Looking to purchase high mileage 4x4 4runner
03-05-2017, 09:08 PM
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Looking to purchase high mileage 4x4 4runner
Hey everyone, looking to get some advice here. Just test drove a 2000 4runner 4x4 Limited. Body is in excellent shape, paint still shines, interior is mint (no tears on the leather), and it runs and shifts smooth. It has the original motor and transmission. No weird vibrations, no weird sounds, just an overall solid truck. The current owner purchased it from a dealer back in 2005 and has maintained it religiously. He's providing me with all the receipts since his ownership and it's a pretty large stack of receipts and well organized. Timing belt/water pump will need to be replaced in 15 k miles. The only concern I have is the high mileage. He wants $5k and the mileage is 247k miles. Here's the link to the ad:
https://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/6021344756.html
Is $5k too high? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
https://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/6021344756.html
Is $5k too high? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
03-06-2017, 12:11 AM
#2
Well you have the stack of invoices to look through .
It depends just what was really done .
It might be a bunch of receipts from the Quicky Mart Oil changes and wiper blade installs
No doubt car washes as well
Then to me the body and interior as long as all the parts are there it is good .
I have to laugh to the owner the interior and body are more important then the drive train.
No pictures of the engine Compartment
What are other 4Runners bringing in this part of the world??
So you need a timing belt is this something you can do yourself ??
If not figure that plus another $1000.00 in parts and labor to catch up on neglected maintenance
Might be a easy $2500.00 or more plus the cost
It all depends just what areas are important to you if the body and paint are critical go for it
It depends just what was really done .
It might be a bunch of receipts from the Quicky Mart Oil changes and wiper blade installs
No doubt car washes as well
Then to me the body and interior as long as all the parts are there it is good .
I have to laugh to the owner the interior and body are more important then the drive train.
No pictures of the engine Compartment
What are other 4Runners bringing in this part of the world??
So you need a timing belt is this something you can do yourself ??
If not figure that plus another $1000.00 in parts and labor to catch up on neglected maintenance
Might be a easy $2500.00 or more plus the cost
It all depends just what areas are important to you if the body and paint are critical go for it
Last edited by wyoming9; 03-06-2017 at 12:16 AM.
03-06-2017, 07:41 AM
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Thanks for the reply back Wyoming9.
As for the receipts, yes there's a lot of oil change receipts, but there are also other receipts that show he maintained the truck very well, such as tires, brakes, coolant flushes, transmission fluid replaced, etc. The body and interior pieces are all there and working as it should. As for the engine compartment, I didn't take any pictures of it but the car started up great (and he started it cold), no funny noises, radiator fan came on as it should, A/C and heat worked perfectly.
I have until Friday to purchase the truck. I gave a tiny/small down payment to hold the truck till Friday which if I were to back away from our deal, he gets to keep the down payment which I'm fine with (only $20).
I did notice some grease around the steering rack area which is a bit of concern. And the owner just contacted me a few minutes ago saying he has the front right axle replaced but ever since then there's a very faint knocking sound when turning right and going over a small bump on the road. He said he can't recreate the sound all the time but the next time we meet he said he'll try to recreate the sound. I suspect the grease around the steering rack was either from the axle boot spewing grease everywhere and the mechanic didn't bother to clean up the area, or, the axle boot is torn again. I'll look at it more closely the next time I meet up with the owner.
I also wanted to point out, the carfax came out clean, no issues. Also no accidents. Body and paint look original, and the alignment of the body panels are correct. I also tried out the 4wd and it engaged as it should. As for the going price for other 4Runners with the same amount of mileage and features as this 4runner, it varies.
As for the receipts, yes there's a lot of oil change receipts, but there are also other receipts that show he maintained the truck very well, such as tires, brakes, coolant flushes, transmission fluid replaced, etc. The body and interior pieces are all there and working as it should. As for the engine compartment, I didn't take any pictures of it but the car started up great (and he started it cold), no funny noises, radiator fan came on as it should, A/C and heat worked perfectly.
I have until Friday to purchase the truck. I gave a tiny/small down payment to hold the truck till Friday which if I were to back away from our deal, he gets to keep the down payment which I'm fine with (only $20).
I did notice some grease around the steering rack area which is a bit of concern. And the owner just contacted me a few minutes ago saying he has the front right axle replaced but ever since then there's a very faint knocking sound when turning right and going over a small bump on the road. He said he can't recreate the sound all the time but the next time we meet he said he'll try to recreate the sound. I suspect the grease around the steering rack was either from the axle boot spewing grease everywhere and the mechanic didn't bother to clean up the area, or, the axle boot is torn again. I'll look at it more closely the next time I meet up with the owner.
