High mileage Toyota Tacoma. Yea or Nay?

[WPOZZZ]

I've been thinking about a truck as it would be easier to load and dump things, but I couldn't see myself driving and parking a big 4 door truck. Been thinking about a Hyundai or a Maverick because they are smaller than your typical 4 door truck. As luck has it, a good friend and high school buddy really uses his Toyota trucks, and he is looking for a new one.

Specs are 2020 Tacoma Access cab, 2wd, automatic with 180k. Oil changes are every 3k...but he has a head gasket leak at #5 cylinder. He put some stop leak in it today and it will probably work. I spoke to my mechanic that works on my Audi and he said to pass and it would be about $2k in labor, but he hasn't done one in a while. My Porsche mechanic said I should really consider getting it. Use it and if I don't like it, dump it.

What say you?

[Yorkie]

Depends on the price. I ran a 2014 Tacoma TRD 2WD for 8 years. Loved it. Knocked out huge road trips in comfort. Took the dirt bikes out to the desert. It did everything I wanted and it never had anything done it except brakes and fluids. I only sold it because we moved to France. If I came back to the US a Taco would be in my driveway within days.

[look 171]

Depending on the price. I would fix it and rebuild the top end. It will go another 100k or more if taken care of. Stop leak works but I often question if it clog smaller oil passageways? You will like those trucks.

[Bugsinrugs]

Had to let my 99 go when it developed a wiring harness problem. It only had 440,000 miles. I got $2000 for it. Picked up a 08 four wheel drive with 180,000 miles for $10,000. Thing is in perfect shape. I love Tacomas!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I used stop leak once and it worked fine, just don't remember which car but I think it was a 95 Grand Cherokee.

I am doing rear wheel bearings on my friend's '01 Tacoma soon, have driven it a lot. While I'm sure newer ones are much more comfortable, this is the perfect little truck IMHO. It's tiny but will haul any everyday stuff easily.

If you can get it for $4K under (because a $2K job is never a $2K job) typical pricing, I would get it and hope for the best with stop leak, if it doesn't work, you'll still have a great truck after a proper fix.

[rfuerst911sc]

I have to think there are plenty of clean used V6 engines available in junk yards or online retailers . Do the swap and rebuild the top end . You now have a spare engine . You can keep it or sell it . Win win .

[id10t]

Small truck prices have gotten stupid since they've stopped being made.... and Tacomas seem to be the craziest in inflated prices, or at least were when I was shopping back in February/March

Assuming you have some suitable vehicle for light towing - small SUV type thing or something - for the occasional need to make a dump run, tote some lumber, etc I would look at one of the small trailers available at Lowes/HomeDepot/etc. Under $1500 for trailer, receiver hitch if needed, etc. Much cheaper to insure, easier to keep running, etc.

[HobieMarty]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

I have to think there are plenty of clean used V6 engines available in junk yards or online retailers . Do the swap and rebuild the top end . You now have a spare engine . You can keep it or sell it . Win win .

This!!! Buy it for the right price and drive it. When it breaks, replace the engine with one from ebay.

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[911 Rod]

Any rust?
Toyota's love to rust.

[speeder]

You had me right up until, “stop leak.” That stuff is like Fix-a-flat, it should never be used unless it’s a life or death situation and you need to do it in order to get back to civilization, etc. Those types of products do significant damage to plug up whatever they need to plug up. If an engine has a leak, fix the leak. Don’t inject glue into its small passages.

How cheap is this buggy?

[Seahawk]

I have had a few Toyota's; however, that is 36K a year, if put in service in 2019...in Hawaii?

That is an oil change a month...how complete is the record of service for the entire truck?

What does he do? That level of mileage per year is daunting to me unless all the other services have been followed. Speeder is also on point.

Again, I have gone over 300k on 4 Toyota's without mechanical issues at all.

A friend of mine has a Maverick and loves it.

[speeder]

Yep, 180k miles on a well maintained Toyota is a big nothing…it only matters how those miles were added. In this case, it was very quickly. You would need to drive all day long on the freeway almost every day of the week to put that many miles on, especially on an island.

[WPOZZZ]

Thank for the info. He is a friend from when we were small kids and have stayed in touch all these years. He has two Porsches and our friend in common is our Porsche mechanic. Long ago, I would help out at the shop, and now he is doing the same thing. He is a newspaper distributor, thus the high mileage. As for the truck, he told me $13k, but it seems high as that is KBB private party good condition. The truck is in decent condition, but I'm sure his dealer will offer less than $9k on trade.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I am surprised at the low KBB valuation, KBB around here is $21K "fair market" for a 2020 Tacoma. Edmunds has them from $19K to $37K. the $19 was in an accident.

The early trucks like my friend's are going for $10K+ with replacement frames and no rust.

[WPOZZZ]

I am sure the low KBB is because of the high mileage. We will see as he is neeting with his Toyota sales guy tomorrow.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

Any rust?
Toyota's love to rust.

Good point. Hawaii = salt air.

[NutmegCarrera]

A big "no worry" from me on the mileage.
Been working on the kid's '07 4Runner this week (getting ready to head off to college).
It has 242,000 on the clock. Runs/drives really nice. I'd drive it pretty much anywhere.
And it's been a WI vehicle since new. Some surface rust on the frame - but there are some out there that are pretty bad.

This week was all the driveline fluids (had a pretty tight front diff plug. Needed to go get a set of EZ out's and use some heat to get it out). Recently did accessory belt and idlers along with water pump.
Also did the front brakes yesterday. I think the dust shields had been dissolving for a while - as the inside pad and rotor face had some serious issues - but it drove and braked like no problems.
(The dust shields are gone now... I would replace - but that brings along the issue of needing to replace the wheel bearings.)

All in, it's been a great vehicle. We picked it up from original owner with 224,000

Nobody likes posts without pictures. So here we go...

[WPOZZZ]

I'm going to try and work out a deal. Thanks for all the input. I had a 2001 TRD sc'd 4runner and it was very dependable. The doors were really light and it sounded like a tin can when I shut them. That was a little worrisome if I crashed, but I didn't. I have just never bought a car with such high mileage.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

I have to think there are plenty of clean used V6 engines available in junk yards or online retailers . Do the swap and rebuild the top end . You now have a spare engine . You can keep it or sell it . Win win .

96807 zip. They ain't giving them away.

Around $5000 at car-part.com for the six.


If you get it have the head gasket(S) replaced on original engine.

[berettafan]

Having done significant searching for a sub $10k or so Taco or 4runner when my son was looking for his first car i would be very, very cautious of any that live very close to saltwater. Say within a mile or two.

We thought we found THE truck and it looked every bit as good as Nutmegs above. Then just before handing over $$ I said 'we should check underneath'. Holy crap man. The car lived within a mile or so of the Chesapeake. Exterior and interior looked almost showroom. Frame and such looked like it was parked in saltwater when not driven.