push me over the edge...

tacollie

Glamper
DC tacos are a little high priced but well worth it. If the water pump and Timing belt have been done get them to do it or drop the price another $500. The 05 and newer are nice and if you don't mind the size you should be able to find one with 75k miles in your price range. The 4.0 has the power because it drinks the gas and the newer ones drive like full size trucks. I say go for the 04 double cab.
 

Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
Looks clean. :sport_box (does that count as a push?)

If you don't get a 3rd gen, you will have to pay for a cheater button later!
 

frobuster

Observer
We have determined that 14K for an 04 DC with 100k is probably a fair price. The question is; "has it been wrecked"??? either collision, or drivetrain wise!!!

If it has been "wrecked" drivetrain wise, and if you're wlling to shell a few extra grand to ensure the intergrity of the engine/drivetrain...then sure it's worth it.

I would be more concerned if this vehicle has been in an (unreported) collision; personally, i'd take the time to run up there, and see it. Look under the rear end that has been freshly spruced up, and see what's goin on, if the frame has buckled, it will show; if the frame looks too good to be true, (remember, this frame has 100k on it), it is. given that though; what are the chances of this truck really being "unsafe" to drive, probably nill. If there is something major wrong, the truck not align properly, and chances are you could call the dealer on it. Again though, it may be a few grand in legal fees and body shop adjustments...

I guess, i'd say get it, but be prepared to either spend a few extra grand on the thing, and don't rule out a lemon. You know what the body lines are supposed to look like, you know where we smash em,(frond skid, shock/spring mounts) mounts and you know what a good car with 100k should look like.
 

RMP&O

Expedition Leader
I have bought many trucks sight unseen....but they were all in the $500-2,000 range. I have only bought two trucks sight unseen over the $10,000 mark. Here is what I suggest...

Have the dealership do a compression test. For $100-150 it is worth it. Being a dealership truck they should have a 50 point inspection on it, ask to see that.

The best you can do is have the truck inspected by a 3rd party. Find a good shop not far from the dealership. Call them and tell them you would like them to do a 3rd party inspection because you are serious about buying this truck. The dealer should have no problem with this and if they do don't buy it! A 3rd party is going to be honest with you, the dealership, maybe.

When I bought my Taco in 07 it had 70,000 miles on it and it was more than $14k. I looked at about 10 or so Tacos around the USA. Some that looked real good in pictures turned out to be junk. Only a 3rd party was able to tell me that since I couldn't view the truck myself. I passed on a number of nice looking trucks (in pictures) because of the 3rd party report.

It is your cash and for most of us it is hard earned. Be wise with your purchase and you will be very happy! :)
 

RMP&O

Expedition Leader
What does your 3.4 get? My 4.0 AC 6spd w/cab-high top and a few hundred pounds of kit on it gets about 14MPG combined driving.

I am getting that with the 3.4 a S/C and lots of mods including a bigger fuel pump.
 

kweetech

Observer
getting a third party inspection by the local toyota dealer today....
Buying sight unseen was the only thing holding me back....hopefully will know yay or nay this afternoon.

btw...if anyone else has a line on a clean DC, I'm always open to options :coffeedrink:
 
I just bought a nice '02 DC sight-unseen last week. After speaking extensively with the owner of the truck, I flew into Phoenix from Portland, OR, and drove my new rig home. I have to admit that I was a bit worried about buying sight-unseen, but rationalized it by reminding myself why I was looking so far away- these trucks don't come up often in Oregon, and when they do, they're typically a few thousand more than what I bought mine for in the southwest.

The truck you're looking at looks pretty good. Like others have said, the TB is due if it's not yet been replaced (if it was replaced *and done by a dealer* there should be a sticker on the plastic timing belt cover on the top left side... you might look for that). To do the TB yourself is not too difficult, and maybe $250 in parts with a new water pump and belts. To have it done at a shop, might run you in the neighborhood of $500 or more. You'd be wise to take the cost of replacement into consideration when negotiating a final price for the truck.

