"jminer" (jminer)
08/10/2020 at 14:10 • Filed to: None
2
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"jminer" (jminer)
08/10/2020 at 14:10 • Filed to: None | 2
| 34 |
Oppo, I have been thinking of consolidating vehicles and picking up something like a 1st gen Sequoia as a tow vehicle, adventure rig and road trip monster.
I know they’re basically a 1st gen Tundra underneath but are priced way better than them (even with the Toyota and pandemic tax) and regularly top the list of vehicles kept the longest and run the longest.
Is there anything I need to look out for or avoid? I definitely know rust is a problem here in Missouri, I seem to remember them being particularly susceptible to frame rust.
The thought is I’ll sell the TDI Sportwagen, Mazda Pickup and Scout which should net me ~$10k to purchase one with less than a million miles and not thrashed to hell.
An older picture of my Doggo who’s not sure what to think about this for your time
Tripper
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:13 |
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Subscribed
HammerheadFistpunch
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:15 |
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The 2uz is timing belt and the interval is 90k. The 5 speed doesn’t have as good as trans cooler as I think it needs and the “lifetime” fluid is a joke. Make sure it is up to date on timing belt and the transmission fluid had been changed at least once.
Also check the engine bay for cleanliness. The starter motor is in the V and if crud or water or leaves have built up the breather tube gets clogged and they rust meaning lists of labor to change.
Also in 2005 it looks like the changed to the dual VVTi motors just like in the GX which means more HP and torque but also a secondary air injection pump that can be pro blematic. Most don’t go bad but when they do its expensive. You can bypass it with a kit that is far less than the cost of parts and labor. Im going to order one for my GX.
Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:18 |
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My Mom has had one for about 10 years now with no problems. I’ve driven it a bit and it is pretty good. Nice pep, locking rear diff (I think?), surprisingly easy to maneuver, and goo engine space . It is, however, MASSIVE and IIRC the stock tires are a little more low profile than I’d expect on a truck that size.
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jminer
> HammerheadFistpunch
08/10/2020 at 14:24 |
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Oof - that’s a couple pain in the arse fixes there. Thanks for the tips - was hoping you’d weigh in here. Not expecting it to me a crawler but a capable vehicle to take fairly far off pavement and camp out of.
I had an 03 explorer with ‘lifetime’ fluid in a sealed transmission . Really liked the truck other than that transmission.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/10/2020 at 14:25 |
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They had locking center diffs, but not rear. I could be mistaken but im pretty sure thats right. Many MANY people thought the locking center was a rear locking diff though
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jminer
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
08/10/2020 at 14:27 |
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Thanks for the info, it’s kind of what I would expect out of a full size Toyota. Tires would be a very likely upgrade if I get one, especially on trucks I hate low profile tires.
They’re definitely large, but I can get one way cheaper than a 4runner in comparable shape right now.
I’ve also had a couple Suburbans so not afraid of the size, but looking for something higher quality and more reliable than a GM product.
shop-teacher
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:27 |
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Watch out for frame rust.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:28 |
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They really aren’t that bad. The timing belt is good for 90k miles so if its been done recently its good for many years. The transmission fluid change isn’t pricey, just annoying to DIY. I have the stock trans cooler on my GX and it seems to get way up to the 230-240 range towing my little popup. Too hot. It could just be the way the Torque app is reading the data since its not a native PID, but if its not thats bad. The truth is that the 2UZ is one of Toyota’s most bomb proof motors, but it does have a few little things to watch out for.
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jminer
> shop-teacher
08/10/2020 at 14:30 |
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I seem to remember a recall on them around that as they were particularly susceptible to it. I haven’t seen a hilux around these parts in years that didn’t have a bed completely rotten off of it, for some reason Toyota trucks for the longest time had rust problems.
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jminer
> HammerheadFistpunch
08/10/2020 at 14:34 |
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Yeah a 90k timing belt interval is pretty good and I’m not too scared to pull an intake to change a starter, just makes it a day job instead of an hour to DIY. Does the tranny have drain and fill plugs or do I have to do things like drop the pan to change fluid?
You see many of them off road in your neck of the woods? I know they’re large but they seem a solid and cheap base to build something far more capable than a subaru to take on not tight or bouldery trails.
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jminer
> Tripper
08/10/2020 at 14:36 |
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I miss this bit of forums. You’d be able to tag a thread like this and get notified when others added their opinion. It was great when you had nothing to add but wanted to both express interest and learn from others.
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HammerheadFistpunch
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:38 |
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The procedure for drain and fill is to drain with the plug, drive, drain, drive, etc. Even if you pull the pan you won’t get all the fluid so this method works well. There is an even easier way though where you just pull the outlet and inlet lines for the trans cooler and route one into a bucket of fresh coolant, and one into an empty bucket and start the car and let the torque converter pump all the fluid through until it changes the right color. You lose a little in the process but if you follow the annoying level check procedure, you can’t go wrong for volume and level.
