Secondary Vehicle - How to maximize lifespan of my Taco

Reading ops post makes me think.... and by “think” a lot of people might disagree with me.... Op should just lease the vehicle.

Reason 1
Driving less than 14,000 km year.
Reason 2
Paying double insurance over the year for both vehicles. $$$$$$
Reason 3
Paying double vehicle maintenance check ups / double sets of winter - summer tires for both vehicles $$$$$
Reason 4
Didn’t say he was going to modify it.
This would be a very small reason compared to first three.
Reason 5
It’s quebec lol j/k but when you’re talking about worrying about salt and frame. $$$$ and time to fight it.

Yup Op already owns truck now. Just drive it and enjoy it. Sell it in 5 years and buy a new one to fall in love with again!

 

I do the opposite. I have my 1995 VW Cabrio in storage. I put a battery tender on it, treat the gas & call my insurance putting it in storage mode through USAA. I don't cover it because I don't want to encourage any squatters. We also do this with our sleds in the Spring time same method.


PS I see your out of Quebec City. We ride out of Four Points Sheraton a lot in Winter Time for our 6 day trips & visit the ice hotel!!

 

I store my car over the Winter, do an oil change, wash and wax, Stabil in the fuel tank, throw a couple Bounce dryer sheets to keep the mice away, and I start it once a month and let it run to operating temperature to keep the battery up and burn off any moisture.

 

Definitely makes good sense. However I've wanted a manual truck for weekend / summer trips for many years. I live small and don't mind paying 2.5k a year for 20 years (total price of truck was 50k) to have an adventure mobile. Due to work I can always take advantage of cheap housing which means dirt cheap rent (basically your property tax + energy bill). Over the years I've saved up a shitload of cash living small with cheap rent. I've noticed that road trip vacations are very sustainable. With my Golf TDI the biggest concern was accommodation (legal...). Camping has become a shakedown and with a Taco you can pretty much pull over anywhere and not get in too much shit. I find the moment you pass through an airport your wallet is going to go for a ride. Taxi, food, accommodations etc. How many people on this forum have spent more than 2.5k on a vacay? Insurance costs an additional $1200 a year (w registration). Same question, who on this forum has spent more than 3.7k on a vacation? If not... who takes more than one vacation a year?

I get why people think it is crazy to have a second car, because they think I drive it to a Holiday Inn and incur the same costs as if I were to fly. No my friends! The Taco is a mobile supply chain, keeps logistics simple and allows you to control costs. It is definitely a huge luxury, but in 20 years I plan on telling good dirtbag stories. Hopefully I can drive her to Alaska and climb something of epic proportions. Time will tell!

 

Haha I’m in Vancouver - ICBC (insurance) wants $2000/ year for my truck with a 43% discount. $2000x20 years... it’s not worth a second vehicle. Wife’s 2015 Golf they want $1900/ year.

On top of that trucks drop ~2k a year value...

Damn we are slaves to the car gods!

 

Ouch... if I move to a province which charges a gazillion dollars for two cars then I will re-evaluate.
I would most likely alternate, drive the TDI in the salty shitty conditions and keep the Taco for the summer adventure.

 

Are you running a car museum or driving it? Cars used to last because they were simple, but you are fighting the 2nd law of thermodynamics: Entropy tends to increase, and it’s worse for more complex systems. If you want to keep it longer than 20 years, you will need to stock up on spare parts that simply will not be available anymore, such as a backup head unit, emissions sensors and other “perishable” parts. Also, I wonder if the cost of insurance for non-collision avoiding system vehicles and the cost of gasoline will shut you down in 20+years? I’d like to keep mine too, but I think it will have too many miles on it before 2037. We sold our 1985 Toyota truck in 2005 since we found that it had become obsolete for us and keeping it would have been silly since we started a family. It lasted and was nice when we sold it because it was a simple, pure 4wd truck. So much has changed, even since 2005.

Sounds like you will have a very clean Tacoma to resell when you part with it, it will be worth a lot, but plan on either keeping it mint, or sell it before it is too obsolete to drive.

 

I keep my daily driver 2006 Honda because if I sold it I would be lucky to get $4k for it after dealing with tons of low-ballers online. It only has 115k miles on it and will likely last me another 10 years if I keep it that long. I don't need the money and I likely would never find as good of a vehicle for the same price to last me as long. I've had it for nearly 7 years now and take care of it, regularly changing fluids with no mechanical issues at all. Its been a great car.

 

I only read a few of the responses but I have a Honda Civic as my daily... I drive it 100 miles a day round trip to work. My taco sits in the garage and I drive it on weekends and anytime I “need” a truck - hunting, hauling or wheeling etc... I still change the oil every 5k. The Tacomas like to be driven for sure but just resting it on your work commute alone will maximize the life of your truck. Enjoy!

 

Hey OP...
Storing her outside all winter and not moving her is not a great idea.... But if you have to, here's what I'd do...
......Rust spray by Krown or Corrosion Free....
......Battery "Maintainer".....
......Mouse/squirrel protection... (spray yer wires with Rust Check to keep them from eating them)..
......No plastic cover..... must have good air flow....! A high plastic tarp over is good (car port). No sun then.
......Fill gas tank....stabilizer also...
......Start her once per month and let her warm up all the way...(do this while you're out blowing the driveway).
......Keep an eye on the critters....don't let them move in.... (traps are good)..!
......Inside heated storage a HUGE no-no....

Good luck