[johnnymumbles]

I realize "to each his own" regarding old (95-04) vs new tacos, as each may serve a different purpose or need.
So, I'll try to be succinct.
I've had an '01 since new off the lot. It's cosmetically beat but it's a tank. I love it, but it sucks on cross country road trips.
Nowadays it's a work truck, I get off road a fair amount but I no longer test its limits on the trails.
The newest tacos appear pretty solid from the parking lot inspections I've done, I think for a while after first gen they looked really plasticized.
How do the more recent years compare for ease of a home mechanic? I can do just about anything on my old taco with a few sockets.
Reliability?
Build quality?
All the electronics on modern vehicles scares me. I don't want to get stranded because my key fob got wet or something. And I don't want to spend $$$ replacing a stupid sensor that I don't care about but the truck can't run without.
Ignoring modern comfort/luxury, is a new taco worth looking into if I have a 250k mile beater that nobody but me wants to be in on road trips?
It's that time to decide...dump a few $K into the old one to "revive" it... (ie new seats)...or move on to an unknown platform.

 

[ShowStop]

I've still got my truck with 350k miles and it shows its age, but I keep my commuter car on the new side. The new technology isn't too bad if you find a manufacturer that builds a quality car with minimal defects.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Actually your ’01 has plenty of sensors. As for the fob, most new vehicles do come with a key that will open the doors and start the engine. On the other hand you own that ’01 and it’s paid for and seems to be running fine so WHY? I really like my ’01 double cab and plan to run it a lot more. It just turned 250K and was owned by a Toyota tech who maintained it for his college age daughter so it got cared for. I’d say drive it and stop looking at those newer trucks or you will own one.

 

[johnnymumbles]

Appreciate the input. The biggest "why change" is I regularly drive way off grid at high elevation to a desolate cabin in the middle of three national forests. Get stranded and it could be a survival situation. As for sensors, I hear stories. One, a neighbor's Volvo had a fob issue that was around $2k to fix. Worst job on our old trucks is AC repair iirc, removing entire dash etc. My old man has an old 944, great old car but pita to work on at all. Newer vehicles are generally more complex and difficult/costly to fix but safer in accidents.
Just sold my Lexus rx350 commuter, so back to daily driving the old beast and I got a bit too used to the modern comfort.
Ideally they'd make a simple, reliable, and safe truck. Key fobs and push button start are not necessary, at all. Same goes for lane detection, automatic wipers, TPMS sensors, digital speedometer, and probably HUD as well...and Bluetooth. Just my
opinion but there's a lot of bloatware.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

The good thing about most of those newer features is that they are generally computer driven and are very reliable compared to our electro-mechanical parts. I’d look at the mid-sized truck segment, and buy the most basic model which will have more of those modern comforts than our 2001. All the modern smaller engines have more power too so a 4 cyl. in a basic truck might do well.

 

[gonerydin]

I like my 2020 Taco but there is one big downside that I recently became aware of.
This is almost $11,000 damage:

Ironically, that vehicle in the background is an army green Tundra and they are picking up pieces for me.

The cost of venison goes up with inflation.

 

[Taco Pastor]

I miss my 01(3rz) and 02(5vz). I hardly had to do anything to them. The manual trans was bullet proof and so was the engine. My 09, WOW, I have to do a lot to keep it up. I do have the frame recall, but I had to replace the starter, I have to now replace the manifold/ cats combos. For the second time in two years ownership, I have had to replace the upstream O2 sensors. I am on June 1st replacing my clutch and everything to stop the dreaded squeak. I REALLY MISS MY 1ST GEN's, SOOOO MUCH! I am half tempted buying a wrecked one and using/building for extreme overlanding, but I am putting so much money into my 09, I can't see it in my budget now.

My 01, I pulled a Chevy 3500 express van(the long version and it was full of music vendor equipment to) out of hub deep mud @ music festival in 2004. The next day I pulled a Ford Explorer that lost his 4wd (the whole festival was a wash and mud pit), but I shifted wrong(should have left it in first), and lost my momentum. I did pull him halfway though.

They were my greatest, and my 01 I bought new with only 88 miles on it. The 02 had 64K on it when I bought it, and I traded it with 120k+ on it. I hope there both still on the road somewhere. Can't hold onto everything, even though some try.

 

[johnnymumbles]

That hurts to see gonerydin.
My 01 was in a frontal collision. Hood was buckled enough I could stick my head in from the side. I re-shaped the hood by taking it off and standing on it.
Front grille still intact, both headlights and radiator had to be replaced. The ARB bumper is smashed, took the brunt of it.
Somehow the airbags didn't deploy and the frame rails are unscathed.
I'll post some pics of it now. Trickiest thing was getting the hood and latch bent back so it'd close/open again.
Long story short. The ARB bumper turned out to be the best investment, saved my truck for another day. All told the accident cost about $500.

 

[johnnymumbles]

I like my 2020 Taco but there is one big downside that I recently became aware of.
This is almost $11,000 damage:
View attachment 62294

Ironically, that vehicle in the background is an army green Tundra and they are picking up pieces for me.

The cost of venison goes up with inflation.

I do hope you kicked the deer a few times.

 

[gonerydin]

That hurts to see gonerydin.
My 01 was in a frontal collision. Hood was buckled enough I could stick my head in from the side. I re-shaped the hood by taking it off and standing on it.
Front grille still intact, both headlights and radiator had to be replaced. The ARB bumper is smashed, took the brunt of it.
Somehow the airbags didn't deploy and the frame rails are unscathed.
I'll post some pics of it now. Trickiest thing was getting the hood and latch bent back so it'd close/open again.
Long story short. The ARB bumper turned out to be the best investment, saved my truck for another day. All told the accident cost about $500.

All fixed now. Happened April 28. $3000 just for the lights.

 

[gonerydin]

I do hope you kicked the deer a few times.

I couldn't find it. I don't blame the deer. I blame the state for mismanaging them. The deer population in Iowa has exploded since the 1930s when the state decided they needed to be "managed". There are so many of them now that they are destructive to our crops and woodlands not to mention motor vehicles. So far I have killed 6 without firing a shot. One with a motorcycle which REALLY SUCKED!

 

[Sonicklo]

I read this thread title and my mind immediately went here:

Monday lunch hunger can be brutal sometimes

 

[K20Z3Si]

Actually your ’01 has plenty of sensors. As for the fob, most new vehicles do come with a key that will open the doors and start the engine. On the other hand you own that ’01 and it’s paid for and seems to be running fine so WHY? I really like my ’01 double cab and plan to run it a lot more. It just turned 250K and was owned by a Toyota tech who maintained it for his college age daughter so it got cared for. I’d say drive it and stop looking at those newer trucks or you will own one.

The Why is having an older vehicle that is overall getting too old to repair about everywhere is that you need transportation and waiting until it’s an emergency isn’t a good feeling. My suggestion is search for the right replacement, spec color etc and price then make a move.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Thats why I just happen to own two at once. 2001 Taco 3.4 auto, and 2002 4Runner 3.4 auto. Both 250K+ and both (or either) have been as reliable as my friends’ more recent vehicles with <100K and costing 4 times as much. Safety in numbers. $3,500 for the 4Runner 6years ago and $4,300 for the Taco 3 years ago. In the 4Runner I had the strawberry milkshake caught early so trans and rad flushes, and an alternator. Total repairs $240, did the alt and rad flush myself. The Taco exhaust repair, $10 for adapter, did myself
Now after saying that, they both are due for timing belt etc. The 4Runner got tires but that is not repair.
As for getting repairs anywhere I have an independent shop 6 miles away who knows these vehicles VERY well.
YMMV