Used Car Advice

[Armitage]

Looking at a 97 Toyota 4Runner SR5
3.4L V6, 4WD, 5SPD, AC, power everyhing.

It's very clean ... some minor interior wear, paint scuffs, etc. Feels very tight ... I did everything I know of to do on a test drive and didn't notice anything. Clean carfax ... 1 owner, no salvage ... no DMV reported accidents even. No trailer hitch on it, so probably hasn't done any towing. New tires & front brakes.

The downside is the mileage ... 155K
I walked away from it last week because I thought $10K was to high for that kind of mileage. They just called me back to let me know that the price had dropped to $9K Supposed to be a "No Haggle" dealership, but I bet I could get another $500 off of that if I showed up with cash.

FWIW
Kelly Blue Book: $11K
NADA: $10K

What do you guys think? Toyotas are supposed to go forever right? Anything in particular I should look for on this model?

Other suggestions for solid, reliable mid-size SUV's for about $10K or less?

 

[Vic]

For $9k or less from a dealer, go for it if you want it. It's way under book private party value (including the adjustment for the mileage).

Properly treated and maintained, the engine should be good for close to 300k miles. How was the trans? Toyota truck manual transmission tend to get a bit notchy with age. Also check the suspension for wear, particularly the bushings. If there are any brush marks on the exterior paint, don't buy it as that would mean it had been off-roaded.

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

The 4Runner is rock-solid. The only thing of concern is the recall on the rear springs that affected the 96 to early 98 models. Other than that there are very few reliablity issues with the truck.. the engine will last 300k

Two excellent 4Runner resources:
Trail Talk 4Runner
Yota Tech

 

[thedarkwolf]

I don't care if Toyotas usually do go 300k miles I still wouldn't want to spend $9k on a car with a 155k miles on it. Crap is going to be worn out at that mileage no matter who makes it. Now I have had lots of cars with almost 200k on them and never really had any problems (domestics btw) but they were $1k beaters.

 

[gogeeta13]

I would never buy a 4wd car with 155k on it. I dont care what people say about toyotas, 4wd cars have failure items, and ish will break, and usually does around that milage.

 

[Vic]

My '93 Toyota 4x4 has more than 135k miles on it and still drives like the day it rolled off the showroom floor. Minimal maintenence too. Still has the original clutch even.
(For those who ask) The heads were re-done under the TSB by the dealer for free at about ~50k miles.

 

[conjur]

Offer them $7500.

They only paid about $2k for it as a trade....*if* that.

 

[CraigRT]

i'd say go for it.. toyota is strong, i hear good things about those vehicles

price is good, carfax is clean.. whats stoppin ya?

 

[Lvis]

I've never heard of a dealer selling a vehicle with that many miles on it. Is it a used car dealer? Mose would auction off a trade with that many miles.

I wouldn't pay that much. Toyota's aren't cheap to repair.

 

[Armitage]

Thanks for the inputs guys.
FWIW, it's from the used lot of a large, well known, new car dealership. Yea, that kind of mileage is unusual for this type of dealer, but I think the car is exceptionally clean for the mileage.

I looked for scratch & dents in the belly pans and didn't see anything to indicate that anybody took it heavy offroading.

Looks like a small majority in favor ... other opinions?

 

[Armitage]

Bump

 

[olds]

Their expensive, but for piece of mind I buy the extended warranty on used cars.