Putting lipstick on a pig :)

I drive a 2007 Tacoma with 171k. 2.7, 4x4, manual. It's been a solid truck. Not perfect, but I still love driving it.

It has cosmetic damage from two accidents and the clear coat is starting to fail on the hood and top. The front painted bumper is also faded. On the bright side, it's mechanically sound. I'm wondering if it makes sense to dump any money into correcting the paint issues? I know there are different options: DIY, wrap or repaint.

I don't have any plans to buy a new truck until I absolutely need to. How long do I realistically have before the clear coat issues cause rust to the point that the truck is basically ruined? Has to be years, right? For what it's worth, I live in central NC.

 

www.monstaliner.com

Pick a color close to yours so the jambs and underhood don't look goofy, DIY and rock on. You can spray or roll.

Wrap is expensive and takes almost the same prep as paint to look good.

Paint is very expensive and takes a lot of prep and application skill to look good. And will have to be redone again before you wear out the truck, assuming you can't keep it inside.

 

If you like the truck and see yourself driving it till the wheels fall off it only makes sense for you to take care of the truck just like it will take care of you. That being said, I would do what ever I could to make the truck both look good and remain mechanically sound all the way up until you couldnt.

 

I tend to agree with you within reason. I doubt I'll fix the body damage to the front fender and bumper. It's minor and not that noticeable. I'll likely price out the cost to repaint the hood and top. Definitely planning to keep it as long as it makes sense.

 

“Mikes4x4garage” on YouTube paints a first gen with this. I would check that out if this is interesting to you because you can see the process beginning to end.

 

Let it rust patina rocks

 

Considering it’s a Tacoma, 171k is relatively low mileage if the truck has been maintained properly. If it were me I would keep it as long as I could, focusing on the mechanics of the truck and not so much the appearance. Maybe experiment with some DIY fixes etc but I wouldn’t sink a lot of money into a new paint job. How’s the frame look?

 

Oh, it's got some patina!

 

The frame looks okay. FWIW, Toyota inspected it a few years ago. Definitely surface rust, but nothing that looks terrible. NC isn't terrible for rusting out frames, but I still wash the undercarriage anytime the roads are treated for snow and ice. I'd say I do a decent job keeping it up mechanically. I could do more, but I maintain the basics - fluids, consumables, etc. The only expensive repair has been a new driveshaft. Other stuff I've repaired/replaced myself - wheel bearings and 4wd actuator. I know it'll need more work down the road, but that's part of owning an older vehicle.

 

Maybe douse the underside frame with Fluid Film. A lot of folks on here swear by it as a protectant, even after some rust has appeared. It’s around $10 a can and you’d probably need 4 or 5 cans. I put a coat on my Ram last fall. So far, so good…