Why the hell are first gens so damn expensive

So during the whole Covid car crisis I bought an 05 double cab 4x4 one owner SoCal rust free truck for 8k with 188k miles it was a damn fine truck but back then my stupid ass didn’t fully understand what a gem I had and some guy literally begged me to sell it to him for 12k which I foolishly did

Over the years I would kinda look for one again but they were either beat to shit high mileage put away wet or if they were even half way decent people were asking ass rape so I stopped searching

recently my buddies buddy who I ironically helped him buy his truck since he got it around the same time I got mine offered to sell it to my buddy for 8500 which I thought was a fair price. So my buddy didn’t want to pay that much even though I told him it’s solid so he suggested I buy it and since I didn’t want to cock block and had the green light contact his friend the guy selling it. Anyway this guys not a car or truck guy doesn’t need a truck doesn’t off road in fact he bought it because I told my friend to tell him to get it back then

so long story short dudes like this older guy super nice fella on the phone but it basically becomes like pulling teeth trying to setup a time and you guessed it he pretty much changed his mind for selling it even though he’s only put 5k miles on it the last four years he’s owned it like I said not a truck guy at all

He pretty much ghosted me and I get it I’m not going to pester or annoy him and I told him if he decides to keep it to change out the timing belt (original belt with 200k miles) but I think he thought I was using that as a scare tactic for me to get him to sell

anyway so I digress so that whole ordeal reignited me to look for another first gen 4x4 and sadly I’m finding out sure enough they’re all so beat to shit I wouldn’t even take it for free and the few decent ones they’re asking 12k and higher. I found a one owner 05 with a shell has 185k miles and they want 19k! They claimed they have 15 people already in the que coming to check it out and they claim they all offered their full asking so we shall see

but anyway sorry this is more of a vent and rant than anything I love first gens but I don’t think a 20 year old rig work 200k miles is worth 12k maybe because I’m not enthusiastic about wrenching on my rigs as I once was but just saddens me I’ll most likely never own another one the way the market is

 

Because even 20-25 year old Toyota trucks have a lot of life left in them

 

Because, first gen is best gen.

 

true at least I have a little consolation having a second gen with “only” 77k miles no disrespect to the third gen guys but I would buy an older domestic diesel 2500 instead of getting a third gen im sure they’re nice and all just not my cup of tea

 

you need to take a breath when you're posting in order to add some punctuation

 

be grateful I used paragraphs and that it wasn’t one giant blob

 

I paid $15K for my 2006 2wd DC from a neighbor around 4 years ago w/ 56K miles on it. SoCal truck.
Always garage kept, new snug top, timing belt had just been done, upgraded stereo, BU camera, new tires / front brakes, full weather-techs, etc.etc.
Did I pay too much??? . . . for me, NOPE.
That's barely a down payment on some new trucks . . . like my neighbors 2025 Tacoma that sticker'd at $67K and thinks he got a 'deal' for paying cash . . . $60K out the door.

I guess it's all relative.

 

Ahhh the good old school Toyota market in SoCal, it’s fun. For reference I paid about $7k for a 00’ Access cab 4x4 with about 200k miles, nee timing belt, LBJs, and some other goodies. Snagged that out of Victorville

Are you looking for another double cab or across cab?

 

No i agree and the SoCal Toyota tax is real. 05 and 06 double cabs are the holy grail I would have paid 15k for that

I get supply and demand and I’m not saying these trucks aren’t worth it (I mean I guess I kinda in a way sorta said that haha)

I was just lamenting because I was so close to getting another first gen and no I ain’t but maybe one of these days the stars will align. I think out of everything I’m just pissed how the guy saying he would sell me the truck kept stringing me along before changing his mind but I guess that’s how people are these days

 

either or I think I’d prefer an access cab had a double cab but beggars can’t be choosers lol

 

the truck i was gonna buy is in Victorville lol and he got it from Victorville if I recall

 

I feel your pain, My 01 GMC Sierra lost the tranny I checked all over to get someone that could replace it. Not one quoted me less than 6k. I think I got a deal this past Saturday when I drove around 100 miles to look at a 2003 Tundra SR5 Access Cab Stepside. It is a bit dined up not to bad. 1/4 panel on passenger side has dent near the bumper. The truck has about 2k on it and it ran smooth. The guy was only asking 4,500 for it, I dropped 4k in front of him and he took my offer. I drove it home again over 100 miles without so much a a hiccup. I had only seen one other like this one and they were asking 8,500 firm. White and all scuffed up and dents not to mention it needed a timing belt and needed to be towed. Say WHat, No way am I going to drop 8k+ for a non running anything. Now I just want to find some miner parts and a Manual for parts and repair.

