I'm thinking about picking up a pickup for my wife. I haven't had a Toyota pickup since the early 80's and it was one beat up truck. Got any ideas? Should I get a Turbo? It's gotta have A/C so??? What would you get? Again, this will be for my wife so heavy wheeling won't be on the list for modifications. Maybe a mild lift and some meats for the snow. That's about it.

 

why not a 3rd gen?
89-95 pickup or perhaps a tacoma.
Is power an issue?
Im sure your wife would want the creature comforts, the sr5 trucks have the really nice bucket seats and whatnot.

 

deffinatly get her a roomy ext cab

 

I already have a 3rd Gen. I have a little stocker Ranger I want to get rid of and replace it with a yota. It was her dads truck and we've got it back now. If I do this it's gonna have to have the Xcab and buckets. It's nice to have a truck around for the yearly Christmas tree runs or a load of bark or dirt. I almost would rather buy an older truck and rebuild it than buy new. I already have 2 other newer vehicles beside this. And I hate that first scratch! lol

 

Why would your wife want her truck lifted if she isnt wheeling it, just so it gets worse mileage, or so she has to climb in the truck? I'm just askin, but is this for you or her?

 

IMHO:

Gen2 pickups (84-88) will be R12... IMHO get a later model (in terms of AC)

If she doesnt need 4WD - get a 2WD for better economy

If you really want snow handling - get a AWD car.

 

The switch to R134a came in 1993 I believe. So even 3rd gen pickups can still be R12. I know the stock system that would have been offered with my truck would have been R12. If it was a knock around car just for daily duties, I'd go with a Subaru wagon before another pickup. But if it's a pickup you want for her, you know as well as I do that you can't hardly swing a stick in Colorado and not hit a 3rd gen pickup. Watch Craigslist, there'll be one that comes up for sale in the next week I bet that would fit the bill. I'd expect somewhere around $5K will get you a later 3rd gen XtraCab with around 150K miles. I've seen a some really nice regular cab trucks for $3K lately, which make good commuters.

 

i have a 91 pu, and it still runs r12, not sure if someone has done the retrofit, but the air blows cold...i highly recommend getting a 89-95 pu...just stray away from the v6, mine runs good, but just way to many problems and its underpowered for the truck, and it lacks gas mileage in some cases...the 22re will treat you good!

 

My 87 was a 22re and I loved it. The only reason I got rid of it was for the cash. Hard times you know. I think we've all been there,"top rammen days". As far as lift my wife is absolutly against "girly trucks" and I'll be driving it too. We've always had vehicles that are capable of mild playing. I think it's funny actually, my wife is 5'1" tall and she's always jumping to get in.

 

I guess the first Q is: how much do you want to spend?

Now this may be a bit off topic, but since the subject of AC came up......everyone talks about how much of a hurdle R12 is and how expensive it is if something goes wrong, etc. But I just had mine converted to R134 last week plus repairs on the AC. They put in a new dryer and some new seals as well as doing the conversion. $250. Basic conversion was quoted as $150 but mine needed more work. Now, am I just a lot richer than y'all or is my shop just cheaper or am I missing something? $250 just didn't seem like a monstrous amount of money to me....

Chris

 

No it doesn't and actually It came up last week on here. They sell conversion kits at Walmart? I'm not sure what all it intails, but these kits I've seen around are only $50. I don't think A/C conversion is that difficult of a deal to have done.

 

personally, i enjoy the outside air. forget ac. never use mine. lessens mpg and it always seems to get too cold for me, even on the lowest settings. whereas the windows down and blowin kinda seems just right. all the time. of course im in florida, where it actually is about perfect, all the time... hehehe

 

I dont mind a little heat. But when it's 100+ here, or in Havasu were it frequently gets 115 that's really damm hot. There's a reason the proving grounds are out there. It doesn't affect your gas that much compared to your butt melting to vinyl.

 

Just thank god you dont have leather!!

 

I have the 1993 sr5 extended cab with the 5 speed and 3 litre v6. Other than being really anemic it will get you anywhere you want to go. I have had it since new and probably put out about 4K on repairs at the dealers, not counting tires. got 165 K on stock brake pads, so replaced them with toyota, only have 224k miles on it now and it is still fairly tight. Gets about 17mpg on freeway at 70 to 75 and uses a quart of oil every 2k miles, but always run synthetic for 15k miles. As for AC when the compressor (part of the 4k) went out I converted system with the new expansion valve. Not as cold as original but ok. Works in 100 degree and lots of humidity in Arkansas. Got lucky with the cloth seats, so no blistered legs or butt in summer, just gotta not get a grip on the steering wheel. I like my truck!!