I also wanted to point out, the carfax came out clean, no issues. Also no accidents. Body and paint look original, and the alignment of the body panels are correct. I also tried out the 4wd and it engaged as it should. As for the going price for other 4Runners with the same amount of mileage and features as this 4runner, it varies.
Well you have the stack of invoices to look through .
It depends just what was really done .
It might be a bunch of receipts from the Quicky Mart Oil changes and wiper blade installs
No doubt car washes as well
Then to me the body and interior as long as all the parts are there it is good .
I have to laugh to the owner the interior and body are more important then the drive train.
No pictures of the engine Compartment
What are other 4Runners bringing in this part of the world??
So you need a timing belt is this something you can do yourself ??
If not figure that plus another $1000.00 in parts and labor to catch up on neglected maintenance
Might be a easy $2500.00 or more plus the cost
It all depends just what areas are important to you if the body and paint are critical go for it
It depends just what was really done .
It might be a bunch of receipts from the Quicky Mart Oil changes and wiper blade installs
No doubt car washes as well
Then to me the body and interior as long as all the parts are there it is good .
I have to laugh to the owner the interior and body are more important then the drive train.
No pictures of the engine Compartment
What are other 4Runners bringing in this part of the world??
So you need a timing belt is this something you can do yourself ??
If not figure that plus another $1000.00 in parts and labor to catch up on neglected maintenance
Might be a easy $2500.00 or more plus the cost
It all depends just what areas are important to you if the body and paint are critical go for it
Last edited by 4runnergeek; 03-06-2017 at 07:55 AM.
03-06-2017, 03:37 PM
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Yeah I figured with this truck, over 240k miles, it's reasonable to have the Cat replaced. So I talked to the owner again and he said it's not a clunking sound but more of a light grinding sound when turning right, applying the brake a little, and going into his driveway. He said when we meet he'll try to recreate the sound. He seems very honest and said he didn't want me to be surprised by anything if I were to take ownership of the truck.
03-07-2017, 01:22 PM
#7
I would not hesitate to buy a truck with that mileage at all. If any maintenance was performed it's probably still in great shape. 250k is just the beginning for the 5vz/a340 combo. Though we've come to find out that the first radiator start getting leaks around 250k and also you might get a misfire from a dead fuel injector. It's pretty cool that so many of these are living this long we've come to accept that these are normal maintenance items at this mileage. 4runner looks nice and if it drives solid, 5k is a decent price.
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03-07-2017, 05:22 PM
#8
Most of the Arizona runners are up on craigslist at 200-250,000
Some higher. Tacomas .... forget it. The most over priced 3rd gen vehicle ever. People are asking 2 grand over kelley for 1/4 million mile vehicles. Crazy...
Imo.....buying at that high mileage requires knowledge about how to repair the vehicle.
That, or have a good mechanic on retainer. You never know whats going to go bad next.
Some higher. Tacomas .... forget it. The most over priced 3rd gen vehicle ever. People are asking 2 grand over kelley for 1/4 million mile vehicles. Crazy...
Imo.....buying at that high mileage requires knowledge about how to repair the vehicle.
That, or have a good mechanic on retainer. You never know whats going to go bad next.
Last edited by sharrack; 03-07-2017 at 05:25 PM.
03-07-2017, 06:29 PM
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I would not hesitate to buy a truck with that mileage at all. If any maintenance was performed it's probably still in great shape. 250k is just the beginning for the 5vz/a340 combo. Though we've come to find out that the first radiator start getting leaks around 250k and also you might get a misfire from a dead fuel injector. It's pretty cool that so many of these are living this long we've come to accept that these are normal maintenance items at this mileage. 4runner looks nice and if it drives solid, 5k is a decent price.
Most of the Arizona runners are up on craigslist at 200-250,000
Some higher. Tacomas .... forget it. The most over priced 3rd gen vehicle ever. People are asking 2 grand over kelley for 1/4 million mile vehicles. Crazy...
Imo.....buying at that high mileage requires knowledge about how to repair the vehicle.
That, or have a good mechanic on retainer. You never know whats going to go bad next.
Some higher. Tacomas .... forget it. The most over priced 3rd gen vehicle ever. People are asking 2 grand over kelley for 1/4 million mile vehicles. Crazy...
Imo.....buying at that high mileage requires knowledge about how to repair the vehicle.
That, or have a good mechanic on retainer. You never know whats going to go bad next.
Not sure what you mean with this?
