R150F reliability? Average mileage before rebuild recommendation? 5VZ-FE?

[Rydell]

Hey folks, more and more I'm coming to realization that I'll need to settle with a high mileage first gen Tacoma due to my financial situation. I've been trying to hop on the occasional decent deals here, but they disappear and sell before I can set up a time with the owner. So at this point I'm seriously considering several Tacoma's (some are manual, some are auto) but all are 3.4, with at least 200k.

My question is, assuming the truck has been decently cared for, what's the average life of the motor and transmission? I'm getting it for towing a 3,000 pound, 7x12, wet weight enclosed motorcycle trailer back and forth to the track during the season.

I've seen some promising ones that have red trans fluid, oil was changed regularly (however only sure of a few years with the current owner) but I continue to come back to the simple fact it has 230k, 250k, etc..

What are your thoughts?

[hansi530]

ive got 325,000 miles on my 3.0 v6 and r150f tranny and it still works great

[Rydell]

Hows the maintenance been?

[hansi530]

i havent repaired any of it just changed fluids

[Rydell]

And how long have you owned it?

[hansi530]

2 years not sure on what the previous owners did but its never been rebuilt

[Broke_Okie_Ty]

I have a 96 taco. 3.4 v6, 5spd r150f and 230,xxx on the odo. as far as I know the truck has never had anything done to it. I have put 40k of those miles on myself, and the previous owner did 70kish. the truck has been running 33-35" tires since the PO got it. even at that high of millage, my trans and motor are still running strong. I have just now started noticing that the clutch will need to be changed here in the next year or so. other than that, I have no signs of major wear on the trans or motor. I get 18-20 in town and 20+ (pending how I drive and quality of fuel) on the freeway. a few of my buddies have the same drive train combo that I do, and they all have about the same miles. everyone of them still runs strong.

that being said, stay away from 3.0 v6s. everyone of them I or my buddies have had were terrible motors.

[yotaneck13]

i had a 95 t100 origional 3.4 went 205k with 100k of that being me beating the thingy off it when it went i replaced with a jasper reman  and did a 5 speed swap r150f.  i bought the tranny used no clue the miles that were on it when i got it so i drained the fluid and ran some kero through it for like 2k ( i forgot it was in there) didnt hurt it one bit

[yotaneck13]

jusk keep up on the maitinence and change the timing belt and water pump as soon as you get it no matter what the owner said was just done

[Rydell]

Awesome, thanks for the posts. Very reassuring.


...actually, I may have to jump for this 250k. First he told me his father owned a mechanic shop and was told basically transmission fluid never needs to be changed, so he hadn't seen the need, then he mentions it was changed at 200k. However, he also mentioned the fluid is red as it should be. Apart from that, guy is very stand up, and has been driven by his wife for the passed few years. I may have to jump for it.