Damaged Tacoma Analysis

Howdy fellow taco fans,

I'm new to cars and am looking at getting a tacoma as the first car I buy on my own. I found a 2017 double cab on an auction lot website that listed it as having rear damage, but from what I can tell from the attached pictures, it looks like the bumper, tail lights, and lift gate were just removed from the truck and are still intact. I plan to inspect the vehicle in person, but is there anything y'all can see from the pictures that I'm missing? If not, what are some things for me to keep an eye out when I inspect the truck?

Appreciate it y'all <3

 

Something is wrong on that left rear fender. Shouldn't be creased like that.

Looks like a left-rear side hit that probably pushed the axle over. Likely damage to the axle, springs, hangers, etc. in that case. Not a cheap hit and it will involve extensive work at a body shop to fix the axle. Definitely not something you can easily fix yourself.

i will say that for the right price, there is a literal shit ton of good parts with that kind of hit where you can probably flip it to make some money. Front end parts are generally good to sell in a common color like that because most hits take out fenders, grilles, etc.

edit oh shit yeah... look at the second pic... that right tire is tweaked as fuck. Definitely significant frame damage on that one.

 

Depending on your familiarity with what frames are supposed to look like and if they're damaged, how to repair them, I'd consider that the most essential part. If you can't see the problem assuming one exists and don't have the know-how or resources in your support circle to fix one, it could cost you a lot of time and most likely money.

 

Reminds me of the start of one of this guys videos



I say buy it and make videos of the rebuild process - I'd watch

 

In the first picture, the box is over to the left, not lined up with the cab. If the box is still attached to the frame then that suggests serious frame damage. You need to get underneath and see how straight or twisted it is.

 

They usually dress those trucks up for pictures brother...somebody cut the last 4 inches of the frame off and that bumper probably from another truck you got about 18k in damage there at minimum.

 

The ass-end of that truck looks jacked up!

I would steer clear.

 

All pics indicate frame damage. It's cool to have a project car as a first car, but you really don't want to take on a tweaked frame as your first project. I'd run away from that one, it's not really worth looking at in person.

My two cents.

 

Looks like the only part of the truck worth saving is the front end. That rear end is pretty jacked!

 

Okay. So. It's at an auction. Which pretty much guarantees it was "totaled" by an insurance company.

The Toyota Tacoma (2nd gen and 3rd gen) basically have the same frame. The frame is well known to buckle when rear ended. That totals the truck. Judging by those photos I'd say there's definitely frame damage.

Unless you're a fabricator and love customizing your crap to make it work, I'd walk away.

That's a parts truck. Don't buy it unless you intend to take it apart and sell the parts that are still good.

 

I think for a first project you might want to consider something less ambitious?

 

Big thanks to everyone in the comments. After looking at what y’all have pointed out I feel blind for not seeing at least a few of the things before (I.e. the extremely messed up back tires and the offset between the cab and the bed). I think I’ll take the advice of many of you a stay away from this one, as I am by no means a mechanic to the level of rebuilding a frame. Luckily I have a buddy who is looking to sell a 2008 double cab for a decent price so I might be seeing y’all on here in the near future one way or another.

Thanks again for all the help fellas

 

Take a even better look. The drivers side rear door is bashed in from the bed hitting it from behind. There's definitely significant damage to the rear cab area. You made the right choice on running away from that truck.