Update- Found a 2002, how is the condition?

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

 

Get a PPI.

 

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

 

He didn’t even clean it.

 

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 .

 

The bumper is very likely the least of the rust concerns on that truck.

 

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.

 

We all have rust in the northeast... you can get one in better shape for like 3-4k because they all need work.

 

Ask for photos of the frame. In and around the front leaf spring mounts is a typical rust issue.

 

NJ license plate = rust belt

need pics/inspection of the frame

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

tons of rust scaling under that paint (on the frame)

stay away

 

That’s what I figured. Gonna take a while to find a good one haha

 

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).



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.


A few more images.

 

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

 

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.