !

2) what are the financially catastrophic possibilities ( besides the frame of course) ?
For example, what does it cost for a professional R&R and rebuild of the automatic transmission?

........yes, I know, they are great trucks, just drive and enjoy etc but I have been the victim of stuff that no mechanic could predict ( I once had a Cummins problem 2 weeks after purchase that cost MORE than the truck)

It totalled the truck for me as I was not about to pay $12k for another engine to go in.

So what does a new transmission cost ?? All in........$5k ?

 

I'd buy a truck for 10k and spend the other 10k on maintenance, given the frame is still good and gives you time to clean it up and coat it to prevent rust. Its just tough for me to see me spend 20k and end up doing maintenance on it.

 

3.4 maintained is a great motor. I'd get the high milage one. My buddy did the high milage route and the PO didnt take care of it and the motor blew. Picked up a JDM motor with 50k for 900$ and it's back and going. Motors are cheap but reliable so that's the route I'd go. Do a compression test and know you will have a few seals to replace. Only pain is the timing belt

 

Brooooo 20K is waaaayyyyy too much. Either way it’s gonna need parts because it’s 15 years old!!! Shit I wouldn’t pay 11K for one either doe lol frame is really the only deciding factor but consider that u could get a new frame put in at the dealer for like 5K if u really wanted too

 

The 3.4 liter Toyota V6 engine is a very sophisticated double overhead cam V6 motor with aluminum heads that uses a timing belt, which has to be changed every 90 thousand miles. This motor also takes up much more space in the engine bay than its smaller sibling. As a result of its size, sophistication and configuration, it is much more complicated and expensive to work on than its smaller sibling. For example, the intake air system has to come off in order to change out the spark plugs and spark plug wires. Please do not assume that the Toyota 3.4 V6 is an impossible motor to work on because it is more complicated and sophisticated than its smaller sibling. This is by no means the case. I am not a gifted mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, and I have completely surgically recreated and re-engineered hands, and I have done plenty to our family's old Tacoma, which is a 3.4. The Toyota 3.4 is going to be significantly more powerful than its smaller sibling. It is also an extremely dependable and reliable engine when properly maintained.

The A340 automatic transmission is as very reliable transmission. If you had to replace one, you are looking at about $3,000.00.

Good Luck,
Paul

 

It's a flip...seller bought it for $4k and is trying to pawn it off to you for $11k lmao

It could just be a neglected 15 y/o car...
Leaking gaskets, driveline vibrations, warped rotors, leaking rear axle seals, a rough transmission, ticking engine, etc etc

Pick an issue, any issue - $800 minimum.

"a seal" as in....the piston rings or....?

Pretty much this, 100%, with the exception of the dealer replacing the frame for $5k.

what "smaller sibling"? Are you referring to the 4cyl?

wrong

Wuuuut?

I don't know what's really going on here...but both trucks are pretty bad deals.
Around my area, you can get a 2004 ext cab, 4cyl, 5spd, 4x4 truck w/150k for $4k....
I don't understand the attraction to paying $10k+ for a 200k+ truck.

 

Get the 70k mile old Tacoma if you can talk the price down . Finding a under 100k mile old first gen is like finding a Unicorn

I've got a 2002 Tacoma DC Pre Runner 4cyl supercharged with only 67k original miles . Bought it from the original owner over 2 years ago for $11k and had 54k on the odometer at the time

Also I've got the original window sticker and all maintenance records all performed at the dealer

I've been offered over $17k from buyers who want my truck !!

 

You think it costs more than 5K for a frame job? Damn :/

 

I agree. $20K is s stupid number. Look at recent Bring A Trailer sales.

 

uhm. yes.
The price of the frame alone is ~$3500.
The price tag on a 2nd gen frame replacement is like $12k. But they also do control arms, ball joints, brake lines, and some other stuff.

I'm not sure anyone has ever taken their 1st gen Tacoma to the dealer to have the frame replaced on their dime (because it's simply not cost effective), but I would assume to be quoted $10k+
Additionally, lots of other things will need to be replaced - nuts, bolts, fittings, clips, etc.

 

I know for a fact it does, my frame replacement came out around $12k total. Not something I'd be willing to pay out of pocket that's for sure! Glad it was on Toyota's dime.

 

Not here in Calif especially Socal !!

 

Here's my 16 yr old truck with 67k original miles !!!

Yes that's the original Impulse Red Pearl paint and dealer installed window tint !!

 

It's not possible.

If this was temporarily true, the market would quickly compensate. If a truck is selling for $20k in California, but the same truck sells for $8k in DC, and shipping is only $1500 then....

Capitalism would say that people would quickly jump at the opportunity to buy cheap trucks on the east coast and send them to the west coast for huge profits.

Additionally, why would anyone pay $20k for a better, lower mileage truck that is available for $18k on a public online auction?

Simple economics say this is false.

 

why would someone on the West Coast want a vehicle with frame rot and a rusted body from the East Coast ??

This is why cars and trucks from Socal and the Desert Southwest are very appealing to buyers on the East Coast