Options For High Mileage 2.7L 2WD MT

Bought new nearly a decade and 205k+ miles ago, my beloved 2015 Tacoma is not long for this world. She lived most her life on the east coast and is the product of that environment: plenty of rust. Clutch is newish (15k miles) and front end suspension newer (<10k miles), but otherwise no major repairs have been needed.

She's been diagnosed with an upper oil pan leak and quoted between $2k and 3k to replace, I'm asking for opinions going forward:

1. Suck it up and pay for the repair, hoping nothing else is a ticking time bomb
2. Pay to install a new engine (again, hoping nothing else major breaks)
3. Some sort of silicone sealant for the oil pan to stall the rust
4. Trade in for something new

 

Oil pan gasket should be a straightforward job, I’d say it’s no way a $2-3k job that’s ridiculous…

I’d find an HONEST shop to do the repair if your not capable or don’t have the time

 

Have you done this job yourself? I hope it isn't one of those situations where the upper oil pan is interlocked with the timing cover and transmission, so book time swells to like 16 hrs...

 

why don’t you buy a tube of silicone and do it

 

I assume you are in the same boat I was - you live in the “rust zone” and the pan rusted through. I replaced mine (2.7L) for right around $1k, parts and labor. The mechanic I used dropped the differential to get the pan out - charged me 7 hours. I also had him replace the differential seals while he had it out (which was extra) but there are guys out there that won’t rip you off.
The first guy I went to hemmed and hawed about the job until I took it someplace else. I’m sure his quote would have been similar to the one you received if I had gone down the road with him. Yeah, it’s a big job but once you find someone who knows what they’re doing, it’s no so bad.

My opinion, keep the truck. Good luck!