21st Mar 2019, 15:20
You should not have any difficulty. I searched Car Gurus, found some 4WD under 150,000 miles for that. $3-3500 range. Just got to look. Cash in hand always helps. Not a lot to buy one.
22nd Mar 2019, 21:54
I would hold on to it. A 90s or early 2000s era Tacoma has just as much of a chance to become a classic as any other vehicle. The generation that grew up with them will at some point want to buy a piece of their past.
24th Mar 2019, 18:54
That perspective doesn’t make it any more collectible. Any person on here has personal cars they had or their parents had. It may be a personal favorite, but far from ever being a classic or worthy of an expensive restoration.
The wisdom comes from not assuming. Do you see pricing trending upward? None of us has a crystal ball, but we can pick a manufacturer and see ones that accelerated. Certainly in 20 plus years, there would be some initial signs of a Tacoma approaching or exceeding the original sticker. There are exceptions, but is this one? Some quirky cars that never had any collector appeal have now changed because most went to a crusher. Few were saved. Like a Renault Le Car. So odd now people will pay more today. But fast forward to the 90s. How many 90s Tacomas are out there cheap today? Plentiful with some utility. But minimal collector appeal.
I’ve easily have owned well over 100 (conservative figure) cars with always a collectible in the mix. Knew out of the gate what was and what never would be. Too many made, limited appeal other than a driver A to B vehicle. Was OK because that was a daily driver, which was the true value, not as a classic ever. I’d like to have some of my parents' cars, but they aren’t bringing much today. The memories of riding in them meant something to me, but few others.
So here’s an example car from my era. I remember a new dark green 1967 Buick LeSabre. Lot of family trips. I got my driver's license in it. I wouldn’t dare buy one in 2019 and sink any sizable money in it. Either buying it or restoring it.
In a way you are very lucky. You like a vehicle with your nostalgic piece that you can pick up cheap. What’s difficult is buying a car today you lusted for from your youth that costs 10 times plus what it cost brand new. And even harder buying the same model back again you sold at a good profit... then. I kick myself on ones I doubled my money on. Now much higher than that. You really see that when drawing cash out of the bank to buy a real winner today. That’s where you learn over time. I may be wrong and you may sell yours for 50-60k in the future. Or buy another one like it again. I’ve done this and you better be real sure or it’s a lesson to beat yourself up over later.
26th Mar 2019, 22:32
You brought up it's a future desirable collector car of your generation. It’s actually defined on how the public perceives it. In your opinion, will people pay over book value? Not seeing it. And its remote desirability as a classic or collectible vehicle. When you cannot begin to recoup even a new engine or trans, let alone labor in an old vehicle, it goes either to a scrap yard or parts car. If you see spending over $4000 on a $3500 car available complete and running is really a false economy. You would lose just doing a decent repaint. If that’s your mindset, spend with an endless budget knowing you will never sell it. I never wanted to be a fool and having money in the wallet easily parted. That’s not about money, it’s using common sense. But sentimentality can go totally out the window. Lost a lot on 2 vehicles that were rust buckets. A 53 Chevrolet pickup and a VW bug. Biggest loss (more than all the $) was all the labor all for nothing. A real piece of cake cutting out the pickup bed. Could have pursued more worthwhile projects. Learned to watch costs.
29th Mar 2019, 22:13
Everyone is of course entitled to do what they wish with their vehicles, as well as make financial determinations for them.
For me personally the truck is both sentimental (bought it when I was a kid, now a 42 year old man) and the money it continues to save me. Looked under the hood of cars or trucks made today? They're a nightmare. Working on them is a real pain. But my truck is as simple as apple pie. Parts are cheap and everything is easy to access. In fact last weekend I replaced the cracked exhaust manifold with a set of headers. I got that done in an hour. Easy peasy.
These smaller trucks are commanding more money. Mainly because ALL of the manufacturers, including Toyota and Nissan, make hardly anything but HUGE, massive trucks that you need a stepladder to get into. Even the supposedly "midsized" offerings are huge. The New Tacoma is the same size as the first generation Tundra. The Chevy Colorado the same size as the older Silverado. And so on. So now there's no new small trucks to buy and that leaves the smaller older trucks. These are VERY popular around here with gardeners and contractors - useful for navigating the narrow congested roads around here.
30th Mar 2019, 09:59
It means something to you. So restore it and keep it. It’s priceless to you. If it’s been paid off for a while, give it the treatment it deserves as a keeper. Even if you spent 20k on body paint, interior, etc it’s only a number. And not a ton of money today to have a priceless to you keeper vehicle.
I remember parking an old $2,000 sentimental car in the garage while my $40,000 new car sat in my driveway Interior shot and in need of a repaint. The new one parked in the drive with winter snow and the elements. Although a while ago, it never made sense to my wife.
Car guys will buy well worn vehicles with few creature comforts, hot in the summer that needs lots of work. And are ecstatic about them. Others may see a heap and you see treasure. Best to invest in it over book value only for your own pleasure. That has value to you, but others will only pay actual comparable book value for a 90s vehicle. I had 2 cars of my own in high school. Sold my first to my shop teacher. I wouldn’t want it today. Had my girlfriend have to get out at times to push start it. She lasted not quite as long as the car. I was probably very lucky getting rid of it.
30th Mar 2019, 20:48
Yes, you put the same comment several months ago on a 2003 Tacoma review: how all the new small pickups have gotten so oversized and therefore old small pickups like yours are in high demand and worth $$$.
Sorry, not buying it. The new Ford Ranger is only about 10 inches longer than a 70s-era mini-pickup. Anyone looking for a small pickup is not likely to settle for a 20+ year old vehicle like yours if they can afford a new one!
19th Mar 2019, 19:31
I'll give you $3500 for it... on the spot.