Southern Truck: 1989 Toyota HiLux 4×4 Pickup – Sold?

January 3, 2022 Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found we’re assuming this ride “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

Toyota trucks have become increasingly collectible, much to the chagrin of anyone who was accustomed to buying them cheaply on the used car market as a beater for the job site. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a four-wheel-drive model or rear-wheel-drive, short bed or long bed – if the miles are reasonable and the body isn’t rusty, someone out there is actively trying to flip it. This clean 1989 Toyota 4×4 pickup originally listed in December 2021 on Craigslist in Macon, Georgia has 230,000 miles on the clock and still presents incredibly well, and is listed with an asking price of $13,500.  Comparing this price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms this private seller has his clean truck priced between the “Good” value of $9,900 and the “Excellent” price of $14,000.

Now, it’s not exactly surprising that vintage Toyota trucks have taken off price-wise. They are inherently wonderful vehicles, with bulletproof reliability and cheap-as-chips parts. Some enthusiasts may even tell you the trucks have some aspect of a personality, especially if it’s an older model with four-wheel-drive and rad body-side decals, allowing you to channel your inner Marty McFly from Back to the Future. Still, at the end of the day, it’s a Japanese truck that is mostly coveted for its impressive reliability, and it’s one of the few vehicles to become increasingly valuable solely because it’s near impossible to kill. What’s crazier still is that the price of a ten-year-old Toyota truck can easily approach that of a new Toyota truck if the miles are low enough.

We came across this vintage 1989 Toyota SR5 4×4 Truck commercial posted on YouTube:

The seller’s truck is in incredibly nice condition for a rig with 230,000 miles on the clock. The interior, in particular, is shockingly clean for a truck with this many miles, and that’s partly due to the gray cloth being very hard-wearing. That doesn’t explain why the carpets appear to not even have a spec of dirt, other than the seller is just a detail-oriented individual who likes a clean rig. The Toyota combines a few different options that make this truck even more desirable beyond its impressive condition, including the extended cab, five-speed manual gearbox, and four-wheel-drive. Air conditioning and heat work fine, and the seller has recently replaced the clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate. The truck has been repainted, which explains why the outside looks so good. For the price, you could end up in a truck that’s far less reliable, but you’ll have to rationalize spending nearly $14K for an old Toyota with 230,000 miles. Would you?

Here’s the seller’s description:

“1989 Toyota Extended Cab Pickup

2 Owners
Southern truck, No rust
22RE
5-Speed manual
4X4
Runs and drives excellent
Goodyear 33×12.50’s like new
Tinted windows
Cold air
Hot heat
New clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate

Great truck, almost all original. Have replaced tons of parts and completely painted in 2021. Thousands invested. Possible trades on interesting older cars, trucks or etc. No motorcycles or ATV’s. Please call me if interested“

Do you have a Toyota pickup story you’d like to share?  Comment below and let us know!