Can we talk about Toyota Trucks for a minute?

Full disclosure: I've had a few Toyota trucks in the past 15 years or so. A 2002 or so Tacoma ext cab 2wd "pre runner" and a 2001 4.7 2wd Tundra. 

I've driven and owned many different vehicles and never thought that these trucks were particularly anything special. The interior of the Tacoma hit that same sweet spot of circa 2000's Honda that screams "this shall not wear with time", but other than that it was pretty unremarkable. The Tundra had lots of issues from neglect at no fault of it's own.  Neither had the dreaded rust that is so prevalent in these. I knew about that before and after. They've both been gone for several years now. 

Recently, because I suffer from the same car ADD that the rest of you suffer from, I was looking at newer Colorados and Canyons. At around $25-30k for a 3 year old used truck I got to thinking, "Are these really 4-5 times better than a mid 2000's Toyota. Thinking 5*$6k. Then I looked through a few listings. Boy was I wrong.

Look..... I know the Toyota tax is a thing. People value their reliability, real or perceived. Maybe that's worth %15 on a Camry over an Altima. That's not what this is about. This is about the absolutely ludicrous prices mid and early 2000's Tacomas are going for. A truck which is known to rot in half and cost Toyota millions of dollars to recall. I'm talking about things like this:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1999-toyota-tacoma-sr5-4x4-9/

"Oh but that's just BAT" What about this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-Toyota-Tacoma-XTRACAB-/293693847503?hash=item44618477cf%3Ag%3Aa-AAAOSwDshfOdJV&nma=true&si=1fABftUODZFsTnnYJQcb9tndUIg%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

That's right $12k for a 20 year old truck with 130k miles on it. Or this!?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Toyota-Tacoma-DoubleCab-PreRunner-SR5-/333677048931?hash=item4db0b3b463%3Ag%3AmAYAAOSwlRpfIbri&nma=true&si=1fABftUODZFsTnnYJQcb9tndUIg%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

^This sold and has 190k miles on it. 

Or God forbid you want a newer one with some features.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/820869260/overview/

And local to me: https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/818489639/overview/

.

Too bad cars.com Doesn't have a "Crap" price indicator. I'll blame this one mostly on the dealer and covid and meth from TN.

Last one....

I just don't get it. This is not supply and demand.... It's idiocy.

I figured you fellow GRM'ers would understand. So let's all yell at the "normals" to get off my lawn and stop financing $16k for a 14 year old truck that is highly prone to turning to iron oxide. That way I can have what I want for 5 grand. 

have you looked at land crusier pricing?

MrChaos said:

have you looked at land crusier pricing?

All part of the same crazy ass ship.

The market will set the price.  If somebody wasn't paying crazy money for them, they would be cheaper.

Toyota is still rebuilding some of these old trucks on brand new frames:

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2019/05/25/toyota-dealerships-are-still-replacing-tacoma-tundra-and-sequoia-frames-years-later/

Supply and demand. Customer of mine just paid off his Chevy truck. Then Got totaled by a stray ski rack. Got the insurance check, went to buy a new one. Dealer said not much in stock since Chevy strike. Went online and found all the used trucks are nearly within new truck prices. 

It’s bonkers. I’ve been seeing Tacos at insane prices for years in my area.

Count me out. I won’t pay it. Somebody is though. Let them have it.

Look at rusty old 911 prices.  If people aren't willing to pay, the prices will come down.

An old coworker had his FJ totaled and even with the insurance payout he couldn't afford a comparable one. 
My friends all really seem to like these things too. I don't really get it. I've driven them and they are anything but remarkable. Especially the transmissions. 
But they just work I guess? 

Dad bought an 06 Tundra a few years ago with only 80k miles. I think he paid around $7k. I think he could double his money. He specifically wanted a Tundra after our first Tundra. They don't have quite the same tax as the Taco's do, but it is still mind boggling. 

I'm pretty sure that, despite all their comparitive shortcomings, I'd be looking at a used Nissan these days. 

On the other end of that spectrum is where I shop.  Like how I'm currently looking for an 01-03 Jag XJR or Super V8.  Their perceived value as a british luxury car makes them tank in price, but they're actually great, reliable cars.

Last time I bought a truck, I looked hard for a Taco and ended up with a Fordzda Branger.  It is easily 90% as good as the Taco, and half the price.  While I was shopping, the general trend was that if you compare apples to apples; Ranger, Dakota, Colorado/S10, or nearly any other compact truck to the Taco, the Taco will be double the asking price of the others.  If you find a Taco that the price is the same as a Ranger or S10, the mileage will be at least double.

