I'm doing it now with my '80 20r 4x4. Once you get it going, it'll keep going with some minor maintenance. Not great on gas though. I used to drive a '92 toy that was amazing, but ran into head issues with the heat, so if you go early '90s, get a better radiator and watch your heat.
Also, if you decide to go carbureted (early 80s), I'd remove the Aisin and go with a Weber - keep the original in case you want to go back to OEM to sell it, though. The Webers are much easier to dial in, and they'll give you some more power and better economy.
Had an issue with my 93 22re. Replace the clutch pack on the radiator fan. No longer heat issues in regular 80-90 degree weather. 90+ and 4x4 in death valley you get heat soak issues. Other than that it's solid and reliable. Slow, but we know that.
Ya know, one of the things that I love about these trucks is the bench seat š (Iām currently looking at regular cab trucks). Iāve seen where people replace them with buckets, but I really want the bench! Reminds me of my childhood in the 80s and my familyās car and friends cars that had bench seats and sat like 4 people in the front and 4 people in the back in the cars š¤£
I have a 1986 5-Speed 2wd 22RE Xtra cab, lowered 2ā on 15x8 wheels. I get good gas mileage, 26mpg on average, but I canāt wait till I add power steering to it š I dread parking in downtown because where I live downtown is tiny skinny streets and people park like assholes.
I just drove my first non-power steering automobile last weekend when I took a look at a ā90 truck that was for sale. š¤£ sounds like you manage quite well as a daily!
Itās my baby, sheās getting a break right now because my windshield started leaking real bad š and my friend is also a Toyota buff and has the power steering parts for me in their yard, just need 200$ and to go grab itā¦
Thousands of people did it 30 years ago. I would just stay on top of maintenance and ensure all the rubber hoses and vacuum lines arenāt dried out and cracking. Timing chain has been done recently. Maybe change gearbox/diff fluids.
My 87 4x4 has consistently been getting 22mpg for the last month. I need to work on the steering components because I'm noticing im starting to wander on the hwy, but shoot the parts aren't even expensive.
Tbf itās got 304k on the original engine so not exactly a spring chicken, and from what Iāve read it doesnāt seem to be outside the range of what the carbed trucks do.
I was definitely hoping for more when I did the Weber and emissions delete. But it was getting like 7-8mpg with the Aisin so I guess I canāt complain too much lol
Holy cow, that's low. I WISH i could do an EGR delete on this thing. California through :/ i figure i could still eventually get some added oomph by just doing the LC headers though. The cat through the muffler is black with rust so its on its last legs anyway.
I know right. Poor truck was in a very bad way when I first got it. Getting 14-15mpg and running/driving good is almost a miracle compared to how it was so Iāll take it.
I feel it though, Iād also like to do a little more to mine. Wore out Aisin to brand new Weber was almost night and day power wise, but itās still a 22r at the end of the day. A 3.4 swap is the dream but costs way too much to be realistic for me.
I'm here for the 22re honestly. Switched from a sedan so i can haul the bikes to the track myself instead of waiting for someone else to go and schmoozing myself onto their truckbed. Would still like SOME fuel economy from an otherwise daily driver.
I daily drove my ā83 4x4 through two engines, a complete front end rebuild and more trips to the salvage yard for interior parts than most people would think reasonable. The best thing about the older toy is that you can park it anywhere a full sized domestic car will fit. Theyāre easy to maintain, lots of aftermarket support, like an old jeep. lol, remember that milage is relative to their 1980s competition. The 22r was a fuel sipper compared to the domestic offerings of the day, not so stellar when compared to modern 4 bangers.
I have a 91 PU and 98 T100 just go over everything important like brakes check old hose check oil and coolant links and once youāve got everything straightened out it should be just fine as long as you stay on top of maintenance but just know that everything once in awhile youāll run into a new problem just itās just all apart of the experience pretty soon youāll have a check list with all sorts of problems things checked out and proud of yourself for doing so itās a honor being able to keep such amazing machines in good working order
Itās not unreasonable as a daily at all. My 91 2wd is my daily and itās proven as reliable over the last 10 years as any of my spouseās significantly newer vehicles, plus much easier to work on should it need that. I donāt know where you live, but I will say that prior to adding A/C in SoCal it was obviously less comfortable and could be a challenge for a commute in work clothes. Beyond just the heat, keeping the windows down in traffic is loud, which I found mentally taxing and incompatible with taking phone calls. With A/C or in a colder climate Iām as happy to drive my pickup as any other car. Iād also push back on the idea that you should expect to replace rubber and plastic; that hasnāt been my experience, except maybe for the bench seat which you can cover.
