Rust on frame, need opinion

Good price, crazy low miles on this late model Tacoma. They said it was inspected by a Toyota dealership and they said it was just surface rust. They have paperwork from Toyota. I don't trust dealerships so I wanted to know what you guys thought?

I would be buying this to build an overland rig.

Thoughts?

 

I'm no expert but that doesn't look bad. The main problem spot is right we're the rear leaf spring connects to the frame and that looks good. I would take a hammer and test it before I bought it tough.

 

Unfortunately I cant. It's in another state so if I buy this truck its 100% gamble. One owner truck, super low miles. Its the rust that has me worried.

 

If you or pay someone to refinish the frame I'd go for it

 

That get's a big nope from me. That looks terrible.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/frame-restoration-did-it-myself.368199/page-8#post-15444961

 

What state is the truck in? Do you know if it spent any time in the rust belt? What year is the truck? That doesn't look bad for a 20 year old truck

 

Its not just the frame, look at the rust on every nut and bolt. That thing is going to be a pain to do any kind of maintenance

 

Philly, PA. 03. Definitely in the rust belt.

I am considering everything.

So many mixed reviews!

 

Someone definitely did some preventive maintenance on that then. Check this out thread out
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/wheres-them-rusted-frames.497702/page-8#post-15719393

 

But is it good enough to buy and overland? I have seen worse, but I am very skeptical about the whole thing since I cant see it in person and its 100% an internet buy.

 

Sorry man. I'm looking at the same pics you are. See if you can find a third party to inspect it in person for you.

 

Goggle third party vehicle inspection. There are several companies that do it.

 

Frame rust doesn't look bad.
low mileage on a 14 year old truck in philly may mean it's been a stop and go queen.
Issue with that is, most consumers do maintenance on cars based on miles not hours of operation. Idling time needs to be considered with maintenance.

having lived/driven in both NYC and philly for the majority of my life, I wouldn't buy a used car that spent 10+ years in local traffic and local weather.

 

A friend of mine just bought a 95 Tacoma that had snapped in half due to rust. It was a guy's overlanding/travel rig and it broke while he was halfway across the county. He didn't have time to part it out and had to sell it real cheap. Bad for him. Good for my friend. Cautionary tale for you.

 

Stay away from it. Spend your money on one with no rust.

 

Doesn't look bad for a cold weather state truck of this age

Though, I would definitely want to bang on the frame with a hammer, just to be sure.

The critical areas to check are:

where the leaf springs attach to the frame, right behind the cab, as this is usually the first spot where these frames start to rot
Frame rails by the gas tank and catalytic converter, as these are commonly rotten spots on good looking, but rotten frames

Also, poke a finger or something through the square holes on the frames rails to see how much rust chunks and flakes there is in there. If full, not a good sign, but the hammer test is what is really going to tell if the frame is good or not.

Can look okay from the outside, when inside it isn't okay at all.... If buying this truck would be a gamble for you because you can't find anyone to check it for you, you should pass

 

Wow, some parts look like were stored next to Titanic.

 

I'd pass, but I'm a rust phobic. One it starts, it's like a cancer. It's not just the frame, everything looks rusty under there, and I'd be especially cautious with the sprayed over areas.

 

The frame does look solid, I wouldn't worry about that.

But that's a lot of surface rust all over everything down there. I'd hate to have to work on / unbolt anything.