New owner of a 2005 RWD regular cab 4.7 V8 Tundra

Hello Tundras.com,
I recently became a Tundra owner when the frame of my 1988 4WD Ford 5.8L 351w F-150 rusted beyond what I could safely repair. I loved that Ford and planned on finding another Ford Truck, but a super clean 2005 Tundra with 108K miles found me instead.

One weekend I was out looking at trucks and becoming increasingly frustrated by the ridiculous prices I saw for rusted-out trucks and some that weren't mechanically well-maintained. I needed a truck soon and wanted to find a two-door truck with an 8-foot bed.

I only use my truck on weekends to haul our trash and for home projects and errands. Since my hobby is restoring old trucks (50’s, 60’s & 70’s), the back of the 8-foot bed is excellent for two reasons: 1 - it's perfect for when I find and need to pick up old, dirty, heavy truck parts. (This makes my wife happy since I don't need to use her SUV.) 2 - the bed also serves as an additional workspace while working in the garage. I only have a one-bay garage, so when I back the truck to the garage and open the tailgate, I have all that added space I often need.

Driving home after looking at some trucks, thinking I'll never find the Ford truck to replace the one I just junked, I spotted a gold metallic

$244 2-door QAA Is Compatible With 2014-2020 Toyota Tundra 4 Piece Molded Stainless Steel Wheel Well Fender Trim Molding, 2" Width, Must Remove Stock Splash Guard, Install, Then Put Back on After Installation WZ14145

2-door pickup for sale in a driveway. At first, I thought it was an early 2000 Ford, but then I saw the grille - it was a Tundra.


Now let me back up a second. Although I LOVE Ford trucks and hoped to find another to replace my 1988 F-150, I am also pragmatic and do not want to waste my money. My two best everyday commuter vehicles were a 1979 2-Door Toyota Tercel that probably would have run forever if it wasn't in a wreck in 2000, and my current 2007 2-Door Toyota Yaris Hatchback is still running strong with 289,000 miles on it. I enjoy maintaining all my vehicles, saving me and my family money by making them last a long time. So the point is I also LOVE Toyota and am super comfortable working on their engines. This is what made me reconsider buying another Ford truck.

I became very interested in this Tundra when I saw how clean the chassis and engine bay were. The odometer read 108,420 miles, so I was more interested in the vehicle now. I spoke to the owner, and he said he picked it up two years ago from the original owner, who used it on a Maryland farm. This owner was getting rid of it because his girlfriend was expecting their 2nd child, and he needed a 4-door truck. He also said that they had just spent over a thousand dollars to replace the starter and didn't want to spend any more money on the truck. He told me the check engine light was on, which turned out to be the maintenance light - it just needed an oil change. He never changed the oil. In examining the engine bay, I saw a sticker indicating that the original owner had the timing belt changed at 95k miles. Other than a dirty air filter, missing engine cover, and what turned out to be the original ignition coils, everything looked OK with the engine.

This Tundra also had a cracked windshield, a broken passenger-side taillight, and two severely faded headlights. This owner also put 18" Lexis wheels on the truck (not my taste - I had 33" mud tires with steel wheels on my Ford), and currently, the truck is running on 265/60/18 tires. I also have the original 16" wheels that aren't in the best condition, with 245/70/16 dry-rotted tires. (I'll definitely be back to get advice about updating tires.) The owner could no longer find the Lexus wheels' wheel lock. When I got the truck home, I got the keys off by tapping an old nine-tooth socket on it and using a breaker bar.


The 2005 Tundra is a 2WD, and while I wanted another 4WD truck, the truth is that I very rarely used 4WD. In my eyes, this particular base model 2-door truck is very plain looking as it currently stands. But if I were to add a few items, this could be a very interesting-looking truck. Adding side molding, a nerf-bar, and more aggressive-looking tires with fender flares would make me happy. But all that is down the line. I am more concerned about the vehicle's safety and mechanical soundness at the moment.
I have already completed the following:
Oil change with Synthetic oil and filter
Ignition coils and spark plugs.

Up next:
Ordered brakes - Front: rotors, pads, and calipers | Rear: drums and brake shoes.
Replace differential gear oil. (Diff. Vent look seized)
Clean throttle body
Replace ball joints
Transmission filter (I am not sure about this just yet. I'll be back to ask for advice.)

Considering everything, I feel purchasing my 2005 Tundra was a prudent decision based on my needs. I want a truck that will last a long time, and based on my prior experience with Toyota, this is the correct truck for me. So that's my Tundra story, and I'm excited about starting this new journey with my Tundra. (Pun intended)

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)!

 

Thanks Bakershack!
I hope to learn a lot from being a member.

 

Welcome from So Cal

 

Welcome from Nevada

 

Welcome from the AV, nice looking ride there.

 

Welcome neighbor.

 

Thanks, RitcheyRch!
My buddy from high school moved to So Cal, and he is always saying I need to visit just to eat at In-N-Out Burger.

 

Glad to be here Ely010606! Thanks!

 

I appreciate the kind words blackdemon_tt! I couldn't help myself and did a quick mod. I changed out the body colored grille with a grille I found locally. Check out the difference between the first photo on the first post and the last photo, with the new black grille. and new headlights.

 

What's up my brother New Yorker?! I'm from the NOFO (North Fork of Long Island on the eastern tip) but I have family living in your neck of the woods in Rockland County. There's some beautiful areas where you live for sure. Thanks for the neighborly welcome!