The Cult of the Tacoma

[outdoorlivin82]

I have a 2nd gen Tacoma with 400k miles on it, original engine/transmission and it only had regular scheduled maintenance when I drove it daily. My son drove it for 2yrs while he was in high school, wrecked it 3 times and maybe changed the oil once and it still cranks every time I turn the key. How many Chevy/Dodge/Ford guys can say that?

 

[Cadcom]

I have a 2nd gen Tacoma with 400k miles on it, original engine/transmission and it only had regular scheduled maintenance when I drove it daily. My son drove it for 2yrs while he was in high school, wrecked it 3 times and maybe changed the oil once and it still cranks every time I turn the key. How many Chevy/Dodge/Ford guys can say that?

Pretty much anyone with a 2000 - 2006 Tahoe or Silverado.
They just keep going.

 

[outdoorlivin82]

Pretty much anyone with a 2000 - 2006 Tahoe or Silverado.
They just keep going.

Yea my son gave me the tacoma back when he graduated because he wanted a full size truck. He bought a 2002 silverado and the motor blew at 220k. We replaced that motor and sold the truck, he bought a 2005 silverado and the transmission has lost 5th gear and is now going to need replacement. Anything Chevy with over 200k miles is a money pit. Edit: I have worked on cars for a living my entire adult life and the only thing I own are Toyotas, that's not a coincidence. Now I cant speak to the reliability of the newer models but the 1st and 2nd gen Tacomas are the closet thing to bulletproof you can get as long as the frames have been taken care of.

 

[Bennyboy]

I daily drove my 2014 for 6 years. It was alright but the best thing about it was its resale value.

And don’t get me started on my 1992 (not a Tacoma I know). Never understood the obsession with those. No power, crappy MPG, rode and drove like crap, and the “legendary” 22RE likes to eat timing chain guides and blow head gaskets. Once again, best thing about it was the resale value.

 

[Cadcom]

Sounds like you have had a bad run with trucks. What's he driving now? I guess the fact I'm elbow deep in a 2002 Tacoma with 220k on it and dropping and rebuilding the trans, pulling the head (and then buying a new one) since it's little delicate self got hot and died has taught me more than I ever wanted to know about Toyota. And I use one of my 330k mile plus GM trucks to run around picking up parts for this Japanese basket case.

 

[outdoorlivin82]

Sounds like you have had a bad run with trucks. What's he driving now? I guess the fact I'm elbow deep in a 2002 Tacoma with 220k on it and dropping and rebuilding the trans, pulling the head (and then buying a new one) since it's little delicate self got hot and died has taught me more than I ever wanted to know about Toyota. And I use one of my 330k mile plus GM trucks to run around picking up parts for this Japanese basket case.

Hes limping around in the Silverado with no 5th gear until he saves enough for another truck. Im done wasting $$$ on those pieces of junk. Meanwhile I'm still using the old Tacoma as a farm truck, it hauled the replacement 5.3L pretty well. I figured the only way to make that motor reliable was to put it in the bed of a Tacoma. And those 330k mile chevys you have are all original engine/trans with nothing internal ever touched on them right?

 

[Cadcom]

Hes limping around in the Silverado with no 5th gear until he saves enough for another truck. Im done wasting $$$ on those pieces of junk. Meanwhile I'm still using the old Tacoma as a farm truck, it hauled the replacement 5.3L pretty well. I figured the only way to make that motor reliable was to put it in the bed of a Tacoma. And those 330k mile chevys you have are all original engine/trans with nothing internal ever touched on them right?

I've replaced water pump and a starter. And a few batteries. And I did have to reshim and replace bearings in a rear end as the bearings wore out.

 

[outdoorlivin82]

I've replaced water pump and a starter. And a few batteries.

Impressive

 

[Cadcom]

Impressive

I hope the Tacoma lasts another 220k after all this. it will be a 16 yr olds vehicle so I am sure it will get tested.

 

[yardboss1]

And those 330k mile chevys you have are all original engine/trans with nothing internal ever touched on them right?

The ones with the 5.7 motors went 300k and were low cost and low maintenance. I owned 3 of them.