Input on whether to keep it or get rid of it.

Howdy ya’ll,

I can use some insight and I’m just about past my breaking point. I could use some of your input to gain a better sense of reality with where I’m at and to get a clearer picture.

I bought my 2005 4WD 4cyl Tacoma 2 years the end of May (May 2019). It is currently in the shop againnnnnn, one of which is pushing my total investment into this Tacoma to $10,000. I bought this Tacoma for about $9,000.

It’s a New York based vehicle with a new frame, but has been in Utah since the new frame was replaced.

I’m not exactly sure where to go from here. Toyota people I know are saying stick it out cause it’ll balance out again, buuuut it sure ain’t.

Every time I’m about to head out of town, something with Tacoma pops up. Buuut in it’s defense I put roughly 23,000 miles on it during COVID going on road trips. The engine replacement was from something hitting my radiator.

I bought it with 188,000 miles on it and it now has 224,000 miles on it. Below is the investment I had to put into this piece of shit.

1. Upper control arm with a bunch of bushings @188,000.
2. All new front brakes at 189,000.
3. New timing chain with water pump and bunch of other shit @190,000.
4. New shifter gasket at @195,000.
5. New radiator @215,000.
6. Replacement engine (60,000 mile), new alternator, gaskets and new clutch and everything at 220,000.
7. New power steering rack and hoses at 222,000 miles.
8. Left rear wheel bearing due to axle wheel leak at 224,000.

I’ve left out a few other repairs here and there. Looking back, I know that I could have sacked up and done the repairs myself. Seized brake lines get me nervous.

I already told myself I was done with dealership prices, but even after going to a local shop I’m telling myself the same thing haha.

What are your thoughts on this? If I paint a clear enough picture.

 

Keep it. The repairs you've listed off are some of the more major ones that can/do occur, but only occur typically after high mileage/wear. Those expenses should be behind you now, for the life of the truck as you'll know it.

Any used vehicle will go through a "nickle & dime" phase, but seriously, it will get better. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. You got this.

 

Aside from the engine which as you said had a external cause. All the rest of the stuff you listed is just normal old vehicle stuff. I personally wouldn't put that down as it being unreliable but just the fact of life when owning and older and high mileage vehicle.

 

It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind, by calling it a POS.

But what would you rather? A new car payment and maybe a shop bill, or no car payment and maybe a shop bill?

Mechanical things do break/wear out even on new vehicles.

 

If I'm reading this right you paid $9,000 for the truck and have spent $10,000 on repairs for a total investment of $19,000?

IMO you made the choice with the new engine. I'd have sold it rather than replace the engine. But at this point I think I'd have to ride it out a little longer, but not much. Drive it a few months and see what happens. Any more issues and it would be gone.

I know a lot of folks advise keeping them forever. But you reach a point where it's cheaper to pay the bank than the garage. I like to keep one till its 10 years old, sell it, get 1/2 of my money back and let the next guy pay for all of the repairs. You were the next guy in this case.

 

Thats what caused me to throw in the towel on my old Mazda and buy my tacoma. Every other month something on it broke. Seemed like every week or two it needed another $150. I already had 2.5-4k in it and was easily looking at another 1k and still have a truck that couldn't tow my car. Plus fords parts departments suck shit

 

You bought a used truck with 188k.....The previous owner got rid of it for a reason. You are investing in a no win situation.

 

Keep it, you practically have a new driveline in the truck.

 

You gotta pay to play. You bought a Tacoma with almost 200k on it. Obviously it’s going to need some work. Your upset about having to put some money into it then something happens and take a out the motor and your upset about that. If you don’t like putting money into a used vehicle perhaps buying or leasing a new one for you is a better fit.

 

I’d say keep it if your halfway mechanicaly inclined and have a space to work on it some, about half of those repairs aren’t to bad to DIY and try to repair it yourself, watch some YouTube tutorials about the repairs, your trucks getting on up there in miles, if you have to pay a shop to fix everything it’ll break your wallet.
Or if you don’t like working on cars maybe time to trade it in

 

I appreciate the feedback you guys! Even the ones that come with criticism. It doesn’t help that I had to go in 2 separate times for them to discover the timing chain issue and 3 other times for them to discover the warped head from the over heating and 3 other times for the power steering leak.

Calling it a POS is due out of frustration, but I really like the Tacoma and it has done really great things for me.

My comprehensive paid for the engine replacement and new clutch being that something damaged my radiator.

That is the main reason I’ve held onto this.

And it’s kind of a mind f*ck when you do one repair and be like “okayyy, that’s it”.

This is definitely a learning experience and I’ve definitely made this much harder then what it needs to be.

I’m coming from a 2007 Honda Civic that went off the lot brand new to being totaled from getting rear ended in 2019. One that had only an airbag recall and a wheel bearing replacement that waa covered under warranty. A 12 year old vehicle with over 200,000 miles on it with that repair history put me in a unrealistic, absurd comparison to an older east coast vehicle.

 

I love working on cars and learning more about these things. You’re right, tons of resources out there I can use.

Rather than throw in the towel it’s better I see these things all the way through.

 

Geesshhh you night want to find another shop.

Anyway, repairs do suck most the time no matter what. I get it’s frustrating. In the end you’ll be paying one way or the other. Paying the bank or paying the shop. Like my man said, gotta pay to play.

 

Seems you’ve done most the major stuff already!!
How are the cab corners?
Body rust, interior etc?
Do you like the truck?
Post some pics!
Engine bay, exterior, underside, whatever you can get a pic of!
The previous owner may have neglected it but it seems you’ve made up for most of that already?
What is the book value for it where you are?
These trucks have been going up in value and with what’s been done would sell quick I’d think.
Maybe not for 20k at a 1/4 million miles but will still get good money!
Gotta find a local shop for stuff you don’t feel comfortable doing and do what you can yourself of course this site is a freakin amazing way to do diy!

 

Haha oh I did! The local shop I trust and like is one that all the locals love to go to. They are usually booked out a week and a half.

As weird as it sounds, hearing that you gotta pay to play helps things ring true!

I appreciate your input! And I think you’re right about this stuff.

It’s funny to look in the engine bay cause there is this clean nice 2015 4cyl engine in there surrounded by some older stuff.
Everything is good, I cleaned out a bunch of rust from the rocker panels, which I’ll at some point need to get some welding done.

 

Here’s a few I do have.

 

Do you know the mileage on the 2015 engine?

 

Just sold my 03 Accord with 312,000 miles for the same reason that you’re experiencing. Was never so happy to get rid of a car. I bought it New in 02, and never had a car payment since 07. But in the last 2 years I had to put close to $3,000 in it. I sold it for $1,000 with a check engine light on and a broken driver window motor. Right before I sold it, I bought my first truck, a 13 Tacoma Limited double cab with 98,000 miles. My best advice to you is sell...it’s not worth it anymore, if it ever was. Best wishes.

 

62,000 on that bad boy.

 

IMHO, the only thing that kills them is rust; i live in Maine. I'd have kept my GEN 1 MT 4 banger which had a new frame and 200k but I needed to do 5k worth of replacing all the other stuff in the rear to pass inspection. So now its a woods truck, still pushing a plow and in and out of low low on the original tranny. New owner may put her on the road, but he has full body work skills and a shop. I really like the simplicity and size of the Gen 1. As others have noted, you basically have a new truck ready for another 100.