What to buy? Gen 1 or 2 with an $8 -10K budget

Hey, brand new to the forum, but I’ve done some research and now I’m looking for some advice as I plan to purchase a used Tundra


Goals:

1) Spend $8 - 10K total, truck plus needed repairs/refurb.

2) High reliability

3) Used for:

a) Camping trips with the dog, local and long road trips (capable of: using in place of a tent, so fitting a full length sleeping bag/pad/mattress, dog and other gear, 4x4 for unimproved roads, but no ‘serious’ off roading)

b) 2nd vehicle (2015 Subaru WRX is other vehicle), winter vehicle

c) Occasional ‘truck stuff’ - firewood, furniture

d) Future use as a tow vehicle for track day/autocross car (as yet unacquired, Miata or similar, figuring 4,000lbs with the trailer)


Started searching on Autotrader with a 2005/2006 Access Cab 4x4 in mind as an ‘ideal’ truck. A truck that came with a fiberglass topper would be a bonus (see goal #1)


Found lots of 4 doors, but wasn’t sure if the bed was long enough. Also, found more 2nd gens than I was expecting. High mileage, but on a newer truck that usually means lots of highway miles, which doesn’t scare me (maybe it should?) unless it was done with a lot of heavy towing.


So, looking for advice on the best way to meet the goals listed above. What are the pros and cons of 2nd gen with a 4.7L? Pros and cons of 2nd gen with a 5.7L? Reliability either 2nd gen vs 1st gen 4.7L?


I’d really appreciate any input from the community.

 

I would get the newest, nicest truck your money can get.

 

gen 2 have more space and bigger engine.

 

If you really think it'll see regular use as a tow vehicle find a 2nd gen with the 5.7, it's a huge improvement.

 

you might need to up your budget though. gen2's still bring premium but as far as drivetrain, it's the same as gen 3s

 

I would lean Gen 2, (07-08) DC but budget needs at least $2-4k more. High mileage should reflect price, wouldn't be scared especially if good records or carfax.
Really nice gen 1's are going to be just as much. Gen 1's also have timing belts which are costly maintenance items.

 

and early gen 2 a million mile vehicle

 

Thanks for the quick replies!

With regard to the gen 2s and my budget, here's a few examples of what I'm seeing:











All are pretty high mileage for their age, but like I said, that doesn't really bother me if they've been properly maintained.

 

good to see many are high mileage imo. testament to Toyota quality

 

The 07 Blue one looks nice, under 200k. The 2010 gold is 4x4 with topper, few of your wants not too bad. I bet none those are their lowest price, always make a lower offer.

Don't rule out "for sale by owner", their prices should be a bit lower. They can also give you a better feel of how the truck was taken care of when inquiring.

Good Luck!

 

I’ve been lusting over 1st gens for a while and there’s good deals out there on super clean ones. But you can’t go wrong either way.

 

Id go CrewMax 2 gen just for the reclining back seat. You can sleep in the truck and it would be like sleeping on a lazy boy

 

Couple of comments. I owned a 2006 (Gen I) with the 4.7 and put 225,000 miles on it since new. Still runs like the day I drove it off the lot and my daughter (who bought it from me) will probably put several 100,000 miles more on it. I now own a new 2018 with the 5.7. Here are some things to consider:

1) 4.7 has a timing belt, replace every 90,000 miles. I do all my own work and it was a PITA each time it came due, as well as expensive for OEM parts (around $500.00). It will be close to $1,000 (or more) to have it done by a shop.
2) 4.7 has shim-under-bucket valve actuators. If a clearance goes out of spec. (none of mine did thankfully), it means camshaft removal to replace a shim (or shims).
3) 5.7 has no maintenance chain drive for the cams.
4) 5.7 has hydraulic valve actuators (can't really call them lifters). Zero maintenance on this system.

As fantastic as my 2006 was, items 1 & 2 were thorns in the side for me. Items 4 & 5 are golden on the new truck. This and negligible difference in MPG. Plus, the 5.7 goes like hell.