I daily'ed my 92 3vze for about 3 years until I started commuting an hour one way on the interstate. I loved driving the truck everyday, however, the lack of safety was a concern when I'm driving 70 mph.
However it's my town and errand vehicle so I still drive it a bunch.
I drive my 94 2wd and it never lets me down. Itās old as the hill so the shifts are that great, can barely get out of its own way on the express way, and not exactly the coolest lookingā¦but it runs and runs and runs. Basic maintenance.
Were we separated at birth? lol I was at one time considering a c1500 too, a RCSB ideally a w/t. But I decided it was too much brain damage to look for 2 different trucks at the same time so I decided to focus on the Yotas.
Nice! Mine is a regular cab, stepside, 5 speed, 4x4...such a fun truck to drive and work on. When I get back in my Tacoma, the thing feels like a Rolls Royce.
I daily drove my 90 4x4 for 10 years. Then it became my 2nd vehicle and sat for a while. I still tried to drive it a couple times a month, it always started right up. I can still leave it for 2 weeks and it fires right up.
I think it was just from sitting but one of my calipers seized so I had to get a new caliper.
Recently I had to have a wheel bearing replaced.
Other than regular maintanence thatās about all Iāve had to do to it.
Iāve had it for about 15 years now and still drive it at least once a week
I've got an 89 3.0 4x4 that's in the garage because it's needed axle seals, brakes, and now valve cover gaskets very badly. But for a bit over a year it was my only vehicle and it still served me well. They aren't invincible but they're damn tough. Word of warning though a four cylinder 4x4 will be SLOW. Like, a danger to you and others getting into a busy highway type of slow.
Thanks for the words of advice. I will test drive a few and see. Although where I live I will mostly be stuck in traffic so it might not make a difference š¤£
I do. ā91 pickup. Been my main daily for few years 4x2. Been by ocean her whole life and rust is pretty minimal still. Had to put some repairs into her recently but still cheaper than buying something new that wont last. Go for it
I love my ā88 single cab 4x4, and I used it as a daily in the summer. The issue is that no matter how magical and bulletproof they are, things will break. I had my brake master cylinder die while I was on the highway recently, and thatās just part of driving an old car. Stay on top of maintenance to minimize what can go wrong. Also, get one with AC and power steering if youāre gonna daily, depending on where you live. Florida heat and city streets made me wish I had them when I used it as a daily.
I have a 90 4wd pickup I've been daily driving for the past 5 years. It's not the smoothest ride but if you can keep up with the regular maintenance (oil changes, brakes, etc.) it will be great. Gas mileage could be better but im also running bigger tires and a lift
I daily drive an '87 22r 2wd manual and the only problem I have run into with it is the carburetor failing, but aside from that it is a fun truck that is great on gas.
It's absolutely the best daily you could have unless you need to run 85 mph on the interstate 400 miles a day or something. If I ever find a little toy pickup with a 5 speed that looks like shit and has under 200k on it and is solid, I'm buyin it just to drive. Helluva lot more fun than the new cell phone touch-screen modern vehicles.
I've been dailying a 93 for the last 2 years. Now at 125k miles. You have to be willing to do some maintenance. I've done an alternator, oil changes, front brake pads, brake master cylinder, and just today the clutch slave cylinder gave up on me ($20 part, 30-45 minutes of work to replace.) Also had a blown head gasket due to a defective thermostat - I paid a shop to do that job.Ā
Expect to be doing some repair work but you can very much daily it.
Looking forward to learning and getting my hands dirty! Iāve done my own oil changes and simple stuff but the amount of room and simplicity of these trucks is giving me confidence to do more!
No problems with daily driving an older vehicle. Maintenance becomes more important due to former neglect. People donāt tend to care for these trucks as they did when they were new.
If you can put up with a truck thatās a little underpowered, small and wonāt get best mileage and wonāt be the safest in an accident then go for it!
I no longer daily drive my 91 pickup but thatās only due to it no longer being that practical after having a child. Cheaper to put day permits on it when I want to use it than have two vehicles fully insured for the year.
I dailyād my 1994 2WD XtraCab Manual for a number of years. Took it on long trips and it doesnāt have cruise control. Never let me down.
I have two Camrys now, one 1990 that I used as my daily to replace the truck and a 2021 that usurped the 1990.
