Frame too far gone?

Hey folks,

looking at buying a first gen tundra after selling my gen 3 tacoma. I’ll be using primarily as a secondary vehicle for firewood/mulch/work. I’m lookin at this truck, 200k miles, recent timing belt/water pump, steering rack, new BFG ATs and cap for ~$6k.

Im concerned about rust though. What’s your opinion on these pics? Too far gone or fine for a few years as a work truck? Seller says you can’t poke through anything with a ballpin hammer/icepick.
Thanks in advance!

—Weston

 

Stop looking at it and run for the hills. Unless they’re giving it away for free, move on.

 

That first picture says it all. Seller is lying or being optimistic. That's a $1000 truck at best

 

That’s exactly why I posted on here! Thanks for the quick replies!

 

Seems the going rate for a clean access cab is ~$8-10k in my area then. That sound right to you guys ?

 

It's a no.

 

Yes for an 00-03 maybe; find 3 of them south of the Mason-Dixie line, take a one way trip there and drive home in it.

 

Thanks Jack. I looked a local 2002 limited AC with 201k with a solid frame and immaculate service/carfax for 9k. Is that fair?

 

A bit high for the rust belt, but maybe it’s okay if it’s super clean; make sure it’s 4wd. I’d let one of these guys living in the South giving their opinion to what they see in their area lately for sale as a comparison.

Also, make sure you don’t have hidden rust coming through the bed from the underside (peek under bedliner) and that the rear differential isn’t corroded so bad it might leak.

 

Yea run from the one in the photos.
Look down south or get detailed pics of the franes

 

Run like hell! That frame is fucked!

Yes, that's about right for most areas, for 2WD with 175k+ miles.
4WD will usually command $2k-4k more, as will something with under 150k or less miles.
If you haven't already seen it...

 

Thanks for all the feedback, gents. Thankfully I followed my gut in this one and it sold today (feel bad for the buyer!).

I have read through the “so you want to buy 1st gen…” thread as well as a bunch of others. Like the Volvo forums I’ve frequented, you guys are awesome! Tons of good info (and ideas for my future build).

 

That truck will end up in Mexico probably and be hauling 10,000 pounds of bricks uphill in third gear in the right lane of a highway in 6 months. I see so many rusted-out trucks have a second life that way, it's scarily hilarious.

 

If everything else is perfect on that truck. $2k tops. If everything else is PERFECT

That frame is fucked. Your paying for an engine and possibly hard to find parts lol

 

Knowing any of those parts which are metal may be diminished value due to rust.

 

Yes, having just gone through my own search earlier this year, $8-10k is about right for clean, 170-250,000 mile trucks. That mileage range is kind of arbitrary, but close enough. You get to 150,000 or below and the price starts creeping above $11,000. Drops a bit below $8,000 when you get to 300,000+.

My truck had the full carfax report (every oil change since it was new), very very little rust (no rot at all), great interior and exterior condition, 225,000 miles. Was $10,000, and that was right in the ballpark of everything else I was seeing. There were outliers. But the one or two owner, clean, all maintenance records trucks were all right around $10k And if you weren't fast, they were gone.