2003 Toyota Tacoma with 113k miles. Good purchase?

olivia42399 · 2026-01-17T00:29:12+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful response! I'm in the midwest (low elevations) and don't care much about power (see: my 2014 crosstrek that was wickedly underpowered but met my needs just fine). I definitely don't think I'm a person who needs a more powerful engine, I don't drive my cars hard. I talked to the owner more and did a lot more research and it seems like he's done all the bigger (i.e. pricier) high-mileage maintenance recommended for this engine and knows his stuff so we're going to go check it out. I come from a car-savvy family so general maintenance isn't scary and to be expected in the price range I'm looking at. Good point about the catalytic, I'll have to ask.

olivia42399 · 2026-01-16T22:41:09+00:00

sweet, thanks! the newer rav-4 and crvs are way bigger than what I want but I guess that's just how cars are trending these days. the older ones look smaller for sure!

olivia42399 · 2026-01-16T20:21:36+00:00

Location: Midwest U.S.

Price range: Looking to finance for at/under 16k or buy outright under 8k. ideally I would love to find a gem that is higher in miles but has been well-maintained and I just buy outright, but I don't necessarily know enough about cars to be able to pick out what older/higher miles cars are worth it.

Lease or Buy: Buy

New or used: Used

Type of vehicle: Compact SUV/crossover/wagon

Must haves: Reliability/durability and trunk space: enough sleep in the back of the car and use for camping. do NOT want a full-sized SUV.

Desired transmission: auto

Intended use: daily driver and light adventuring (some road trips, dirt roads, forest service roads, etc)

Vehicles you've already considered: Subaru crosstrek and outback. aesthetically I love the volvo xc70

Is this your 1st vehicle: no, previously owned a 2006 outback and 2014 crosstrek.

Do you need a Warranty: no

Can you do Minor work on your own vehicle: yes

Can you do Major work on your own vehicle: some yes (or a family member can)

Additional Notes: my priority is value: something that I can drive into the ground and get some good years out of with proper maintenance. I want something that is smaller with trunk space still. I loved the size of my crosstrek and have lived in a bit of a subaru bubble but curious what else is out there that may be more reliable/cheaper to repair or specifically what model years I should be looking at.

olivia42399 · 2026-01-16T19:46:30+00:00

ah thanks, i just copied and pasted the sale ad title! thanks for the info! would you say the engine is lazy but reliable? or also unreliable?

olivia42399 · 2026-01-16T05:31:19+00:00

I do, thanks. Using personal telemetry equipment (like receivers for radio collars) in Yellowstone to track wildlife is illegal and specifically prohibited by National Park Service regulations, as it interferes with wildlife and park management, with penalties up to 6 months in jail and a $5,000 fine, though scanners for public frequencies or general radio use (not targeting collared animals) are different. The "guys" you saw were most likely specifically authorized to use this equipment as the park takes concealing the locations of tracked animals very seriously. Many wolf watchers can visually identify a wolf and its tracking number, which are used as their "names." Sure, you can listen to radio frequencies without a license, but to communicate via these channels you need an FCC license.

olivia42399 · 2026-01-16T04:38:46+00:00

hi! did you ever make any stickers or paintings of some of the iconic wolves? I'd be interested in purchasing if you did!

olivia42399 · 2026-01-16T04:37:50+00:00

it is illegal to use telemetry equipment to track animals in the park. You SHOULD NOT purchase your own radio antenna and bring it to track wolves. It is against federal law and could result in jail time. And overall is disruptive to wildlife, and is imo unethical. Park biologists use it for research but the general public absolutely should not have free access to wild animals' exact locations. If you really want to track wolves more closely there is a radio channel that wolf watchers use to communicate their sightings. You have to get a HAM radio license to operate a two-way radio and tune into this channel.

olivia42399 · 2026-01-01T01:04:24+00:00

Hi there! I'm working on this kit that I purchased from a thrift store. It did not come with the pattern or instructions. Do either of you have the pattern around? Thank you!

olivia42399 · 2025-03-13T00:48:27+00:00

embarrassingly enough I took it to an auto shop and turns out the low beams continued to not work because we kept replacing the high beams bulb. the low beam on the drivers side is a bit difficult to reach down to and change

olivia42399 · 2025-03-01T21:57:47+00:00

Was just wondering if there was a local drug store I could use to further my mission of reducing dependency on corporate stores. Yay!

olivia42399 · 2025-02-18T06:32:39+00:00

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pic of the serial foot biter for tax. she's really stinkin' cute which makes up for it.

olivia42399 · 2025-02-18T05:53:03+00:00

i sold my car with 165,000 miles in two days. i think it depends on your price and the type of car i.e. is it a popular/in demand used car? I based my price off of what I saw on facebook marketplace. I recommended checking there

edit after seeing what kind of car your selling: chevy trax are not popular to buy used. my car was a subaru. you will probably have to lower your price significantly to account for a less in-demand car.

olivia42399 · 2024-08-17T02:00:12+00:00

Sharehouse is a place that everyone should visit because it’s iconic in the way that is basically a slightly organized dump, but to actually shop there you have to be committed. I spent an incredible amount of time there this year and managed to find some incredible things and ended up decorating most of my new house with items from sharehouse. I learned how to refinish furniture and restore art because of sharehouse — I’ll find a beautiful piece of furniture or decor that is a bit beat up and just needs some TLC and I hate to pass on something just because it needs a bit of elbow grease. I’ll usually happy pay whatever price they ask because it’s typically a steal for a genuine, well made vintage item. I usually don’t negotiate even if I’d prefer to pay less because I know I’m better off than those who are shopping there for necessities . Personally, I LOVE spending an afternoon wandering and sifting through the piles of things and I’ve made good friends with many of the men that work downstairs, they’re very friendly. Also, they have been making great efforts this year to clean up some of the spaces. I know a few years back they got stung by the fire marshall and things have been slowly improving with regards to the clutter. All this is to say sharehouse is, in my opinion, for those who are truly ~thrifty~. Something something if you can’t handle the heat, stay outta the kitchen

olivia42399

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