My $2,700 '03 Tundra, Black Bart

Hello! I've owned 5 Land Cruisers over the years and decided it's time for a truck. I've been watching the '02 to '06 Tundras for over a year now, waiting for the right truck/mileage/price combo to come along. I'm not sure this was it, but I jumped on it and now it's mine.

-2003 SR5 TRD 4.7L Extended cab, in black, 324k miles.
-Currently has beat up 17" rims with 33x12.5x17" tires that are cupped and have uneven wear. Seller picked them up and threw them in for the sale, don't know how the old tires looked.
-Driver's door skin is separating at the bottom seam. It looks like a botched DIY dent repair.
-The interior isn't great, but it's not awful.
-There is a squeak at the serpentine belt. Idler is clearly making noise, but might be the water pump.
-frame is great
-some rust holes in the bed floor
-engine and trans seem powerful and smooth
-exhaust leak on PS just after the header
-needs a new steering wheel

I need to do better with photos. Here's my walk around.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CoQDYK3d8be4eGup9

It's parked at a friend's house for now, so getting new pics is a challenge, but here are a few screen grabs from the walk around.

 

Plans:
My expectations for a low cost truck are about $2,400 in cost per year. Calculated over the time I have the truck. (Purchase $ + repairs beyond normal maintenance - residual value when I'm done with it. All divided by the time I've owned it.) I figure for about $2,700 purchase $ + $3,200 repairs/deferred maintenance I can make this a pleasant and reliable daily driver/weekend warrior. At this cost, if I get 2.5 years of good use out of it I figure I'm ahead. I don't see any reason I won't get 5+. This is NOT a restoration project or buggy build and we've all already found our partners in life, not trying to impress a potential mate, or the guys at Home Depot.

Daily driver, do truck stuff, and share with my adult kids for chores, off-road adventures, and generally keep up with my 80 series on moderate trails. Stuff where 33" tires and a 2-3" lift is good enough.

 

This my first Toyota on this platform. All my others have been '97 or older. I like the power and ride and I'm looking forward to learning the nuances of a new rig and IFS.

I'm looking at Cooper tires and sticking with 17" rims, but getting new ones. Nothing fancy, just decent steelies.

I'll need a new DS door and steering wheel, carpet kit, seat covers.

I'll have a shop find the offending pulley/components at the belt and charge me to fix those. Although, I saw a post in here about changing the idler pulley and it sounds pretty straightforward.

The headliner is sagging in some places. I'd like to figure that out, if there's a repair or if I just need a new one.

I'm off to search out recommendations on these and fluids and everything else.

Thanks for looking in!

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Ha! I just checked the VIN. Apparently it's an '02. not an '03. I'm sure that's going to screw everything up.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)!

 

Welcome from Texas! Read through this So ... you wanna buy / just bought a 1st Gen Tundra, eh? | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

 

Did someone say Black Bart?

 

This is a great thread! Thank you! It's going to keep me busy for a while. Good job to all who put it together. One of the best formatted and thought out FAQ's I've seen in a vehicle forum!

 

I'm glad someone got the reference!

 

Based on my pictures, does anyone have a guess as to what color the original carpet was? I'm going to buy a new one and the truck didn't come with one.

 

Ugh. I took the black ice air freshener out and it smells strongly of cat. I'm going to have to get new seats.

 

Welcome from So Cal