They are the Michelin of trucks.  15% better quality and 100% higher price.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

  It is easily 90% as good as the Taco, and half the price.  

But if you buy the Toyota, you get to benefit from the higher Toyota resale when you go to sell it. I have made 50% profit on both of my last two Land Cruisers while enjoying them (and their solid front axles) in the meantime. 

My local dealer asking $30k for 95 Bronco

https://www.valleyfordofhuroninc.com/used-Huron-1995-Ford-Bronco-XLT-1FMEU15H6SLA72302

My land cruiser has 432k miles and still blue books for 6k

In 2011 I sold a 1999 Tacoma extra cab V-6 4X4 manual transmission in good shape.  I sold it for $7,000 about seven years after I bought it for $10,000.  So I guess I should have just kept it, drove it for the last nine years and sold it for even more?  That >is< crazy.

I blame it on SWMBO; she insisted our expected bundle of joy would never ride in the Tacoma.

DWNSHFT said:

In 2011 I sold a 1999 Tacoma extra cab V-6 4X4 manual transmission in good shape.  I sold it for $7,000 about seven years after I bought it for $10,000.  So I guess I should have just kept it, drove it for the last nine years and sold it for even more?  That >is< crazy.

 

I blame it on SWMBO; she insisted our expected bundle of joy would never ride in the Tacoma.

This is what I'm talking about. Can I just go out, buy a new Tacoma and expect to sell it in ten years for %75 of what I bought it for? No other vehicle does that.

I'm not comparing this to old cars that are appreciating. This is depreciation at a slower than inflation pace. I also knew it'd be only a few minutes before someone said, "the price is what someone is willing to pay". It's more who is paying this, and how do they justify it.

The value proposition isn't there right now.   Sit tight. Once new cars come back to lots. This will slow down.  
 

hence why I bought a beater suburban for $3k instead of a nicer newer truck right now. 
 

toyota value proposition is out of whack. 

John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:

My local dealer asking $30k for 95 Bronco

https://www.valleyfordofhuroninc.com/used-Huron-1995-Ford-Bronco-XLT-1FMEU15H6SLA72302

I see that a little differently. That is a 25 year old vehicle, and almost the last year that they made it. The early ones of that generation are almost 30, and those are virtually identical to the 40 year old Bronco's. It is a classic car, and probably the best one of the entire run. 

A Taco? Not really a classic yet in the same sense, at least in my eyes. Especially as the tax stays there no matter what year you buy and you can still buy virtually the same car today as the earliest version. Hell, the first year they were even available was a '95 (I know, "Toyota Pickup" was available prior to that)

We  bought a 2008 4Runner brand new for right around $28k (back in 2008, of course). We sold it 5 years later for right around $24k, and it certainly had its share of dings and dents and needed new tires. They hold their value because they're very good.

Also because a lot of them died a rusty death too early, so the non-rusty ones demand a premium. 

We're in North Carolina.

Prices are higher than other places in the South, especially the closer you get to Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejune, but Tacoma prices are especially bad. In addition to soldiers with a bunch of money to burn when they get back in country, I blame it on the fact that Uwharrie is in the state, and people can take them off road.

 

If you think that's crazy, just imagine if Toyota sold diesel trucks here!

I have owned a 2002 Tacoma and loved it, but I still don't get it. They're good trucks but not $15,000 good.

My parents have a 2013 regular cab Tacoma 4x4 with 19k miles on it. It is possibly worth more now than they paid for it new.

Weird, the dealer lots are all full up here in Canada.

Dodge is even giving you 0% financing for 4 years (or something) to drag their junk off the lot.

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) said:

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

  It is easily 90% as good as the Taco, and half the price.  

 

 

But if you buy the Toyota, you get to benefit from the higher Toyota resale when you go to sell it. I have made 50% profit on both of my last two Land Cruisers while enjoying them (and their solid front axles) in the meantime. 

Yes.... if the 250k-mile Taco I would have to have settled for magically tuned out to not be a rusty money pit.  I'm a mileage guy.  For half the price of a 200k Taco, I got an 80k mile florida ranger with zero rust.

I really wanted a diesel truck, but the same thing happens there.  If I wanted one in my $4k price range, it would have had 350k on it.  Not worried about a Duramax with that mileage, but the truck that surrounds it would be wasted.

Locally a lady was selling an '03 Tacoma 4 door with 397k miles for $5200 and she got it.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

To be honest I would pay more for a Tacoma over a ranger or a Fordzda, but not 2-3 times more.