Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 2006 Toyota DC hunting truck/family wagon/adventure mobile

I almost traded my 2011 4Runner Trail Edition in on a 2014 this past September but the dealership tried to change the deal we made after I put down a deposit so I backed out. I just wasn't comfortable with dealing with somebody that was going to try to change the deal after the deposit had been made. I just continued to drive the 4Runner and I loved it but I really needed a pickup so last month I put the 4Runner up for sale and it sold a couple of weeks ago.

I decided I didn't want to buy new as I can be tough on equipment and I wanted to buy a vehicle with a proven track record of reliability and durability. I have followed 1st gen Tundra builds by Derek24, the dude, Haggis, JCMathews and other so I honed in on finding a 2005 or 2006 Double Cab Tundra. The 2UZ-FE engine is one of the best Toyota has ever made IMO and I like the 5 speed transmission. I almost pulled the trigger on a low mileage truck here on Expo but I had to buy a pop up camper with it and I really didn't want the camper or the hassle of trying to sell it myself.

I have my little 93 Toyota hunting truck that I have a built thread here on Expo to drive so I took my time and watched Craigslist every day locally and just couldn't find a truck I was comfortable with. I finally decided to look nationally to see what else was out there. I found a nice truck in Tucson but there was an accident reported on the Carfax and it had 4 previous owners so I was a little cautious. I have a friend that offered me his 08 double cab(basically extended cab with doors) Tundra with 88,000 miles on it in Phoenix for $14,000 and seriously considered pulling the trigger but it was a tight fit with 2 car seats in the back of that truck so I passed. Two kids under the age of 2 means they'll be growing and will be in car seats for years and the back seat of that DC just wasn't going to cut it. Besides that, I had my heart set on the 1st gen due to the drivetrain.

I finally looked to my home state of Texas and found a truck that peaked my interest. Not only that, I had some good friends that I trust in the immediate area where the truck was listed for sale so I called them up to see if they could check it out for me. Here is the craigslist ad and pictures that were posted�.

"2006 Toyota tundra SR5 4X4 42000 Miles original owner title in hand Before you ask everything works and works well just don't need it... Has a load leveling kit all else factory V8... Need has a dent from someone that shouldn't had been in my truck moving a trailer around... Price is negotiable if you have cash if you don't have cash when you come to negotiate don't negotiate�"













[img]http://i24.photobucket.com/alb...-893c-96f4a01e673c_zps7854a3e3.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i24.photobucket.com/alb...-b6ab-71e0f85b28c8_zpsb8aea93a.jpg[/img]



I like people that are to the point so I called him up. The owner is a super nice guy and told me to send my friends over to look at it to see what they thought about it. I knew about the damage to the bed on the drivers side so it wasn't a surprise when they told me about it and they said that the truck was in fantastic shape with the exception of that. Interior is flawless and it drives like a champ. We discussed price and came to what I feel was a fair agreement for both of us and I bought it.

Immediate plans are just to go get it, have the oil changed and get it back up to Colorado. I am going to go with the Bilstein shocks and OME 885 coils and I have a call in to Deaver to see about a spring pack but might just go with an AAL for the time being. I loved the Duratracs on my 4Runner but might have to go with the ST Maxx tires this go round. I may get the bed fixed and I may not, depends on how bad it is but I am not too concerned about it. I am not sure how I feel about the blue steel metallic color but I think I will like it. I just don't see enough of them around here but its cool that its not a real common color so we'll see. I did find a truck online in this color that looked pretty darn good so I am hoping mine will be as sharp. I really like this truck and the color looks great in his pictures�

[img]http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/drumdaddy/tundra023_zpsc04bce25.jpg[/img]


[img]http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/drumdaddy/tundra031_zps7c1f147a.jpg[/img]


Anyway, I will update this as it progresses and any input would be appreciated

That's a good looking truck and sounds like a great deal. With less than 43,000 on a Toyota it's not even broken in yet!

I think that you hit the jackpot. Sounds like exactly what you were looking for. Keep us posted...

I had the same truck in the same color. Nice paint that you don't see every day.

That is a nice truck bro -

Thanks guys!

Die hard Toyota guy here.
I like that model 100X better than the gas guzzling behemoths they've turned the Tundra into.

Good score.
Enjoy

Bought a plane ticket to TX and I'm heading down tomorrow to pick it up and drive it home

Where in Texas Drum?

