Gravehunter

I'm in the market for a 4x4 pickup after hitting a deer with my fullsize chevy.
Looking to get a 4 cyl toyota with a budget of $4000. I know not much $'s to work with but i don't expect to much for the money either.

I was looking at 89-94 trucks but all i have found is high priced ones with alot of miles and that need alot of work.
I keep seeing 86-88 4x4's that are cheap. A couple here that are for sale are 800-1200 bucks and have got more money in them with recent repairs.
I'm thinking of maybe picking up one of these instead and using the money i would spend on a newer one to put in this one. "Seems like" i could have a more reliable truck for the same money when done. The main difference being the cancer on the beds is much worse.

I've spent alot of time here reading and reading here and there doesn't seem to be to much of a difference in the 86-88 to the 89-94.

Does anyone have any advice on putting money in an older 86-88 model vs. buying a 89-94?

The main one i'm looking at is an 87 for $1000.
Ad:
"I have a 4x4 87 pickup, 18x,xxx miles, can get actual mileage f needed, just had the transmission rebuilt less than a 1000 miles ago, have a spare transfer case in good working order. The truck runs great and 4wd works good too. The bed is shot, was rusted preatty bad, then in one of the storms we had a tree limb fell on it. other than that there is a little rust on the dr side fender only. also put new clutch, throwout bearing, shift fork, clutch master and slave cylinder in it when i had the tranny rebuilt"

I guess i'm looking at it as get a used bed and see how long the engine lasts or rebuild it and a very mechanically sound truck for less than i'm finding newer ones for with nothing done to them and lots of miles. ?

Any advice or info a noob might not think of would be appreciated.


One question that i can't find an answer to:
Is there much interior size difference between and reg cab 87 and a reb cab 89-94?
I'm 6'2" and I fit ok(good enough) in the 89 and newer trucks i've test drove. but i've never been in a 88 and older.

thanks

toyminator2000

#1 I'd make sure that if you get an 86-88 make sure it is fuel injected. It was still optional in those years.

#2 The 89-84 are less prone to body rust, especially bed rust when compared to the 86-88 model. The inside part of the frames are prone to rust on all those years right where the front part of thr rear leaf spring mounts to the frame.

#3 I'm 6'3" and have owned and still on both of those body styles. The 89-94 has more room on the inside for legroom.

#4 For $4000 you should be able to find any of those years. My last 91 4x4 I bought for 600 and all that was wrong with it was it popped out of 5th gear. Heck I've even seen 96-98's for as little as that. I would steer clear of the v6 from 88-95 because they were prone to headgasket failure and get crappy fuel economy and were horribly underpowered for a v6. If you find a 95 and up their v6's are much better. You might also consider lookin on ebay for something a little farther away. I've found some really good deals several hundred miles from where I live. I just pre-arrange to have the seller pick me up from the airport and fly in.

#5 Next time post questions like this in the Newb section.

jason191918

You mean 95.5 and up?

GoFish

I had a '91 Xtra Cab and found it to have more leg room but less head room than my old "84 Xtra Cab. I'm hard to fit, though cause I've got a long torso and short legs.

Gravehunter

#1: I'd read about that on this site.

#2: That rusted frame info is just what i was looking for. I hadn't read that and that kind of info is good to know so i can look for it.

#3: So the leg room difference is significant i take it, but still driveable for being tall.

#4 I read about the V-6 problems and its gas mileage isn't much better if at all over my full size Chevy.
I've only seen a couple Tacomas in my area(150 miles away or so) that were selling in the $4000-5000 range and they had significant rust and both over 200,000 miles. I'll keep looking for them though as i would like to have a Tacoma! I've read about the frame rust issues on them, but it looks like Toyota really takes care of you well if the truck doesn't pass insection.
Might consider flying someplace if i still can't find anything here before winter.

#5: oops.. sorry i didn't even think of that.

Thanks for the info!!

Gravehunter

I'm built the opposite, so shouldn't be a problem, but thank you for the info.

muddpigg

iTrader: (1)

Gravehunter, figure out what you want the truck for. Stock vrs rock crawler, vrs trail. If you hold out and are patient with $4000 you can find a truck that has the modifications (if that's what you want) and payless for them. But if you look at getting a modified truck, research and research some more cause not all modifiers are created equal. Just my 0.02

Good luck

Gravehunter

oh i didn't think to post what i use it for.
No rock crawling or anything hardcore like most of you guys use them for. Mainly a commuter, with using the bed for hauling an ATV and and tree brush.. etc.. on my acerage. About the only offroading i do is just getting in and out of the ATV riding areas i go to so even a stocker setup would be fine. Although with a small toyota vs my old ext cab chevy i might find myself having a bit more fun with it with some mild offroading?

muddpigg

iTrader: (1)

Use cautuion with the mild offroading. That's how it started with me, now I'm way past mild and more towards addicted. Hell planning on wheelin today.