Buying guide?

New here! Can somebody point me to a buyer’s guide thread? Looking to get out of my F150 and into a Tacoma for a variety of reasons. Haven’t owned a Toyota since my 83 4x4 in high school so I’m not current on typical issues and things to look for. Any help would be appreciated!

I should’ve kept my 83!!

 

Welcome to TW.

Do you have a particular generation in mind?

 

I guess not particularly. Though I am in a northern tier state (SD) so should probably avoid the 2nd gen if I remember right due to the frame rust issues

 

Budget will be the first place to start... That will probably be the key to knowing whether you'll be getting a 2nd or 3rd gen. Also, what do you need? 2WD vs 4WD? Cab style, bed length...etc. What do you plan to use it for?

Funny coincidence I just bought a 2010 Tacoma DCLB to replace my 1999 F-150. For me rust was the #1 thing to look for but it was fairly uncommon in my area. After that the main issues I found were them just being beat up in general. Driver seat was often torn, paint was often faded. But, depending on what you're looking for that may not be a concern to you. I would also recommend getting a dealer to do a Pre Purchase Inspection - they're surprisingly affordable (typically <$200). Personally, I didn't care about whether the truck needed stuff like brakes/suspension since that stuff is relatively affordable and I should be able to do most myself. So, I was more concerned about interior condition and paint condition - two things which would be very expensive to repair.

 

Everything through 2017 has a service campaign for rust. Just a matter of time until 2018-20 are added. Make sure you read up on the year you look at so you don't miss out on it. By the cats is a most popular spot for major rust.

Open a tacoma owners account and punch in the vins of trucks you are interested in for a dealer service history.

Get a manual.

Drive and enjoy

 

Clenkeit...good things! Leaning towards double cab but could get by with an acces cab as it’s usually just me and the dog and an occasional fishin partner. 4x4 is an absolute must. It’s 10 miles of back county highways to work and I’m not the kind to call in just for a little ol blizzard lol......the longbed would be great but in the week I’ve been looking, they seem a bit harder to find so may end up settling on an SB.

81shark that’s a great idea!

 

2005 and early 2006 Tacoma V6's had head gasket problems and their engine mounts had problems as well. 11/05 is when Toyota corrected the problems so you might want to check the production date of when the truck was built. The production date is on the VIN tag inside the driver's door jam.

3rd gen Tacomas (2016 and newer) have a lot of unhappy owners of automatic transmissions as they shift very early in the RPM range even though they have more horsepower.

 

I was originally looking for an AC with the same thought - it would be just me, my wife and our dog. Then I took a trip in my extended cab F-150 with my brother. The back was FULL with our stuff for our fishing trip and there's no way I could have also fit a dog or a bunch of camping gear. Of course it would have helped had a I had a shell or bed cover. After that trip I decided I wanted a DCLB - which, around here was easier to find than an AC (DCSB's were plentiful but a deal breaker for me).