Did you buy a high mileage Tacoma?

I'm in the market and my budget indicates I'm looking at vehicles with mileage in the 100k-150k range. I'm aware of the rust issues and the need for a pre-inspection. I'm just wondering how it worked out for you if you bought one with high mileage.

Thanks.

 

I have bought three high mileage Taco's over the last several years.

#1 was a 1st gen Pre-runner that ran very well. Owned it for a couple of years but really wanted a 4wd so I sold it.

#2 was a 2nd gen 4 cyl w/ manual transmission. Got scammed but learned a lot and was able to resell for what I paid.

#3 is my current ride. 2nd gen 4wd (auto) that had 180,000 on the odo and currently closing in on 210k. Have had to replace a lot of the wearable items but it's been solid overall.

I can't tell you how many I looked at prior to buying each of them. So. much. rust. As well as other... oddities.

 

I bought 2015 taco long bed dc at 152k miles 5 months ago. Normal Rust.. had to replace serp belt as it was making squeaking noise. Changed spark plugs , Back Structs was leaking in back and was replaced. wheel bearing is out on one side.. had to clean MAF sensor and throttle body. replaced all fluids like trans / diff etc for peace of mind..coolant and brake fluid was still okay. replaced cabin/air filters. replaced tires (falken wildpeak at3w) with 3rd gen rims because I liked the look. Came was soft topper but color is a little fading so I will be adding some repellent and cleaner to make it shine. The back tailgate color was faded so I bought some black color restore thing that is working well. Napa Battery is 3 years old but seem to be okay for now. Rotors/brakes will probably need to be replaced in a year. Had alignment done since I replaced tires and rims. When they did my Alignment, the tie rod was seized and was replaced?. If I had to do it over again.. maybe a cpo / new truck? or even thought about nissan frontier.

 

bought my 2012 SR5 4x4 with like 90k on it. As long as it has good service records and no rust youll be ok.

 

In mid 2021 I bought a 2014 Tacoma 4.0L access cab 4WD manual w/ 62K on the ODO, it has had no issues so far. It's now at 75K.

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Also, in 2014 I bought a 1999 Tacoma 2.4L single-cab 2WD auto-trans utility truck with 142K on the ODO in 2014.

Have put 25K miles on it since then. The only thing it has needed is a new starter at about 160K.

Still have both trucks. The '99 is a backup in case the 2014 ever gets wrecked, stolen, or needs to be in the shop for an extended time.

 

Mileage isn't as much of a concern as age. Check for these things in addition to frame rust:

Steering rack leak (seepage to dripping leak near the tie rod bellows) - most 2nd gens have this
Timing cover leak (near the power steering pump) - most 2nd gen V6 have this
Blown head gasket - 2005/2006 most prone, trending up for all year 2nd gen V6 as they get older

In 2012-2015 V6, the manifold air injection pump and switching valves can go at any time, costing a few hundred to over $1k depending where you get parts.

I avoided a high mileage Tacoma when I was shopping for a commuter vehicle this time last year. Ended up buying a high-mileage 5th gen 4Runner.

 

In 2014 I bought a 07 trd sport prerunner with I think 130K miles and sold it with 160K miles. In 2017 I bought a 08 trd sport 4x4 with around 160K miles, currently has 230K.
Other than normal maintenance only had to replace U joints once on the 07. For the 08 in addition to normal maintenance I have replaced U joints 3 times, replaced the entire front suspension, and the alternator. The 08 does have a slight timing cover leak that I've decided to ignore.

 

I guess. It runs. Never had a CEL.
It's normal mileage. National average is 10k a year. It's not a new model year.

Depends on the vehicle and how it was cared for.
PO either did what they were supposed to do, when they were supposed to do it. Or they did not.

B6 A4 manual 1.8T at 100k+? It works.
B8 2.0T at 100k? The poop has pooped. As designed.
W210 E320 RWD at 100k+? It works.

I rarely see any with less than 100k.

You can ruin a new car in 40-60k mi if you don't change the oil.

Mine had a couple cheap but tasteful mods done by previous owner. Truck looked like it was taken care of. Guess I got lucky and PO wasn't a turd
Not really the vehicle to be one with. If folks wanna run a car into the wall, let them do it with a $1k car. They're out there.

Mine is not for sale. But if it was, I could tell you from memory what I did, when I did it, show it to you
I'd be aware of what I did do. What I didn't. Wouldn't care if it's believed or not.
And can probably find receipts.
Not that hard to do.
And, hopefully, there would be an actual reason to sell. "I had a bunch of kids and dogs, so I want something bigger" is a little more gentle and believable than someone who is selling because "I neglected it and found out it's broken"
or, whatever other reason

I had other brands before. Harder to work on, less reliable, etc.
wanted to get away from that and see what normal life is like.

 

Bought a 130k mile 2013 Double Cab Long Bed Sport 4x4 after a long search.

Sprung for a toyota dealership pre-purchase inspection, and while it was helpful since they video the whole thing, they did miss some things which annoyed me.