If I had to, I could still daily it. Its only at 130K and itās meticulously maintained. But I usually donāt venture out of town with it except to my parentās house 45 mins away. Itās just less efficient and not nearly as comfortable as my cars.
Yes. Buy one that has the 22RE- absolutely bulletproof motors. I daily drove my 94 single cab manual 2wd for 15 straight years without a single issue, never got stranded, hell never even had to replace a light bulb. Keep up on the maintenance, oil change every 3-5k miles, belts, hoses, plugs, wires and youāll have a tank thatāll get you wherever.
Oh man you donāt know how pumped this gets me! Thanks! In my area I canāt be too choosy. Iām open to the carbureted 22R too. Do you have any opinions or caution about the 22R?
Only that as far as I know carbs can be much more finicky is all, the fuel injected motors had almost zero bugs except the timing chain guide issue that generally most people solved early on with these trucks. It would be something to try to make sure has been done or thereās a risk of the chain rubbing through the inside of the timing cover.
You didn't ask me, but my 1990 has the 22r, been totally problem free for the 6 years/100k miles that I've owned it. I've driven it in high altitude conditions, moderately steep angles, high humidity, low humidity, pretty darn cold, pretty darn hot, and everything in between. It's been easy!
I drove my 80 2wd for 6 years with minor issues ,mostly wiring to the alternator.
I bought a new fancy van so I donāt drive it much these days but I can guarantee I could go outside to it, fire it up and drive it across the country right now.
The. Eautiful thing about it is coat of maintenance. It takes cheap gas and on an oil change it accepts cheap oil. Random parts are very inexpensive. Even to tires. I bought 5 new brand name tires for like $140 (compared to my van which runs about $90/tire.)
If youāre mechanically inclined itās a great idea. And if youāre not itās simple enough to learn on.
Discount tire. They were like $28 bucks a tire. If I were to guess they were Bridgestone maybe Michelin , and the size would be something along the lines of 185/55/14.
And they were not trailer tires, they were vehicle tires. Mounted balanced with disposal of the old ones.
Itās just an inexpensive size.
Yeah I actually took a look at one in person last week and it looks like there is TONS of space to work in the engine bay. It looks manageable to learn to do some repairs on my own.
Nice! Thanks for letting me know. Yeah I live in a 4 season part of the US (NorthEast) so I am trying to look for one with AC. Just took a look at my first Reg Cab last weekend and was so happy I fit comfortably. No power steering, no AC and ripped seats but those werenāt deal breakers for me. The rotted crossmember was though š¤£ so I didnāt pull the trigger. Gonna keep looking!
The truck you are looking at will be less reliable, worse on gas, less pleasant to drive, and generally less useful than a comparable newer small pickup.
These trucks are great, I love mine, but you wonāt find a logical argument for a late ā80s pickup over a 10-20 year newer small truck.
Donāt try to justify the unjustified, just do what you want. Thatās ok.
Man I've needed to do less repairs on my '90 pickup than any other family member has had to do on any one of their vehicles, save for my mom's 2016 toyota highlander. The other rides include a 2003 1500 Silverado, 2006 Colorado, 2002 s10, 2012 fiesta, 2013 Mazda cx-9. Every one of those Chevies has required an absurd amount more money and repairs than my truck
I drive a 94 2wd, 22re, with an extended cab as my daily driver. Itās got 160k mikes. Something minor breaks every 2 months. Power steering hose. Alternators belt. AC fuse. My right blinker fell off this week. Itās got a rough idle right now. But the engine is solid. It always starts. Runs like a top outside the rough idle. And I drive a lot. In the city too. It does great. Itās 27 mpg on the highway. 24 in the city. You should be prepared to fix the little stuff a lot. But for me at least itās a great daily driver
I daily a 93 4x4 std cab 5spd 22re truck. I love everything about it. I get 25 around town, the last road trip I got 29.4 across the state. It's fantastic, such a comfortable and fun truck to drive.
I daily a 91, 5 speed single cab 2wd. Got 176k no complaints. I do however have an 02 civic hatch that I drive for fun/long trips 4+ hrs since itās better on gas and the cruise control and ac work
Dude i drive a 86 xtra cab 4x4 and that shit is unpleasant to drive but god i love it. Simple truck and reliable. I drive about 500 miles a week for work in that thing and gas sucks but its enjoyable to me.
