Sometimes a person just needs an inexpensive old pickup. 1986 isn’t “old” for a lot of us but it’s older than a good percentage of Barn Finds readers are and this 1986 Mazda B2000 SE-5 pickup is only $1,500. It’s located in Aguanga, California and it can be found here on Craigslist. Thanks to J Liu for sending in the link for this Mazda pickup!
Ok, this is maybe why it’s only $1,500, the bumper end is missing. Luckily, they’re cheap to buy on eBay and elsewhere and depending on what else is missing there, it shouldn’t be too expensive to get this bumper back in shape again. Other than some faded paint on the hood and probably roof which we don’t really see, I don’t see too much wrong with the body on this B2000. The SE-5 was Mazda’s sport trim level with graphics and blacked-out trim.
This pickup looks like it has been used as an actual pickup truck, what a concept. The bed looks used but not beat, inside, too. You may have to check eBay for a rear bumper at the same time you get that front bumper end, or just keep using it as a cheap pickup and not worry about it. This may just seem like a used truck to a lot of you and that’s ok. It is fairly old, relatively, and who doesn’t like a small pickup for running around with? We don’t all need a monster pickup every day.
Being in the desert, some of the interior bits are faded and past their due date but all of that is fixable. I don’t see any cracks in the dash which is amazing. The seller says that it could use new tires and that it has AC “but needs new charge.” There are no engine photos but this one should have Mazda’s 2.0L inline-four with between 80 and 85 hp. It “runs and drives great”, I don’t doubt that one bit. Have any of you needed or wanted an older, inexpensive, small pickup to just use as a pickup and not a commuter vehicle?
Looks like good buying for someone…
I bought one of these new in 87 – the base model though. Got +200K out of the original clutch! It did blow a head gasket at around 180K. When I had the head rebuilt I had them hot up the cam – it made a pretty big difference. I added AC about 8 years in and that made a big difference in its comfort. Near the end I also added buckets and a console from an LX. The front main seal started leaking around 100K and then each replacement would only last 10-20K if IIRC. The rebuilt head from above had a habit of spitting out one of the spark plugs. The last time it happened I had just left the suburbs of Detroit in January where I had spent the winter break with my now wife. I was heading back to the west coat for my last semester of engineering school. This time when putting it back in the threads stripped (OMG!). It was mid Sunday morning and I not much was open. I went to 4 different parts stores, each having something a little better than the last but not good enough to fix my problem until the last place – a kit with a tap and an insert. The parts guy gave me some grease to catch the cuttings and I tapped the head in his parking lot. The plug never came out again until I wanted it to. Great truck that gave me lots of great memories AND taught me how to wrench.
I’m seeking something similar (80s-90s Japanese compact pickup) but with an automatic. It may be sacrilege but it’s a preference I’m not willing to budge on. No rust. Do these exist? Links?
They exist. I just picked up an 86 extra-cab with a cap! 5spd. No ac. No power steering!
I can see it already. When driving is made illegal, there will be outlaw bands of renegades hooning the back roads in Mazda, Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi pickups from the ’80s!
I wouldn’t let go of my ’83 Toyota diesel in similar condition even for 2-3Xs this price.
Why don’t people just say that the AC doesn’t work. You know that the system has a costly problem the owner didn’t want to address. If it was just a charge you would have a service done and with a little refrigerant it would work.Plan on putting a whole new system in if you want air. These are great trucks and more than likely a good buy.
I bought it and to my surprise the ac worked I replaced the bumper added tint all new stereo full tune up and new tires this truck is amazingly perfect needs a few small things like window crank handles but outside of that it runs great perfect
I had a white 1988 Toyota longbed xtra cab 5 speed with Mitsubishi Starion turbo wheels about 10 ten years ago , I sold it. Great truck with 300,000 miles and a 22r engine. Never leaked a drop of oil. The R-12 a/c system never leaked and that a/c system got SO cold SO fast I had to move the vents away from my face with the fan on low speed. Not one spec of rust on my California truck nor any dents. Boy I miss that truck
Here that truck at that price would be sold in a few hours.
if people tell you they get good gas mileage, they are lying to you. worked at the dealer when new and bought a new one. Mileage at best downhill l with the wind would only average 24-25 . Most people complained and brought them back with around town mileage In the high teens. other wise, great trucks. I manually loaded mine with rocks and was surprised when it weighed in at 2200 pounds and drove pretty good for that much weight
l bought a brand new SE5 on Boxing Day,1985.This was my entry to the land of car payments.
My trade in was a 1974 Oldsmobile Omega (350 v-8).
I had one of these! I actually liked it, except it was cramped for me! Especially running most white rock roads all over a certain state! Was a very dependable basic transportation! It’s gone tho, someone got a very fair deal on this one!
I bought an 86 new. It was the base model and I loved it. After I paid it off, went the customizing route, i.e., top cut off removable kit w/ soft top also and had it lowered. I’ll try to find a pic of it completed. But it was a great truck. Gave it to my nephew as a 16th birthday present. He kept it for another 5 years and finally, after the motor expired, gave it to the junk man.
I bought one of these new, long-bed in LX trim. Loved the thing. It had nice comfortable bucket seats. Drove the wheels off of it. Used it to tow a 17-foot boat everywhere. Probably the reason it was a little tired after 200,000 miles.
Wish I had it back.