lmallendorph

Whats up everyone!

I recently moved to Hawaii and I bought myself a 1994 pickup DLX with the 3VZE, 226k miles on her, and quite a bit of rust. I took it to one shop and they told me they didnt want to take on the project, took it to another shop and they quoted me about $7k just for mechanical and electrical issues alone. I have been researching a lot and right now I am at a crossroads. Do I go through with the repairs so I can have the truck of my dreams? Or should I just try to move on and sell it for what I paid for it. This is a lot to digest for me, the shop just gave me the estimate about an hour ago and told them I would call them back with my decision.

I am wondering if anyone else has taken on a project of this scope and what their results were and if you did, are you happy with it? I am new to this forum and I apologize if this is not in the right spot, I just need some opinions and I guess this was the place I chose to come and get some advice. I have to pass a safety check so basically right now as it stands, the truck wont pass safety inspection until I get these repairs done. Suspension has a ton of rust so they would replace as much of that as possible, they would fix all the engine leaks and front rear differential issues, transmission issues, etc etc, its a long laundry list of things to do. Any help is welcome and appreciated, right now I guess I am 50/50 on whether I do it or not. Thanks!

hurricanes

Got pictures of the truck? Get the estimate in writing and post that too. Is the frame solid? If the suspension is as rusty as you make it sound then the frame could be rotten as well. Frames on these trucks are notorious for rust, as you probably know. Congrats on the purchase.

lmallendorph

Thanks for the reply! Right now these are the best photos that I have, the mechanic told me I could think about it today and call him tomorrow to tell him yes or no. Its obviously a project, and I know that, also don't think I ever want to sell it if I go through with all of these repairs. The shop today said the frame is solid, surface rust on that, but the worst rust is on all of the suspension/underbody and mostly replaceable parts. Previous owner definitely had transmission rebuilt and did some work on it, but I want to do this the right way.

rattlewagon

What did they say it needed?

hurricanes

would still like to see the estimate, in my opinion for $7k you should get a rebuilt engine and transmission including removal and reinstall. Suspension parts are not that hard to replace, even for a novice, but if you're not willing or able to do it then you're kinda stuck trying to find a reputable shop.

Does it start, run, drive, handle and stop OK? Is the suspension noisy or are there broken parts underneath? Is the electrical system not working properly? Need more info as to why exactly you are taking it to the shop in the first place. I would not take it to a shop and ask them to just fix everything they find wrong, because then they'll find something wrong with every system on the truck.

Maybe take it to a shop for one specific issue at a time. Not only will this be more financially manageable but you'll get a feel for the shop you are dealing with.

JJ'89

I wouldn't be lucky enough to discover the ton of rust in the suspension and trivial rust in the frame.

JoeS

If you are going to drive an old truck, time to learn how to work on it as much as you can to not pay huge shop fees. Most stuff is nut and bolt and not difficult. Start with simple items like shocks, brakes, and exhaust. Plenty of YouTube videos to watch and learn on just about any item repair. Buy an Toyota Shop manual (orange book) as it will be a valuable information source. I like to clean, de-rust, coat anything needing it in the area of what ever I am currently working on. Makes spotting future issues easier.

Good luck and have fun.

toyoda addict

This ^.

If a mechanic is the only option, I think OP should get out from under this thing, especially if he can get close to what he paid.

I dont think its realistic to keep these old trucks on the road long term if you are relying on a mechanic. If you are starting off dumping $7K into the thing, image how much you would have into it over 10 years of paying a mechanic. I don't know what Toyota's are selling for on Hawaii but around here $7K can get you a decent truck. If you are set on keeping it, I think you need to commit to fixing it yourself. For the suspension there isn't anything under there that a guy with some tools and a manual cant fix. It's a good place to start learning.

Steel_Beans

I see you got yourself an old pickup truck, and you want to fix it up... From experience I can tell you: It's only going to get worse
All joking aside, here's some advice: What do you need this truck for? Are you using it as a daily?
If its your daily, then I'd seriously think about how much time and money you're willing to spend on a truck you're not going to be able to use for days, possibly weeks at a time since it will inevitably be broken down or in for repairs...It's just not worth the headache and misery of not having a dependable truck that you need to live your life.
Now if its NOT your daily and your have other dependable modes of transportation... then its a project, and I'd say go for it and keep it. Fix the rust as best you can and try to do the majority of the work yourself. You're now a hobbyist mechanic and all of your free time will be dedicated to fixing this old beatup ˟˟˟˟box as best you can.
Good luck!