Flying from Denver to Houston and Houston to Tyler and then driving home

Text me on the way by and I will buy lunch.

Count on it! Looking forward to it

ugh.

We have a 2204 extended cab, not a 4 door, but my wife drives it almost exclusively. We have no sedan, van, or SUV. Most of the time, I have to drive my 98 Dodge 2500.

In 2005 we has sold our 94 Toyota with 275K miles on it and was hunting for another. We had all the prices and figures, etc. and went to look at a different one at John Elway Toyota on Arapahoe Rd in Denver. Sitting beside the one we were to look at was this 2004 with 2500 miles on it that had just come in. The had not even priced it. We went inside and they offered it to us for $2000 less than I expected to pay and well below book value. Can't ever tell where you might find a good deal.

You did great on the deal. I've always figured if my '05 Sequoia ever pukes I'll find an 06 double cab tundra, or another 06 or 07 Sequoia.

So, the plan was to leave Denver at 1:45, have a 40 minute layover in Houston, land in Tyler Texas at 6:45 and pick up the truck then head out to my buddies place and hammer hogs with night vision scopes and silenced rifles. Honestly, I was more excited about the hog hunt than I was about the Tundra

Then, United Airlines struck. They were late getting off the ground and I missed my connecting flight to Tyler. Hog hunt is off and they told me to take the shuttle to the Houston Hilton North but when I got there my hotel voucher said HYATT Houston North so I walked form the Hilton to the Hyatt in north Houston with $16,000 in my back pack. Fun times. I HATE UNITED! Seriously, I am pissed but there is nothing I can do except maybe stay in Texas one extra night and take my frustrations out on a bunch of hogs and break this Tundra in right

Anyway, how was y'alls day?

Ooooh--not good! Hope tomorrow is better and that you bond with the truck. Get a good night's sleep--that will help.

Hope you got your truck today!

I finally picked it up. It's a solid truck and I'm happy with it. The dent on the bed is a little more unsightly than anticipated but repair cost is the same. Got the oil changed here in Tyler TX and it's ready to head to CO

I'm heading out in an hour or so and am going to pound some hogs with buddies here in Texas then heading to CO when we're done hunting.

What a long few days! I will NEVER fly United Airlines again. Delayed flights and missed connections to no communication on when I could get out to the $7 meal voucher they have me for dinner. Screw United. They even broke my CPAP that was in the overhead compartment and I haven't slept good in 3 days. I'm whipped. That being said, I made it down there, bought the truck, smacked a truckload of hogs and drove it back to northern CO.






First impression, I liked it but didn't love. I wasn't sold on the color but it's growing on me. The PO hadn't cleaned it at all and he sold to to me with no gas in the tank which wasn't a big deal but when I got to the gas station and went to clean the windshield I noticed a few imperfections that I wish had been disclosed before the purchase. I knew then why it hadn't been cleaned but the fact is I still got a good deal on a truck with super low miles and I'm still happy about it. They wouldn't have been a deal breaker but you hate to figure it out less than 5 minutes after you fork over a fistful of hundreds.

Anyway, I took possession and went straight to the Toyota dealership for an oil change. The PO said he changed the oil every 5000 miles but didn't have any records or receipts and he wasn't sure which oil they used so I went right down and had them but their 0w20 synthetic and new Toyota filter on it so I knew what was in it and exactly when it had been changed. We went through it while it was on the lift and everything looked good. I changed out a license plate light and the air filter and called it good. I then met up with some hunting buddies and we headed out to break that truck in proper. We had a blast but we didn't finish until this morning so it's been a LONG day!

On my first tank I averaged 15.8 mpg, second tank was 17.2 mpg and the last tank was from Dumas to Denver and I got almost 19mpg. I am thrilled with that and the truck was a pleasure to drive. It's just tight if you know what I mean. The more I drove it the more I liked it. I am happy that I went down to get this one, I think it will be a good truck









That's the last fill up and I didn't baby it. In fact, I drove it like I stole it which was probably good for it. Who knows how long it's been since it was really run.

I'm looking at lift and tires first. The PO has those hockey puck looking spacers on it and I hate those so I'll be taking care of that ASAP. As for tires, I'm leaning towards the ST Maxx tires in either a 265/75r16 or the new 255/85r16. Haven't made up my mind yet. Lift will be OME 885 coils and bilstein up front and bilsteins and aal in the rear to start

Any input or suggestions are appreciated. I'm tapping out fellas. I'm beat