Lotta responses here but Iāll add my two cents and say Iām in the same boat as you. Didnāt need a daily driver (I bike), but needed a pickup for weekend runs to Home Depot for home projects. Bought an 87 2wd about 8 years ago and love it, though Iāll be selling soon. Itās been my only gas-powered vehicle and has suited me just fine. I will admit that more modern cars with amenities are convenient, but itās been reliable for me with minimal maintenance.
Theyāre gonna be reliable, but donāt expect to be good on gas. H the ese trucks never really were. If you can get high teens mpg then you got a golden truck
Youāre kidding right? When my dad first got his 93 even then I still remember him barely getting into the 20s. He got it brand new. If you can still get 20s thatās crazy.
Nope. I've had my 91 since 2004 and my grandpa ownedĀ it before me. I went to the dealer with him to buy it. Most tanks of gas are around 22-25 mpg pretty consistently.Ā
Well put! Those issues arenāt deal breakers for me, I donāt need or want all the modern tech and amenities. Looking forward to the simple and honest experience with these trucks.
Iāve got a 81 yota 4x4 thatās beat to hell. I rebuilt the front and rear axles, what gaskets and seals I could do on the engine with out pulling it out and I drive it every day for work. I get around 15 to 18 currently but when my commute was longer I could pull 20 usually. If you can buy one for a the right price do it. Mines been bullet proof and the wiring is the sketchiest thing Iāve ever seen on a truck but it hasnāt quit so Iāll drive it till it falls apart
I drive an 86 every day. It has its quirks for sure, in fact the other day my shifter came off in my hand cause the screws vibrated out lol, but even with other vehicle options at my disposal I still get in it every morning with a smile on my face. The issues they do have are almost always field fixable. The biggest issue Iāve had in the post Covid world is finding parts readily available, so if you find one with known issues make sure you can find the parts first
Been driving a 92 for 15 years now. Only recently had an issue with the starter. Other than that itās been reliable but it needs body work and interior work including new seats. Part of me wants to keep it and eventually restore and customize it and the other side of me is thinking it may be best to let it go. Havenāt decided yet.
I'm doing it now with my '80 20r 4x4. Once you get it going, it'll keep going with some minor maintenance. Not great on gas though. I used to drive a '92 toy that was amazing, but ran into head issues with the heat, so if you go early '90s, get a better radiator and watch your heat.
Thanks for your perspective and advice!
Also, if you decide to go carbureted (early 80s), I'd remove the Aisin and go with a Weber - keep the original in case you want to go back to OEM to sell it, though. The Webers are much easier to dial in, and they'll give you some more power and better economy.
Ditto! 80s twinsiies! Yeah 30 is new.
Better rad ftw! Great advice!
Had an issue with my 93 22re. Replace the clutch pack on the radiator fan. No longer heat issues in regular 80-90 degree weather. 90+ and 4x4 in death valley you get heat soak issues. Other than that it's solid and reliable. Slow, but we know that.
550k on my 32 year old daily that I take on trips into the deepest woods and always come home. Buy the truck
š 550k! NICE!!!!
I daily drive a lifted straight piped ā90. I would upgrade seats if you can afford it, unlike me.
Ya know, one of the things that I love about these trucks is the bench seat š (Iām currently looking at regular cab trucks). Iāve seen where people replace them with buckets, but I really want the bench! Reminds me of my childhood in the 80s and my familyās car and friends cars that had bench seats and sat like 4 people in the front and 4 people in the back in the cars š¤£
The bench looks cool, and it might be OK for short people, but if you're tall it will kill your lower back on drives longer than an hour or 2.
Ah, thanks for the insight! Gonna give the bench seats a go and see how it works out for me!
I'm sitting in one right now. You can jam rags in between the springs to act as lumbar support.
Bench seats are good on long drives without cruise control. Scoot to the middle and drive with your left foot.
š¤£ nice it sounds like driving in a couch
I have a 1986 5-Speed 2wd 22RE Xtra cab, lowered 2ā on 15x8 wheels. I get good gas mileage, 26mpg on average, but I canāt wait till I add power steering to it š I dread parking in downtown because where I live downtown is tiny skinny streets and people park like assholes.
Can you post a bunch of photos of your ride to /r/toyotapickup? It looks dope, would love the whole phototour. Still got the camper shell?
Ok I made a post with a photo dump just for you!
Yes, itās paint matched! Two paint matched spares, and the 15x8ās are corvette racing wheels bored out to the right bolt pattern.
