Getting my first Tacoma today: 2003 PreRunner TRD

Our Lexus RX400h is finally too expensive to repair at 315,000 miles so we started looking for another vehicle we could drive to the shooting range with (hybrid brake accumulator, a few engine seal leaks, and throttle body issues).

After much searching, and my son beginning to apprentice under an electrician, we decided on a Tacoma so he could haul ladders, tools, cable, etc.

Unfortunately, these things hold value like nobody's business, so we landed on a 2003 Prerunner xtracab v6 with the TRD Off Road package. We would have preferred a double-cab, but that increases the cost by over a third. It has around 150,000 miles, which feels almost new to me.

After watching an ungodly amount of youtube videos on the issues, repairs, and maintenance of these first gen Tacomas, I'm pretty excited to get the truck and start working on it with my son. No crazy improvements or major projects planned, but definitely routine maintenance and adding a backup camera, possibly car play.

Already scheduled a timing belt (and related pulleys/gaskets/water pump/belts/etc.) replacement with my mechanic, but holding off on the valve cover gasket replacement in hopes of working our way up to feeling comfortable enough to tackle it ourselves.

The only 2 issues we see on the truck are the cruise control not working and the emergency brake handle flopping around and lighting up the brake light (making me think we need to adjust the slack in the line based on some posts here, and possibly replacing the CC switch). Otherwise, my local shop claims it is mechanically fine and just needs regular maintenance.

 

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