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Car Prices = Argh… 2003 Toyota Tacoma


Pat Riot

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Yesterday I looked at a 2003 Toyota Tacoma V6 4x4 with 190,000 miles on it for $8500. 
I have been told by several people that this is a good price. :blink:
Regardless of my misgivings I am going to test drive it today at noon. 
Appearance-wise and underneath the truck is is very nice condition. 
 

I have a list of questions for the owner: 

- Do you have any other offers in this truck?

- Why are you selling it?

- Are you the original owner?

- Do you have the maint history?

- Any mechanical concerns?

- Has timing belt been changed?

- When were shocks replaced?

- Any accidents?

 

I am just amazed and baffled at these used vehicle prices these days. 

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With new vehicle prices approaching, and in the case of some trucks, exceeding what I paid to have my house built, it's no small wonder. 190K on a Toyota with a solid frame and body doesn't sound all that hateful. I am approaching 240K on my '08 Tundra and everything still appears to be working as it should. It could use a touch of bodywork and a paint job, but mechanically, it has been a good performer.

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Brought my ancient Pickup in for repairs.  Was chatting with the owner of what is an excellent old style repair shop and gas station.  He told me about a guy in a loaded new pickup who stopped for fuel.  The window sticker was still in place $109,000!  Started looking for a newer old pickup, so far, no luck.  Out here used is mostly used up.

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Prices for any truck have just gotten ridiculous, I replaced my farm truck a couple years ago, cost me $3800 for a 88 f350, bought a 91 in 97 and it cost me 4900, kinda wish id bought hslf a dozen and just hung on to them.

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Pat, 190,000 miles on a Toyota is just getting broke in. ;)

 

Take it to a garage you trust for a pre-purchase inspection. That is money well spent, in my experience.

 

We have several Toyotas in the family although no Tacomas (yet). All are going strong well into mid and high 200,000 milage ranges.

 

New truck prices are unbelievably insanely high yet people keep paying them. I guess some folks don't need to buy groceries...

 

 

 

 

Edited by Dantankerous
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Thank you all.

 

1 minute ago, Dantankerous said:

Pat, 190,000 miles on a Toyota is just getting broke in. ;)

 

Take it to a garage you trust for a pre-purchase inspection. That is money well spent, in my experience.

 

We have several Toyotas in the family although no Tacomas (yet). All are going strong well into mid and high 200,000 milage ranges.

 

 

Thank you. 

I am going to ask if I can have my favorite shop look it over for me. If he says “No” and has no maintenance history the deal is off. If he has an extensive maintenance history done by reputable people that will help. 
 

The exterior and interior look great and not primped up by a detailer. 
The underside looks great except the sheet metal skid pan for the fuel tank is rusting apart. 
I will look at the engine and drive it today. 


IMG_3808.thumb.jpeg.70b3122c9b010c0fff59519f18ec5f8f.jpeg

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5 minutes ago, Smokin Gator SASS #29736 said:

My 2007 Tacoma has right at 300,000 now. 4 cylinder. Interior is not great but ding free exterior.  If you owned that truck and knew it's maintenance history and condition was good how much would it take for you to sell it?

Not sure, but in today’s market it appears this is a pretty good deal IF the owner has a good maintenance history on it and it passes inspection. 

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2 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

Thank you all.

 

Thank you. 

I am going to ask if I can have my favorite shop look it over for me. If he says “No” and has no maintenance history the deal is off. If he has an extensive maintenance history done by reputable people that will help. 
 

The exterior and interior look great and not primped up by a detailer. 
The underside looks great except the sheet metal skid pan for the fuel tank is rusting apart. 
I will look at the engine and drive it today. 


IMG_3808.thumb.jpeg.70b3122c9b010c0fff59519f18ec5f8f.jpeg

 Fair price if it checks out

Nice looking truck

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I am not buying the truck.
Guy said he was the original owner.

Then he said he got it from some old guy that kept it in his garage all the time.

Then he said he bought it 2 weeks ago after I found docs in the glovebox that showed the truck was registered in Oregon in 2022.
He had no maintenance history so I thanked him for his time and we left. 
 

Shady dealings abound. 

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I don't know where your 2003 falls in the generation line.
I do know, that engine is discontinued.


