How much is a Tacoma worth?

Okay so I’ve been looking at Tacoma’s for over a year now ranging from $3k to $15k and I swear I’ve seen some absolute disasters and every seller is convinced their truck is gold. Always hearing “well it’s a 20 year old truck” as their argument for anything good or bad. My brain hurts and nothing makes sense (yay inflation). So I wanna know what you fine people think! Forget inflation, imagine it’s a normal market and your buying a relatively normal truck with no major upgrades (suspension, tires, bumpers, etc.) For every $1k you spend starting at $1,000 and going up to $15,000, what do you expect to see? From interior to frame, down to the mileage. (Assume all have clean titles for simplicity sake)

 

A Tacoma is worth whatever someone is willing to pay.

They've always fetched a premium, regardless of supply, market, covid, etc.

Some people see a benefit in an older truck that is compact, reliable, and cheap enough to buy without really having to break the bank.

Then there are those that'd rather drive a Ford Ranger, Nissan Hardbody, etc.

Not everyone thinks Tacoma's are worth their weight in gold. Just the ones that don't sell as they're priced stupidly high which means they remain listed for a long time; long enough for you to run into at some point and think "wow that's a lot"

 

It all depends just how far the Tacoma Lust has the claws in you!!

I paid $400.00 for my 2000 3.4 5 Speed 4x4 and drove it the 100 miles home.@ 250,000 miles Original Timing Belt. Huge Rodent Nest under the seat.

We all look for different things. In what we find value in. Cab and Bed as long as it is all there every piece could be a different color would not effect the price I pay.

I am 100% into the drive train everything works. No major fluid puddles .

It comes down to just how bad you want that Tacoma.

 

Bought my truck in '13 for 7,500. Replaced brakes, front axles, injectors, FPR, 2 tune ups, 1 leaf spring, lower control arms, body and rack bushings, shocks/struts (upgraded), blower motor, radiator, have done the timing belt twice, replaced the cats, and replaced the clutch. Aside from gas, tires, and insurance, I total don't think I spent more than 12k for this truck (I do work myself and always worked in a parts store). I got well more than my money's worth out of it. If I sell it, I will probably put it up for 10-13k. Maintained, they are more than worth it.

 

I look for proper maintenance on all fluids and parts and oem. You start to see autozone junk on it the its a chevy in toyota clothing. Toyotas will for the most part hold ther values more than a ranger or a colorado.

 

Lol, @Bivouac you didn’t get rid of the rodent nest under the seat before the drive home? Didn’t it stink something awful? I’ve been dealing with rodents burrowing and making nests in hot tubs for almost fifteen years now and it still grosses me out every time when their stench hits my nose. Nasty sumbitches.

 

This is a super easy question to answer.

I've seen em all the way from free - that is u haul away....

All the way up to $47,000 for '97 with 82 miles on it on ebay......

You got to realize these are quarter century old.....alot of things can happen in that time....

Toyota parts, the real ones, are expensive, these trucks can get into dis-repair due to neglect and weather fairly soon. Buying a truck is kinda like buying a horse, what does a horse costs?

Other than condition, and number of doors on truck, where u live is gonna be one of the biggest factors, next would be which market u search.
With facebook being most favorable price wise, but u may get robbed too, even with backup......

So, yeah.....the ones that have been kept up their owners are like proud parents...and have a fair amount of money invested...

The classifiers here would be a good bet, but might take some time and traveling..
Also running a WTB ad would not be a bad ideal, let others bring deals, might find a dad just gone in a nurse home...the kids want a 2022, not dad's old thing....
The ubber important thing is find one with a good frame, a repainted frame or ANY new part is a flashing red light.

Mine....I paid 2K for a '98 2.4L, rwd AT.......replace everything on the truck u can for about 8k - motor/heads, all new fluid lines, cylinders/caliphers, headers/cat, exhuast, control arms, ties, ball joints, universals, global bushings everywhere, over size raditator, everything but rack, tranny , and diff..... so now got about $10k in something thats now got 8k miles on it....original had the 2.7 with the far too common dreaded head gasket failure...reason only paid $2k...bought it with intention to swap engine...but still got over 2yrs out of old white smokey.....with Barr's......

