This 1993 Toyota pickup is the sort of truck you wouldn’t have given a second look at a few years ago, but these days, it’s a legitimate collector’s item. Of course, it has the right looks, since it’s a four wheel drive model, so it sits up high on meaty tires attached to those classic Toyota alloy wheels. The truck, however, is still incredibly basic, as it’s a low-spec single cab model with the extremely durable 22R-E under the hood. Find it here on eBay with bids to just under $12K and the reserve unmet.
The fact that Toyota pickups of almost every generation that aren’t completely rotten remain so hot is a phenomenon I’m amazed to see continue. I recognize that virtues of an old Toyota pickup, so it’s not a question of value; it’s just that I thought people would have moved onto whatever the next flavor of the week happens to be. But no, Toyota pickups are still going strong, especially when found with the 4×4 box checked.
It does seem like we’re getting too many stories about the old man who used the truck to putter around town, however. Every one of these compact rigs that comes up for grabs seems to have belonged to a fella from the Midwest with salt-and-pepper hair who went down to the local canteen twice a week and the hardware store to buy dog food – and that’s it! Sure, old trucks are by and large owned by older men, but come on – some of these Toyotas had to have just been someone’s local in-town commuter. Spare me the romance. The good news is the truck is in excellent condition inside and out, and there’s no embellishment there.
The engine bay is relatively spotless and while it’s clean enough to eat off of, you won’t have to spend too much time underneath the hood. The 22R-E is a wheezy little mill, but it’s very durable and will be dirt-cheap to run outside of the occasional belt and oil service. It’ll also pull this basic Toyota around with ease. Overall, it’s a solid buy at any price under $15,000, a fact that stings a bit considering how cheap these old trucks used to be.
More sensible, functional, economical, and reliable than any 4×4 offered today.
If I found a 2×4 version I would be quite tempted to trade my RAV4, not sure my wife would approve though.
These compact pickups are what got the Asian automakers a foothold in the American truck market. Even smaller than the American compact pickups, Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10 and Dodge Dakota, these were as common as dirt in high school parking lots all over America in the 1980’s, as the the early ’70’s versions were now $500 beaters, well within the budget of many a high school student with a part-time, minimum wage job. Like so many cars over the years, the newer examples got bigger, heavier and more expensive, until they priced themselves out of the market. Most were run hard and put away wet, until they were shipped back to Japan as scrap metal, to be turned into the newer versions. This one is an exception, having survived an attack of the “tin worm” that killed so many of its siblings.
What sold me on Toyota pickups was the sweet one in Back To The Future. I’ve also got a soft spot for the old Nissan Hardbody pickups of the early 90s too. I’ve never owned either flavor, but a fella can still have crushes, right? Even when that fella is over the age of 50.
Those old Nissan HardBodies or D21’s as they were known. were made in the same style until 2008 in Mexico. I see a lot on the border here in AZ. They even made a 4 door 4×4 diesel. used they go for under 8k USD or under 1k for a single cab short bed 2wd.
I own a 1989 one with 250,000 miles on it. I dont wash it, use it for trash and moving small boats around the boat yard. It is hands down better than my 2022 F250 . This little beast drives like a sports car with its 5 speed. Which makes it theft proof BTW, and reliable as if it was new. For the record though, the stereo which is an after market one with a tape cassette SUCKS. Or maybe it’s my hearing? Oh am I cant drive it anywhere with out some kid wanting to buy it. YA, now I am that old guy who shouldnt own anything cool!
It’s probably your hearing, just like mine.
Folks on this site familiar with my, um, opinion, on these, let’s clear the air right now. Even someone like me, that bleeds r,w,b, knows what great trucks they were. Denial, mostly, but these kicked our butt. I had many friends that had these, a neighbor, this exact truck. Most were in the construction biz, and the 4wd got into many sites and never had a lick of trouble aside from the rust. Most bought another. I will still maintain that Americas offerings were just as good, however, there was a big anti-USA sentiment in vehicles, possibly because of a certain war, and didn’t matter what America offered. Be that as it may be, one can’t deny how these trucks changed the world. We seem to always start out small, like here, and eventually morph into bigger and bigger trucks, when this is what we wanted all along.
You bleed r, w, b? I’ve always thought you’ve been somewhat subversive, such as piping utter nonsense about anti-USA sentiment in vehicles. If there was a sentiment, it was mostly about curiosity or affordability.
I bought one nearly identical to this one, brand new in 1988 for $8500. It was a great truck. I put 250k miles on it before I sold it. I saw the new owner driving it for the next 10 years. Rust finally took it out.
Had one for awhile. Durable but the 22RE would lose in a race with a glacier.
I bought a new ’80 4×4 in yellow when I was living back east, and got a nice discount on it because my wife was working for Toyota at the time, and I absolutely loved that truck. I put a while aluminum cap on it with white custom wheels and BFG 31.5s and she looked so fine.. especially with the white 1/4 whip CB antennas. When Baltimore had a 3′ snow all in one night and day I volunteered to take food and meds to folks who were snowed in for days, and it handled it with aplomb.. no problems at all. The only reason I sold it was because of Toyota’s foolish decision to make the bed in three pieces and the lower panels rusted at the seam and I didn’t want to take it to AZ, so I sold it when I moved and bought an ’89 4×4 extra cab V6, which was another winner, but truth be told I did miss the 22R.
$13,500 with 3 hours left. Wishymlife could accommodate a single cab. This truck is beautiful