18th Mar 2017, 13:04
So we are now sitting at 158k miles. The truck still runs.
Having a wheel bearing issue for the past 3 years, have the parts for it, just haven't fixed it.
Went ahead and replaced both O2 sensors. Fuel economy didn't improve much.
The front of the frame has developed quite a bit of surface rust, no rot through yet so I will have to keep an eye on that.
I have returned the car to daily service to keep miles off the fun car as I'm driving some 130 miles a day. Still on the original clutch.
The transmission stopped falling out of gear, no longer grabs funny when cold, guess it fixed itself.
Went ahead and installed new Bilstein shocks.
My tonneau cover blew off at 70-80 mph and shattered so I have the tool box on now, rear rides much nicer and isn't as harsh.
Just put on my set of front brake pads. Need to replace the rear shoes.
Just purchased an aftermarket cruise control as I'm driving it so much on the highway.
Now using Mobil One 0w-40 European blend synthetic with Mobil One filter. No leaks and no oil consumption.
Added Hella 500 series yellow fog lights.
I think the truck will rust in half before it stops running.
19th Mar 2017, 06:45
Tacomas are great little trucks, but extremely overpriced in the used market. Sure, even if they "last forever", a 20 year old truck with 300k is going to need lots of maintenance, brakes, tires, front end, suspension and rust issues. The prices people want for used Tacomas are absolutely ridiculous. The Ford Ranger is also somewhat overpriced in the used market, but not anywhere near the Tacoma. Consumers really love small trucks, but very few companies still offer them. I just buy Chevy or Ford full sizes for 1/5 the price of a Tacoma for the same year condition and mileage; much better value and they also last forever too. Really wish I could buy a diesel Hilux in North America though, would love me one of those!
20th Mar 2017, 08:21
In addition, some do all their own maintenance. Then review it as a perfect vehicle. That doesn't give a realistic cost of ownership to others. Those not possessing the same skill set may find it not cheaper to retain them. Which means that they could also have owned a different make and model vehicle and then raved about its longevity. They fix everything really cheap themselves. If you pay off a vehicle, start using the money saved each month towards a new one. Don't wait til huge repairs hit or the body rots. Or buy another vehicle and use the other one sparingly. With a truck broken down, especially with a load in it or towing, it's a big extra hassle as well. Having a heap in the drive, especially with a truck and what it is meant for, is actually a waste.
20th Mar 2017, 21:47
The prices are high for a few reasons. One is that nobody makes a truly "small" truck anymore. The new Chevy Colorado, the new Tacoma and the upcoming new Ranger are ALL more or less the same size as what full-sized trucks were like 10-15 years ago. So the demand for truly small trucks is out there.
Secondly, the Tacoma has a well deserved reputation for going forever with few problems. My 21 year old Tacoma has 265,000 miles and it just goes. That's about it. Maybe every few years something needs replacing like a starter motor or a water pump, but not much else.
Thirdly, and at least for the first 2 generations of Tacomas, they are very easy to work on. Yes - the Ranger is not a bad truck. But compared to the Tacoma they are a royal pain. I know because my Brother had one and getting to a lot of routine maintenance areas was more difficult - like the spark plugs that were impossible to get at in the rear.
21st Mar 2017, 11:12
Are you really using your Tacoma much at all since you bought the Chevrolet Volt? My point is semi retire the ones with age and high mileage. And drive a newer one. I would rather have a V8 full size and use it for absolutely everything. Haul and tow. Mine gets about 100 miles a month. Gas isn't a factor and it's loaded with options. And paid off. I do synthetic once a year. Keep it immaculate and keep it well waxed. I suspect this one will last for years.
21st Mar 2017, 15:39
The easiest way to address that is to simply pay a shop. Many even shuttle you to work. To me working a little bit of overtime in a clean office is better. You work either way. Saves busted knuckles, grease, jack stands etc. It's hardly worth changing oil anymore. I actually buy better filters, even my own Mobil 1, and just pay labor. The point is I can do it, I have all the tools etc., I just do not like the hassle. There's always alternatives. Work is work. Let a mechanic do his thing. I am really good at mine.
21st Mar 2017, 18:14
Because I don't need a V8 powered truck, my old Tacoma was paid for almost 20 years ago, parts are cheap and so too is the gas to power it. I make a rather good income and could go out and buy the fully loaded, full sized truck of my choice. But I'd rather save money and retire earlier.
If you own something long enough, you'll get more and more familiar with it. The case is true with my truck. I am now very familiar with it and if it needs either maintenance or a replacement part, I can do it really quickly. I can change the clutch in it in less than 2 hours. I can change the oil, transmission grease or the coolant all in minutes each.
It's interesting: I'd say that at least once a month someone asks if I would be interested in selling my truck. You will NEVER see older small Tacomas at any used car lot. They sell almost as soon as they come in. Toyota, Ford and GM really need to consider selling a true small truck again. The demand is definitely there.
10th Oct 2014, 15:06
Finally had one issue with the truck. I noticed one day out of the blue that when I was moving the truck, that it never came off high idle and was idling at around 1000-1500 RPM. Given that this 2.4L I4 engine has no counter balance, it gets rough around 4000+ RPM and will shake; nothing horrible, just symptoms of the larger inline 4 design, but you can also tell when it's idling high.
Any ways I tried driving it to see if it would correct itself and never did. I drove normally to work the next day in it (I was thinking it was bad gas at the time). Put new non ethanol fuel in it and it still did the same. Reset the ECU several times, no CELs, nothing. I then tried Seafoam and it made it worse. By worse, that means that it would no longer idle period.
I researched online and found that the Tacoma's 2RZ-FE engine had an IAC and it was clogged. I removed all the components to get to it on the bottom of the throttle body; it was kind of a pain, but not horrible. The IAC was gunked up heavily and frozen in black sooty carbon and dirt. I cleaned with aircraft grade degreaser, but any cleaning solution can be used really. Put it all back together and voila, it was good. I also noticed that my throttle cable had stretched considerably and tightened it up; it felt like a new truck.
I am currently getting super bad gas mileage and the front suspension is extremely loose. It has about 140,000 miles now. It needs attention such as brakes, bushings etc.