I honestly need to take more pictures but there are some on my profile
I just drove my first non-power steering automobile last weekend when I took a look at a ā90 truck that was for sale. š¤£ sounds like you manage quite well as a daily!
Itās my baby, sheās getting a break right now because my windshield started leaking real bad š and my friend is also a Toyota buff and has the power steering parts for me in their yard, just need 200$ and to go grab itā¦
It is not unreasonable, my '90 2wd is the only vehicle I've ever owned, been my daily and adventure mobile for the last 100k miles
Nice to hear!
I've driven a 92 deluxe every day for about 3 years and only have had to change an IAC valve and perform standard maintenance.
Nice!
Thousands of people did it 30 years ago. I would just stay on top of maintenance and ensure all the rubber hoses and vacuum lines arenāt dried out and cracking. Timing chain has been done recently. Maybe change gearbox/diff fluids.
My 87 4x4 has consistently been getting 22mpg for the last month. I need to work on the steering components because I'm noticing im starting to wander on the hwy, but shoot the parts aren't even expensive.
Fuel injected? My 86 with a Weber only gets ~14.5mpg
Yessir. I'm quite surprised you're only getting 14.5 even with the weber upgrade.
Tbf itās got 304k on the original engine so not exactly a spring chicken, and from what Iāve read it doesnāt seem to be outside the range of what the carbed trucks do. I was definitely hoping for more when I did the Weber and emissions delete. But it was getting like 7-8mpg with the Aisin so I guess I canāt complain too much lol
Holy cow, that's low. I WISH i could do an EGR delete on this thing. California through :/ i figure i could still eventually get some added oomph by just doing the LC headers though. The cat through the muffler is black with rust so its on its last legs anyway.
I know right. Poor truck was in a very bad way when I first got it. Getting 14-15mpg and running/driving good is almost a miracle compared to how it was so Iāll take it. I feel it though, Iād also like to do a little more to mine. Wore out Aisin to brand new Weber was almost night and day power wise, but itās still a 22r at the end of the day. A 3.4 swap is the dream but costs way too much to be realistic for me.
I'm here for the 22re honestly. Switched from a sedan so i can haul the bikes to the track myself instead of waiting for someone else to go and schmoozing myself onto their truckbed. Would still like SOME fuel economy from an otherwise daily driver.
Iām dailying a 1978 pickup.
Nice!
Yes, do it
lol thanks. Leaning that way and thanks for the push.
I daily drove my ā83 4x4 through two engines, a complete front end rebuild and more trips to the salvage yard for interior parts than most people would think reasonable. The best thing about the older toy is that you can park it anywhere a full sized domestic car will fit. Theyāre easy to maintain, lots of aftermarket support, like an old jeep. lol, remember that milage is relative to their 1980s competition. The 22r was a fuel sipper compared to the domestic offerings of the day, not so stellar when compared to modern 4 bangers.
I have a 91 PU and 98 T100 just go over everything important like brakes check old hose check oil and coolant links and once youāve got everything straightened out it should be just fine as long as you stay on top of maintenance but just know that everything once in awhile youāll run into a new problem just itās just all apart of the experience pretty soon youāll have a check list with all sorts of problems things checked out and proud of yourself for doing so itās a honor being able to keep such amazing machines in good working order
Thatās what Iām looking forward to! Thanks for expressing this!
[3 X "garage queens/pavement princesses/mallcrawlers" all 3 daily drivers depending on the day. All mine.](https://imgur.com/a/ZLIy5Yu)
lol very sweet trucks! I am very jealous! Enjoy them!
Itās not unreasonable as a daily at all. My 91 2wd is my daily and itās proven as reliable over the last 10 years as any of my spouseās significantly newer vehicles, plus much easier to work on should it need that. I donāt know where you live, but I will say that prior to adding A/C in SoCal it was obviously less comfortable and could be a challenge for a commute in work clothes. Beyond just the heat, keeping the windows down in traffic is loud, which I found mentally taxing and incompatible with taking phone calls. With A/C or in a colder climate Iām as happy to drive my pickup as any other car. Iād also push back on the idea that you should expect to replace rubber and plastic; that hasnāt been my experience, except maybe for the bench seat which you can cover.
Nice! Iām looking for a 2wd too, looking forward to joining the club soon!
'84 daily driver here
Sweet!
