Back to Tundra?

Hi, been lurking here for a while. This is my first post.

My name is Mike and I had the distinct honor of driving the 10,006th Tundra to roll off the assembly line. I bought a 99.5 model year in 00 drove it from the Atlantic to the Pacific and back again. It got totaled out at 190K miles 16 years after I bought it. I drove it for ANOTHER 50K miles and eventually donated it to charity just shy of it's 18th birthday when the brakes, AC, and transmission went. I do believe that motor would've gotten to 500K.

It never let me down. I miss it so much. I drove a 2006 Sequoia for a few years and I've now arrived a the stage in my life where I can afford a new Tundra. Just my luck because I arrived in time for the for the relative fiasco unfolding before us: ridiculous prices, main bearing failures, and smug dealers.

I considered stepping down to a Tacoma but they are almost the same price!
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH THESE PRICES?!?! I don't want a friggin entertainment system on wheels, I want a truck. If I could take $10K worth of BS features off I would likely have a deal in minutes. But giant tablets and self driving cars hold no appeal to me.

I'm seriously thinking of going outside of the Toyota marque everyone. Talk me out of it...

 

Welcome from NY.
Don't do it. What about looking for a good used 2.5 gen with low mileage.

 

Just buy another FGT, it's what made you think Tundra in the first place, because IT IS the Tundra. Still have my 2000 (99.5 like yours). Still a great truck.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! I second finding a low mileage model in the 2014-2021 range of model years.

 

Sharp truck! Makes me miss mine.

 

Thanks for the support guys! I'm not feeling Stellantis anything right now and I had a bad experience with a Ford truck years ago. I went to look at GMC and it felt like I was jerking off with the wrong hand. Like...it'd probably get the job done but it'd feel awkward while I was doing it and probably leave me with a rash...

Having not shopped for a truck for a looong time, I'm agog at all the various trim levels. I think manufacturers are counting on this.

I live in Northern MI (LP) and there are very few local dealers around here. I would jump at a gen 1/gen 2 from a private seller right now! But buying something used for like $20K and having it shipping or driving 5 hours is a tough sell for me right now.

Coming up on the end of October, I'm hoping to really hand it to a dealer on price. I had one guy down to $63K on a 23 Capstone hybrid w/7K miles but I got greedy and demanded he throw in a Certified warranty so he told me to take a hike. Odds are that truck woulda croaked within a year so I think make the right call. I think I made a fantastic pitch (see below)

I'm kinda digging the 6 speed Tacos, and I know this is really weird but I'm sitting on the fence between getting 2024 SR with 6 speed for around $40K or going full bore and getting a 2024 Trailhunter in the $60K range.

I know I'm all over the place right now but I'll literally drop up to $60K TODAY if I find the right deal. PLEASE take my money! None of these goofballs want it.

 

Saw an unflattering report on the 6 speed in the new taco. Odd ratios and chattery clutch. Poor implementation of the E-brake as well.

 

Indeed ! My vote is buy new and enjoy another 16-25 yrs. 25's are hitting the lots and don't fear the spun bearing reaper !

 

Yeah, I'm picking up on those now too :-(

I think I'm getting back to this line of thought again as well. I'm wondering which regret I'll have" getting the hybrid or NOT getting the hybrid!

 

Coming from a 2.5 gen and no real issues with storage, the hybrid is a welcomed cool feature to me. Of course Toyota took that choice away with the 'Pro' buyers, but if you don't want to chase down chrome/silver outside and inside parts, lift, replace shocks, grill, UCA's and rims it's the best option imo. Plus no drop down air dam, better lighting and way more features (loaded in) than the last gen Pro's or even Platinums !

 

I may just need to overcome my sheer anger at seeing a quote for $77K for the 25 Hybrid with TRD Off Road Package. It looks like I might be able snag a TCUV 24 hyb in a week, similarly equipped for around $60K OTD. My sense from the FAIL sheet is that the more distance I put between me and the 22 model year, the better off I'll be. Not sure if that's a correct observation though.

Any way I slice it, I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't get the most powerful motor avail. Just SOOO many trims, packages/options. I feel like I'm narrowing down to SR5 with a TRD Off Road package. I think the rear locker is going to be critical for me in Northern Michigan snow. I don't plan on wheeling it right away, but I'm sure I will a few years from now and then I can just pay people to do things like susp lift, etc

What is the front diff situation like in gen 3 Tundras? I know that my gen 1 basically had a Taco front diff... just curious what's going on under there now....

I really appreciate y'allz input and help! THANK YOU!

 

The locker only works in 4Lo

 

Ouch. Didn't know that. TY!

What's next?! Are the skid plates made of plastic?

 

23’ SR5 Off Road here, yes. It’s plastic. I swapped for Talon’s Garage aluminum skids and cat shield. I have just over 26k miles on mine, so far so good. Hopefully stays that way

 

I'm targeting a Toyota Gold Certified 2024 1794 Edition 4WD CrewMax with TRD ORP @ 3,668 mi. Just sent this over to the salesguy:

I can't imagine dropping $50K cash and winding up with a $500/monthly car note....SMH.

 

After a harrowing few weeks, I am... officially back!

Just closed a deal on a white 2019 TRD PRO CrewMax with around 27K miles and TCU Gold warranty for around $52K. I think @Jim LE 1301 was the one who suggested this. So gold star for you!

I live in MI and bought the truck from a Texas dealer. I did a 3P inspection through Lemon Squad and arranged transport on a flatbed. Still a bit nervous about everything coming together. But it arrives in 2 weeks!

 

Congrats

 

2.5 gang! Welcome to the forum and I hope you enjoy it as much as your OG tundra.

 

Get yourself a transmission cooler as the 19+ 2.5 gen didn’t come with an external cooler like its predecessors.

 

Ouch! That's great advice! Thx!

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/5-7l-transmission-cooler-kits.60550/

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/parts-list-for-adding-oem-trans-cooler-to-5-7l.125248/

 

You did good. Post pics when you get it. I’m sure you’ll love it. Love my 2020 TRD, wouldn’t trade it for any other truck on the market and thats a fact!

 

Oh, one more crucial mod is needed... The driver side grab handle! Not sure you can buy it in 2024 (10 years has passed, no new parts are manufactured for Gen2), but I see one used on ebay.

 

This is TRD Offroad, not PRO.

 

Indeed!

 

Do rustproofing as soon as you get it, before the winter.

 

Is it SR5? I think it is. SR5 are the best

 

OK, just pulled it off the trailer and she's a beauty!

First question ...what the f__ is this thing?!?