1989 Toyota Pickup SR5 4X4 5MT: Regular Car Reviews

It is a 1989 Toyota Pickup review! This week on Regular Car Reviews, we will talk all about the 1989 Toyota Pickup Short Bed, from its history as the Toyota Hilux, the evolution of its engine, and what makes the Toyota Pickup standout among the pickup trucks of its time – the positives and the negatives. Join us for a ride and get a feel for what this is like on the road as RCR drives the
1989 Toyota Pickup!

[stoneylonesome]

Half-Life Three will be released before the Chicken Tax is repealed.

[Ilvebagels]

A year after I was born, my father purchased a brand new 95 Toyota pickup with a 22re, king cab long bed, 5 speed manual. It has ac and power steering. I don’t have a clue how my father survived driving it around San Francisco until the early 2000s. It was the first vehicle I ever drove, and my first car when I turned 16. He gave it to me with 530, 000 miles, and it ran like new. The truck now has 900, 000 miles and has taken me everywhere. The 22re in it has never been rebuilt, has never been apart, and continues to run. It starts every time I drive it. The interior is also perfect, because my dad had seat covers and plastic coverings for the carpet. All in all, the truck has been through the ringer, and comes back every time asking for more. I plan on hitting a million sometime next year.

[raptorjesus]

My Dad owned a crew cab version of one of these. It was a diesel, it was even slower, but it had a massive bullbar and external rollcage, as well as a custom built wooden flatbed, all of this adorned with so much rust it was actually 2 different Hilux's pieced together, seriously. The body was blue, the doors were green, as well as a couple other fenders, but I can't remember exactly which. I have nothing but fond memories of this vehicle, days of going to the creek spots no-one else could because there were huge rocks in the way that the Hilux didn't care about, Dad just got out, engaged the lockers and my sister and I got out and rode on the back because it was more fun.

[emeraldcity_]

Considering the national speed limit was still 55 mph, it did what it needed to brilliantly for the time

[forrestdevine]

Every one of us who grew up seeing Martys black SR5 in BTTF will carry these in our hearts until our dying days.

[inspectahenjee]

You really are an English major… informative, witty, entertaining, well written, and referencing things outside of the topic that make sense. Dude your content is awesome.

[zachjackhufford]

My first truck was an 89 Toyota pickup, base model. 240k miles, rust on every inch. My father told me that I’ll miss that truck when it’s gone.

He was right.

[busboy]

I think that it's fitting that something simply labeled "pickup" by the manufacturer has become an archetype of a what everyone calls a "pickup".

[lukelowe]

As a Toyota mechanic in the early 2000s I made so much money working on these trucks. Toyota had a massive recall for the steering rod relay breaking and almost every recall needed ball joints, tie rod ends, idler and pitman arms Or you would hear the timing chain chewing on the timing cover then the truck usually became available to buy. I always wish I would of bought one. Buy the 4 cylinder avoid the 3.0 V6. Sweet truck.

[gregorymurphy]

My 1990 was a work truck. I had a cab on the back with a ladder rack atop, two wheel drive, extra cab, five speed, carbureted, with the rare air conditioning option. A real work horse that rusted away long before its useful life was over. I never used a pickup again as a work truck. It made a lot more sense as a carpenter to own a van that kept your tools out of the weather.

[owenorndorff]

Last year I purchased a 1989 Toyota pickup with 105k miles for a screaming deal. It’s mint, and it’s a hard thing to explain why I love this little truck that way I do. This video explains it perfectly. If you could make a core memory out of a truck, this would be it.

[Jeepe]

Not to flex my ignorance and poor decision making skills, but I laughed when you said 80mph max. Imagine 105 mph in the back of my 4runner 3 people in it, loose tie rods, and the top off. Glad to say my friends and lived to tell the story. Or the time my buddy jumped his 85 pickup about 4 feet in the air at an angle with 2 people in the bed of his truck. These trucks are literally capable of anything and will still get you to work in the morning. What a fantastic review!!

[MaleficRacing]

The mid 80s SR5 was the actual star car of Back to the Future, far cooler than the Delorean.

[exiarules]

My dad bought a pickup brand new in 1989, he got the extended cab, long bed, 22re, 4x4 SR5 build and it still runs today. We've taken probably 2, 000+ loads in the bed of garbage, trash, washing machines, dryers, fridges, wood, and scrap metal. Its sun burned from being a work horse, had small accident in the passenger side door and fender, dinged up tail bed, carpet mostly gone from all the wear and tear, dash starting to crack, but you know what? It still runs. It doesn't run like it did, but its still my dads work horse. Ran it on 3 cylinders in high school because the camshaft needed be replaced, put a new one in and it ran like nothing ever happened. God, the memories I have in that truck with my dad will be with me forever. Ive been accumulating parts over the years to restore it, and man its gonna be so, so good.

[Milnoc]

Imagine if Toyota introduced a Hilux Classic today, same size as this truck, but upgraded to today's quality and safety standards. The truck would be cheaper, faster, safer, better performing and less bouncy on the roads. It would also probably be much more practical for a lot of people who already have big trucks because "big" was the only purchase option they had at the time. Heck, even today's "compact" trucks couldn't pass the narrow alleyway test!

[basketballcourt]

my father bought one of these from a newspaper ad in 1995 for $1700. Drove it for 10 years with 0 mechanical issues. "upgraded" to a 2005 F150 crewcab XLT Triton. He has gone through 4 transmissions.

[yep-that-happened]

Just when I thought Mr. Regular couldn't get any cooler turns out he's a fucking drummer!
Cheers from Kentucky!

[dundeeecroc]

I have a rust free 1985 Toyota 4runner SR5 5 speed with the 22re engine and has 289, 000 miles, no leaks and gets 22mpg using pure gasoline, no E10 crap. thanks for the great video!

[kasparsr]

You know it's Toyota when the owner doesn't know how to open the hood.

[shaldurprime]

6:50 "it's silly to believe that everyone who buys a pickup truck, has a practical use for it" this statement could have been punctuated perfectly by showing the moment of impact of whistlindiesel dropping a Hilux from a helicopter