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

What should I buy

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by ZRTX, Jan 12, 2020.

?

Which one?

  1. 1st gen regular cab

    54.1%
  2. 2nd gen

    45.9%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Jan 12, 2020 at 7:53 AM
    #1
    ZRTX

    ZRTX [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    Member:
    #290210
    Messages:
    163
    Gender:
    Male
    Des Moines Iowa
    I found a v6 regular cab manual tacoma that has 180k miles and is being sold for 8k but I found a 2nd gen regular cab tacoma with 140k miles for 13k and I would like to know what to buy because I'm kind of new to Tacomas.
     
    Taco critter likes this.
  2. Jan 12, 2020 at 7:56 AM
    #2
    BINK05TRD

    BINK05TRD Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2012
    Member:
    #73203
    Messages:
    2,596
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    TRD OR AC SILVERSKY 15
    What year is the gen 2 ?
    How’s the frame on either ?
    More info will help peeps help you decide.
     
  3. Jan 12, 2020 at 8:02 AM
    #3
    ZRTX

    ZRTX [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    Member:
    #290210
    Messages:
    163
    Gender:
    Male
    Des Moines Iowa
    2nd gen is a 14 both have little to no rust
     
  4. Jan 12, 2020 at 8:08 AM
    #4
    BINK05TRD

    BINK05TRD Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2012
    Member:
    #73203
    Messages:
    2,596
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    TRD OR AC SILVERSKY 15
    4x4 ?
    How about links to these rigs ?
     
    Black DOG Lila likes this.
  5. Jan 12, 2020 at 8:20 AM
    #5
    ZRTX

    ZRTX [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    Member:
    #290210
    Messages:
    163
    Gender:
    Male
    Des Moines Iowa
    Yes both are 4x4, idk about the links
     
  6. Jan 12, 2020 at 8:33 AM
    #6
    ace_10

    ace_10 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2019
    Member:
    #295584
    Messages:
    638
    Rural NoVA
    Vehicle:
    1st Gen, Best Gen X2
    You're going to base a many $K purchasing decision on an internet forum poll?

    Have you driven both? They're not very similar, IMO.
     
  7. Jan 12, 2020 at 8:58 AM
    #7
    Fuergrissa

    Fuergrissa If you build it, trails will come.

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2013
    Member:
    #94858
    Messages:
    2,063
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Devin
    San Jose
    Vehicle:
    2000 T4R Limited

    Post the links to the ads more info is needed to give you a good answer
     
    cruiserguy likes this.
  8. Jan 12, 2020 at 9:57 AM
    #8
    ZRTX

    ZRTX [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    Member:
    #290210
    Messages:
    163
    Gender:
    Male
    Des Moines Iowa
  9. Jan 12, 2020 at 10:47 AM
    #9
    GQ7227

    GQ7227 mw survivor

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2018
    Member:
    #275019
    Messages:
    29,298
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    J A Y
    309km east of Hazard ...the good life
    Vehicle:
    '97 black SR5 0g ~ MT @ 176k ...
    black woolWax, green IFC, borlaCB, custom Line-X PC drums, skid, nuts, hooks, 1/4 silver frame...
  10. Jan 12, 2020 at 12:30 PM
    #10
    Wyoming09

    Wyoming09 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2015
    Member:
    #153833
    Messages:
    14,277
    Gender:
    Male
    New Tripoli Pa
    Vehicle:
    2000 Work truck 5 speed 4x4 3.4
    Super Springs
    Kind of a little far apart.

    OP your much braver then me thinking about buying something without being up close and in person doing inspections .
     
    CrustyTaco likes this.
  11. Jan 12, 2020 at 12:55 PM
    #11
    CrustyTaco

    CrustyTaco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2019
    Member:
    #279940
    Messages:
    1,022
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Todd
    Louisville, KY
    Vehicle:
    04 Ext Cab V6 5MT 4X4 180k
    881/5100/Dakars 4R wheels / TBU / New frame
    I like the 2nd gen better of those two.. If you live in Utah why are you looking at trucks in Vermont and North Carolina? I would be searching in Vegas and Arizona. That 2nd gen frame looks clean but 5 years in the salt belt is 5 years too many.
     
    ace_10 likes this.
  12. Jan 12, 2020 at 1:16 PM
    #12
    TacomaJunkie8691

    TacomaJunkie8691 1999WineTacoma

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2015
    Member:
    #153969
    Messages:
    626
    Gender:
    Male
    WA State
    Vehicle:
    1999 Wine Tacoma SR5 Exta-Cab 4wd V6
    Completely Stock except for Ranch 5000 Shocks and Struts.
    Dear ZRTX,

    You need to ask yourself if it is a good idea for you to purchase a regular cab pickup truck first before purchasing a truck. Regular cab pickups are not the most versatile things to own especially if you need the thing to sometimes double as a car.

