Thinking of Self Employment

"Patrick Nichols" (pnichols)
08/25/2015 at 17:37 • Filed to: None

That would most likely involve a small truck. I mean I think it’s a given that the obvious choice is a Tacoma, but I think I’ll put my ceiling at 15k or so. My requirements would be:

4WD

would prefer extended cab over double

would prefer <125k mi

AT/MT doesn’t matter

not rusted out

I know that here in the Northeast rust is an issue and some tacomas needed new frames. I have a feeling I’ll be looking at 2006-2009 tacomas, rangers, and frontiers. Anything specific I should look out for with each? Are used colorados worth looking at?

DISCUSSION (30)

deprecated account > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 17:43

Nah. Typhoon, bro. Fits all categories except it’s a regular cab.

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 17:52

You wouldn’t happen to be in the metro DC area, I”m about to put my 2002 Taco up for sale, some rust and it needs a water pump/battery.

SR5 V6, Auto, 4wd, extended cab, around 130k.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 17:56

I wish I could self employ.

nermal > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 18:10

What type of work are you planning on doing?

If you’re intending to use this for business purposes, for tax purposes you may be better leasing a lightly equipped new truck.

qbeezy > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 18:17

#1 piece of advice, don’t be afraid to drive down south

Patrick Nichols > nermal
08/25/2015 at 18:32

Landscape design and maintenance, some smaller plantings, and some custom pyrography once I get good enough at it. I’d prefer not to lease just because it will probably get beat on a bit and I’ll probably go over the mileage.

Patrick Nichols > Phyrxes once again has a wagon!
08/25/2015 at 18:32

in rusty nh unfortunately

Patrick Nichols > CaptDale - is secretly British
08/25/2015 at 18:35

Yeah I just don’t think I can work for someone else or sit behind a desk anymore. I worked in garden centers for the last nine years and I like working with plants. I think I’ll probably get my horticulturalist certification.

Patrick Nichols > qbeezy
08/25/2015 at 18:54

How far south gets me out of rust territory? Could be in philly in November and what’s a few more hours to a road trip.

RangerSmith > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 18:54

Rangers are:

#1 Industructable

#2 When the motor does destruct at 355K miles, there’s plenty of replacement parts/donor vehicles

#3 vinyl floors, 5 speed manual, and 4wd

#4 towing capacity is 6,000lbs but 4.0L cologne and the 5 speed made out of tank parts will move a lot of really heavy stuff in a pinch.

#5 can be had with 15 inch wheels....means buying some quality meats won’t break the bank.

- This message is approved by RangerSmith.

Patrick Nichols > RangerSmith
08/25/2015 at 18:57

But I’ve heard some horror stories of the early to mid 00s ones rusting to bits up here. Not as bad as dakotas but still pretty bad. Did they fix that with the later ones?

RangerSmith > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 19:02

My 2007 FX4 hasn’t had any rust problems in Washington State. I drive it up to many of the various passes go snowboarding every winter.

qbeezy > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 19:02

I’d say Tennessee-ish South Carolina. But that may be way to far for you

CaptDale - is secretly British > Patrick Nichols
08/25/2015 at 19:04

That’s great! I’m happy for you!

orcim > Phyrxes once again has a wagon!
08/26/2015 at 02:21

Does that unit have the recall associated with it? I just got my 2006 Tacoma inspected for a full frame replacement (how can you do that?)

orcim > Patrick Nichols
08/26/2015 at 02:23

Patrick-san: Don’t think. Be. “I think...” becomes “I *will* get my...”

Every day, in the mirror. You want change, suggest you live it, second by second.

orcim > Patrick Nichols
08/26/2015 at 02:42

OK. Self employed - been there, doing that. My complete experience of trucks is 1989 extra cab F150 and 2006 3+3 Tacoma.

I Can’t Imagine Anything Else For Secure Space For Doing Business (unless the bed is covered, which reduces its utility for business, but may pay for you... ymmv.) Both trucks had high value tools in the “back seats” and low value tools in the bed. Maybe I was just being paranoid.

Toyota’s have a recall on Tacoma’s for the frame. Watch out for that. Great truck, but if you latch on a unit (after 2005) it’s GOT to be taken to Toyota for a recall inspection on the frame. Do Not Stint on this. Mine came back from that with a “I wouldn’t load anything too heavy in the bed until we get it fixed, because the right side is gone.” The fucking pictures underneath were horrific.