For example, the 2023 Tacoma is the last of the Generation 3 line.
I bought a new one last December.

Mine is also the last of the 3.5 liter V6 engines.
These are the end of the product improvement cycle for this engine.

Everything they are ever going to fix, has been fixed by 2023.


These engines DEMAND pristine oil quality due to the many tiny moving parts.
The VVT-i variable cam timing hardware is especially needing pristine oil.
 

Every generation of Toyota trucks has its own set of problems.
They have changed engines over the years, for good reasons, and/or EPA gov't mandated reasons.

 

Every new generation of truck brings a whole new set of problems.
The 2024 Tacoma is Gen4.
Everything is different, bigger, wider, heavier, turbo charged and batteries.

Also new is the 8 speed automatic transmission that is falling out like crazy.
The only fix is a complete tranny replacement, and they don't have any in America.
One guy was told it is a 2 to 4 month wait for a replacement tranny.

There are valid reasons why one does not buy a Version 1.0.0 product at the onset:  they are fraught with bugs.

Consumer Reports is your friend here.
Most local libraries have a free access if you have a library card.


I also own a 1991 Truck with 22RE 4-cylinder and 245,000 miles.
This is one of the very best engines they ever made.
It is also essentially gutless, and struggles when you have to tow something, especially something heavy.

Edited by bgavin
edited for clarity
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6 hours ago, bgavin said:


There are valid reasons why one does not buy a Version 1.0.0 product at the onset:  they are fraught with bugs.
 

In 1967 CWO Harry Stevens told me: "Never fly the 'A' model of anything." 

I apply this to automobiles as well.

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3 hours ago, JP McLintock said:

Except the frames :D

 

'95 ~ '04....  :rolleyes:

 

image.jpeg.51ccc9036fc61c785dee1b71bc5d3443.jpeg  image.jpeg.87fb73cd0fe772d6191a6a2d03f011c5.jpeg  image.jpeg.9d884b05fb4ac3087f13f710c300397d.jpeg

 

 

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My son bought a brand new 2023 Tacoma, the last year for the V6. It’s got 4 WD also. He paid 40k and got the basic model. $8500 for a 2003 seems awfully high but compared to new prices it seems like a paltry amount. 
My own opinion is I wouldn’t buy anything with 190k on it!🤠

Edited by Rye Miles #13621
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8 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

 

'95 ~ '04....  :rolleyes:

 

image.jpeg.51ccc9036fc61c785dee1b71bc5d3443.jpeg  image.jpeg.87fb73cd0fe772d6191a6a2d03f011c5.jpeg  image.jpeg.9d884b05fb4ac3087f13f710c300397d.jpeg

 

 

Toyota pickups have been doing that since there was toyota trucks!, I remember making frame rails for the back half on trucks all the way back into the seventies. 

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17 hours ago, Duffield, SASS #23454 said:

In 1967 CWO Harry Stevens told me: "Never fly the 'A' model of anything." 

I apply this to automobiles as well.

I am fighting this exact problem with a fresh new release of a software package I use.
I reached out to the developer directly, and have been going back and forth at great length.


As it finally turns out.. he ASSUMED I was running Win10 which I am not (8.1 Pro for very specific reasons).
I urged him to insert a version check into his installer code to politely decline to install on less than Win10.
This is common practice in any quality software package, and has been for a very long time.

A polite decline to install avoids the crash and function failures that occur when the app is expecting Win10 or higher, but is running below Win10.
I had to provide instruction, screen shots of proof, etc, etc before he told me the code requires Win10.
Nothing on the web site, nothing in the documentation except "windows laptop".

This is what happens when noobs fail to grasp the basic concepts of Developer 101.
Then release products that ASSUME your system is the latest and greatest.
 

 

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Five decades ago, I was a Ziebart tech at a Toyota dealership on Cape Cod.

Every new vehicle got the full Z treatment, because they salted the roads.

This only slowed the rust, but did not stop it.
The shop Landcruiser never got it, and the frame was peeling rust like a bad sunburn.
There was so much meat it made no difference... those old FJ models were real tanks.

One of the big reasons I won't live back east (without a beater car) is due to road salt.

 

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