Engine & Transmission Rebuild

Aye Everybody!

TLR Would you spend the cash to rebuild either/both for your 2nd gen?

First of all, I don't currently need either an engine nor a transmission rebuild. Sorry for the clickbait. What I DO currently need is everyone's opinion on doing that for a 2nd gen(mine is '08 AC Trd Sport, FWIW). I absolutely love my truck, even more so now that I've had the ujoints and leafs replaced. Having these TSB's taken care of has sparked a renaissance of interest in doing things to my truck(katzkins, updated non-silver head unit, new(er) wheels, suspension, etc.)

The reason I'm asking who loves their 2nd gen enough to drop that kind of $, is because I read an opinion somewhere in TW that "...once a truck is over 10 years, things just start breaking."
I can't say I agree with that, as I've never had to do anything to mine aside from the usual service/wear items. It does have a leaking power steering pump, and has for years. Thats a whole other thread...Anyway, it does get me thinking about what I would do if I found myself in that situation. I love my tacoma, and 3rd gen's dont sound like they're gonna blow my mind. So, what would you do?

 

I would rebuild in a heartbeat.

 

If I was not having a plethora of other issues with the vehicle
And
I planned on keeping it for a while

Yes

I may have to fix it just to sell it too even if I didn’t want to.

Engine and trans rebuilds are cheaper than new vehicles. Its just matter of whether you want to go through the hassel or not.

 

Around here, a good used 1st gen sells for $5,000 to $7,000 and sometimes more. I rarely see 2nd gens. I'm sure those will be more expensive. Pricing is CRAZY for anything TACOMA around here.

Check out this pricing - closely.

https://jonesboro.craigslist.org/cto/d/jonesboro-2004-toyota-tacoma-prerunner/6846041222.html

 

The question isn't just "who loves their Tacoma", but rather "who loves car payments"?

For what I'm spending on this truck it has to go at least 500k miles. If it takes an engine or transmission rebuild to get there then so be it.

A word of advice, there are lots of horror stories online about Tacomas breaking down, guys bitching about repairs, etc. Take it with a grain of salt. In the real world these trucks are hardly ever in the shop, you rarely see them getting towed or broken down beside the road and they hold their value very well.

 

If you read the book "Millionaire Next Door" it really opens your eyes that a lot of the people who have built tremendous wealth have done so by not spending money and getting a lot of life out of the things they own. They re-sole their shoes, rebuild engines, etc.

 

I love no car payments. Insurance for it (liability coverage) is $23 a month. At the end of the day, I can spend several thousand on the Tacoma and, compared to buying a new vehicle, over a 5 year period, come out with a bunch of money saved.

 

The weak link on these trucks is not the engine or tranny, but the frame. If frame is good rebuild anything else. Not sure what a frame would cost to replace if you had to pay out of pocket.

 

I did live in NY state for a couple of winters. There is light rust on the frame but nothing I'm worried about or cant remove with a wire wheel.

There's also a part of me that has the notion to really BUILD an engine...but, I know, I know $$$$ for the motor and everything else in the powertrain needed to harness the HP.

 

The only truck value phenomenon that I've seen in the past 50 years, that compares to what I see happening with the Tacoma today, is with a 1966 Chevy C-10. I remember after 10 years, a clean one would easily sell for more than it cost new. There was/is always a market for those trucks. Here's an example in the link below.

https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1966/chevrolet/c_k_truck/100981673

 

With everything I have done to mine It would be a hell of a lot easier to rebuild a motor or trans than to start over on another one

 

I would and plan to rebuild whenever my truck needs it, currently running at almost 300k miles and no problems. I still enjoy and like my truck and can rebuild way cheaper than purchasing a newer truck. But I hate a payment and that I what drives me the most to my decisions.

 

At first I was like only liability then I seen you have a 99.
I was just looking at my insurance yesterday. Because I just retired my truck from daily driver duties I raised my deductible But I still have full coverage because the value is still so high. it will be offroad 85% of the time from now on.

 

If you know that you're going to keep the truck, then I'd say spend the money. That way you'll always benefit from the money spent.
I plan on keeping mine for a damn good long time. So whatever I spend on it will be enjoyed by me.
I figure no matter how much l spend. It'll still be way less than the $40 or $50,000 on a new truck. Plus my insurance will always be less too.
I think I'll always end up ahead in the long run no matter what breaks.

 

Interesting topic I had wondered about myself.

My question would be, if one does go for a new motor, what is generally the best avenue? Trying to find a low mile motor from a newer wrecked Taco? Trying to find a reputable reman engine builder / seller? Something else?

 

The guy who has +1.2 million miles on his Taco (4 cylinder) got +700k out of the original engine and replaced it when the head gasket went with a engine with 100K on it. These engines will last a long time if cared for. His driving probably has a lot do to with the longevity, it basically starts it up in the morning and runs it all day at highway speeds. Still, these engines are very durable.

 

Great book, a must read. Though most wont

 

It is a great book, HOWEVER, hanging out on TW all day certainly doesn't help anyone "build tremendous wealth."

 

Haha, yea but you can see all different angles around here. True, there are guys throwing money around buying expensive parts and trading their trucks in constantly. But there are also lots of guys on a budget using their heads/hands to get stuff done