New user and dead Tacoma in Richmond, VA (2 Viewers)

[machinecraig]

Hey folks,

I've been hearing about this forum for years from my brother - not sure what took me so long to visit!

I've got a dead Tacoma on my hands in Richmond, VA and hoping someone has some ideas for me. It's a 2004 PreRunner, and only had 165k miles on it before it was killed by a Valvoline shop that used the wrong size filter on it. Engine is totally locked up.

After a long fight with Valvoline - I've got the truck back from their repair shop but pretty much everything under the hood was removed by repair shop and is sitting in the bed of the truck.

What the heck do I do with this? It pains me to sell it for salvage but the quotes I'm getting to put an engine in are coming in high $8k+, and there's no telling what else that was pulled might also need work or replacing.

Assuming the truck isn't needed any longer - would it make any sense to pay for an engine to be put in and then try to sell it? Or should I just accept that it's toast and sell for salvage?

 

[trainbufftony]

I'm not a lawyer but in this case I think you need the advice of a professional lawyer.
They destroyed your engine, they owe you at the bare minimum a new used engine. You drove the truck in, they changed your oil and now your engine is siezed. If you don't feel comfortable letting them touch your vehicle again, and you would have good reason to, then price out the parts to put an engine in, and have them pay you $50/hrs to do so. The judge will make them pay you. If you don't push the issue, who will make them pay? If there is no consequences, they'll keep this up...

 

[sedonut]

Go to the Better Business Bureau, they're free.

Try Valvoline headquarters, stop dealing with the franchise, go up the headquarters chain, don't believe the first person you talk to unless you get a new motor.

A lawyer is unlikely to take it on contingency, so you will spend more on the lawyer, normally a $7500 retainer, than it will be worth.

 

[machinecraig]

Oh for sure, and good points guys. I have consulted with lawyers and ultimately Valvoline offered $7900 plus rental car reimbursement. The attorneys I had talked with needed $4-5k and said realistically if we can get Valvoline to pay without them that's the smarter move. So, i think we ended up okay - although it's been a total time suck to get this far.

But now I've got this Tacoma just sitting here with most of its parts sitting in the bed. i guess what I'm stuck on is could it make any kind of sense to pay for an engine replacement (which could run $8k or more from shops I've talked to) just to turn around and try to resell for more than that?

 

[sedonut]

It's a simple math problem. What's it worth non running as is? Maybe $2000?

What's it worth after spending $8000 on an engine?

What can you buy another used one for?

Without knowing the numbers, I would take the $7900 and sell the rest for maybe $2000 and be done with it. You never know the quality of a rebuilt motor.

 

[matzell]

Post up some pics of the truck. Hard to say what kind of shape it is in. Also pre-runner means 2wd right? Is the frame rusted? Has the frame been replaced under the recall? Is it a 4cly or 6cyl. I find it hard to believe it would cost 8k to put an engine in.

 

[trainbufftony]

Allt depends also on how mad you need the truck in your life vs $7900 cash.
Personally, I'd fix it.

 

[machinecraig]

Truck is in good shape other than the engine - no rust on body, interior in good shape. It's a 4 cyl 2.7, 2wd.

It was my daughters truck, but she's using the Valvoline cash to buy a different car so the old Tacoma is sort of without a direct purpose, and no budget to fix unless it could be recouped through a sale which the more I talk about seems unlikely. Haha.

I'll throw a Craigslist post together - but if anyone here sees it and is in the area, just drop me a message if interested.

 

[matzell]

wow! they pulled it all. Best to cover it up so water does not get in all the electrical and inside the tranny. What a shame. I am local. What are you asking for it?

 

[machinecraig]

wow! they pulled it all. Best to cover it up so water does not get in all the electrical and inside the tranny. What a shame. I am local. What are you asking for it?

I'm thinking $1500, and would throw in a stack of Valvoline oil change coupons. Haha

 

[Weedhopper]

LOL!

 

[yotadude520]

Man, sorry to hear about that. What a s*** show.

If the frame isn't too rusty, at $1,500 that's a great project for someone to build out a crawler or just convert to 4x4. Slap in a used 4 Cylinder engine and 4x4 trans and you're off to the races.

Odd they pulled the engine and trans though along with the wiring. What a bunch of knuckleheads.

 

[machinecraig]

Final update on this sad saga - sold it today for $1250.

 

[87FJ60 Sam18]

I got this in NE Ohio...

2003 Tacoma - auto parts - by owner - vehicle automotive sale - craigslist

2003 Tacoma double cab 4x4 automatic parts truck no good frame 3.4 v6 engine runs and drives very low 82k miles parts or whole clean cab and bed very nice drivetrain steering system, cooling system,...

akroncanton.craigslist.org