Brendan

I purchased my first vehicle, a 1992 4WD Toyota pickup in September, 1999. It had been my winter commuter for many years and only had 178k miles. I got into a single vehicle accident this winter (freezing rain + 2WD + bridge deck). The insurance company gave me the option to get it repaired and also a payout option to write it off which was actually $500 more than I paid for it all those years ago. It was tempting to keep it going, but I had been casually thinking of selling before the accident and doubtful that I would have been able to get the amount that I got with the write-off. I'm definitely going to miss the truck, but I'm hoping that I won't regret my decision in the future.

Sorry, I know this post doesn't really require any responses. Just my way of eulogizing my truck I guess.

Bingle

-- Taps playing softly--
Sir,
As a fellow "still has their first vehicle" Toyota truck owner, I raise my coffee cup to your dearly departed pickup.

I've had my '81 since '94 and have had moments when I thought it was time to own something different, usually due to the cramped interior of the cab.
I have far too much money in mods in mine to come out well in your situation. I hope you find another toyota to spend 20+ years with.

Brendan

Thanks.I can definitely relate the cramped interior feeling.I used to get sore knees from longer drives from just not being able to move my legs much. Almost all the aftermarket parts (bumpers, tonneau cover, fender flares, stereo etc) were added by me so factoring those things in, I definitely did not break even, but am still confident that I did much better than I would have if I were to have sold the truck prior to the accident.

There were a few things that I'd been putting off on fixing like a hole in the exhaust, leaking front shock etc and the body rust was starting to appear pretty much all over. Parts were also becoming harder to get, even from the dealership. I'd also just used up the last oil filter in the case of 12 and the owner of a local shop that specialized in 4WD Toyotas had recently retired and sold the business so it seemed like the timing was right for me to part ways with my truck. I'm in no rush for another vehicle, but I'm thinking that a manual transmission AWD Rav4 might be right for me. Not very sexy by YotaTech standards, but should be a more practical winter vehicle than a 30 year old pickup truck.

2ToyGuy

I wish you good luck in finding a MT ANYthing these days.
They just don't exist any more. I've seen people, even at a dealership, ask what the third pedal is for. Another brake pedal for the left foot, maybe??

Without the auto manufacturers making MTs, noone is learning how to drive a MT. Or even what "Manual" Transmission means.

I'm sure a MT AWD Rav4 exists, but they're rare, and very hard to find nowadays. SO, I wish you well finding one

BTW: I never liked the Rav4 look. To me, just my opinion, too, they have a fat butt. It's just how they look to me. Nothing wrong with them at all, just how they look TO ME. My butt is fat enough, I don't want my truck to have one too. I'll stick to my 4Runners. Absolutely no offense intended.

Pat☺
Edit: My 87 4Runner does fine in the winter here in the high desert of south-central Oregon. Just because a truck is old, or has an old design, doesn't mean it's no good in tough conditions. I'll grant you, my 87 pickup is worthless in the snow, unless I buy 4 bags of cement and put them back by the tailgate, but it's just 2WD. Of course, with the bed empty, it's so light it has very little traction in the snow/ice, but I expected that.
Anywho, just wanted to comment. Heck, I'm an old design, and I do OK in bad conditions

Brendan

It's true, they are tough to find. I think they stopped making the Rav4 with MT after 2006ish, so the ones that do come up generally have higher mileage. I'm not dead against auto transmission, but I like going through the gears, plus it doubles as an anti-theft device.

jamesqf

Honestly, I'd just have jumped up & down on that hood until it was sorta straight, and kept on driving it :-) My '88 has a pretty noticable door dent from when I loaned it to the neighbor's kid about 5 years ago.

Brendan

Both the insurance adjuster and someone else that I spoke with that is familiar with motor vehicle accidents said that there is likely more damage than what can be seen from the outside. I was on my way to work when I crashed and was able to make it the rest of the way, but after work my parking brake light was on and the pedal was spongy so I was leaking brake fluid from somewhere.

Snypr18

Subaru is still making the Crosstrek in a 6-Speed manual config, I was very seriously considering one of those before I came across my 2nd gen 4Runner.

If my wife replaces her FRS we may very well go the Crosstrek route for her. People really seem to like them, and imo they are pretty damn cool with some knobby tires and other basic mods.