    Hope that helps,
    Paul
     
    ace_10 likes this.
  13. Jan 13, 2020 at 1:09 AM
    #13
    Tacoma1997White4x4

    Tacoma1997White4x4 America First

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2019
    Member:
    #305397
    Messages:
    1,031
    Gender:
    Male
    West Covina, California
    Vehicle:
    1997 white 4x4 auto 4cylinder Singlecab, 2001 auto rwd 2.4l single cab flatbed
    Km3’s 31’s,Lift,Sliders,rear ARB air locker,on board air, armor, hi shell
    I cant believe this is even a question the answer is the 1st gen! Why? well the v6 single cab 4x4 is rare especially if its a 97
     
    TacoBike and Muddycoinwash like this.
  14. Jan 13, 2020 at 1:19 AM
    #14
    black coffee

    black coffee A is A.

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2017
    Member:
    #225972
    Messages:
    5,047
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Glenn
    509
    Vehicle:
    2010 AC 4x4 SR5 V6
    First gen. It will be a nice truck with decent power.
     
  15. Jan 13, 2020 at 9:38 AM
    #15
    Kevin Jones

    Kevin Jones Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Member:
    #264881
    Messages:
    2,219
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kevin
    Va
    Vehicle:
    1996 Tacoma - 2018 Tacoma
    No question, 1st Gen.
    I would love to have that seat, for mine.
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  16. Jan 13, 2020 at 9:58 AM
    #16
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2011
    Member:
    #51038
    Messages:
    17,612
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    El Dorado, CA (NOT El Dorado Hills)
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD Tacoma 4x4 DC
    Kings, J59's Total Chaos UCAs Custom skids Sticker mod
    I personally don't like regular cabs. I don't see the appeal to them. They have exactly zero storage space unless you want it in the bed to get rained on. Not a fan of bench seats either.

    I mean, you say they both have little to no rust, but I see no pictures of the frame to prove that. The 2nd gen comes close, with a single picture of the rear wheel well. If you're basing this off the add, or the salesman telling you this, I trust a used car salesman about as far as I can throw one of these trucks.

    DO NOT BUT EITHER VEHICLE WITHOUT AN IN-PERSON INSPECTION AND DRIVE.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2020
    alarka, TacomaJunkie8691 and GQ7227 like this.
  17. Jan 13, 2020 at 10:34 AM
    #17
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2011
    Member:
    #51038
    Messages:
    17,612
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    El Dorado, CA (NOT El Dorado Hills)
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD Tacoma 4x4 DC
    Kings, J59's Total Chaos UCAs Custom skids Sticker mod
    They aren't bad trucks, just not for me. I've got a wife, 2 kids, a dog, and stuff I don't like getting wet. So it's hard for me to get excited about either truck in this thread.

    If I was building a dedicated SAS'd rock crawler, I'd get one in a heartbeat, but that's not really the type of wheeling I do, anyway.
     
    GQ7227[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Jan 13, 2020 at 10:40 AM
    #18
    Greeny

    Greeny Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2017
    Member:
    #235499
    Messages:
    261
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Martin
    Rexburg, ID
    Vehicle:
    bone stock 2001 Taco 4x4 TRD
    Probably neither. Have you figured out what you want/need? 2wd/4wd? storage? AT/MT? $$$, etc.. I am not a fan of single cabs either. There are probably tons of trucks closer to your area. If you find one some distance away, maybe post up the info and see if there is a local TW member that can swing by and at least give it a quick look-over.
     
  19. Jan 13, 2020 at 10:43 AM
    #19
    ZRTX

    ZRTX [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2019
    Member:
    #290210
    Messages:
    163
    Gender:
    Male
    Des Moines Iowa
    That's what it would end up being turned into tbh.
     
  20. Jan 13, 2020 at 11:00 AM
    #20
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2011
    Member:
    #51038
    Messages:
    17,612
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    El Dorado, CA (NOT El Dorado Hills)
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD Tacoma 4x4 DC
    Kings, J59's Total Chaos UCAs Custom skids Sticker mod
    If that's the case, the condition of the frame/suspension doesn't really matter then. Personally, I wouldn't be looking for one is such good condition. You could probably find a truck with damaged/warn out suspension in the 5k range.

    Since you're going to hack off all the suspension anyway, it doesn't even matter if there's some rust on the frame, since you'll (more) easily be able to plate it when your SASing it. Heck, depending on what your plans with the drivetrain are, it doesn't even need to be 4x4.

    Just depends on if you want a nicer interior/exterior to start with.
     
    ZRTX[QUOTED][OP] likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top