1st Gen DELUXE Owners

I am a long time (18 years) 3rd owner of a 2000 Tacoma and am (only now) attempting to understand what makes a DELUXE version of this generation's Tacoma DELUXE. Previously, it has not mattered to me what version my Tacoma might be, as I like the truck pretty much as it is, and it does what I need, but trying to certain purchase repair parts for this 24 year old truck has become somewhat of a pain, and I need to know everything I can about it, to pass part supplier's various website filters.

If you own a DELUXE version 1st Gen Tacoma, what special options are in your Tacoma that define it as DELUXE?

For example, does your DELUXE have a tach? Mine does not, and I seriously think mine is the BASE model, but do not know that with a high degree of certainty. What else does yours have that the BASE version doesn't?

TIA

 

How do I know if it’s a deluxe? Mine has a tach and carpet on the back wall, which I’m told is pretty fancy.

 

Base has no tachometer, AC, power interior features...

LX or DLX will have a tach and AC at the minimum some rare few have power mirrors and windows

 

My 2001 always comes up as a “Base model” when I run the VIN, and mine has A/C, power windows & locks and a tach. Also has a factory towing pkg too. It is NON-ABS too.

 

I think to anyone other than Toyota Base and and DLX are the same aftermarket lookups only seem to register Base and SR5 usually.

@Empty_Lord don't you have the system that can compare the differences at work?

 

The tach missing tells me I am driving the most basic verson possible, and thank you for verifying that for me. As to the carpet on the back wall, well
0xDEADBEEF, I agree with you totally, that is truly fancy!

Why would anybody purchase a vehicle with a manual transmission that doesn't have a tachometer? That never seemed right to me, but I got along without. The engine complained anytime I wanted to drive on the Interstate. I am hoping to be fixing that problem with the current work I am doing on it.

Thank you again.

 

No tach, no power windows, no power mirrors, no carpet on the rear wall. . . BASE

It DOES have Air Conditioning however. I could not stand driving in the summer without it. So, even the most basic version had AC, rest assured. I can't imagine Toyota trying to get away with selling a version without AC here in the states! Maybe in Northern Siberia?

And thanks for your help, Zane. It is much appreciated.

 

Don't let yourself get so spun up about the base/deluxe stuff. A vast majority of the parts are the same, or rather, the things that are different between the base and deluxe models would be limited to interior options.

 

Thanks, Ray, appreciate the information.

I ran my VIN at least three times, including running it on the toyoDIY.com website https://www.toyodiy.com and the https://autoparts.toyota.com/ and www.Toyota.com/owners websites, on advice given by TW members. I think you would be interested in the different information that the different decoders pump out for your vehicle. I was surprised. Originally, I had done it by hand, and wrote all the information down in the Haynes manual on the back of the cover, where I usually put all the tidbits of information about my cars, so I can get back to it.

So far, what I think I am becoming certain of, is that the BASE version did not have, because my truck doesn't have:

Tachometer,
Carpet on back wall,
Power windows,
Power locks,
Power mirrors,
Factory towing package
ABS

And there may be more.

 

Like Andy was saying most of it is visual stuff, and it's pretty much all across compatible so if you find it on a wrecking yard truck or whatever it should fit yours. Another thing that points to it being base is missing chrome trim.

 

Thanks, Andy. I agree with what you say, however. . .

There exist suppliers who think they need to differentiate between BASE and DELUXE. The whole reason I am asking such a seemingly picayune question is because there is a VEHICLE FITMENT function on eBay, by which they are able to tell you whether or not a certain part you want to buy from them will fit your vehicle, and if they say that it does, they become liable if it does not fit when you go to install it. When you log your vehicle into their system, they base their FIT judgement on the information you provide about your vehicle.

In this case, it was EBay that wanted to know which version Tacoma I had, and they used these questions:

BASE Standard Cab

or

DELUXE Standard Cab

That's where I got "spun up about the Base/Deluxe stuff". Way back when I first decoded my VIN, I found the word DELUXE appeared twice, in the information returned from the 7th character in the VIN. It was "2", and it said

Grade = Deluxe Tacoma 2001-2005 and [my Tacoma is 2000, so this doesn't apply]
Deluxe Tacoma 2-Air Bag 1998-2000 [my Tacoma is 2000, so this DOES apply; it must mean that I got a piece of the DELUXE package]

The point here is that I had seen the term DELUXE when I decoded my VIN. Other way around, NOTHING in the VIN used the term BASE.

It was only after opening this particular thread, and members told me what special things their DELUXE versions had, that I finally learned, for absolute certainty, that my Tacoma is the BASE version, so now I will be able to shop on eBay without having problems. That's important to ME because finding correct repair parts for my 24 year old truck can be a PITA. Every detail must be figured out precisely so my shopping "expedition" goes smoothly and gives me the correct part, if one exists. Just making assumptions doesn't get it any longer.

What you said about DELUXE being all about interior options seems all too true, and I thank you for commenting.

