Thanks for all the replies!
It's a hobby that most don't really understand. However, most that don't understand have never really experienced it. It's not for everyone though. The yotas definitely hold their value well. The reason is because they keep their reliability so well for so long. The 4runner that I just bought has 187,000 miles on it and it starts up and drives just as it did 21 years ago when it was new. No rattles or typical old car noises and idles as smooth as can be. I would not hesitate to drive it accross the country if I needed to. If you take care of and maintain them, they'll go over 300,000 miles easily. The only downside is the fuel economy, haha.
I'll get another tacoma later down the line to build up and take off-road. But for now, this little 4x4 will get me to all my favorite camping/hiking spots, has room for all 3 dogs in the back, and a back seat for a car seat in next year or two.