Dan

 

@speedgeek for your listed purposes and based on your choice of username, get a 5.7 4x4

As a counterpoint to bergman's comment
1. Timing belt is superior to timing chain. They run quieter and do not stretch. Every 100k miles, change your belt tensioner idler pulleys and put some new spark plugs on...you have basically a new engine. Chains stretch, even the oil bathed tensioner will fail... lots of 600k+ mile land cruisers and tundras with the 4.7 still on the road, there's even a documented million mile tundra with the 4.7
2. Toyota's UZ engine was designed for Lexus F1 project.... i have never heard of a UZ engine needing adjustment of it's shim under bucket lifters. Even if it is worn above tolerance, all you get is a little cam noise.
3. No maintenace is a 'relative ' term. One day the tensioner WILL fail, or chain stretch causes excessive valvetrain noise. Will it fail with 200k miles? Not likely, but then that is over Toyota's maintenance schedule, so they don't really care.
4. True hydraulic lifters are zero maintenance, but i have seen many chevy small block v8s with collapsed lifters, granted they were running bigger cams and are ohv not dohc.

The UZ is first and foremost designed for Lexus, quiet smooth RELIABLE operation was the design parameter
The UR engine was designed with compromises, customers complained about the cost of timing belt changes so Toyota went back to a chain. It is noiser then a UZ and not as smooth running.
I have no problems flooring a 400k mile UZ with a fresh timing belt. I would have to double think flooring a 400k mile UR with a 400k mile stretched timing chain.

 

No modern DOHC motorcycle engines have timing belts, all have chains (or in some cases gear drives). Some of these engines approach 20,000 rpm with no issues. Rarely does a chain drive cam system on a motorcycle need attention. On rare occasions with very high mileage engines that have been flogged or have poor maintenance, a chain or tensioner will need replacing. Most motorcyclists don't have this issue on their radar screens.

The hydraulic lifters on OHV V-8 engines are part of the valve train reciprocating mass and failures are an understandable part of this system. The Toyota DOHC engine uses a rocker system where the hydraulic compensation system is not part of the reciprocating mass. Basically has an indefinite life (as far as I know). I owned a 1985 Honda CB700SC motorcycle and 1985 Toyota Supra that had this system and both were trouble free.

I'll take chain drives over belts any day. With the UR engine being in production for over 10 years, I have not heard of any systemic valve train failures or wear issues (not that there aren't any, I just have never heard of them).

I was much less worried about item 2) in my post above since I did not measure any movement of clearances in the 225,000 miles of ownership. It was time consuming and required removal of the cam covers to measure these clearances though. Item 1) was a royal PITA for me both in complexity, time when the truck was down and cost. Glad to have the UR engine now in my new Tundra and have far less reasons to open the hood.

Dan

 

I own a 2005 double cab. I really like it. It's only a blonde hair bigger than a Tacoma, so is still great for fitting down tight backcountry roads and is easy to park and manuevre in the city. The engine is quiet and super smooth. It's more than capable of towing and hauling moderate loads. My parents drove their '05 double cab across Canada and back last year (Victoria BC to St Johns, NFLD) towing an 16 or 18 foot travel trailer. They never had any issues.

For your budget, I would look for a low mileage 1st gen or a minty mid mileage 2nd gen. I do like the availability of aftermarket mod parts for the 2nd gen. That's my biggest beef with 1st gens. The cool stuff isn't really made for them.

 

I’ve been trying to figure out what to buy as a toy and was thinking of the same choices or an old land cruiser or a early model 5th gen 4Runner. The 1st gen tundras have had a lot of lower ball joint issues, 2gens I think is the cam shafts but not all of them. Can’t go wrong with either one, main thing with the 2nd gen is more power for towing.

 

Motorcycle engines have alot less reciprocating mass, they are not designed for the smoothest idle, a chain is fine for their application. A belt would increase engineering costs as replacement of said belt would have to be factored in to the design.

Hydraulic lifters on ohv and dohc do the same exact thing, open and close the valve, put a bigger cam in the UR engine and you will run into the same problems, they don't suffer from reciprocating mass...it is just the valve spring they are acting on. An ohv lifter does not have as hard a time opening the valve. It is before the rocker, which gives it a mechanical advantage usually 1:1.5 vs a lifter acting on the valve directly after the rocker on a dohc engine. No mechanical advantage AFTER the rocker.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/timing-chain-possibly-getting-ready-to-grenade.17605/page-4

Failed timing chain, on THIS Forum

In the end, your preference is yours to choose. Luckily we live in a free country. But to say a chain is better then a belt is misleading. The design of a belt is superior for noise vibration and harshness (NVH). A chain requires less maintenance over the life of the vehicle.

Full disclosure, i have both gen Tundras i change my gen1 t belt every 100k miles, i plan to change my timing chain at 200k miles..this will cost ALOT more as you must change all the gears along with the chain and it requires more of the engine be taken apart.