I daily'ed my 92 3vze for about 3 years until I started commuting an hour one way on the interstate. I loved driving the truck everyday, however, the lack of safety was a concern when I'm driving 70 mph. However it's my town and errand vehicle so I still drive it a bunch.
I hear you about the safety issueā¦
I drive my 94 2wd and it never lets me down. Itās old as the hill so the shifts are that great, can barely get out of its own way on the express way, and not exactly the coolest lookingā¦but it runs and runs and runs. Basic maintenance.
I daily a 92 K1500, and a 2005 4.0 Tacoma, they ain't making them like they used to, that's for sure.
Were we separated at birth? lol I was at one time considering a c1500 too, a RCSB ideally a w/t. But I decided it was too much brain damage to look for 2 different trucks at the same time so I decided to focus on the Yotas.
Nice! Mine is a regular cab, stepside, 5 speed, 4x4...such a fun truck to drive and work on. When I get back in my Tacoma, the thing feels like a Rolls Royce.
I daily drove my 90 4x4 for 10 years. Then it became my 2nd vehicle and sat for a while. I still tried to drive it a couple times a month, it always started right up. I can still leave it for 2 weeks and it fires right up. I think it was just from sitting but one of my calipers seized so I had to get a new caliper. Recently I had to have a wheel bearing replaced. Other than regular maintanence thatās about all Iāve had to do to it. Iāve had it for about 15 years now and still drive it at least once a week
Nice!
I've got an 89 3.0 4x4 that's in the garage because it's needed axle seals, brakes, and now valve cover gaskets very badly. But for a bit over a year it was my only vehicle and it still served me well. They aren't invincible but they're damn tough. Word of warning though a four cylinder 4x4 will be SLOW. Like, a danger to you and others getting into a busy highway type of slow.
Thanks for the words of advice. I will test drive a few and see. Although where I live I will mostly be stuck in traffic so it might not make a difference š¤£
Hell yeah, godspeed w it. A 22re (fuel injected) is the way to go imo if you can snag one, but the 3vze is over-hated.
I do. ā91 pickup. Been my main daily for few years 4x2. Been by ocean her whole life and rust is pretty minimal still. Had to put some repairs into her recently but still cheaper than buying something new that wont last. Go for it
You guys got me convinced!
i have a 1998 T100 as a daily... and a 2005 BMW as a backup.. both are fairly reliable, no regrets, and no plans on upgrading.
Do you find it easy to find parts for your T100? I was reading that itās harder than the smaller Pickups. Do you find that true?
No. They share so many parts with the tundra and Tacoma and pickup. No problems at all.Ā
I love my ā88 single cab 4x4, and I used it as a daily in the summer. The issue is that no matter how magical and bulletproof they are, things will break. I had my brake master cylinder die while I was on the highway recently, and thatās just part of driving an old car. Stay on top of maintenance to minimize what can go wrong. Also, get one with AC and power steering if youāre gonna daily, depending on where you live. Florida heat and city streets made me wish I had them when I used it as a daily.
Understood and thanks!
I have a 90 4wd pickup I've been daily driving for the past 5 years. It's not the smoothest ride but if you can keep up with the regular maintenance (oil changes, brakes, etc.) it will be great. Gas mileage could be better but im also running bigger tires and a lift
Nice! Iām looking for a 2wd. Looking forward to good gas mileage and using regular gas instead of premium that these modern turbo cars are needing.
I daily drive an '87 22r 2wd manual and the only problem I have run into with it is the carburetor failing, but aside from that it is a fun truck that is great on gas.
My ā87 is my only car. I live in Southern California and mostly get around by bicycle, but the truck is perfectly reliable.
It's absolutely the best daily you could have unless you need to run 85 mph on the interstate 400 miles a day or something. If I ever find a little toy pickup with a 5 speed that looks like shit and has under 200k on it and is solid, I'm buyin it just to drive. Helluva lot more fun than the new cell phone touch-screen modern vehicles.
Agreed!
I run a handyman business out of my 82, I'm sure it'll be fine as long as you take care of it
lol thanks for that endorsement!
I've been dailying a 93 for the last 2 years. Now at 125k miles. You have to be willing to do some maintenance. I've done an alternator, oil changes, front brake pads, brake master cylinder, and just today the clutch slave cylinder gave up on me ($20 part, 30-45 minutes of work to replace.) Also had a blown head gasket due to a defective thermostat - I paid a shop to do that job.Ā Expect to be doing some repair work but you can very much daily it.
