VDQ : Tacoma seats?

Very Dumb Question -- my apologies in advance! Sorry to be so clueless.

I have an '03 Tacoma, full bed, one bench seat. Bad choice -- because my wife had never driven any truck, and the dealer was on a busy main highway; so I did the only test drive, and just didn't think.

Trouble is, first, that I'm a good foot taller than she is; second and worse, most of my height is in my legs -- and hers is in her torso.

You guessed it. When we finally got around to her trying to learn (after many long distractions), it turned out that with me in the truck, she can't *get* the seat far enough forward to reach the pedals -- not even if I'm sideways and in the OSHA Atomic Attack position (i.e., fetal position).

I'm advised, by people who don't want the job, that I can get good used bucket seats from a junkyard, and swap them out myself -- all the easier because neither of us cares what color, nor even whether they match.

Wrong -- on two counts : that advice assumes I'm able-bodied (not never no more, alas!), and know straight up about motor vehicles. (I never have; I can just about tell a pickup from a sedan from a semi, and that's the end of my auto lore).

Junkyards don't install; guys that install don't even call junkyards, at least around here. But I would have no faintest notion, buying two bucket seats, whether either one would fit at all, nor on which side.

If I can get a pair of the right seats, I can take them to a shop, or maybe find a handyman. But how do I know what to get?? Is there some magic part number somewhere, or something?? Anything I need to watch out for?

I have no idea, btw, whether there is any way to tell the model year of a Toyota truck (or the remains of one) in a junkyard, much less what range of models might have interchangeable seats -- and this is the only place I've found to ask.

Oh, and the obvious solution isn't much better : there's no telling whether the local mega-dealer's phone system is worse than their web page, or the other way around -- maybe both. Is there any better way than just driving there (It's in another town.), asking around, and paying whatever they demand??

Reply to
Beartooth
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Once you've matched up the right parts, how about you go buy them, and take them to a mechanic or body shop to have them installed? Better yet, call a few body shops and see if THEY are able to source the bucket seats for you. After collisions, most people these days probably want new parts. The shops will probably be intrigued by someone who says "Help me shop the junk yards".

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I'd try an Auto Body Shop not just a garage.

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Reply to
rb

On Thu, 12 Oct 2006 20:48:55 +0000, JoeSpareBedroom wrote: [...]

If the original post hadn't been so long already, I'd've mentioned that I've been trying that for some time. I guess I should have anyway. Sorry!

Makes lots of sense, and I had hoped so; but it hasn't been working out that way. :-(

Reply to
Beartooth

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