Can you drop some 1st gen Tundra knowledge on me?

[Deleted member 9101]

The next time I buy a truck, I'll be going to California, Arizona, Oregon, or somewhere that doesn't use road salt to buy it. No matter what make/model it is.

Words to live by!!

 

[jim65wagon]

They are cheaper than Tacomas. Have a V8. Are slightly larger than a Tacoma but not quite as big and bulky as an American fullsize (so, perfect size). What are the weaknesses? Typical Toyota frame rust I have heard. What about drivetrain/ powertrain? What am I missing?

Well, since I currently own both a Tundra (2003 Access Cab) and Tacoma (2014 Double Cab) I can tell you that they are so close in size it's uncanny. I have comparison shots on my (very short) Tacoma thread.
My Tundra has been nothing short of the best vehicle I've ever owned. It currently has 225,000 miles on it. I do take time to maintain it well, and that's all it's really needed. The exceptions to that are: a frozen brake caliper and a broken parking brake cable in a rear drum. The transmission has been fine throughout its life but gets a fluid change every 30-50,000 miles.

Weaknesses?
The aforementioned transmission, sometime for the 2003 that issue was fixed.

The front diff, which is the same as the Tacoma, I've only heard this - but some have had breakage, very few to my knowledge and it was doing things like hammering the throttle in reverse.

The frame, there was a recall, mine was part of it. The truck went to a Toyota dealer and they removed the bed, sprayed the frame with the stickiest, gooeyest, blackest sealant to coat it. Mine wasn't hardly rusted at all (this was after 150,000 miles of use) and didn't qualify for a replacement. It also gets washed after every offroad trip, beach ride, or snow event - more maintenance.

Strengths
The 4.7 V8 is essentially bulletproof. One of the best running engines I've owned. Smooth as silk, good acceleration, good economy. It's no diesel but it tows our 3500 lb teardrop through the mountains like nothing.

Overwork/loadability, our Tundra has spent it's life doing a myriad of things. Sometimes we've exceeded it's load limits - not the smartest thing to do but stuff happens. We've loaded 2400 lbs of gravel in it and driven 3 hours home (through DC). I pulled a non-running dumptruck with 4000lbs of feed corn (through a field 4wd lo range). Moved 1500lbs of patio stones from the delivery truck into our backyard (took about six fully loaded trips) it was muddy as heck and the delivery driver commented that he would never laugh at a foreign truck again.

Drive, they are super comfortable for road trips. They get decent mileage (almost as good as the Tacoma) have a large enough gas tank (greater range than the Tacoma) quiet interior.

In short, if you find one for the right price buy it.

 

[Viggen]

...

In short, if you find one for the right price buy it.

Thanks for all this information. I cannot really find any extended cab trucks. Not that popular and the more I think about it, I wonder how much room that the rear will have for a car seat. Right now, dual cabs are far more common it seems.

What would you say is a good price?

 

[Sacmaster]

Definitely go with a double cab. It still has a 6.5 foot bed, and the inside has much more room. After a couple months of searching, I bought an 04 double cab 4wd with about 120k miles for 11k about 6 months ago. The week before I almost paid 16k for an 06 with similar mileage. I didn't feel the difference in price was worth the newer truck. I felt like I got a very good deal, but my truck has a strange carfax, consisting of 5 owners switching back and forth between Georgia and Maine. The lack of rust and the fact the owners were many but only in those two locations make me believe it was kept in the same family and went back and forth during the winter. Who knows, but it's in good shape and has shown no clues of being a troubled truck. That said, I took a bit of a gamble on it.

I still look every once in a while out of curiosity, and it seems the prices are pretty stable and not dropping a whole lot, except for high mileage trucks. I'd say any clean double cab with 100-125k miles is a good buy around 15k or less.

 

[Viggen]

I still look every once in a while out of curiosity, and it seems the prices are pretty stable and not dropping a whole lot, except for high mileage trucks. I'd say any clean double cab with 100-125k miles is a good buy around 15k or less.

I have a line on an '05 DC with ~60k miles on it for $16k. Seems like an okay deal. Need to go check it out.

 

[toyotech]

If you go DC. Don't test drive the AC. I tested drove both and man, the DC can't u turn for the life of it. I just didn't need a DC. No kids.. The DC is nice tho. Roll down rear window. Very roomy. The V8 is a much better engine than the 2nd gen v8.

I have an 04 and love it. Do wish I had the 5speed and vvti but the price was so much more. There is enough aftermarket support but honestly, it's a want for it than anything else. Tundra owners just don't spend $$$ compared to taco owners. Hence more support.

The 05 with 60k for 16k sounds like a good deal. Work it down to 15k and it be a steal.


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[fourstringfletch]

I've been pondering a newer double cab (05-06) and I've asked a lot of random people driving them how much they love them. Overwhelmingly positive results.
However, I do know a local family who have spent a lot on their 05. I've heard of a secondary air pump failure that can get expensive quick. I don't know if that's related to the vvti upgrade. Any difference in fuel economy with vvti assuming you don't use all the new hp most of the time?

Great info guys, much appreciated. I'd consider trades in this vein if anyone wants a 2009 Subaru Legacy GT? I'm in Telluride, CO.

 

[Viggen]

If you go DC. Don't test drive the AC. I tested drove both and man, the DC can't u turn for the life of it. I just didn't need a DC. No kids.. The DC is nice tho. Roll down rear window. Very roomy. The V8 is a much better engine than the 2nd gen v8.