Most idiots dont realize that brake fluid is only good for 36 mos, then it starts causing damge, the power steering fluid, coolant, atf, and differential are not far behind....so careful you dont end up with one with everything being shot...
Fluid hoses decay from inside out - the damage is hidden from trash in the fluid.....until a leak or noise appears....
To pay little more for someone that has baby'd it, may not be a bad thing.....

..think the pink coolant is causing premature head gasket failure - its highly reactive to other substances - like gaskets....think it protects aluminum by coating it with a red slime...thats the reason you cannot use red in the champion radiators....and damn sure dont run low on coolant with that coating on everything....what a recipe for disaster.....it took MANY flush cycles to get that crap out...plain old hot water wouldnt do it......would not touch with a ten foot pole......
Reason why a bunch of these blow the dreaded 'White smoke'.... also denso radiatiors fail on a reg basis....right at the crimp.....Red combined with aluminun expanding/contracting is whats causing mechanical/chemical/heat shearing, right at the seams......

just use the green/yellow and change every other year....dont want to try save money here, that's stupid.....
Shame on you toyota........its like that tranny fluid good for life in new toyotas, so dont need a dip stick, or change it....crazy

 

No not at all to me the Rodent smell reminds me of home.

It smells good to me I find Cigarette smoke and stale beer far worse.

If I need to pull the seat out I most likely clean it out

 

Best advice I can give is buy it from someone you know or your family knows. I've been blessed. Just 2 years ago I gave my son my 2000 Toyota Solara which I bought used for 6 grand at 99000 miles. Had 225 miles when I gave it to him. Nothing major done to it. Fantastic car. Now have a Tacoma bought from my son's wife's girlfriend her father bought after an accident in a small car in college. It's a 2007 that had 97000 miles. She took it to the dealership for service always. They sold it to us for what the dealer was going to give them. $9000 trade in.I looked up what they were selling for and it was $16000. TOYOTA'S FOR LIFE FOR US.

 

I bought my 2002 SR5 Pre Runner crew cab from the original owner in 2016 It had only 53k original miles on it and is a Socal truck . the interior is mint and so is the original impulse red pearl paint . The 4cyl has a dealer installed black case TRD supercharger . It also has a 2" Rancho suspension lift

I bought it for $11k 6 years ago and currently now has 81k miles on it . I've done all the maintenance on it and have put new tires and wheels . Since moving to Tennessee a year ago I've had numerous people asking if it's for sale . My response has always been anything is for sale for the right price . I've been offered $11k and well over that price for it numerous times but won't sell it !!

 

Nice.

 

I thinking about new wheels and tires shortly. I have stock steel wheels and tires on my 2007. What size wheels and tires did you go with ?

 

265 /75R-16 Toyo mud terrains mounted on Method racing 301's 16x8 wheels

 

Great. Thanks.

 

My opinion:
--V6 2x4 Access Cab--
1) 1st gen Tacoma @100k miles -- ~$6500
2) 2nd gen Tacoma @ 100k miles -- ~$13000
3) 3rd gen Tacoma @ 90k miles -- ~$20000

 

CURRENT SALES 03 TACOMA
Used 2003 Toyota Tacoma for Sale Near Me | Cars.com

 

I am glad this worked for you !!

I see far more that went the other way friends and family no longer even speaking to each other even as far as couples breaking up.

Then bring up the story every time they see each other for 30 years.

Most times something the seller was not even aware of something dumb the buyer did.

 

Downvote lol

 

That's fair I get it. Hahaha.

 

This doesn’t contribute much to your original post but jokingly, I have one of the more expensive Tacomas. Model, miles, condition aren’t a factor here. I helped my grandfather rebuild it 18 years ago and he recently gifted it to me. While no one would offer me $20k for an 02 Access Cab V6 5-speed, I’m not sure I would even take it, too many memories wrapped up in it.

Good luck on your search. I’m loving driving around the Taco!