Despite that, it was a bargaining point and the seller took care of a few things (tires/brakes/serpentine belt/minor repairs) and I had some work done at the first oil change with more planned in the future. A note, my independent mechanic has been happy to work on the truck, which compared to some other vehicles I've owned over the years, is refreshing.

Ideally I'd have bought a low milage grandpa maintained truck, but this one is in great shape, and repairs & preventative maintenance are much cheaper than a newer truck payment would ever be.

Besides, I love the later 2nd gen trucks (2012-2015) and am super happy to finally have one.

 

If you're mechanically inclined (or have a good mechanic) you'll be fine, it will mainly be wear and tear items. The biggest thing to look out for is rust on frame of course. I bought a 2009 with 156k, CV axles, rear axle seal, blower motor resistor, u joints and carrier bearing, brake pads, sway bar bushings, radiator cap, things like that are what I've done. I've gone ahead and done plugs, changed all fluids except coolant and brake, cleaned MAF/throttle body, replaced all filters.

I live in NH now but born and raised on Cape Cod!

 

My 2007 4.0 auto has close to 250k miles now. Only CEL I ever had was for a bad transmission range sensor.

Other than that it’s on its 2nd steering pump, 2nd water pump, 2nd alternator & I had to change a leaking valve cover.

 

Bought a 2013 OR double cab with the v6 and auto. It was out of Arizona, so no rust. The interior looks brand new still. I paid $17,500 for it with 180k in 2022. Probably wild in some peoples' minds but I got an equally inflated price for my 1st gen so it all worked out. It is been flawless. I've changed the transmission fluid, spark plugs, and all of the other normal maintenance items. My plan moving forward is to replace what I believe is the original suspension. That and hold my breath that the Super White paint doesn't start peeling...

 

got my 09 at 168k, I'm closing in on 200k I've replaced wear items but overall my truck was very well serviced by a local shop and even drove it down and got copies of the maintenance and service, and even reached out to a friend a Toyota dealer who printed off services done there.

but maybe i got lucky, my 90 Toyota truck had some weird issues but a brand new clutch and needed some tires but that was it it had 187k on it.

 

Buying high mileage vehicles whether Toyota or other makes is always a crapshoot. Mileage is the main killer of vehicles and their parts. Age is a factor too which mostly affects rubber and plastic items which break, crack and deteriorate over time. In some parts of the country rust is a major problem.Having the record history of repairs and maintenance helps a great deal in choosing a reliable vehicle, but it’s still a crap shoot.
The higher the mileage and the older the more likely things will break and fail. It’s just the way it is. No way to know that next week the alternator or the fuel pump or the head gasket or power steering pump etc etc. will fail. Some vehicles like Toyotas are more reliable than others but that’s no guarantee there won’t be problems. So if buying a used vehicle I tell people find one with the lowest mileage you can find and afford, do a thorough inspection (consider having a mechanic check it out) and get maintenance and repair records.
OP 100,000 to 150,000 miles on modern vehicles is really not considered high mileage but they are approaching high mileage. I’d however try to stay away from vehicles over 200,000 miles.
When I was younger I use to buy used cars and spent an inordinate amount of time working on and repairing them. I got to the point where I didn’t really enjoy my time working on and repairing cars. I’d much rather spend my time doing things I love like hunting, fishing, watching movies, traveling etc. as opposed to laying under a greasy car for hours repairing it so I could go hunting, fishing etc.

 

Bought my 2013 with 76k in 2020, has 130k now. Took me 6 months to find it, and thankfully it was fairly well taken care of. Clean frame underneath, no undercoat, anti-corrosion TSB done as well. I get it undercoated yearly with a petroleum based undercoating at Milspray in Lakewood, NJ.

I've largely done nothing but regular maintenance (oil, plugs, filters, lube, AT drain and refill every 30k), some preventative (replaced front axles, CVs, hubs, LCAs), and a couple mild upgrades (Eibach pro truck kit + SPC UCAs, Icon 3-leaf AAL in the rear, and 265/70 Grabber ATXs + OE 17" 4Runner wheels).

Planning on taking the truck to 250k+ - don't want anything newer, I love how basic and easy to work on the 2nd gen is. Original plan was to put some kind of wedge camper setup on the bed but had to cancel those plans for now. Camper pricing has gotten too crazy.

I just wish it had a locker/limited slip. It's just an SR5, so I don't have any traction aids in 4-lo.

 

pretty sure the yellow wire mod is something that can be done for traction aid in 4LO

 

I bought a 158k mile '07 Tacoma. Frame replaced, NC raised. Fairly clean.
Regular maintenance: fluids, plugs, belt 'n pulleys, wheel-bearing and suspension parts, OG alternator and clutch - damn you, TOB - are all I've had to replace. Oh, and an eight year old battery.
225k miles now. Pulls good, drives smooth. Great little truck.

 

Yeah, I've been reading into it - not keen on cutting wires. There's a later 'version' that involves running a wire and installing a resistor, I need to go back through it.

 

I bought mine with 190km, I don't consider that high milage on these trucks.

 

Bought mine with nearly 190k on it and have put 20k on it in the past 3-4yrs. Runs great. So far all I've done is standard maintenance and all kinds of mods.