2002 Toyota Tacoma consumer reviews

My 2nd Toyota truck is a 2002 Tacoma Double-Cab SR5. It has a 3.4 v/6, 4-speed auto, hi-lo 4WD. I bought it 6 years ago from a friend. It now has 116,000 miles on it and I have not spent a dime on it for anything but regular maintenance. The only fairly costly thing was replacing the timing belt at 100,000 miles which was about $600 which also included a new water pump and all new belts. The old timing belt still looked like new but this is a Toyota recommended change just to be safe. It is comfortable on the road and excellent as a 4WD vehicle with standard Toyota suspension. It has been extremely reliable, comfortable and is a good looking truck. I have had offers to buy the truck from people at gas stations, etc. This is my second Toyota Tacoma, both have been great. Would highly recommend them.

After years of having used cars and "work" trucks ( where you constantly work on them ) I bought a brand new 2002 Tacoma Extended cab with the 2.4 4 cly. and 5 speed manual. It is the most reliable vehicle I ever owned. It's 2015 now and it has 137 K on it and other than normal maintanence ( oil, filter and cooling system flushes, tires) I have put a set of front pads and a O2 sensor. That's it. It runs like the day I bought it, totally reliable and is one very comfortable truck to drive. The wife says "Buy a new truck" I say "Why? This truck has taken good care of me. Why get rid of it?" I'll will drive this truck till either I or it dies and I think the truck will still be going.

2002 2.4L 2WD extended cab. 249,000 miles. I've replaced brakes, changed the oil and transmission fluid, tires and windshield wipers, replaced driveshaft CV joints at 200K. That's it. Every time I take the truck in for a state inspection, my mechanic hands me the keys, shakes his head, and says, "What a great truck." That says it all.

I bought it at 40K miles, drove it on many vacations, now I've got 146K miles on it, and not once has it ever broke down. Amazing! And the 4WD got me out of incredible predicaments, it never failed even when one wheel was over the edge.

I bought a new Tacoma Quad cab 4x4 in 2000 and Loved it. I drove it for 3 years and I thought I needed a bigger Quad Cab for our new addition to the family so I traded it for a 2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 4x4. Bigger is not always better!!! In late 2011 I sold my Dodge and purchased a 2002 Tacoma Quad Cab 4x4 almost exactly like the one I had new in 2000, same color and everything. I liked this truck so much I've owned two of them. My wife says I'm nuts and I should have kept my first one all along. It's not very often I agree with her but this time I do. I love the body style, the ride, and the feeling of having something smaller conserving gas vs. the HEMI and still have room for BOTH kids now. In a smaller truck the Tacoma has everything I want and need. BTW: I am a mechanic and don't mind at all tweeking under the hood on my Tacoma contrary to beliefs that tradesmen don't like working on their own. One lesson I did learn is that educations are expensive, no matter what you learn there is always a cost. I wish I never traded my 2000 in for a dodge, I regret it...

First Toyota I ever owned and is the best vehicle I ever owned. Bougth the 2wd v6 prerunner used, and have driven it almost 200k for work in the desert, mountains, snow, mud, dust, rough roads, interstates, and this thing is amazing. Seems to run better with the increasing miles. With the positrack I have never been stuck anywhere, I wouldn't even consider a 4wd because the posi is good enough for me and get better gas mileage. Would never consider another truck.

Have owned 2 Tacomas - both have been very trouble free, reliable and economical. My current Tacoma is an '03 Double-Cab V6, automatic, with a matching camper shell. It's a four wheel drive with Hi-Lo transfer case - great in mud/snow or rough stuff. It has been a great trouble-free and good-looking vehicle. I have been asked several times by complete strangers if I would be willing to sell. MPG is approx. 21/22 on the road. First Tacoma I had was a extended cab - I bought the Double-Cab for the additional passenger room.

very nice truck. fast. great truck to trick out i have done many things to mine. never had a problem

I've onwned 3 Tacomas and they have all been absolutely bulletproof. One had over 200k when I bought it and another had over 140k when I bought it. These people who complain about tires "only" lasting 30-40k miles are absolutely ridiculous! Maybe back in 1950 tires lasted that long; they don't anymore! Get used to it you annoying old people! I'm getting sick of listening to all of you complain about your stupid tires! I'm thrilled if I get 20k out of a set of tires! Shut up; everyone is sick of listening to your whining!

I found myself shopping for a sporty little 4X4 p/u to get adventurous with before middle age set in. So around Christmas time 2001 I decided to trade in my Hyundai Elantra (which I enjoyed very much) and buy myself a nice Christmas gift. I tried out the Ranger, Nissan Frontier, and the Tacoma. All three were the comparitively priced and the Ranger was much better equipped for the money. I picked the Tacoma soley for its reputation. Boy did get an education! The breaks were weak from the start, I thought they just needed breaking in. I'm on the road (trucker) much of the time and weak breaks never bothered me until they failed my state's safety inspection. Aparently it left the factory with faulty calipers and a bad master-cylinder. After 4 years and only 36,000 miles the stock tires failed my state's safety inspection. After 4 years and 37,000 miles the check engine light came on due to a faulty O2 sensor. Mechanic quoted a price of $120.00 to replace but to not bother because Tacomas ate them like candy. Glows yellow to this day. After 4 years and 40,000 miles the factory chrome rear bumper rotted off. After 4 years and 41,000 miles the factory exhaust fell apart to the tune of $500.00. And the mechanic noticed an oil leak while putting the exhaust on. Still seeps around the head gasket to this day. After 5 years and 48,000 miles the radiator rotted off. After 9 years and 56,000 miles the truck goes to my local Toyota dealer for a frame rot recall inspection and fails. The truck sits in the dealer's lot for over a month and a half and the breaks seize up and they can't get a shock off. Total bill for a "Free" frame $1052.00. Takes them 62 days to complete the work. And who put the clock behind the steering-wheel??