Hey guys!

I'm new to the forum. I just sold my trans am, and am looking to get back into a toyota truck. I drove a 1995 Tacoma 4X4 with the 3.4 mated with the 5 speed back in high school, my parents use it as a farm truck now. I bought it with 234,000 and now it has 315,000 and still running. Now, I'm at the Air Force Academy and need a good 4X4 to deal with colorado winters and get me elk and duck hunting. I have a budget of $5000 to find a decent toyota. It has to last me at least a year without any major mechanical problems, but I hope to keep it as a toy/hunting truck much longer than that. I've browsed my local craigslist and have come up with three contenders. If you guys have the time to look at each and tell me what you think, it would be greatly appreciated! I was originally leaning heavily towards the toyota pickup with the 3.0, but am not quite so sure now. The truck will be driven to boulder nearly every weekend, which is a 160 mile round trip on the interstate averaging 70 mph or so. Aside from that, the heaviest thing I will pull would be my 1648 alumacraft for bowfishing and duck hunting. Thanks in advance, and I apologize if I posted this in the wrong forum!

1998 with 2.7: http://cosprings.craigslist.org/ctd/4644312040.html

1995 with 3.4: http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/4638329972.html

1992 with 3.0: http://boulder.craigslist.org/cto/4640665568.html

Thanks again guys! Any advice on what to look for on these trucks when checking them out would be appreciated. Gas mileage is of importance to me, but so is being able to keep up on the interstate.

 

Welcome cmeyen. I vote the 95.

 

Get the xtra cab. The room will come in handy.

 

I say the 95 Tacoma

 

Extra cab has the 3ow so slow. Don't go there.

 

I really want to go with the 95. I am going to go look at it tomorrow. The guy said that it is wearing the tires unevenly on the front, he just rotated them to the back. You can kind of make out the uneven wear in the pictures. Also, the undercarriage is rusted as you can see, but he says it is very light surface rust. However, the aftermarket towing package has substantial rust. What would you guys feel comfortable paying for this truck?

Any comments on the 98? It looks pretty clean to me. Did all of the toyota 4x4s come stock with 31"s? If that truck didn't come stock with the 31x10.5, would it clear them without modification if I chose to put them on?

Finally, do you guys think these trucks are good examples of what will be available in my price range, or should I hold out and hope something new enters the market?

Thanks for the responses.

 

thats a tuff one, realistically i would say go with the extra cab, being able to put stuff inside the cab with someone other than your self in the truck is invaluable. you never really notice this until you have a standard cab truck.

but the 95, looks awesome. id pick the one that runs the best, need little to nothing in repairs.