Time for a New Tundra. Help!

I wrecked and very likely totaled my '02 Tundra on Friday. SR5 Access cab TRD 4x4 V8. Everyone walked away fine. Paramedics were not even called. I've owned it for nearly 11 years. Purchased it with 55,000 miles and now has about 160,000 and no rust because it has spent it's whole life in the eastern oregon desert where we don't salt the roads in winter. It has been a great truck for me. Love the size, reliability, style and capability. Really sad to see it go. Now I need help deciding whether to replace it with another first gen Tundra or a 2014+ Tundra. (Don't care much for the looks of the 2nd gen.) I do tow often. Usually not more then 3000 to 4000 lbs but sometimes more. The 4.7 usually did fine but the 5.7 sure would be nice. I like the looks of the 1st gen quite a bit better as well as the size. But it's going to be tough to find one that I will feel as certain as I did with mine in the history and reliability. Kinda wondering if it's just time to upgrade. Would really be nice to get some feedback, especially from those of you that have had both.

 

That sucks! Glad everyone was ok. I had a 06 double cab 4x4, probably the best truck I have ever owned. I sold it to my son last year with 130,000 on the clock. He drove it from FL to Oregon, picked up a boat and towed to Washington, then ferry to Alaska. Would not have trusted any other 13 year old truck for that trip. Me personally I think the build quality was better on the first gen. And the 4.7 is a awesome engine. I purchased a 19 double cab 5.7 4x4 and have adjusted to it, and it still has Toyota quality, just seems a little cheaper.

 

I have an '01 Regular Cab and a '15 Regular Cab and the idea was to sell the old one when I got the newer one.

That idea has not been realized though.

I love them both.

Does that help?

As long as I am towing within the capabilities of the 1st Gen I think it is a better built truck for sure but on the other hand the newer truck is more of everything really,power,space and bulk overall and feels a lot bigger on the road and off.
These are all things that were reasons that I bought the 1st Gen in the first place.
I have had several 1st Gen,1-2nd Gen and now this 3rd Gen and they have all been Toyotas all the way,drive both and see how you feel then.

And my 1st Gen has about 160K too and I never think twice about driving it anywhere,anytime.

 

I can't offer any comparisons as the only Tundra I've driven is my current 2020 CM 5.7L. But to say I like it would be an under statement!

Thank God no one was seriously injured, and good luck in finding a replacement Tundra. I'm sure you will be happy with whatever year/model you end up with.

 

Sorry for your loss but glad no one was injured. It's difficult to find a really clean 1Gen Tundra looking as nice as yours.

 

Sad to see the truck wrecked but very happy nobody was hurt. Finding another will be very difficult.

 

Sorry about your truck, but glad everyone is OK!

I went from an 01 Access Cab to a 2010 Double Cab TRD Rock Warrior. Was a huge improvement in interior size, towing, comfort, rear seat room, and capability. The 5.7 did everything better than the 4.7, and is proven to be world class over its 15 year life.

Now in a 2018 Crewmax Platinum, and very much appreciate the extra room in the back seat for my two teenage sons, and / or our mastiff. I don’t often find myself missing the extra bed length (see below), and haven’t had anything that I couldn’t load in the 5.5’ bed that I would have in the 6.5’.

Both my 01 and 2010 had shells like yours. I set both up for camping / sleeping and did lose that with the shorter bed. Miss it at times, but tent works fine.

Good luck finding a new truck!

 

I like the camper shell ....

 

Thanks for the input. I think if I could find a nice low milage truck like my old one the choice would be simple. Just not easy to find. People that have nice ones keep them.

Is '15 the first year I can get a factory brake controller? Are they good? For 3,000 to 10,000 lbs? Can the factory one be added if it didn't come originally on the truck?

With my '02 the TRD meant extra skid plate, limited slip differential, bilstein shocks, and the black fender flares. What comes with the TRD OFF ROAD on the '14 plus models?

 

I should maybe mention. I like the off road ability of the Tundra I had and would like to get another TRD for the same reason. However. Even with the TRD package on the Tundra, I'd say it is probably the onof worst off road vehicle I've had. Doesn't mean it was terrible. Just doesn't hold a candle to our '01 Land Cruiser or my '77 FJ40. My '95 Toyota 4X4 extra cab pickup that the Tundra replaced 11 years ago was quite a bit better as well.

 

@70 FJ40, @Rex Kramer posted this on here Craiglist ATL .... Hope this helps.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/woodstock-2001-toyota-tundra-limited/7217127420.html

 

Wow. That's nice. Long ways away though. If it wasn't maroon I may try to work it out anyway. Is $3200 the real asking price? That makes it more tempting. Doesn't seem right though. Makes me miss my truck.