 

You're way over thinking this.

I just pick base any time I am presented with one of those prompts and I've never gotten an incorrect part. My truck is probably a "deluxe", I have my original window sheet, it probably says on there. It just doesn't shake out to a meaningful difference.

I also wouldn't use or consider Ebay as a source of truth for part fitment anyway.

 

Thanks, Andy. You are right on both points.

 

Mine is a DLX. Yes it has a tach but always thought it also should have an alternator gauge instead of a dumb red light. I'm not sure if the tach is part of the package, or it's because it's M/T.

Other things that I can tell, power/remote locks, power windows, power mirrors, not sure if the cold weather package is part of DLX or not but has it, beefier wiper motor and low washer fluid sensor. Not sure if AC is part of the "package" but has it (and it's broken right now LOL) Does not have power seats or heated seats (So, if you're going to do "cold weather package" why not? LOL) It has the tow package as well, but we're probably talking apples to oranges because it's a 4WD TRD and a V6 to boot.

As mentioned just use base for ball park fitment on most parts, I do it all the time. Anything serious like engine parts etc. you'd be getting from a Toyota dealer/distributor and would enter the VIN anyway. I wouldn't be concerned unless I saw a significant difference between parts for a base vs. parts for a DLX. Example, you're probably not going to be looking for power mirrors.

A good way to be sure is to look up the part on a Toyota site after entering your VIN, then get the part number. Now you can go to FleaBay and enter the part number. Aftermarket parts usually come up due to the description similar to "replacement part for OEM 333-23111xxxx . . . . "

On FleaBay pay very close attention to the info under "Item Details." The title can read "OEM Ball Joint Replacement" but in the Item Details it can often say "Unbranded" or some other A.M. brand. Some of these people get away with anything they can, but for the most part, if you do due diligence and read carefully, most sellers are honest enough (I guess an honestly inflated price is better than a dishonest one LOL)

Yeah just the other day I was looking at something and filtered results by mine, then went to an item and it said "doesn't fit" when clearly it does.

 

You're in programming- if you (they) can't find the answer, its a default "No".

 

Andy01DblCabTacoma said:

"I also wouldn't use or consider Ebay as a source of truth for part fitment anyway."

Then rocknbil replied:

"Yeah just the other day I was looking at something and filtered results by mine, then went to an item and it said "doesn't fit" when clearly it does."


That is exactly the problem I set out to solve when checking a part fitment for my Tacoma on eBay, recently. I knew a certain part fit my Tacoma but eBay said that it didn't. Now, knowing that my Tacoma is BASE, I have revised my Tacoma's information on eBay, and I fully expect this should allow eBay to say YES when a part that I knows fits, does fit. I say that with a certain degree of confidence because eBay is operating a business and they have a large financial stake in being correct about automobile part fitment, considering the amount of traffic they serve. How eBay does FITMENT is their problem, but if you put garbage in to describe your vehicle, you will get garbage out. That's dangerous. The case you should care about the most is when eBay says that a part FITS YOUR VEHICLE, because then it really should fit. You won't buy a part if they say that it doesn't fit (unless you have predetermined that it does fit).

rocknbil, you said that you commonly enter such a system by claiming your truck is BASE (for ballpark fitting?), but you were surprised to find a part that you knew fit didn't. Perhaps if you had claimed your truck was DELUXE (you say it is DLX), it might have said that the product did fit, as you expected it to say? I plan to test the eBay fitment function as soon as I can, to know whether what I am saying is correct or not with respect to my Tacoma, using parts that I know, as far as possible, do fit. I cannot remember the part that started all this, so I need to find another for the test.

 

If someone is wrapped around the axle, does it matter if it's a DLX or base axle?

It's e bay FFS, their specialty is screwing both buyers and sellers. Why are you going to trust an automated sorting tool for a vehicle that is more than two decades old???

Due diligence is the answer. It's ALWAYS the answer. Don't care if it's ro ck auto, e bay, am zn or your local parts counter.

 

And if you're really concerned about garbage in, garbage out, please do realize that the sellers make errors sometimes. Or simply don't care. They just want to sell.
If the information is wrong on their side, then relying on a fitment checker is even more of a fools errand. You can get both false negative and false positives.

 

rocknbil thank you for your contribution. I appreciate your advice and information. From your description of the DELUXE options you have in your truck (based on your 2003 DELUXE TACOMA TRD V6 4WD), I have added to my expanding list of options that do not apply to a BASE level Tacoma:

The BASE version DOES NOT HAVE:

IN THE CAB

Tachometer,
Carpet on back wall,
Power windows,
Power/remote locks,
Power mirrors,
Power seats,
Heated seats,

ELSEWHERE ON THE TRUCK

Factory towing package,
Beefier wiper motor,
Low washer fluid sensor,
ABS

And there may be more.

 

My '95 base has carpet on the back wall. lollll
You're tilting at windmills.
Perhaps a 3rd thread is in order?