Don’t see them off-road out here at all. Not that they can’t do it, just seems like most people just jump straight to the Land Cruiser/4Runner/Tacoma camp and bypass the Sequoia. Seems like the gen 1 Tundra’s I do see are all the real types. The ones with stealth campers in the bed with homemade outfitting and aren’t overly bothered with overland bling. The kinds that you would find quietly fishing in some remote place and then quietly pack up when it gets crowded.
Steve in Manhattan
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:47 |
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Pretty amazing what Toyota did - I understand they basically took the truck apart and slid a new frame underneath.
ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:47 |
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoiadendron_giganteum?wprov=sfti1
It’s also the shortest word in English to have all five vowels.
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jminer
> HammerheadFistpunch
08/10/2020 at 14:50 |
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I was definitely surprised at how few builds I found when doing some googling on them since the first gen is essentially a Tundra with a closed bed.
It’s also within a couple inches in size of the current land cruiser so large but a manageable size.
I’d definitely be in the camp of the Tundra folks you encounter as I hit a campground once a year and that’s for opening weekend of Trout season, other than that it’s as far out and quiet as I can get.
If I end up with a sequoia the thoughts are first the back seats go and depending on the trip the 2nd row so I can sleep in it. I’ve been doing this in a wagon or hatchback for years now so the thought of an upgrade in capability and storage is tempting to me.
We were contemplating on trading in both my wife’s RAV4 and my Sportwagen on a new base 4runner but there are like 3 available for sale within 200 miles of me now so that boat has sailed and lightly used are also sold or MSRP.
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jminer
> Steve in Manhattan
08/10/2020 at 14:50 |
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That is a seriously dedicated recall
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jminer
> ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
08/10/2020 at 14:52 |
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It is a really strange word to type - every time I do it the word seems foreign.
I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:52 |
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Coworker has had one for a while. He uses it for daily driving, road trips, hauling stuff on his dad’s farm, etc. I think it
turns like 3k rpms on the highway with how it’s geared but it tows fine
. It’s been laid up for a few weeks with a leaky power steering system, but other than that it hasn’t really given him issues from what I’ve heard.
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 14:55 |
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They have the most room inside for a non minivan you have ever seen. It can comfortably seat 7 adults and their luggage. They are beasts for towing and transporting people and crap to other locations in a fun way. Very poor mpgs, but those V8s run forever.
Frame rust is their only weakness basically. The automatics are there to do their job but not get good fuel economy, but after so long they may be a weak point. Never had a single major issue with my dad’s first gen Tundra and everyone I know with a Sequoia never wants to sell it.
It'll be hard to find a good example but totally worth it. Get a cloth interior if you can, as the fake leather isn't very durable.
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jminer
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/10/2020 at 14:58 |
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That’s all great info thanks - a Minivan was also on the list but this seems a bit more what I’m after.
There aren’t a ton for sale here but enough options it seems if I kept my eye out I could find a good one.
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 15:03 |
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The Sequoia is basically the most car you need combined with the most car you want. It's fantastic! So good that no one sells theirs, so I would probably want to have the cash and just sit on it to find a good one with less than 200k miles.
Textured Soy Protein
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 15:13 |
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05-07 is by far the best years of the 1st gen. They got the VVT-i version of the motor for a power bump, a 5-speed auto, and a Torsen center diff in the transfer case vs the open diff in earlier years. The 05 has a little more power at 282 hp which dropped to 273 hp for 06-07, I believe because of emissions.
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jminer
> Textured Soy Protein
08/10/2020 at 15:15 |
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Good tip - thanks!
Danny Korecki
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 15:19 |
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It is basically a Tundra, but the SUV version. So I cannot comment on the older ones, but I had a new Sequoia Limited late last year and a new TRD Pro Sequoia mid this year . I think they are a g reat full size SUV option if you don’t want to get a Chevy Suburban .
Future next gen S2000 owner
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 15:20 |
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It’s a very big tree and grows forever.
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jminer
> Danny Korecki
08/10/2020 at 15:25 |
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Definitely don’t want to drop the coin for a newer one but the 1st gen seems like a good idea.
I’ve owned 2 Suburbans in the past and between them and the ford’s I’ve owned I am very hesitant to purchase more domestic vehicles in the future.
Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 16:25 |
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onlytwowheels
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 16:26 |
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Keep your eyes out for a Lexus GX too. They can often be found at a great price.
Like this:
https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/cto/d/addison-2005-lexus-gx-470/7174638082.html
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jminer
> Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/10/2020 at 16:37 |
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That is an amazing picture!
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jminer
> onlytwowheels
08/10/2020 at 16:38 |
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That is definitely another good option. I’ll add it into the searches as there aren’t many Sequoias for sale.
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shop-teacher
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 17:06 |
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I'm not convinced they have fixed their frame problems to this day. My buddy's 2015 or 16 was recalled for frame inspection.
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jminer
> shop-teacher
08/10/2020 at 17:17 |
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Oof - this seems like such a simple thing to get right. I can’t think of another maker that’s had such a consistent problem with rust for decades. Of course other than IH which is out of the passenger truck business.
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shop-teacher
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 17:27 |
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Its kept me from wanting a Toyota, despite all the other things they do well.
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Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
> jminer
08/10/2020 at 22:52 |
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Sequoia national park is an amazing place!