Frame Rust Pics

Hey

I've been looking for a tacoma for a long time now. Found one that looks decent and good price. 2003 w/272 000kms. I have researched a bunch on what to look for, but I'm unsure about what to look for regarding frame rust. Says the recall was done, or at least it was looked at by toyota. I'm gonna check it out tomorrow anyways but wanted people's thoughts on these pics. Keep in mind this in interior BC so some rust is expected.

 

I talked with him again, says Toyota didnt do the frame recall on this one, just inspected and rust proofed. Perhaps not a great job..

Im now wondering if it was done by Toyota, if they would look at this frame again if it was sprayed. Maybe I will call them with the VIN?

 

Go to the My Toyota website and put the Vin in. It will give you service records. If Toyota looked at it, it would be listed there.

Toyota looked at mine and sprayed it a couple months before the deadline...I still needed a new frame. Looking at the pics of this one, I'd a new frame is definitely in the future. Make sure the truck was looked at by Toyota and is eligible for frame replacement before you buy, unless you have the ability to fix it yourself.

 

Thanks. I will try the VIN number and see what it says. Looking at the pics, my gut is telling me don't get it unless Im sure that a frame job would be done by Toyota. Hopefully its not too much work to figure out, as I know if I leave the truck after my viewing tomorrow it will sell quickly. But I don't have the means to repair a frame myself, and I would like to own the truck for a while.

 

Well after looking at the frame in person, I trusted my gut and walked away from the rust. I talked to the Toyota dealer and realized I had no options on that frame. Best to wait for a better vehicle. The search is killing me slowly though ):

 

I searched 8 months for my truck. I walked away from at least a dozen because of issues and the trucks being way over priced for their condition.

 

Been looking for about 2 months. Tough because I usually have to drive a ways to see them. There is a really nice 97 4cyl with
350 000kms. Has exactly what I want, 4cyl, manual hubs, no rust anywhere, sunroof, manual, bench seat. But he wants 10k cdn for it!! Of course its their right to sell it for whatever they want just frustrating for me.
I offered 8500, which I think is too much still, but no luck. Trying to stay under 10 all said and done with taxes, and fixes ect.

Theres a 2003 4 Door Auto for 12500 and a 2005 4cyl for the same roughly. Seems crazy that a 97 can go for almost as much.

 

350k KMs? no rust? I'd be skeptical on what was done to it unless the frame was already replaced by Toyota. Even then the replacement frame adds no value, just brings it back to the correct value.

~218k miles is what it equates to. not bad for a '97 but it's basically a base configuration other than the sunroof (was this an option?)

 

Dang, then I can sell my 04 Taco v6 that's only seen 2 winters with 87xxx miles for 18k based on what these people are selling it for.

 

My truck is a California/Nevada truck and it has 170K miles with absolutely zero rust. Thats why they go for so much out here

 

that's all nice, but his is Canadian, big difference when salt/brine/ash/sand is used yearly.

I'm not saying it has to be rusted out, but a little surface rust is to be expected unless it was stripped and completely recoated yearly

 

I contacted the Toyota dealership that inspected the frame, and they had undercoated it instead of replacing it. I mentioned to the dealership that it was quite rusty despite their efforts, but they said that once Toyota has done something, thats it. They wont replace the frame after that. It occurred to me that this may not be true, and that maybe I could somehow still get it, but I couldn't hold up the sale on this guy, so I passed on it. The sellers were quite nice, and didn't hide anything, so I didn't want to take up all their time and then end up not buying it. Frame would have gone on for a few years for sure, but I want something that I can put a lot of miles on, so I will keep looking. By the sounds of it, I just need to have more patience.

 

Something not right there, call another dealer. If they sprayed the frame prior to the magic date, and then the frame rusts, it still gets a new frame. That's what happened with mine. Frame sprayed, rusted to hell anyway....called local Toyota dealer and they put me on the list and got a new frame.

If they still have that truck, I'd check with another dealer if you have the Vin.

 

^this

the spray was to coat "still good" frames to see if it prevented any rust proliferation. if it fails they still have to replace it under the agreement of the warranty. the fact it was taken in and it has a record of it for the TSB means Toyota should honor it. maybe that dealer doesn't want to deal with it

 

Could be, however I let the truck go. Maybe somebody ended up with a good deal! It was a decent truck, but I am over it. Good to know however, I may contact Toyota and ask them about the "fine Print" so I know for sure next time and can be ready to make an offer based on facts. Thanks for the info!

 

ya. you had the best idea. any doubts just walk away.