I have been looking at new Tacomas, but am curious as to how reliable they are compared to our 89-95 Hiluxes. Some of the Consumer Reports-type reviews claim that the newer Tacomas are only of average reliability compared to other brands.

I find this hard to believe, since I would assume that Toyota engineers learned numerous lessons from various mechanical failures they saw on our trucks and made improvements.

So anyone who owns an 89-95, and also a newer, post-2004 Tacoma, can you tell me how the reliability compares, and whether you'd recommend buying a new Tacoma or not? Are they any problem areas, analogous to the notorious V6 head gasket problems, to watch out for? I'd like to get a 4 cylinder model, for mileage and reliability.

Mods, go ahead and move this if you think it's appropriate, but I figured the question pertains to 89-95 pickups, and would probably get more responses over here rather than in the Tacoma forum.

 

The only reason I got rid of my '05 Tacoma was that I needed something to haul 6+ people on a regular basis. I would still be driving that thing. Like any model, the new Taco's had issues with rear springs-they fixed that with a TSB.
People wheel the newer Taco's just like every generation of Toy truck before...
my old one:

aftermarket support for them is great...

 

Yeah, that's the thing about my '91, it's getting almost impossible to find any aftermarket stuff, and even the dealers don't stock a lot of the parts for my truck any more.

 

My buddy at work doesn't like his '05 because of all the plastic on it, he's not hard on the truck, but doesn't baby it either, but every once in a while some plastic part will break or fail in some way, my '93 has more metal on it. Their both great trucks and all models will have different issues. Plastic can be glued and welded, so can metal. If you beat it hard enough it will break, if you take care of her, she'll last a long time too. Just remember, it's a Toyota.

 

iv got a 05 taco, 89 pickup ,and a 86 pickup by far the 05 taco 4.0L can put u in ur seat but depends if you want to really off road or daily driver. i like my 86 shes can take lot as well as the 89 but im a older truck kinda guy. toyota kinda pissed me off with the 05 with the frame looking worse then my 89 truck, and some parts that cost almost 1thousand bucks to fix and should be recalled but they didn't do it. Ill probly never go with any more newer ones unless toyota comes out with a japan made taco, or finely comes out with a diesel.
Old trucks rule. plus 89-95 look the best

 

AGREED !!

 

My 07 Taco has had no problems for 81k miles. Has been as reliable so far as any Yota Ive ever owned and 10x more comfortable. I love the older models, dont get me wrong but for a dependable daily driver Ill take an 05 and newer taco every time.

 

I wanna get a 2wd 4 cylinder and use it as a daily driver. Looks like the mileage is about the same in the new models (20-25 mpg) but I dunno, the 2wd models just look funny to me. Is it me or does the new design look really lame?



They're bigger and bulkier than the 89-95's, but for no good reason, except maybe to try to look like a scaled-down Tundra.

I do like how the 4wd ones look, but I don't need 4wd, and am not gonna pay an extra 10 grand and lose major gas mileage just for looks alone.

 

I beat the crud out of my 87 on a daily basis(im a young lead foot lol)...she just laughs like its nothing. Between me and all my hunting gear, camping gear and tools, and a dog that loves mud and water, the interior is the first to go on all my vehicles.

I still stand strong on the fact that old vehicles are tougher.

 

Time will tell on reliability. But for me, the old ones are better for wheeling. Less plastic, more ground clearance and better approach/departure angles.

Put a new one next to an old one, and you can see the almost small, good clearance, and narrower/shorter jeeplike qualities of the old models vs newer ones.

The wheel wells on newer tacos are really goofy looking too.

 

I think those Consumer Reports are all BS anyway, they must base it on warrenty repairs done, and if that vehicle is abused more due to the kinds of people buying them (all of us on sites like this) gives it a bad rep for reliability. With Subaru's they rate the STI lower than the rest of the line although all Subaru's pretty much have the same layout, but ricers will buy an STI and burn out the clutch in 2000 miles and bring it in for warrenty.

 

i love my 93,wouldnt trade it for anything lol
i like the newer truck but if i did get another it'd be a 09 regular cab tacoma
but thats just me i like regular cabs
and just throwing this out there to see what kinda responce i get lol

i think the new sqeuoia's are the biggest pieces of crap i'v seen
i just dont like how huge it is compared to the older ones when i see it,it make think that someone would use it to define big gas guzzeling SUV
sorry had to get that out,i just think it's pointless.
pretty soon we're not gonna have any roads to drive if they keep making cars bigger and bigger like that every couple years lol

 

I'm new to this forum, I've been browsing it for years but never joined until I bought my 87 4runner 22re last week. This is my 5th toyota and I am truly appreciating this older one. I love all the comments made on this thread and believe me it has helped in my decision to get me an older yota. I think the new Toyotas are all plastic looking, especially the 4 runners and tacomas. Everytime I get in my 87 4runner it feels good, like an old comfy pair of boots!

 

My dad has a 99 king cab 2wd with 330,000 on it and has had no serious problems with it, he is also one of the hardest drivers I know, he will take that truck on 4x4 roads and through creeks he shouldn't. Just shows Toyotas last, my moms toyota Prius on the other hand, when I drive that I am nervous of accelerating, it just feels so delicate and like anything could go at any time

 

I wouldn't even want one later than 88 myself. 89-95 are still better than anything after(96+).

toyotatough.jpg?t=1262068156


Need I say more? Or do I have to mention the ball joint thing too?



Pic came from this thread: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f5/c...-photo-257249/

 

The older trucks sacrifice mpg's for strength. Sure plastic parts can be repaired/replaced but if you are going off-roading, you're going to wish it had more metal components on it. Rocks vs metal, metal wins. Rocks vs plastic... well...

I've got a friend who bought a '10 Taco, he wanted to sell it two years later. I don't think he was too impressed with it. I love my 91 P/U, the thing is built like a tank (unfortunately has the same mpg as one too).

 

I've found NOTHING you can't get at the dealer....what dealer are you using??

 

Having had a 1990 gmc 4x4 since new that I sold last year, I can say that Toyota has tons more oem parts than GM did. So far, the only part I can't get from Toyota is the o-ring for the air idle screw, everything (for a price) and I mean everything I've needed, Toyota had; they are still trying to find the o-ring for me.

 

new tacomas arent as tough...but the hilux's found overseas are

 

i always wished i could go to mexico or canada and buy a diesel hilux,