PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

Possible that it is a recovered stolen. Owner had liability insurance only.

 

I'm more impressed with your 360 degree photo work...

 

My first thought was a stolen vehicle taken for a joy ride and then abandoned. But if there are parking tickets on it, the plates should've been ran and they would know it was stolen.

 

For me I like having cruise control just to give my foot a break on long trips. I think its great tool for, as has been said, long periods of flat land. That's where it behaves nicely and I'm sure saves on fuel. Once you start hitting grades is a different story in my opinion. The CC in my Tacoma goes crazy say I've got it set at 70mph and 3/4 up the grade I'm down to 68-69mph, suddenly the truck downshifts and surges until I'm going 70, 72, 73, then I reach the top of the hill and it shifts back up and levels out at 70. This cannot be good for gas mileage, and does not make for a pleasant driving experience. Its worse when pulling a trailer, which I spend many of my miles doing. I have since stopped using cruise control unless its super flat terrain, or my foot wants a quick break. On hills I'm happier on the accelerator, and I'm sure I get better MPG by taking it a bit easier uphill and giving it more on downhills.

HOWEVER, I did install cruise control myself on my Jeep Wrangler and that was great. Easy install, and it made for a great driving experience even on grades, but I think the reason for this was because it was MANUAL. You hit a grade, it stays in whatever gear you had it in. No sudden down or upshifts or surges. It was great. I could even shift down to 5th if I wanted to if the grade was too much (its not hard to find grades that are too much for a jeep) and it would hold steady speed, increase RPMs of course, but did it in a smoother way than the Tacoma seems to. I doubt this is a Jeep/ Toyota thing as I think toyotas quality has exceeded the Jeeps a noticeable amount, I just think its an auto/ manual thing.

That said I talked to a guy with a first gen Tundra automatic at one of my shows he said his did the same thing. I have driven full size vans for shows in the past though (GMC savana 2500, Ford E-350) and even when fully loaded their CC with automatic trans behaved as it should. So who knows maybe it is something Toyota could work on.

In any case I say if you want it, install it, its nice...sometimes. I see you live in PA, I've driven from Philly to Northeast Ohio....and did not use cruise control. The mountains in PA were too much to make it enjoyable in CC while pulling a trailer especially.

Maybe they've improved the cruise control computer since 2009 anyways, who knows.

 

The first second gen to have the body rust out before the frame!!

 

No problems at all in my first 4.5 years of ownership.

 

sweet ride.....

 

Part that's weird to me is that someone would be charged $1,200 for a master cylinder.

 

But hey the truck still started I bet.

 

I hate to hear of all the issues. This is my first Toyota and my first truck at the ripe old age of 47, always been a sports car guy, 3 camaros, 2 RX7's, 1 350z and a turbo civic. I've always done my own work and hope I can adapt to my truck quickly and resolve most of it on my own. I have always heard that the toyota trucks are strong and that was my main point of buying one.

 

One time I suspected the MC to be going out on my wife's 4Runner. The cheapest I could find a USED unit for was around $700. Luckily I didn't need it.

 

I think what amazes me more is that you took the time to create a thread for a "moderately" damaged truck. Hell, a painters van/vehicle looks 10x worse

 

Completely disagree. Been in the trades for 10 years and on my second toyota now. First toy sas'd 3 link 92 with a 3.4L that got wheeled hard and clean for work Monday. Always spotless inside and well taken care of outside. All wrenching and most the fabing done myself. I thinking being a "construction guy" just counted for me being able to pic up the correct tools and get shit done right rather than just talk about it.

 

LoL, go yank the fender flares off of it and I will buy them from you!

 

I've got a few years on you, but my trucks are organized, clean and maintained better than most personal vehicles. Pride in ownership, efficiency and a desire to maintain a professional look and not look like a slob/hack are part of the reason why. Take pride in your work and your tools no matter what you do.

 

I've been in construction business for 10 years. Painting, roof, siding hard plank, granite, etc.The truck posted by op is just like any other truck used in construction I've seen almost every day for the past 10 years... some way worse then that.

 

That's horrrible. I've got a truck in my yard that I drove for 10+ years(since new) and there is absolutely ZERO body damage on it. You could eat off the dash it's so clean inside. I used a sun shade religiously.

 

funny part is the damage could be from pulling in n out of a garage.

 

Maybe that person bought it dirt cheap and is planning to fix it up.

 

I'd buy a slightly damaged Tacoma dirt cheap and fix it up to drive...