Do you recall your first car? Help me make that memory... (1 Viewer)

[2fpower]

Looking for my son's first car. Looking to get one in next 16 months so have time to find a good one hopefully...... we have narrowed it down to an extended cab Tacoma.

The issue is that I know nothing about these rigs!

Been told to look for 3.4 v6, and we want to teach him on a stick. Want safety features, airbags, antilock brakes, so early trucks are out. He wheels in my landcruiser, so we would want 4x4 and lockers if available.

So, what years should I be looking for, and what should I stay away from? SR5, TRD, prerunner - what is this?

Sounds like some had rear lockers, how do I know if it has this? In the VIN number, or is it like the Land cruiser where you have to find the switch on the dash?

Any and all advice appreciate.

So, while we are talking about first cars, mine was a 77 Toyota Corolla Wagon. Mustard Yellow, that I could not stand, so we painted it Ketchup red. rear shocks were blown, so when you turned the steering wheel back and forth a little bit, it wagged. For those reasons, it was called the "hot dog".

 

[pkt1213]

TRD Tacomas are locked. Otherwise it has been swapped in.

I would also imagine 95+% of access cabs 4x4 have ABS but have no production numbers. I think the only ones without are the standard cab with manual locking hubs.

 

[Jacket]

Pre-runner = 2wd. You'll want to stay away from those. Rear locked Tacomas will have the RR Diff Lock button, and most (all?) TRD's before 2005 had the rear locker.

 

[Weber Sarge]

I'd be no help , first car was a '75 Dodge Monaco Royal - most die-hard vehicle built and I spent 10yrs trying to kill it . Think Blue Brothers ...it put 5 other cars in the junk yard and kept going (only 1 was my fault) .
I like the 1st Gen Taco best , hard to find one that hasn't been beat badly or rusted out .
Sarge

 

[2fpower]

The Dodge Monaco Royale. That is a way to start.

 

[2fpower]

Okay, sounds like I'm searching for a TRD, access cab. What year did they start making the TRD version?

 

[pkt1213]

98 according to wikipedia. Yotatech is/was a good source on this when I had my 4runner.

 

[Weber Sarge]

Somewhere I have some pics of that car - looked like it went through several demo derbies and survived somehow - it had been in at least 10 accidents in it's lifetime but a great starter/beater car . Curb weight was around 5200lbs new , bet it lost 500lbs to rust . Last big car I had was Dad's old '78 New Yorker Brougham , 3-ton dinosaur with a 440 wedge in it . Of course , we had to play a bit with the engine - had her clocked @170 mph once and that was one scary ride .

There's a local guy with a 2000 TRD extended cab here , always jealous of that rig as it's one of the best looking ever built . He's over 300k on it and hasn't turned a wrench to speak of yet . Just something about the body design , makes all the other Rangers and Colorado's look like crap .
Sarge

 

[2fpower]

Awesome information. search is now for a 98-2002 TRD extended cap (access cab) V6 with stick.

 

[pkt1213]

One for sale with lift on Eureka Springs AR craigslist.

 

[2fpower]

LInky? I can't find it.

 

[Enigma]

'74 Ford Cortina. 4 door, 4 speed, with a weber carb on a 2000cc motor. Was rusty as hell but was fun

But good luck finding one.




Get him a 60 series!

 

[2fpower]

'74 Ford Cortina. 4 door, 4 speed, with a weber carb on a 2000cc motor. Was rusty as hell but was fun

But good lucking finding one.

View attachment 1026648


Get him a 60 series!

Never even heard of a Cortina... Looks like something Columbo would drive.

Forget 60 series, you find me a nice cheap 74 series diesel from 1980 up in your wonderland of stuff we could not get in the states, and I will come get it for him/me!

 

[krice118]

I know this isn't what your looking for but thought I'd throw it out there because it is different: 98 rear locked supercharged 4Runner forum.ih8mud.com/threads/supercharged-3rd-gen.836642/

 

[pkt1213]

My bad. It was wearing TRD wheels.

http://fayar.craigslist.org/cto/4858203878.html

I also wouldn't count out just a 4wd without locker or a 2wd with locker. Both are still very capable.

 

[jynx]

The 3.4 is a solid motor. Just needs regular PM and will go 400k+ easy, at least I hope Since I just clicked over 230k on my 4runner. Agree that I would look for a solid v6 5spd access cab, 4wd in that flavor shouldn't be to hard to come by. I wouldn't make having a locker a deal breaker. For a 16 yr old who may or may not want to keep the truck long term, I wouldn't limit myself. Let him learn and as his skills grow, you can always drop in a locker. They are nice and I would like to have one out back, but I wouldn't pass on a clean, well maintained truck just because it is missing the locker.

Additionally, the aftermarket is pretty friendly to the 1st gen Tacomas. Plenty of suspension options out there. Bumpers, sliders, skids, etc. are offered by several folks. Crawl boxes and the like are also options out there. And if he gets really into it, solid axle swaps are pretty cookie cutter these days too.

All in all I think it will be a fine first car.

Mine btw was a 1981 Ford F150 4wd with a balanced and blueprinted 351w. That old girl would run like a scalded dog. I think it is why I get so attached to my vehicles now. I traded it on another truck and then saw it a few years later and after seeing how terribly someone had treated it, I wish'd I'd have kept it. I've not let anything go since.

 

[Haggis]

Thanks Weber for the 2000 TRD compliment, the reason I will not sell! Cannot say enough what an outstanding rig it has been, only at 105,000 mi. Not easy to find...First car was an IH Scout 1975. Dad was original owner, got me through college in the 80's. A Sherman Tank.

 

[2fpower]

The 3.4 is a solid motor. Just needs regular PM and will go 400k+ easy, at least I hope Since I just clicked over 230k on my 4runner. Agree that I would look for a solid v6 5spd access cab, 4wd in that flavor shouldn't be to hard to come by. I wouldn't make having a locker a deal breaker. For a 16 yr old who may or may not want to keep the truck long term, I wouldn't limit myself. Let him learn and as his skills grow, you can always drop in a locker. They are nice and I would like to have one out back, but I wouldn't pass on a clean, well maintained truck just because it is missing the locker.

Additionally, the aftermarket is pretty friendly to the 1st gen Tacomas. Plenty of suspension options out there. Bumpers, sliders, skids, etc. are offered by several folks. Crawl boxes and the like are also options out there. And if he gets really into it, solid axle swaps are pretty cookie cutter these days too.

All in all I think it will be a fine first car.

Mine btw was a 1981 Ford F150 4wd with a balanced and blueprinted 351w. That old girl would run like a scalded dog. I think it is why I get so attached to my vehicles now. I traded it on another truck and then saw it a few years later and after seeing how terribly someone had treated it, I wish'd I'd have kept it. I've not let anything go since.

Very good thoughts here. I am transplanted from the 80 series rigs, where lockers to me is a dealbreaker, so I appreciate the thoughts.

Will keep that in mind; however, he plans to offroad it pretty quickly.

Been looking at completed sales and seeing prices at about 7-12k range for these models with average miles. Given that I want him to have some skin in the game, and work on it some, I might start looking at the insurance body damaged rigs.

 

[pkt1213]

I had a 98 4runner manual 4x4 and there isn't much it couldn't do. The only problem with not having a locker was wet leaves one time.

 

[Ctenosaurian]

I would second the 3rd gen 4Runner, really fun to drive with the manual. I loved my 2000, no locker, but was a capable vehicle.