1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Update- Found a 2002, how is the condition?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by TheOverlander, Feb 15, 2024.

  1. Feb 15, 2024 at 5:17 AM
    #1
    TheOverlander

    TheOverlander [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2024
    Member:
    #443588
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bobby
    Hey everyone. I’ve found a 2002 Tacoma for sale near me. I’ve attached some some pictures and a video. We are in the northeast so it could be subject to some rust. Just looking for some advice before I go check it out. She has a new bumper she hasn’t put on yet.

    225k miles
    Asking 7k obo

    IMG_1173.png
    IMG_1174.png
    IMG_1175.png
    IMG_1176.png
    IMG_1178.png
     
  2. Feb 15, 2024 at 5:49 AM
    #2
    jrallan26

    jrallan26 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2006
    Member:
    #32
    Messages:
    1,272
    Gender:
    Male
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2004 White D-Cab TRD
    Get a PPI.
     
    RustyNut1996 and ace_10 like this.
  3. Feb 15, 2024 at 6:14 AM
    #3
    545

    545 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2019
    Member:
    #287482
    Messages:
    1,377
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    Vehicle:
    2015 Access Cab
    Everybody knows about rust in the northeast, if they didn’t post any pics of the frame or axles then it’s likely very rusty
     
  4. Feb 15, 2024 at 6:21 AM
    #4
    jrallan26

    jrallan26 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2006
    Member:
    #32
    Messages:
    1,272
    Gender:
    Male
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2004 White D-Cab TRD
    He didn’t even clean it.
     
  5. Feb 15, 2024 at 6:25 AM
    #5
    TobsterStrudel

    TobsterStrudel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2023
    Member:
    #437943
    Messages:
    70
    Gender:
    Male
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    '98 XtraCab 3.4 V6 M/T
    The exterior looks excellent and the interior is fair. The bumper rust spot in the third pic (along with the northeast location) makes me wary, but just bring a flash light, lay down, and take a look at that frame.
    It'd also be worth checking if 4wd still works, it doesn't look like the owner uses it much with that phone mount :thumbsup:.
     
  6. Feb 15, 2024 at 6:40 AM
    #6
    ace_10

    ace_10 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2019
    Member:
    #295584
    Messages:
    1,422
    Rural NoVA
    Vehicle:
    1st Gen, Best Gen X2
    The bumper is very likely the least of the rust concerns on that truck.
     
    TheOverlander[OP] likes this.
  7. Feb 15, 2024 at 6:58 AM
    #7
    02hilux

    02hilux What do you mean there’s no road, I’m here

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    Member:
    #197244
    Messages:
    6,356
    Planet: EARTH
    Excellent? You and I have a very different view and definition of excellent.

    Peeling clear coat on the cab is not excellent. Typically, the clear coat peeling also apply to the hood which leads me to believe the hood been respray because the grille is also painted. A giant softball size rot on driver side fender also. I can only imagine how bad the frame will look since there's no picture.
     
    ace_10 likes this.
  8. Feb 15, 2024 at 9:06 AM
    #8
    beeboptaco

    beeboptaco high schooler

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2023
    Member:
    #430287
    Messages:
    126
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2001 Army Green Tacoma SR5
    We all have rust in the northeast... you can get one in better shape for like 3-4k because they all need work.
     
  9. Feb 15, 2024 at 10:17 AM
    #9
    Tjsingle26

    Tjsingle26 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
    Member:
    #108524
    Messages:
    471
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tom
    PA
    Vehicle:
    03 Tacoma xtra cab 4x4
    Ask for photos of the frame. In and around the front leaf spring mounts is a typical rust issue.
     
    TheOverlander[OP] and ControlCar like this.
  10. Feb 15, 2024 at 11:21 AM
    #10
    Madjik_Man

    Madjik_Man The Rembrandt of Rattle Can

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2009
    Member:
    #26893
    Messages:
    19,742
    Gender:
    Male
    Colorado Front Range
    Vehicle:
    1998 Ext Cab 3.4 4x4 TRD 5MT, 2004 DC 3.4 4x4 TRD
    NJ license plate = rust belt

    need pics/inspection of the frame
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2024
    TheOverlander[OP] likes this.
  11. Feb 15, 2024 at 4:42 PM
    #11
    drr

    drr Primary Prognosticator

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2013
    Member:
    #114681
    Messages:
    2,751
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dan
    Seattle-ish
    Vehicle:
    02 4WD Tacoma
    The hood has a vinyl wrap on it, looks carbon fiber-ish. Clear coat is probably trash on the hood like on the part of the roof you can see. Rust hole all the way through the front bumper you could stick your fist into, doesn’t bode well for frame, control arms, leaf springs, and every nut and bolt under that truck.