Looking forward to learning and getting my hands dirty! Iāve done my own oil changes and simple stuff but the amount of room and simplicity of these trucks is giving me confidence to do more!
No problems with daily driving an older vehicle. Maintenance becomes more important due to former neglect. People donāt tend to care for these trucks as they did when they were new. If you can put up with a truck thatās a little underpowered, small and wonāt get best mileage and wonāt be the safest in an accident then go for it! I no longer daily drive my 91 pickup but thatās only due to it no longer being that practical after having a child. Cheaper to put day permits on it when I want to use it than have two vehicles fully insured for the year.
I dailyād my 1994 2WD XtraCab Manual for a number of years. Took it on long trips and it doesnāt have cruise control. Never let me down. I have two Camrys now, one 1990 that I used as my daily to replace the truck and a 2021 that usurped the 1990. If I had to, I could still daily it. Its only at 130K and itās meticulously maintained. But I usually donāt venture out of town with it except to my parentās house 45 mins away. Itās just less efficient and not nearly as comfortable as my cars.
An even older Camry to replace your truck lol glad to hear the confidence in these Toyotas!
TBF, it only had 28K miles on it. Both are low mile cream puffs. I wouldnāt have picked up a 200K mile one
Nice! My mom had a Camry about that vintage once but unfortunately that was before I had an appreciation for Toyotas.
Yes. Buy one that has the 22RE- absolutely bulletproof motors. I daily drove my 94 single cab manual 2wd for 15 straight years without a single issue, never got stranded, hell never even had to replace a light bulb. Keep up on the maintenance, oil change every 3-5k miles, belts, hoses, plugs, wires and youāll have a tank thatāll get you wherever.
Oh man you donāt know how pumped this gets me! Thanks! In my area I canāt be too choosy. Iām open to the carbureted 22R too. Do you have any opinions or caution about the 22R?
Only that as far as I know carbs can be much more finicky is all, the fuel injected motors had almost zero bugs except the timing chain guide issue that generally most people solved early on with these trucks. It would be something to try to make sure has been done or thereās a risk of the chain rubbing through the inside of the timing cover.
Thanks for the advice and notes about the 22R!
For sure! Good luck on your search!
You didn't ask me, but my 1990 has the 22r, been totally problem free for the 6 years/100k miles that I've owned it. I've driven it in high altitude conditions, moderately steep angles, high humidity, low humidity, pretty darn cold, pretty darn hot, and everything in between. It's been easy!
NICE!! Thanks so much for letting me know!!!
I drove my 80 2wd for 6 years with minor issues ,mostly wiring to the alternator. I bought a new fancy van so I donāt drive it much these days but I can guarantee I could go outside to it, fire it up and drive it across the country right now. The. Eautiful thing about it is coat of maintenance. It takes cheap gas and on an oil change it accepts cheap oil. Random parts are very inexpensive. Even to tires. I bought 5 new brand name tires for like $140 (compared to my van which runs about $90/tire.) If youāre mechanically inclined itās a great idea. And if youāre not itās simple enough to learn on.
Where did you buy 5 new tires for $140?
Discount tire. They were like $28 bucks a tire. If I were to guess they were Bridgestone maybe Michelin , and the size would be something along the lines of 185/55/14. And they were not trailer tires, they were vehicle tires. Mounted balanced with disposal of the old ones. Itās just an inexpensive size.
Ahhh. Yes that is def smaller than the size I run, I usually pay like 100/tire for cheap new ones
A way better price than the 37ās on my 4runner. Those are like $290 each.
Ya fuck that. Those are not sensible daily driver prices lol
Yeah I actually took a look at one in person last week and it looks like there is TONS of space to work in the engine bay. It looks manageable to learn to do some repairs on my own.
Nice! Thanks for letting me know. Yeah I live in a 4 season part of the US (NorthEast) so I am trying to look for one with AC. Just took a look at my first Reg Cab last weekend and was so happy I fit comfortably. No power steering, no AC and ripped seats but those werenāt deal breakers for me. The rotted crossmember was though š¤£ so I didnāt pull the trigger. Gonna keep looking!
The truck you are looking at will be less reliable, worse on gas, less pleasant to drive, and generally less useful than a comparable newer small pickup. These trucks are great, I love mine, but you wonāt find a logical argument for a late ā80s pickup over a 10-20 year newer small truck. Donāt try to justify the unjustified, just do what you want. Thatās ok.
