I'm in the market for another toyota pickup. I have an 88' x-cab 4cyl right now, but i'm looking at the 95 to 02 body style tacoma 4x4. At what year is it safe to buy a v6? I know the early 90's have problems with the head, but I thought they rectified this. As always any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

You want the 3.4 The 96 and up 4runners. Any Tacoma.
the 3.0 is the ...er....lesser desirable one.

 

"You want the 3.4 The 96 and up 4runners. Any Tacoma.
the 3.0 is the ...er....lesser desirable one."

so any 96 and up tacomas and 4runners are good in the v6. I'm looking at a 99 with the v6 in it, and I don't want to have to replace the head anytime soon.

 

The 3.4 in the 99 Tacoma will serve you well for hundreds of thousands of miles.

They should get a timing belt every 100k. Dont run it into the rpm's constantly. Be easy on her. Keep the oil changed.

I love my 99 4runner with the 3.4 One of the best cars I have ever had.

Try and get a 3.4 5spd trd tacoma with a rear diff locker. Be as sweet as you could get.

 

I'm have you considerd the 2.7l(3rz) i4?

 

I have, but the trucks on the market right now are primarily 6's. or the 4's are automatic trans.

 

I've found one, but it's an automatic tran. How hard or expensive is it to convert to manual?

 

It wouldnt be worth it to convert...specially since you have a choice still.
Take your time if you can. Dont get "car fever" and land on the first one you find.

A 4cyl auto 4wd would be a pooch. My 01 2.7 prerunner auto is no speed queen and I believe my lightly built 22re 87 would dust it.

v6 auto or stick your are good to go. Locker is a huge bonus.

Remember...this is a truck you will more than likely be keeping for a very long time. Get the one you want.

 

just to recap... 96 and up for the v6? what about 95?

 

95 would be a "pickup" not a "tacoma" there is a 95.5 tacoma
The bodystyle is easy to tell apart.

a 95 pickup would have a 3.0
a 95.5 Tacoma a 3.4

 

Don't count out the 3.0. I happen to like mine. However, everyone has their own opinion.

Agreed. I looked for over 7 months before I bought mine. Just be patient.

 

When it's the first V6 Toyota put in their trucks/SUVs. As in a 3VZ-E, and nothing other than.

Likes my 88 V6 so much, I just went out and bought another 90. Money well spent! On the engine atleast...the truck is still kind of a beater at this point. But I only require 3 things from a Toyota truck...wait 4...5...no actually 6 things now that I think about it.

1. V6
2. V6 manual transmission and transfer case
3. Straight frame, that's also in good solid condition otherwise
4. Long bed PU(not a short bed, Xtra cab, and most of all not a 4Runner)
5. That it not be(another one) built later than 88. Since I'm just now finding out how badly they already started going downhill afterwards. Really regretting the fact that my 90 is a 90.
6. IFS

Pretty much in that order(#1 & #2 are right for sure). No SAS or 3.4 swaps for me. I LOVE mine just how they are.


So, yeah. Don't go with a 4 banger or a late model. Like I'm saying. Pretty much anything after 88 was a POS when it rolled off the assembly line. And 4 bangers, forget about it...seriously, because I'm way too tired of debating it. These things are all just IMO of course. You do what you want, I'm not stopping you. I'll do what I want, and you sure as hell won't be stopping me.

 

You been sniffing gas? You want ifs and the 3.0 over a 3.4/2.7 or a straight axle?

 

Careful. He's the leader of the infamous 3.0 gangsta's. They will come to your house and get a mixture of mud, antifreeze, and oil all over your driveway.

They are easy to catch though...all you need is a good set of running shoes and the ability to follow a trail of headgasket wrappers.

 

MudHippy, would you still prefer the 3vze over the 5vze if both were offered in 2nd/3rd gen pickups? Also, why long bed over Xtra cab? I can't think of a practical reason for the single, unless it was a glorified trail rig, but even then.. Enlighten me!

And to clarify, I'm an avid 3vze supporter and have had nothing but good experiences with mine.

 

Be careful yourself.. Tread lightly, my friend.

Hahaha

 

Why? Why me? Alright then...one more time I guess.
No huffing here. Bad. Very bad. Don't do that. I strongly advise against it.

Let me put it another way. I wouldn't mind having one of each kind of 4WD long bed PU. I already have 2 out of 4(one 86-88 + one 89-92). I still need the other 2 to complete my collection. One pre-84 + one 84-85. Those would be getting 3VZ-Es and V6 trannies and t-cases swapped in IMMEDIATELY though. So that answers the solid axle question. Sure, I'll take one(or two). But I'd rather buy a truck with one than SAS either of my IFS. Solid axles are good for what they're good for. IFS is good for what its good for. Neither do the same things equally well. No, I don't want ANY 4 bangers, PERIOD. Or any of that weak ass 4 banger crappy drivetrain garbage behind my V6 either(small exception to that rule being 4 cyl 3rd members, which I actually like/am fine with, because they're EXTREMELY overbuilt as they are, 4-pinion diffs really aren't worth the extra weight IMO, but are fine if that's all I got). No, I don't want to hassle with any 5VZ-FE. You get old enough like me, you learn the lesson "it's best to stick with what you know". Plus, if I want to go faster, I've got a car that's fast enough for me. A faster truck is of no interest to me whatsoever. Neither of the trucks I already have are by any means slow in my book anyway. And a truck with more torque isn't worth MY time or money. IMO the 3VZ-E is the absolute perfect "sweet spot". Fast enough, plenty enough torque to do anything I need to do(with my trucks). When you've already got it good, one of the dumbest things you can do is ask for more. Again, live long enough, you'll be learning that lesson too(and not the easy way, since it can't be taught that way).
1. I've begun to have a strong distaste for 3rd gen PUs. Having just taken a rather large bite of one. And wishing very much I could spit it out without having to swallow. Too late for that unfortunately. So, no more of those for me...thanks! I don't care what engine it might have.
2. A 5VZ-FE in a 2nd gen? Only if that's all there ever was.
3. I just think Xtra cabs are hideous, for the most part. Plus, if I need a back seat I've got a car that has one with enough room to seat 2-3 comfortably. If I need a bed, I've got a truck with a long one(2 actually). What good does a short bed do me? None. What good does some extra room to put junk behind my seat in a truck cab do me? Not enough, relative to the ugliness factor. Not a fair enough trade-off in my book. And then I'd be stuck with a short bed too. Double whammy! Not having it.

Are we done here? I knew I should have stayed away from another one of these threads. Will it ever end? Of course it won't. A guy can always wish though right?

 

You'll never convince me to take a 3.0 over any other yota motor, but I sorta get the rest of what your sayin

 

Lmao it wouldn't hurt my driveway too much lol might stain the dirt

 

No.