Man Sees Vintage Toyota On Marketplace. Then He Drives 2,500 Miles For It: 'I'd Much Rather Have That Than Any New $100,000 Car'

There’s a certain kind of nostalgia attached to older cars that’s hard to replicate.

That may be why one Toyota off-road fan says he traveled 2,500 miles just to check out a vintage pickup he found on Facebook Marketplace.

In a Facebook Reel posted by the auto-parts store Yota Force’s account, which has garnered over 148,000 views, the creator shows off what appears to be a late 1970s to mid-1980s Toyota pickup truck finished in blue, complete with a camper mounted on the back. 

It has all the details you could imagine: the classic TOYOTA tailgate lettering, the iconic long, boxy body, and the cozy interior. Despite its age, the truck appears to be in good condition.

“Worth it?” he asks his viewers in the caption. 

Commenters Are Nostalgic As Well

In the comments section, viewers shared their own experience with the memorable Toyota truck.

“The 2wd were little hotrods!” one viewer wrote. “The Toyota dealership I worked out of in the mid 80’s used one as a parts truck, it got a lot of tickets.”

“I'd much rather have that than any new $100,000 truck!” another said. 

“I had one of these in ’84, great little truck,” a third shared. “Put in a radio & AC. Probably still running somewhere in San Diego.”

“My dad bought an ’86 and a ’94 brand new,” a fourth chimed in. “I drove the ’94 until 300,000 and the frame fell apart. Someone still wanted the motor and trans. 22RE 4 eva.”

What Makes The Toyota Pickup So Iconic?

There’s a reason why people get nostalgic when looking at a truck like this. 

For one, they’re the definition of an ‘80s truck with its boxy proportions and durable build. Engines like the 22R and, later, the 22RE became known for running well past 200,000 miles with basic maintenance. That’s likely why we still see them around today. 

There’s also a cultural side to it. Many people in the comments pointed out its resemblance to the pizza-delivery truck from Toy Story. “Needs a pizza delivery sign on top,” one user wrote. 

While rare, those interested can still find an older Toyota truck for anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 on vintage car sites or eBay and Facebook Marketplace. 

Motor1 has reached out to Toyota via email and Yota Force via Facebook messages for comment. We’ll update this piece once they respond.