New to the Forum, need some advice

I have owned my Tacoma since 2015, it is a 2010 manual 4wd truck.
I was thnking of trading it in for a new Tacoma truck but this truck has
what I need and like, many newer ones I see have extended or crew cab,
now turbo engines, harder to find a manual one. The truck has 110,000 miles
there is no body rust. But it needs work for taking the long trips to Canada to visit
family. From my eye (I am not a mechanic and not a truck expert). Needs a new rear
bumper, the current one is very rusted. I am sure the underneath needs to have rust issues
addressed. Some interior things need to be fixed, like air conditioning. I am debating to
find someone to overhaul the truck, check engine, replace worn out parts etc. or to buy a newer
truck. I really like my current 2010 tacoma, but I not sure if and who could repair it and get
it to be a better version of its current self. Thanks for taking the time to read this. RK

 

This might belong in the 2nd gen Tacoma's section of the forum. 2016 on is 3rd gen.

The first thing you should do is take a bunch of good photos of your frame and post them on here. If your bumper is rusty and needs replacing, good chance your frame is beyond repair. Take photos of the main frame rails, front suspension components, including where they mount, and very importantly around where your leaf springs and rear shocks mount to the frame.

 

My opinion:

• Keep the 2010 as your beater truck and only spend what it needs to be safely and reliably on the road. Quit investing in a rusted out lost cause!
• Buy yourself something newer that can handle those family trips to the great white north.

But then again, what the hell do I know!

 

My advice is to have the frame inspected. If the bumper needs replaced due to rust issues, the frame is probably toast too. Tacomas are well known with their frame issues. The truck may not be worth keeping if the frame is toast.

 

My rear bumper was pretty rusty where debris from the tires slipped past the mudflaps and chipped off the factory paint. The metal had plenty of life. Surface rust isn't a big deal. If the metal is getting puffy and falling (or can be pulled) off in flakes and chunks, that's another story. But surface rust can be cleaned up and painted over. A good primer and then bed liner paint works well and can be sprayed on in the driveway. The same may be possible with the frame, again depending on how bad it is. I spray my frame quie often to slow the rust cancer.

What mechanical issues need to be addressed for longer trips. Do you know there are issues, or just assume so because of the age of the truck? I put about 20K miles on my 2012 manual taco each year, and very little of the work I've done to it was actually necessary. These things are reliable.

 

Dear Tacoma Friends, Great advice I will act on things suggested. rk