Reliability of a first generation tacoma

We have a 03 1st gen and 11 2nd gen Tacoma, a 07 FJ Cruiser and a 14 Landcruiser. I just sold a 85 Landcruiser that was a tank. All combined have taken less stop you from driving maintenance than my Cummins Ram and it has been pretty decent for a 1 ton diesel. Simply put a well maintained Toyota just can't be beat for durability. If they would make a diesel big enough to move my cows I wouldn't have anything else in the driveway. A well taken care of 1st gen Tacoma will provide many, many miles and use. Even Toyotas need proper maintenance but that said I drive the 1st gen Tacoma every day as my personal daily/hunting/farm truck and don't see that changing for many years.

 

My 1st gen had 200k when I bought it a year ago; it's up to 230K now. Had no qualms about buying it, and no regrets now. It's been utterly, boringly predictable, as was the last Toyota truck I owned, a '96 4runner which had been in the family since new. With any older vehicle, it's wise to factor in that you'll probably have to play some catch up on wear items, but that predictability is definitely something I've grown to appreciate about Toyotas. 2nd gen body style doesn't appeal to me as much, but again - I'd have no qualms about the reliability whatsoever.

 

I bought a 2001 PreRunner with the 3.4 V6 back in 2015. It had 90k miles on it and now has about 123,000. I agree whole heartedly, if maintained by the previous owner, it should give you very little trouble if any outside of regular upkeep. And in fact I did drive mine from Sacramento CA all the way to Vermont and back (about 6,000 miles total) over a four month period. Truck gave me zero problems.

 

I traded from a 13 to the 04 and so far so good. I like the first gen for the compact size easier to work on. Certainly would consider a second gen for future mostly for the larger engine and availability of after market parts. Add on's are out there but fairly limited for options

 

It’s all about the maintenance from the owner,
Payed off this truck in 2000 no truck payments in the last 18 years,
Can’t beat that!!!
And doesn’t matter how many miles I drive it doesn’t depreciate in value

 

It's a tossup, I've owned both and never had any major problems with either. It all depends on how well it's taken care of by the owner!

 

One think to remember is the newer tacomas have LOTS of electrical stuff.
Stuff that the regular joe can’t work on.

I can say that from first hand experience from my brother is that his 2007
Tacoma with 60.000 Miles had a problem with the anti theft immobilizer, left him stuck out on a vacation trip and truck would not start in the middle of no where at a gas station and had to fly home.
Spent 4500 with two different dealers replacing ECU, every Immobilizer part
from wires to antenna to the engine ECU and the immobilizer ECU etc.
The truck was only fixed in the sense that it started and ran, but once or twice a month it
would not start after it was driven like at a gas station after fill up.
Two different dealers could not find the problem so he had no choice but to trade it off.

I have seen a lot of posts on the newer trucks that have had lots of problems just getting wet in streams of water and shutting them down too

Water issues with newer tacomas
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/went-through-water-now-issues.544547/