Good luck, and let us know what you end up doing.
 

tacollie

Glamper
My 4.0 averaged 13 and both my 3.4s averaged 17. The 4.0 was auto. That may have caused some of the decrease.
 

Cackalak Han

Explorer
RE: MPG. I have traveled the same roads at similar speeds with stock 3.4 and 4.0 engines. The MPG figures were pretty much the same. My 3.4l got about 21mpg and the same with the 4.0l. Both stock rigs. Both figures are all freeway with an avg speed of 70mph.
 

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
A counterpoint?

Kweetech: $14k for a DC TRD with 100k is a darn good price and 04's are highly desirable because they are the last of the 1st gen tacos. However, you are paying the price premium for the DC.

Having said that...are you sure you need a truck? Reason I say that is that a 3rd gen 4runner is easier to find, much cheaper and in my experience (having owned both an '04 Taco and my current '99 4runner) the 4runner gives more 'bang for the buck.'

Just a few points:

1. 4runners with the locking rear diff (1996-2000 only) are fairly easy to find, no need to pay extra for the "TRD" sticker. In fact, 4runners are much, much more common than DC Tacos. Not only were they made in larger numbers, they were made for the entire product run from 1996 - 2002 (7 model years) whereas the DC was only made from 2001 - 2004 (4 model years.)

2. From 1999 - 2002 you can get a selectable full time/part time 4wd system that was never available on the Taco. All 01 and 02 models have this feature and 99 and 2000 Limited's have it (Limited package also gets you leather seats and almost always includes the locking diff.)

3. 4Runners have a more sophisticated 4-link rear suspension vs. the Taco's leaf springs. Much better ride.

4. The extra length of that double-cab 4wd (my extra cab was on the same wheelbase) can be a PITA both when trying to park or make a quick u-turn in the city, and also on tight trails where you have to back and fill in order to get around sharp turns.

5. This may sound trivial, but the clock on my '04 was hidden behind the steering wheel and I could not see it without ducking my head down and to the side. Drove me crazy. Similarly, the AC and Reciculate indicator LEDs were virtually impossible to see in daylight. None of these is an issue on my older 4runner. Minor, perhaps, but you have to live with it every day.

6. You may think the back seats of a DC are the same as a 4runner but they're not. The 4runner is much more accomodating to back seat passengers.

7. People who buy trucks tend to use them as trucks. OTOH, people who buy SUVs often use them as mall-crawlers, which means less chance that there is hidden damage. On a 4runner, the giveaway is the running boards: Most 3rd gen 4runners came with running boards, and if the boards are still on the truck and are not damaged, chances are the truck was never 'wheeled at all. Needless to say, the first mod I made to my 4runner was to remove the running boards and sell them on Craigslist.

The sum of all this, to me, is that unless you absolutely, positively have to have a pickup, a 4runner is probably a better choice for most uses (and really, how useful is that 5' bed on a DC Taco anyway?)

It's easy to find a 4runner with a locking diff for $10k or less. I paid $7999 for mine in July and it had 117k on it. If you can get a 4runner for around $9-10k, you would have enough left over to buy a small utility trailer to use on those occasions when you really do need a flat bed to haul something around.

BTW, I'm not intending to put down the DC, it's a great vehicle, I just want to point out that there may be alternatives you haven't considered.
 

Cackalak Han

Explorer
FWIW, I personally don't NEED a truck, but it's nice to have. All those house projects, hauling lumber, sod, dirt is much nicer in a truck bed. Hauling dirty hunting, biking, etc gear is nicer, too. I did like my 4Runners and if I still had them, I could get by, but the Tacoma does fit me better. Personaly prefs. I do notice it's a little longer than my 4Runners, but doesn't affect me at all. If you can't navigate a mid-sized Tacoma in a parking lot, you shouldn't be driving. On the trail, I'll probably never mod mine enough to get to a place where the extra 19" will matter. :D

And BTW, the turn radius is 38.1 ft for the 4Runner and 40 for the Tacoma DC.

Also, stock vs stock, I don't find any better or worse ride comparing the two.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
189,165
Messages
2,914,016
Members
231,886
Latest member
Defenders-US
Top