http://providence.craigslist.org/ctd/5827046884.html
talked to the guy. it’s a dealer. he says there is no rust and no issues which always gives me pause… seems like a nice truck - the price is a little high. anyone have any thoughts? red flags? worth going to see?
One thing to check out is the timing chain. This engine has a single timing chain, unlike the 20r engine ( I have one in my 1979 Celica), which has a double timing chain, and metal guides instead of the plastic ones on the 22RE. These chains sometimes go bad at 100k miles or so and have been known to go through the timing chain cover.
I don’t know too much about the 22RE’s but the “R” series engines are known to be rather bulletproof, in general.
What does this truck have for a tranny? The W55? I’ve had very good luck with the W50, and I’ve maintained it by the book, with 80w90 GL4 oil, to preserve the brass synchros.
Sounds a little pricey given the year and mileage. What’s the blue book value?
Even the Deacon’s Masterpiece had a last day and the First of November will soon be here.
On a vehicle like this the amount you are willing to pay and the amount excepted are all that matters. Without seeing it in person and driving it an actual recommendation is not possible.
If you can check it out hands-on and test drive it, do so. If not, keep looking. Unless, of course, you’re a gambler at heart.
The timing chain, if it’s bad, will rattle like crazy. It does, after all, control the valve timing, and you’ll hear bad valvetrain rattle. If you hear this, don’t assume it’s just adjustments.
thanks for tips. i’m thinking about going to look at it… i feel like blue book doesn’t matter to people anymore with these little trucks… those selling them determine their own price because they’re rare when they’re rust-free and because the engines last so long… 
it’s an interesting phenomenon
I prefer '96 or newer, it’s easier to diagnose problems with OBD-II vehicles, and that’s typically when the switch to the newer Freon occurred (doesn’t matter it doesn’t have a/c).
A pre-purchase inspection by a good independent shop is really important.
“Call for miles?”
That often means they want you to come in and fall in love with it before you look at the odometer and see that it’s got enough miles on it to go to Pluto and back.
I believe this was the very last year for this truck
1995 was the first year for the Tacoma, which I believe had next to nothing in common with this truck.
Is there anything about this truck, that is preferable, versus an early Tacoma . . . ?
I agree with Volvo . . . on these older trucks, if somebody pays the asking price, then that’s what it was worth
Seriously, though, it’s all about the condition, not the model year
If this truck truly has a good body, no rust, and is in good mechanical shape, I’d rather have it, versus a Tacoma, which might be 10 years newer, but is a rust bucket, and has a lot of mechanical problems
It very well could be a great deal @db4690, but I am always wary of overly polished ------s. It was a great truck in its day and if I owned one that nice(?) no one would pay what I wanted for it but that leads me to wonder why someone with such a ‘cherry’ ride turned it loose. Just saying.
Since the seller is a dealer, I’ll assume he picked it up cheap for undisclosed reasons, and is flipping it for a rather nice profit
maybe he got it at auction
maybe somebody traded it in for something else
we’ll probably never know
Could the truck be running on a dose of blcok sealer?
Many of this era died from frame rust. My 1979 was one of them. Living in IN, WI, and MN was certainly a factor. My frame broke right behind the cab, fortunately while in the shop having tires rotated and not while driving. Years prior, the gas tank sagged because the transverse frame member that supported the tank had rusted through. Toyota truck frame rust failure persisted for many, many years. Dealers have replaced frames under extended warranty.
Don’t buy any Toyota truck of this era without going under it with a hammer and goggles, giving a firm whack to every frame member and junction, or taking it to an experienced body shop who knows the history of Toyota truck frame rust and can be trusted to carry out this crucial inspection regimen.
Other than that, I loved the truck and sometimes still miss it…
My '79’s frame also rotted through on both sides just aft of the cab.
My '89, however, went to its grave after many years and 338,000 miles having got hit by an errant Hyundai without any frame rotting at all. Both were driven by the same person (me) in exactly the same environment.
In later versions the problem frame rot reappeared, much to my chagrin. Toyota responded by replacing the frames of the affected vehicles at no cost. I’d never heard of a recall where frames were replaced, a major job, but there it was.
It’s good to be aware of the possibility and be sure the truck gets checked out for frame rot, but it’s only one factor to look at. And the condition of the frame might be fine. Can’t tell from here.