I have an 04 and love it. Do wish I had the 5speed and vvti but the price was so much more. There is enough aftermarket support but honestly, it's a want for it than anything else. Tundra owners just don't spend $$$ compared to taco owners. Hence more support.

The 05 with 60k for 16k sounds like a good deal. Work it down to 15k and it be a steal.


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I am struggling at the moment to decide between DC and AC. Problem with the DC is it is a lot bigger than I think I actually need. If it were DC with a 4 or 5 foot bed (future plans a bed chop?), maybe it would be better. The cab room is nice and would probably make loading people in and out a lot easier but, from the looks of it, the AC would provide enough space for a car seat in the middle. That and it being pretty much the exact same size as a Tacoma DC but with a couple inches of width, make it very appealing. I like to trail ride and around here, things get tight very quickly. A DC Tundra would probably be more of a trail liability than anything. Maybe, if I could find some interior space dimensions of the AC to give me a good idea.

I have been back and forth on what to get. My BIL has a second gen Tundra DC. HUGE and extremely thirsty. Not to mention kind of ugly. The first gens always looked good to me.

 

[FJR Colorado]

The DC is definitely a load to drive. Turns like an aircraft carrier. If you want it for off-road, get an AC.

The VVTi and 5-speed transmission are really only most useful when highway cruising. I can plug along in my 2006 DC at 80 to 85 for hours even loaded down.

 

[tyv12]

Air pumps are a problem with the 5.7L tundras, the other thing that AC shines at is it has the same power with less weight and higher payload


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[rickashay]

I've had mine for 2 years now and love it - ~60000kms in 2 years and I've never had a single problem with the truck of any kind. So comfortable on long trips, the V8 and size are perfect. I live in a rust-prone area but if you wash the undercarriage and buy once that has been cared for, the frame will not be an issue. Mine is exceptionally clean and has lived in AB it's whole life.

I too wish I had the 5spd. trans and vvti but my 04' leaves me not wanting. It's seriously a great truck.

 

[toyotech]

I am struggling at the moment to decide between DC and AC. Problem with the DC is it is a lot bigger than I think I actually need. If it were DC with a 4 or 5 foot bed (future plans a bed chop?), maybe it would be better. The cab room is nice and would probably make loading people in and out a lot easier but, from the looks of it, the AC would provide enough space for a car seat in the middle. That and it being pretty much the exact same size as a Tacoma DC but with a couple inches of width, make it very appealing. I like to trail ride and around here, things get tight very quickly. A DC Tundra would probably be more of a trail liability than anything. Maybe, if I could find some interior space dimensions of the AC to give me a good idea.

I have been back and forth on what to get. My BIL has a second gen Tundra DC. HUGE and extremely thirsty. Not to mention kind of ugly. The first gens always looked good to me.

I think the wheelbase is longer on the DC hence the poor turning radius. If you shorten the bed and the wheel base to be the length of the AC. That be sweet!! But the longer bed is very nice because I have a topped and sleep in the back. I'm 5'11 and like to stretch.

If you don't mind having a sleeping platform with a lot of head space. You could chop the bed. Put a custom topper on. Build a sleeping platform to just the bottom of the bed rails. Roll rear window down and bam!! Instant longer sleeping platform.

Dang it!! I should get a DC and do that. But I do like the head room!!!


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[toyotech]

The DC is definitely a load to drive. Turns like an aircraft carrier. If you want it for off-road, get an AC.

The VVTi and 5-speed transmission are really only most useful when highway cruising. I can plug along in my 2006 DC at 80 to 85 for hours even loaded down.

Like most. Those with tundras. I know I am one of them. Got it for the long drives!! The 5 speed be nice plus I do tow a few times a year a RzR. The 4 speed works. Longer gears so it would be the same at final drive.

With the 5 speed. I think you can go larger tires without hurting as much.

My last trip on the highway home from the desert net me 13.66-14mpg rocking 70-80 plus mph with some hill climbs. A/C on half of the time of not more


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[Deleted member 9101]

With the 5 speed. I think you can go larger tires without hurting as much.

Swap to the V6 gears and it takes care of the larger tire issue pretty cheaply. When I bought my truck it had a bent rear end and a bent rim. I got a whole rear end from a "pick-n-pull" for something like 100.00, cleaned and painted it, rebuilt the brakes, and swapped it in less than an hour. Pretty cheap way to get either 4.10 or 4.30 gears.


Oh yeah, you'll probably have to replace the drive shaft carrier bearing. It's pretty easy and doesn't cost much, but it causes some vibration on the HW when the rubber part goes bad.

 

[Viggen]

Dang it!! I should get a DC and do that. But I do like the head room!!!

A DC on an extended cab chassis would be interesting, certainly. A little bit goofy but if you could stretch it just enough to allow a 4' bed, that would be a sweet truck. Like a DC with a Tacoma DC short bed.

Well, since I currently own both a Tundra (2003 Access Cab) and Tacoma (2014 Double Cab) I can tell you that they are so close in size it's uncanny. I have comparison shots on my (very short) Tacoma thread.

I just looked through your short thread. The firewalls were lined up (correct?) and the sizes are so close. What is the difference in cab size, besides being a couple inches wider. That is the only other photo I would have loved to have seen.