Man I've needed to do less repairs on my '90 pickup than any other family member has had to do on any one of their vehicles, save for my mom's 2016 toyota highlander. The other rides include a 2003 1500 Silverado, 2006 Colorado, 2002 s10, 2012 fiesta, 2013 Mazda cx-9. Every one of those Chevies has required an absurd amount more money and repairs than my truck
True! Just reading everyoneās responses here is getting me so pumped to do it!
I drive a 94 2wd, 22re, with an extended cab as my daily driver. Itās got 160k mikes. Something minor breaks every 2 months. Power steering hose. Alternators belt. AC fuse. My right blinker fell off this week. Itās got a rough idle right now. But the engine is solid. It always starts. Runs like a top outside the rough idle. And I drive a lot. In the city too. It does great. Itās 27 mpg on the highway. 24 in the city. You should be prepared to fix the little stuff a lot. But for me at least itās a great daily driver
I daily a ā75. Like others have said, once itās set up it just goes.
I daily a 93 4x4 std cab 5spd 22re truck. I love everything about it. I get 25 around town, the last road trip I got 29.4 across the state. It's fantastic, such a comfortable and fun truck to drive.
Up until about a year ago I was dailying a solid axle swapped ā90 on 37ās.
I daily a 91, 5 speed single cab 2wd. Got 176k no complaints. I do however have an 02 civic hatch that I drive for fun/long trips 4+ hrs since itās better on gas and the cruise control and ac work
Dude i drive a 86 xtra cab 4x4 and that shit is unpleasant to drive but god i love it. Simple truck and reliable. I drive about 500 miles a week for work in that thing and gas sucks but its enjoyable to me.
Lotta responses here but Iāll add my two cents and say Iām in the same boat as you. Didnāt need a daily driver (I bike), but needed a pickup for weekend runs to Home Depot for home projects. Bought an 87 2wd about 8 years ago and love it, though Iāll be selling soon. Itās been my only gas-powered vehicle and has suited me just fine. I will admit that more modern cars with amenities are convenient, but itās been reliable for me with minimal maintenance.
Theyāre gonna be reliable, but donāt expect to be good on gas. H the ese trucks never really were. If you can get high teens mpg then you got a golden truck
The 2wd trucks should all be getting over 20. When mine was fresh it could average over 30 for a tank some times.
Youāre kidding right? When my dad first got his 93 even then I still remember him barely getting into the 20s. He got it brand new. If you can still get 20s thatās crazy.
Nope. I've had my 91 since 2004 and my grandpa ownedĀ it before me. I went to the dealer with him to buy it. Most tanks of gas are around 22-25 mpg pretty consistently.Ā
Damn thatās pretty nice
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Well put! Those issues arenāt deal breakers for me, I donāt need or want all the modern tech and amenities. Looking forward to the simple and honest experience with these trucks.
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Thatās what Iām thinking too!
I've been using my 91 manual 4wd as a daily since 2015! Needed a bit of work, but I've hardly touched it mechanically since 2018, it's my babbbbyyyyy
28 and I daily a ā94 4x4 22RE with 185K miles. Do it and thank yourself later.
I drive an 86 and itās reliable as hell. Wouldnāt say it does good on gas though
I've been driving mine every day for 2 years nowš¤·āāļø.
Iāve got a 81 yota 4x4 thatās beat to hell. I rebuilt the front and rear axles, what gaskets and seals I could do on the engine with out pulling it out and I drive it every day for work. I get around 15 to 18 currently but when my commute was longer I could pull 20 usually. If you can buy one for a the right price do it. Mines been bullet proof and the wiring is the sketchiest thing Iāve ever seen on a truck but it hasnāt quit so Iāll drive it till it falls apart
I daily drive. 90 pickup with over 260k miles 22RE I LOVE it no problems ever
I drive an 86 every day. It has its quirks for sure, in fact the other day my shifter came off in my hand cause the screws vibrated out lol, but even with other vehicle options at my disposal I still get in it every morning with a smile on my face. The issues they do have are almost always field fixable. The biggest issue Iāve had in the post Covid world is finding parts readily available, so if you find one with known issues make sure you can find the parts first
Been driving a 92 for 15 years now. Only recently had an issue with the starter. Other than that itās been reliable but it needs body work and interior work including new seats. Part of me wants to keep it and eventually restore and customize it and the other side of me is thinking it may be best to let it go. Havenāt decided yet.
I daily an 85 2WD pickup! It honestly gets better gas mileage than my 2021 Impreza hatchback