When is it time to put it out to pasture?

So I am the original owner of a 1996 2wd, ext. cab, 4cyl, manual transmission truck. It currently has 375,000 miles and the original motor.

The front seats need repair or replacement

Drivers seatbelt needs replacement

It needs a bulb in the dash

New drivers armrest

Drivers door lock is worn out, and I would want them all keyed the same

Cruise control quit working after clutch install, dealer says it needs a new stalk

Cosmetically on the outside the paint on the hood is failing and it has a few dents (hit and run), but it actually looks pretty decent when it has been freshly washed and the tires dressed.

Within the last 6 months it has had a new alternator and clutch

Does not leak or burn oil

However now a power steering hose has started leaking and one of the front Bilstein shocks is also leaking and needs to be replaced, well actually be replaced in pairs

The dealer which I have been going to for nearly 30 yrs has quoted $350 plus tax for the power steering hose replacement and $400 for the front shocks (KYB gas)

I have really loved this truck, drove it Coast to Coast when it had 298k miles and it never missed a beat.

But now I feel that it will start bleeding me money wise and factory parts are getting harder to find and more expensive when available

Time to sell it off and find a brand new truck or look for a newer used one (2001-2004 model)

Already have a 07' 4x4 which I like but don't love and the 2016 don't like them at all

 

$400 for struts is silly. Change them yourself.

That said, sounds pretty minimal for a truck with almost 400k miles.

 

So even if you spend what the dealer quoted, that is less then 2 months of payments. You could do it for less money elsewhere most likely. Grab a stalk from a junkyard.

 

keep it are u crazy

 

The power steering pressure line must be the one that is leaking I assume. That can be fixed way cheaper than 350.00. Mine went up here in Canada where our dollar is shit and I think to get the hose and the fittings Hyd pressed and then put back on only cost me like maybe 90.00 CDN so for you it should be like 30 bucks.

 

Had over 500k on my 82 when I finally cut it loose after getting an 05. Everything still worked and still even had R12 refrigerant in the AC. Regret getting rid of it.....don't be like me. Keep it. Check your clutch pedal switch, it may be unplugged from swapping clutch or if the pedal was adjusted it may need to be adjusted. I don't think you need a new stalk just because the clutch was changed, that is either a big coincidence or mucho caca del toro.

 

So you also own a 2nd gen 4x4 and you are choosing to keep putting money into your 96 2wd with busted seats?

I'd drive the 2nd gen and park the 2wd. Pick away at the repairs yourself if you are at all mechanically inclined and if you aren't - here's your opportunity to learn a little. The thing can stay on blocks for a few months while you tinker with it if you have another daily driver.

 

my rule of thumb is when it gets to a certain point (you will know when that is) just fix only whats needed to keep it rolling down the road and skip the rest doing only minimal absolute required repairs to keep it running.

if something falls off of it going down the road, you didn't need it anyway lol

 

Was this a Toyota part or aftermarket?

 

The 96' did everything we needed it to do - hauling the dogs, runs to Home Depot, Moving across town and across the country.

I use to do work on my own vehicles but do not have the time or the inclination any more other changing the oil and hand washing them.

 

The dealer said that when they hooked up the computer it was telling them that there was a electrical problem with the stalk itself
When I turn on the cruise control the light displays on the dash but it won't actually engage (set speed)

 

a compression test would be a much more telling decision maker.

If it were mine, I'd keep driving. But I'm not a looks freak (paint wouldn't bother me) and I'm enough of a DIY'r to fix all those little things you had listed, either with aftermarket or pick and pull parts.

 

big effin coincedence it is then I suppose although I will never buy into the phrase "the computer doesn't lie" because if the human tells it too, that's exactly what it'll do. Just for grins go driving and turn it on then after you try to set it, also push stalk up to accelerate and see if it'll kick in. I had one in a car that would do what you are talking about but if I held the accelerate button it would catch and go ahead and work. Not somethin you wanna do forever but it could get you by until you get and install a new stalk. Also check under the hood and make sure any vacuum lines associated with cc are not cracked or not in place. That could do it too on older non-drive-by-wire vehicles.

 

Sounds like a shot in the dark IMO, the stalk is entirely electric, it's a circuit board in a plastic housing - so no shit, it's an electrical problem. All they'd do is replace it and see if it's fixed, which you can do as well for less cost.

 

So a 1996 tacoma has drive by wire and the ecu has total control of cc? Didn't think many if any DBW vehicles existed pre 2000. 2nd gens, I hear ya, all electric, yep. Wasn't implying the stalk itself is anything but electric and I wasn't saying that I know the computer was lying just that the computer knows nothing a human doesn't program it to know. Trying what I suggested is a free thing..........