    That’s a $3k truck tops.
     
    TheOverlander[OP] likes this.
  12. Feb 15, 2024 at 4:46 PM
    #12
    TheOverlander

    TheOverlander [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2024
    Member:
    #443588
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bobby
    Ok I went to check that one out and it wasn’t that great. I was able to get her down to 5k but I wasn’t really feeling it. I did happen to find another one, and it looks a little better for the same price. It’s about 2 hrs away from me and he says he painted the chassis. Is this something to look out for? Rust on back bumper. I have attached more pictures.
    2003 TRD OR 154k Miles
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Feb 15, 2024 at 5:16 PM
    #13
    02hilux

    02hilux What do you mean there’s no road, I’m here

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    Member:
    #197244
    Messages:
    6,356
    Planet: EARTH
    Paint hide rust, that's it. I would pay close attention to the frame, especially by the spare tire carrier, fuel tank, and leaf spring mount area.
     
  14. Feb 15, 2024 at 6:55 PM
    #14
    Madjik_Man

    Madjik_Man The Rembrandt of Rattle Can

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2009
    Member:
    #26893
    Messages:
    19,742
    Gender:
    Male
    Colorado Front Range
    Vehicle:
    1998 Ext Cab 3.4 4x4 TRD 5MT, 2004 DC 3.4 4x4 TRD
    tons of rust scaling under that paint (on the frame)

    stay away
     
  15. Feb 15, 2024 at 7:03 PM
    #15
    TheOverlander

    TheOverlander [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2024
    Member:
    #443588
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bobby
    That’s what I figured. Gonna take a while to find a good one haha
     
    Madjik_Man and Steves104x4 like this.
  16. Feb 15, 2024 at 7:12 PM
    #16
    4xdog

    4xdog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2018
    Member:
    #253074
    Messages:
    1,201
    Gender:
    Male
    Santa Fe, NM
    Vehicle:
    03 DC TRD OR, 15 DC TRD OR, 08 RX350, 62 TR3B
    Here's a 2004 at the dealer in my small southeastern Ohio home town in hard-core rust-belt territory. I spoke to the young man who'd been driving a brand new Gen 3 Tacoma for some months when he brought this 2004 in for a frame check and they immediately took it off the road for frame replacement. In November 2018 when these photographs were taken this had to be one of the last Gen 1 trucks to go through the "Customer Support Program" (it was never a recall -- that terminology's wrong).

    [​IMG]

    Be sure you check out ANY Northeastern Tacoma very, very carefully. In fact, I'd reject any that didn't have a frame replacement just to be safe.

    Or go southwest. When I replaced my 2001 DC, sold in Illinois originally and with some bed rust but a fine frame, I found the 2003 I have now in Colorado. And my Gen 2 came from Southern California. I'll never buy a midwestern used vehicle again.

    The thing that really did in that red 2004 was this crack -- not just a perforation -- where the frame goes over the rear axle. Yikes. When the techs saw that one they immediately put him in the new Gen 3 loaner.
    [​IMG]

    A few more images.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2024
    TheOverlander[OP] likes this.
  17. Feb 15, 2024 at 7:42 PM
    #17
    TheOverlander

    TheOverlander [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2024
    Member:
    #443588
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bobby
    That’s great advice. I think that’s the move, to get one with the frame replacement, especially in this part of the country. Obviously some of them will need some work and that’s ok. But the frame needs to be in good shape. I have been looking for such a long time and it almost seems hopeless
     
  18. Feb 16, 2024 at 5:01 AM
    #18
    beeboptaco

    beeboptaco high schooler

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2023
    Member:
    #430287
    Messages:
    126
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2001 Army Green Tacoma SR5
    The place to go for the best deals is craigslist, that's where I bought both of mine from. You will have to wait a little while for a really good one to pop up, but they always do.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top