 

4L60 I think. it is very common in these model yrs 1999-2006. Getting a trany is not the problem I know plenty I can get rebuilt with 1 yr warranty between 500 and 700. I can't get anyone to put one in. Shops around me are months in the rear to replacing a trans and want no less that 2k. Not like back in my day I could drop it and put it back in a day under a good shade tree. Even better if one of my buds happen to drop by. At 67 I am not able to do those things any more. Used to be able to pull the motor and trans with help and drop in a new rebuilt motor and trans in a good long day. lol

 

I am at the time of my live where I don't want to drive to the nearest Dollar General. That's just about 2 miles. I can sell my GMC for around 35k to 4k as it sits. a 2001 is rare without rusted out cab corners and splash rail under the doors 310,000k miles and has not used a drop of oil in the 3 years I have owned it. GTX Full synthetic. I can go on and on but not my thread to hog up.

 

Funny, I bought a 2002 4x4 access cab about 8 years ago with 68,000 original miles for $6,500. Sold it to my son for the same $6500 and he is still driving it with 137,000 miles now. When I bought the truck that was market price, funny it's now worth $13,000 +. My daughter bought a 2006 Limited Double Cab with 128,000 on it for $15,000 and looked 1.5 years for that vehicle. I told her to get a 2nd gen just because we were looking for so long, but she only wanted 1st Gen as she does not like the size of my 2nd Gen. She sold her 1st Gen 2000 access cab with 239,000 miles for $6500. These 1st Gens sure hold their value, and with added inflation prices for 1 st gens are crazy. But absolutely great trucks.

 

That would be perfect but it’s been a New York truck it’s entire life meaning the frame is shot

 

Happens to the best of us. Try selling cars on facebook marketplace, muchhhhh worse people out there

Access cab is definitely gonna be cheaper so thats a pro

Eh that area played to my advantage. Truck was on the market a few months, not many people want to drive that far out to see it. Got a nice price for inconvenience

 

be grateful you didn’t or you might have been talking to yourself

 

My '06 Tundra AC RWD V8 was purchased for $21k back in 2006. I was amazed when the "value" went up to $12k during COVID used car craze.
Looks like "book" value of the truck is down to $3400 though I have NEVER seen one around my area advertised for less than double the price.

Only regret I have is that I should have driven 5hr+ to the dealer who was going to sell me DC model for pretty much the same price as it would have provided a bit more comfort for the whole family.

 

You think the first gen Tundra is pricey, look what a clean old Toyota mini 4x4 brings

 

Even the mini 2WD version (space cab is even worse) is exorbitant. I've been hunting casually for a 2WD manual trans, extra cab, with power windows for years,. Anything around $3k-5k or less that doesn't have 300k miles on it, and it's virtually impossible to find, even in auto trans with those specs. Even with 300k miles and manual everything they're often north of $5k. It's totally wild to me.

 

I've been looking for a 1GT for well over a year. I live in N California and our prices up here are almost as bad as down south, but more than anything else it's a lot of beat to crap work trucks that were abused, pavement princesses that people want to charge an arm and a leg for, and the good ones being sold for a fair price get bought up by dealers and then they slap on a cheap lift and some shite wheels and charge $20K for a 4X4 with 200K miles on it.

What's even funnier is when I looked into a few of these being sold at dealerships and the sales guy is like "why do you want one of these old trucks?? let's have you come in and look at this RAM 2500 for $65K....." LOL, ok bro.

 

If you’re willing to drive, there are plenty of clean, non-rusted examples for reasonable dough down in the real south.

 

Hopefully you'll score on current prospects sooner than later.