Tacoma Purchase

Hello all, I am new here.

I am going tomorrow to look at and possibly purchase this 2005 Tacoma. My work truck is a Tacoma and I love it so am getting my own. Just wondering what specific things you all look for when inspecting one before purchase. Maybe some things that the dealer could hide.

I have attached some pics to show. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

Climb under it and check out the frame for signs of rust. Take a small hammer and a screwdriver with you to poke around with. Pop the hood and pull that dipstick. I’m sure there are plenty of people that know a lot more than I do that can chime in.

 

That being an 05, check carfax to see if the head gasket has been done. A decent lot of 05-06s had head gasket issues. Also check the frame near the catalytic converters with a hammer something solid. Don't rush to buy it because it's a Tacoma. There are plenty of trucks out there to choose from.

 

The frame is #1 to inspect closely if it's ever lived in salt country.

It's always helpful to say where you are, where a vehicle is. Miles, service records and price are relevant too

 

Don't be very afraid of a little surface rust here and there and especially on the welds and what not. You're going to be looking for rot. These trucks like to rot out where the frame rails are boxed towards the front end right next to the cats.

 

case in point.

this is bad.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2006-taco-rusty-frame.823313/

 

For $10k you even get an Air bag light and a Brake light on.
Hell no.......Run

https://nextgearautosales.org/inventory/view/18265274/2005-Toyota-Tacoma-Double-141

 

Welcome to TW.

 

cool. thanks for all the quick replies.

from what i have researching about these trucks, the frame seems like the biggest problem. It is central Indiana and here is the specs below with more pics.



As far as the head gasket issue, what would I look for there? have attached some pics and the specs.

 

Nope. It's a 2005, that's bad enough.
See my post above too.
Anything more than $7k is risky......Not me.

 

Frame looks fine from what's seen but it doesn't show the problem areas I mentioned. For gaskets you'd need to run the VIN through carfax to see if it has been replaced. Or check for milk in the coolant and oil.

Personally for the year and knowing the known issue, I'd avoid it and go with an 07+

 

I see you found out where it is.

Doesn't all the lights come on when you first turn the key on? Maybe that's when they took the picture?

I agree, if those lights stay on all the time then yes that will be a big issue.

 

Yes but for 1, you can see the RPM is at idle and has been for a while due to the temp gauge and for 2, those aren't all the dash lights.

 

see. that's why i joined this forum for experienced people telling me the truth about stuff. I think i will keep looking for one...thanks

 

On mine. Only the air bag light stays on for about 3 seconds.
The brake light does not.

I just went and checked.

 

My work truck is out in the drive. It is a 2010 Tacoma. was thinking about going out and seeing how the dash lights act, but wasn't sure since it is 5 years newer if they act would be the same.

well, damn..i appreciate you checking on that. I am too cheap to pay for a Carfax report since the dealer isn't offering one on their site.

I think i will pass on this one for now. I have been looking for a few weeks now for the right one. Had one lined up 3 hours away from me but they sold the damn thing out from under me.

 

Just be patient. The right one will come

 

the unforunate reality is that the 'toyota tax' is real, and the previous link i posted of the truck with significant frame rust issues would very likely be posted by most dealers for $5-7k.

personally, the situation you're in, looking over these trucks was the exact scenario that led me to purchasing a used ford ranger for $3k temporarily for a few years for truck duties until i could set up my finances for the truck i wanted. in my own search, most toyota's don't fall below $10,000 until they have significant defects in terms of rust, maintenance, or dents and dings. ford's don't have such a resale markup. fortunately, my dad had a used ranger for a while after getting too good of a deal on it, which gave me significant experience with their reliability--it's just as good as toyota's, but being a domestic product, suffers from lowered resale pricing.

but generally, most used vehicles more than 5-8 years old generally start to require significant maintenance that the previous owner defers because they start to intend to get rid of it. so in the price point, and vehicle age you're looking at, honestly, ALL vehicles are going to have some sort of defect that will require attention very soon.

the ranger that i previously mentioned? it was only $3k. but the battery was bad, the bed was rotted out off the front mounts, a rear spring perch rotted away, the tires hadn't been changed in 10 years and were cracking/chunking, as were the brakes, and a year afterwards a front wheel sensor went out causing ABS to be inoperable, as well as the front suspension bushings were wearing out-- i replaced the entire front suspension, and both wheel bearings. in total, my '$3k ranger' ended up costing me somewhere near $7-10k in deferred and otherwise needed maintenance by the time i sold it 3 years later. but other than the wheel sensor, it never left me stranded, and was every bit as reliable as any toyota tacoma. it just wasn't what i really wanted.

depending on your situation, things like the lights on the dash can be a great thing as a buyer-- they can represent a potential haggling point for a price reduction, if you're at all interested. the biggest question mark here is 'why' those lights are on. the other critical aspect is any service records you can dig up on the vehicle. service records indicate the aptitude of the previous owner, and the desire to keep it in good condition. a minimal or lack of service records indicates a lapse of service, which can mean significant costs in catching up on all the undocumented service interval work that wasn't performed up to the vehicles present age.

you would require an airbag-capable OBD code reader, which i would highly recommend you pick up anyways, as it will read engine codes on any vehicle made after 1996-to-present. it can be highly valuable when looking at used vehicles to find out unscrupulous dealers that either disable or turn off service engine lights instead of replacing faulty sensors, as well as give indications like in the case of this truck as to what error message is causing the lights to illuminate. it could be as simple as a wheel sensor, or as complex as a faulty airbag.

it would really be up to you, once you read the code, to determine the approximate cost of the repair, and if you and the dealer can come to an agreement with discounting the cost of the repair and the hassle of such a repair when factored into the purchase price. some will discount because they want to move it off their lot, some won't budge.

but something to also consider is that even with the known issue, it might still be in better mechanical condition than others you've looked at, justifying the price even with the work required.

used cars suck, especially 20-year-old used cars. it's important to go into it with an open mind, and be willing to accept defects just as much as it's important to be able to walk away if it's above your level of acceptance and capability(mechanically, or financially). it's extremely rare that any 20 year old vehicle will ever be a turn-key purchase.

 

This is a longshot, but if you google Toyota dealer service records and create an account, enter the vin and it will show every service performed at a dealership. I was lucky, the previous owner of the one I got had everything done at the dealership. I ended up with 20 some pages of records.

Dude even had his cabin air filters changed on a schedule.

 

I started looking during covid and finally scored June of this year.