 

Oh. It's not 4WD. Makes a big difference here in the snowy winters of the northwest.

 

Ya, that's unfortunate. No 4WD..

 

Sorry to hear, that sucks!
From a perspective with both: My husband has a first-gen 4.7 2003 with 300k+ miles on it, I have a third-gen 2018 5.7 with 14k miles on it.
We drive each others trucks and they both have their pros and cons. Personally, I like the size of his truck (almost exact same that my Tacoma was) and the fact that he has an 8ft bed for hauling crap. We have done multiple hang gliding trips to FL hauling a 5500# camper with no issues with his, although I bought my Tundra to take over towing duties this year.
He likes how much bigger/comfier the cab of my truck is (he has a RCLB, no reclining to nap on those 1100 mile trips) and the updated interior and quieter cab. He also doesn't want to take on a $30k+ payment for a newer truck though so that's another pro in a first-gen, you wont empty your wallet as badly..
Good luck!

 

Sorry to hear, but glad no one was hurt.

hope you find what your looking for.

my brother has a first gen he he loves it as much as I love my 3rd gen.

we always talk about switching trucks for a week but it never happens lol.

 

I had an '02 (new to 60,000 miles) and '06 (new to 245,000 miles) and now a 2020. At first, with the 2020, I didn't particularly like how it was bigger but I'm used to it now.

I think you can find a first gen if you want, you're just going to probably have to fly and drive back.

 

I hate to see that happen to you and your rig...

My first Tundra was actually a mirror image of yours, a SRD 4WD Thunder Gray Metallic. I absolutely loved it! In fact, I am actually looking for a 1st gen for all the reasons indicated, relayed above. While, I definitely am ecstatic with my 19 CrewMax, I am still looking for that 1st gen that I let get away...

Also, where on I84 was this? I see ISP on the scene. Is this the Magic Valley? Just wondering because this Idahoan has been looking for that Gen 1 for a while now and I do not want more competition...

Best luck!

 

This happened in Nampa, ID. Starting to realize getting a Tundra of any age isn't going to be as easy as I thought. Our 100 series LC involved a year long search an a fly and drive home situation. So I've done it before but I need something sooner than later. I need a truck for work.

 

Well. After chasing a few leads on 1st gen Tundras and failing. I decided to test drive a 3rd gen. Sold. Currently have a deposit on 2016 double cab SR5 TRD 4x4 in magnetic gray. All the options I wanted after a little research. Super excited. Headed to pick it up on Tuesday morning.

 

Man my worst fear is wreaking my vehicles (Any of them) Good to hear everyone is alright, thats the most important thing! cant go wrong with either, but man those 2nd and 3rd gen tundras Feel MASSIVE compared to 1st gens. this photo shows that well..

I need more deets on that reg cab? is it an SR5?

 

I'm getting a double cab. 6.5 ft bed.

 

Yup, its an SR5.

 

Quick find!

 

Hi from down the street. Glad everyone is OK! You will love the new ride! Where abouts was the accident? Love the 2C.

 

Accident happened 100 yards east of the franklin overpass. Right in the middle of the construction. Traffic stopped faster than I could. Even though I was leaving extra room cause of towing a trailer. Obviously wasn't enough. Thought about trying to swerve into the other lane but figured I'd just make a bigger mess.

 

Glad to hear that you were not hurt.

Welcome from NY.

 

Wow! Your old truck looks almost exactly like my 2000! Even down to the black fender flairs and the same wheels! It hurts to see that photo. Glad to know that nobody was hurt.
You won't regret you new truck.
I transitioned to a 2014 limited. I loved my 2000 so much that I kept it for 8 months before selling it to my buddy, just to make sure that I liked my 2014 better! The only thing that I had a hard time in the beginning with was the size difference. The 3rd gen isn't really that much bigger when they are sitting side by side, but driving it feels way bigger. The other negative for you might be the gas mileage.
Now that I have gotten used to it, I wouldn't go back.

 

Ya. I'm not too worried about the milage. Maybe it was the way I drove or that I towed enough with it but I rarely got more than 250 miles out of tank of gas. When on the road and not towing I could get a little over 300 miles. My dad gets better milage with his '11 than I was getting with my '02. Tires were 265/75 so that has some effect not only on fuel economy but actual distance traveled as well. That is not a lot larger than stock though.

 

Well. Here it is. My new 2016 Tundra SR5 TRD 4X4. 37,000 miles. In Magnetic Gray.