I personally hate the powertrain on the Nissan equivalents to the Tacoma’s - good power, but the shifting (auto) always left me wondering what the hell the engineers were thinking. Yet, the ones I used seemed decent. So that might be an option.

Here’s the deal. Don’t be in a hurry (if possible). You know what you want, you know the parameters ([lower] mileage, etc.) Take a little bit of time and *wait* for the truck that shows up on CL or whatever you use that meets those criteria. .Be.Patient. (if you can). It’ll pay off in soooo many ways down the road.

Patrick Nichols > orcim
08/26/2015 at 09:29

Thanks for the advice. Ideally I get the truck before march (when I hope to be working for myself since it’s the start of spring and would generally be the busy season), but probably no sooner than november. More than likely I will have a cap and a small trailer (uncovered) for the plant material, trimmings, wheel barrow, etc.

If I buy used will toyota still replace a frame under recall for free? Do you know what year the recall issue was fixed?

Patrick Nichols > orcim
08/26/2015 at 09:31

I only say I think because there are a few different certifications/licenses I could get. IMO horticulturalist just makes the most sense (opposed to landscape architecture license or others) as it generally conveys a higher level of plant knowledge.

Patrick Nichols > qbeezy
08/26/2015 at 09:33

We’ll see. I would say I could pick one up when I go away for Christmas and drive back, but sadly my girlfriend’s family is in MN and that probably makes the rust situation worse...

Patrick Nichols > RangerSmith
08/26/2015 at 09:34

Doesn’t the PNW not use salt on the roads though?

RangerSmith > Patrick Nichols
08/26/2015 at 12:50

Out of the states I drive the most frequently. WaDOT uses a cocktail of salt, sand, and deicer. Idaho also uses salt. I saw in the news that Oregon has been using salt on their passes.

Also certain local municipalities have differing policies; some use salt, while Seattle and Portland won’t touch it.

The key is to also to spray, rinse, or wash your vehicles if you can. I lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a time. The salt there will eventually get your vehicle. You just make it try and make it last as long as possible. However, it’s still not that uncommon to see 20 year old vehicles if they’re properly maintained.

The only thing I’d argue against the Rangers for is the lack of back seat.

RangerSmith > qbeezy
08/26/2015 at 13:02

But also watch out for vehicles near the coast. As they’ve probably been driven on the beach.

Patrick Nichols > RangerSmith
08/26/2015 at 13:31

I could do without the back seat. If it is only an extended cab rather than double I’ll just put a lockable bed box in.

Edit: or a cap

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > orcim
08/26/2015 at 17:03

Mine only has the recall for the spare tire carrier, not sure what that entails. I have no idea how you do a full frame replacement unless they are going to strip it down and rebuild it on a new frame but that seems crazy.

orcim > Patrick Nichols
08/27/2015 at 00:48

I was driving the 2005 for a friend, got the recall notice, took it in, and they were like: yeah, it’s gone. We’ll order a new one. I asked about selling it since the owner was outside the country and they said no problem, the VIN was the key, and if the VIN had a problem, they were gonna replace the frame.

Personally, I can’t see how frames get replaced except with over achieving mechanics, but hey, what do I know.

orcim > Patrick Nichols
08/27/2015 at 00:51

Honestly, you want to toast the plant knowledge thing? Do Kamana out of Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall, WA. You *will* become local to your place, which can be very powerful. Not a certification, but a way to acquire what you need for certification.

orcim > Phyrxes once again has a wagon!
08/27/2015 at 00:58

That’s what I said. So I bypassed the service manager and talked to the tech (since he’d done some before.) 3-5 days, everything lifted off, frame members replaced, everything put back on.

Sounds exciting to me.

Patrick Nichols > orcim
08/27/2015 at 06:48

After working in two garden centers and a couple landscaping companies for the last 9 years I have most of the knowledge just no proof that I do haha

orcim > Patrick Nichols
08/28/2015 at 00:25

Ah - now you’ve gone into one of my favorite discussions of the future. Resumes won’t mean jack, but portfolio’s (ala graphic artists) will mean something since they tell the “story of what you know and what you’ve done.”

Consider it. I thinks it’s gonna matter [now or] in 10 years - for everyone.