rusted toyotas

[vtcoyote]

just wondering does anybody know where all those Tacoma's with the rusted frames are going?

i would love to pick up a cheap 'back roads only' pick up for hauling manure, and other other materials that would most likely ruin a truck very quickly.

 

[dgl24087]

I'm sure they are destined for salvage yards. I saw a dually with 4 on a trailer going down the highway a few days ago, 2 large salvage yards about 4-5 miles away, in the direction he was driving. I'd be curious to know if there is a stipulation that the trucks are to be completely disassembled and the frames cut up or sold as scrap.

 

[jbrumberg]

I'm sure they are destined for salvage yards. I saw a dually with 4 on a trailer going down the highway a few days ago, 2 large salvage yards about 4-5 miles away, in the direction he was driving. I'd be curious to know if there is a stipulation that the trucks are to be completely disassembled and the frames cut up or sold as scrap.

That is my understanding. My 2000 Tacoma is getting checked out tomorrow. Jay

 

[Scooby074]

My bet is the only thing these Tacomas are going to see is the crusher. I think Toyota's doing this to limit future liability and the last thing they'd want is a bunch of broken framed trucks running around on or off road. Look no further than the Mazda / Cougar Ace incident that saw like 4000 brand new cars crushed!
Just my luck, my 96 Tacoma's frame is perfect. I'd make $2000 over what i paid for it if the frame was gone.

 

[jbrumberg]

My 4WD 2000 Tacoma extended cab with 78K miles and in really good shape failed the inspection yesterday and . I am now renting at Toyota's expense (excepting gas)d a Ford F-150 with a Triton V-8. The truck's gas tank is 25 gallons so you can figure out that it costs me ~$100 per fill up . I am really ambivalent about this whole thing right now as I really liked my truck even if SWMBO and my two 90+ dogs could all travel with me at once, and I really do not have the energy to go researching trucks and dealing with salespeople . It is my impression that the process takes about a month and is pretty "painless" if you stay with Toyotas. Jay

 

[slowzuki]

They are going to scrapyards with a totalled title, can't sell the frame or the cab with VIN. Ie you can not rebuild one.

 

[Scooby074]

Jay, I'm curious about your trucks condition. My truck's body is perfect but my frame has some rust issues. Mostly its surface rust. No holes that i could find.

I haven't taken mine in yet (honestly I'm scared they'll find something wrong ). Ive followed the insrtuctions online, they basically say to whack certain parts of the frame with a hammer and see if it dents. I did that, but couldn't dent it.

Did you have any rust holes or breaks in your frame or was it body mounts? I'm just curious to see how damaged the frame has to be inorder for Toyoda to write it off.

Jason

 

[Skyco]

Shredder is my bet. I remember some years back GM had a whole bunch of S10 pickups that sat at a dock during a strike. They had some light rusting from sitting in the salt air. Rather than donating the blemished trucks to some charity (Red Cross maybe) to use they destroyed every one. A real shame. Apparently got a big writeoff.

 

[IXLR8]

My co-worker has seen numerous loads of Tacoma's heading up his street to the junkyard. Supposidly they have the largest crusher in a 75 mile radius. I was told that they are crushing them, as is, they are not pulling any good parts off of them. My dealer is so backed up that the soonest I could get in for inspection was July 24th. He told me very few were failing, a different dealer is saying that 90% are failing, that between his two lots he has 250 Tacomas waiting 'disposal'.

 

[mapmaker]

Had my 2000 extended cab inspected on April 10th. They gave me a rental on the spot. The buy back price was almost 5K over what I bought the truck for in 2004. I bought a 08 double cab 4x4 v6 and my payments are less then what I was paying on the old used truck. Mine was one of about 300 parked at the dealer. I asked about stripping some parts off my old truck and was told that Toyota wanted all the trucks complete. Not sure why. In any event I could mot be happier with the deal I got.

 

[jbrumberg]

Scooby074:

The service department showed me a diagram that indicated 12 areas on my frame that had failed. Those areas appeared to be in the body mount areas. Now I am just waiting for Toyota to contact me. I am interested in a truck like mapmaker's. Jay

 

[slowzuki]

I'm kicking myself now, last August I bought a used Toyota Matrix for the same price at a Tacoma I looked at. The transmission in the Matrix (5 speed) has just let go outside of warrantee at about 80k miles and the dealer/toyota won't do a thing for us.

 

[jbrumberg]

slowzuki:

I know some individuals who really made out by buying a used Tacoma with this "buy back" now; but a friend of mine traded in his Tacoma for a new Tundra and only got ~$7K. He probably would have gotten almost twice as much with the buy back . Jay

 

[Scooby074]

Jay, Thanks for the info.

I understand that Toyota is limiting the buyback to people that owned the truck at least a month (i believe) before they announced the program. Does anybody have any insight on this?

To bad there wasn't a program for those of us that didn't win the "rust" lottery! Several friends on mine have made thousands on their old beaters!

Jason

 

[john_bud]

Jay, Thanks for the info.

I understand that Toyota is limiting the buyback to people that owned the truck at least a month (i believe) before they announced the program. Does anybody have any insight on this?

To bad there wasn't a program for those of us that didn't win the "rust" lottery! Several friends on mine have made thousands on their old beaters!

Jason

I don't understand how length of ownership impacts rust formation. If the frame fails, would a new owner be less injured / killed than an long term owner?

My guts tell me that any owner would have the same deal, even if the truck was just purchased that day. Could be wrong, but ...

jb

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I haven't taken mine in yet (honestly I'm scared they'll find something wrong ). Ive followed the insrtuctions online, they basically say to whack certain parts of the frame with a hammer and see if it dents. I did that, but couldn't dent it.

Jason

Get a bigger hammer!

 

[rickguns]

I sure wish my 96 T100 was in the buy back program. I would sure love to have a new Toy. but I don't think the wallet can handle that

 

[Scooby074]

JB : I think toyota is trying to limit people from buying a vehicle (perhaps someones old parts truck that's not on the road) and selling it back to them for a major profit. Your right though, the rust is still there no matter how long you've owned it.

I think the thing to remember is that toyota isn't calling this a recall, just a "buy back" and its at their discretion.

WCH: Believe me i tried , I wonder if i use the 5lb sledge.....

EDIT: after a little time on the toyota forums i see that if the vehicle was purchased after March 2008 than toyota will only pay the purchase price, if it was purchased prior to that than toyota pays 150% of Blue book excellent condition.

 

[ray66v]

There really is no excuse what so ever, for this to be happening to these trucks, or any other vehicle, in this day and age. The alloys, level of corrosion protection, and strength needed for this job are not a secret.

Was this yet another a failed "experiment". With the industry, shamefully, using the customer, and their families, as the guinea pigs?

While Toyota is apparently stepping up and taking care of these trucks, one cannot help wondering who they are really worried about here.

 

[john_bud]

There really is no excuse what so ever, for this to be happening to these trucks, or any other vehicle, in this day and age. The alloys, level of corrosion protection, and strength needed for this job are not a secret.

Was this yet another a failed "experiment". With the industry, shamefully, using the customer, and their families, as the guinea pigs?

While Toyota is apparently stepping up and taking care of these trucks, one cannot help wondering who they are really worried about here.

Ewww, that's a very Machiavellian angle to it (good job!). Maybe the balancing act of rusty truck prompting a new truck purchase swung too far? Actually, giving it some thought, you have a real good point. An extra buck in materials would make the the truck frame last a lot longer, yet they don't. Ergo, they are meant to rust. "Oh what a feeling"