Thoughts: best Toyota pick up

[tennesseewj]

It's good to see some first gen Tundra love in here, haha.

My co-worker had a unicorn first gen Tundra that you guys would appreciate. It was a 2003 Access cab, 4x4, 3.4L, with a manual in SR5 trim. It was about as close to a modernized T100 as you could get at the time. It was a very capable rig and got a respectable 18 mpg average.

The 260k trouble-free miles he put on that truck were a big reason behind my decision to purchase my first gen Tundra, actually.

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[FJR Colorado]

I've owned about 60 toyotas... so I'm either an expert or my judgement is not to be trusted.

I've always wanted to build a T100... SAS, V8, flip the bed sides to extend the wheelbase... I used to call the idea "TOW-100." Owned a 96 for a while, and I found it to be a nice size for what I needed at the time.

I'm not sure there is a "Perfect" Toyota.

My favorites that I've owned, in no particular order: 85 4Runner, 86 xcab (SAS/4.3), 96 4Runner, 93 xcab, 04 dcab, 06 tundra dcab, 04 tacoma xcab... shoot...I'll stop before this list gets dumb... lol

60 Toys!

Tell my wife. She think I have a bad habit with 3 at the moment (6 total with family vehicles).

 

[bkg]

60 Toys!

Tell my wife. She think I have a bad habit with 3 at the moment (6 total with family vehicles).

I have commitment issues....

 

[Regcabguy]

You could have bought a few homes for that.
Myself and a friend had '85 Xtra cabs. They ate 2.5 qts of oil every 3K. My other friend's '84 ate oil but not as bad. Toyota wouldn't touch 'em. The '84 owner walked the sidewalk outside of Carlsbad Toyota with a sign that read that read. "My truck eats oil" Toyota bought him a new shortblock. I drove a Hino for 240K. Never used oil and the place I retired from is just now retiring the truck because the government mandates an an emissions burdened modern rig. I also had a '75 Toyota truck that never used any. The technician at Carlsbad confided that Toyota had a bad batch with some cylinders out of round and they knew about it.
Stuff happens but they should have owned up to it and I should have hung a sign over me and walked the sidewalk too.

 

[Inyo_man]

The early to mid. 1980's 4x4 p/u's have always been a favorite. I personally like the 22R motor for simplicity. These rigs are easy to keep running well and they're a great motor for the kids to learn how to turn a wrench.

 

[nickw]

I like the early Tacomas w/o fender flares (pic attached). I had a 2001 and loved the truck but had a soft sport for the earlier models.

I've always loved the early 90's xcabs with the cool graphics on the sides and those cool chunky OEM rims.

Overseas 70's series, std. cab pickups have got to be the coolest though....I'd really like one with the FI Gas engine, 5 spd....

 

[jgallo1]

60 Toys!

Tell my wife. She think I have a bad habit with 3 at the moment (6 total with family vehicles).

right if I have 2 trucks my wife gets mad ha ha

 

[jgallo1]

You could have bought a few homes for that.
Myself and a friend had '85 Xtra cabs. They ate 2.5 qts of oil every 3K. My other friend's '84 ate oil but not as bad. Toyota wouldn't touch 'em. The '84 owner walked the sidewalk outside of Carlsbad Toyota with a sign that read that read. "My truck eats oil" Toyota bought him a new shortblock. I drove a Hino for 240K. Never used oil and the place I retired from is just now retiring the truck because the government mandates an an emissions burdened modern rig. I also had a '75 Toyota truck that never used any. The technician at Carlsbad confided that Toyota had a bad batch with some cylinders out of round and they knew about it.
Stuff happens but they should have owned up to it and I should have hung a sign over me and walked the sidewalk too.

I had an incident like that with a Toyota dealer in FL. I found a truck on CL and sent it to the Dealer in St. Augustine for a basic report before I purchased the truck. They said the truck needed a power steering pump and a few basic items, to be expected on a 25 yr old rig. I have always picked the rigs up myself and driven back home. This time I got busy with work and just shipped it. I trusted the dealer(huge mistake). I got the truck to MT and brought it to my local mechanic to fix the pump and got it halfway up on the lift and he brought it down. The frame was so rusted he was afraid it was going to collapse. I tried everything, even paid a lawyer to write a letter. I got nowhere. You would think in a pre-sale inspection report they would note serious frame rust. I also learned i will never not go pick up the truck myself.

 

[tennesseewj]

I had an incident like that with a Toyota dealer in FL. I found a truck on CL and sent it to the Dealer in St. Augustine for a basic report before I purchased the truck. They said the truck needed a power steering pump and a few basic items, to be expected on a 25 yr old rig. I have always picked the rigs up myself and driven back home. This time I got busy with work and just shipped it. I trusted the dealer(huge mistake). I got the truck to MT and brought it to my local mechanic to fix the pump and got it halfway up on the lift and he brought it down. The frame was so rusted he was afraid it was going to collapse. I tried everything, even paid a lawyer to write a letter. I got nowhere. You would think in a pre-sale inspection report they would note serious frame rust. I also learned i will never not go pick up the truck myself.

Was that your most recent T100 purchase? Did you end up selling that one or have you convinced yourself to fix it yet?

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[bkg]

You could have bought a few homes for that.

in hindsight, maybe. But not from the total quantity, but from the cost of a couple of builds that I've done. I'm including flips, parts trucks, spouses trucks, etc..

 

[jgallo1]

Was that your most recent T100 purchase? Did you end up selling that one or have you convinced yourself to fix it yet?

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This was my first T100. Its crazy it had 98k and was cherry. Every person I talked to said 15k to get the frame done right. I don't have the skills to do that amount of work. It would be amazing.

 

[dman93]

Thats whats amazing about the T100, its like 11" of true ground clearance stock. Just add some decent shocks to help with dampening when driving offroad and its good to go.

I added Bilsteins to my otherwise stock T100 not long before I sold it (pause to kick myself, and ask why I sold it). The buyer took it to a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection. The mechanic cautioned him that since the truck was lifted, it might have been abused offroad. I had to point out it was NOT lifted. But the lack of easy access to the otherwise spacious rear seats/cargo area was a limit to its usefulness. And though I thought the 3.4 and 4 speed AT was OK when I owned it, the much maligned 3.5 and 6 speed combo in my 3rd gen Taco is far more powerful and a bit more economical. Though not as much as it should be for 20 years of progress.

 

[NoDak]

I like the early Tacomas w/o fender flares (pic attached). I had a 2001 and loved the truck but had a soft sport for the earlier models.

I've always loved the early 90's xcabs with the cool graphics on the sides and those cool chunky OEM rims.

Overseas 70's series, std. cab pickups have got to be the coolest though....I'd really like one with the FI Gas engine, 5 spd....

Does that Tacoma have a full floating rear axle?

Edit: I mean the one in the pic you attached.

 

[nickw]

Does that Tacoma have a full floating rear axle?

Edit: I mean the one in the pic you attached.

No it's just the hubcap.

 

[rruff]

Thats whats amazing about the T100, its like 11" of true ground clearance stock. Just add some decent shocks to help with dampening when driving offroad and its good to go.

I think the first gen Tundras were similar?

The biggest thing I miss about the old trucks is ability to see over the hood. Hate the ridiculous vanity hood and grill on the new ones.