There was once a day that buying a pre-owned vehicle, like a used Toyota Tacoma, that had over 100k miles on it was akin to a suicide mission. You were just asking for trouble. Even if you picked up this well-worn used Toyota Tacoma, you’d end up sinking all of your money into keeping it running.
While plenty of drivers still remember the days when 100k miles was more than most engines could handle, that is not the situation now. Toyota has spent the last couple of decades perfecting the longevity of its vehicles. A pre-owned Tacoma is still considered fairly new at only 100k miles. It’s not even uncommon for drivers to double that number before finally putting their Toyota pickup to rest.
Whether you’ve been putting miles on your Tacoma or you’re looking to buy one that’s been around the block a few times, here is what you can expect from a 100k mile Tacoma:
Potential Problems
Considering the average driver puts about 14,000 miles on their car per year, a Toyota Tacoma with 100k miles is right around seven years old. Of course, the previous owner may drive more or less than the average person, so you might see something different.
Just like any other vehicle on the road, the Toyota Tacoma will have a few parts that may need to be serviced, repaired, or replaced around 100k miles. The biggest thing you’ll have to deal with is body rust. Where you live will play a huge role in the kind of rust you’ll see. You might also start to notice paint chips coming loose on the hood and roof.
You’ll also want to make sure that the spark plugs have been replaced. This should actually be done after 30-40k. If you’re getting ready to buy, it’s worth taking a look at the clutch pedal on a used Toyota Tacoma with a manual transmission, as this part can start to wear over time.
What About A Tacoma With 150k Miles?
The older a truck gets, the more opportunity there is for something to need to be repaired. Frame rot and rust are still going to be a big deal and are pretty expensive to correct. Taking care of the truck early on is the key to avoiding this problem down the road. If you’re buying a used Tacoma, inspect the body for blemishes and be pre-prepared to have something with a few imperfections on it.
At 150k miles, you also want to check for a leaky steering rack, rusty emergency brake cable, and a faulty rear rocker mother. These aren’t necessarily huge repairs, but they are issues that would be best to avoid through proper inspections and maintenance.
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While not every Tacoma is guaranteed to make it 200k miles, it’s becoming more common every year. At this point, this pickup truck is probably about 14 years old. This is a prime time to check and potentially flush/replace most of your fluids:
- Transmission oil
- Differential oil
- Brake fluid
- Power steering fluid
You may also need to schedule service to check on your timing belt, water pump, and transmission.
What About 250k Miles?
If you make it into the 250k-mile club, you’re part of an elite group that took care of your Tacoma through the years. It’s still likely that you’ll need to inspect and check several key components if you haven’t had to deal with this already:
- Replace the original clutch
- Tie rod ends
- Fuel pump
- Timing chains
- Radiator
- Ball joints
Take Care Of Your Tacoma, And It Will Take Care Of You
Purchasing a high-mileage vehicle always involves some risk. There are tools like vehicle history reports that can help provide information on how a car has been maintained, but these reports don’t always tell the entire story.
The good news is that a used Toyota Tacoma, even if it has 100k+ miles on it, can still have a lot of life left it. You may, however, have to pay for a couple of service appointments to make sure everything is in working order. Otherwise, take the time to show your Tacoma some TLC, and it will stand up to the test of time.
