First off, I'm new to the forum and have already learned alot.

I'm coming off of 10 years of owning BMW's and Audi's and would never even think of purchasing either of those without a detailed pre-purchase inspection (PPI) performed by a mechanic that specalizes in those cars.

I'm now looking to buy an '04 V8 4x4 4runner but the one I'm focused on is about 3.5 hours away and in a very small town. There is a shop about 20 miles away that supposedly specalizes in yotas but when I called to ask about about a PPI they basically said they check fluid levels/tires, etc. takes about 20 minutes and they charge $50. I'm used to something that lasts 2-3 hours, costs $250 - $300 and where they take a look at everything with particular emphasis on problem areas.

So my question for the forum is, when considering a relatively low mile (around 60k) 4runner, do you think a full blown PPI is necessary?

Thanks!

 

Maintenance records, car history and typical problems with that model should be investigated.

Ask for lots of pics, talk with the owner or person selling the vehicle and go with you initial gut instinct.

Good luck.

 

well toyotas generally require less upkeep than BMWs or Audis. do you yourself know anything about cars? look at the exhaust, if its rusty or not, look at the tires, are they bald? look at the oil. does it look like the P.O. gave a damn? look at the coolant, does it have flakes of rust floatin around in it? look at the PS fluid, is it clean? start it, does it start easy or does it crank and crank trying to start? how do the brakes feel? do they feel good, or do they go to the floor? OH and check the tranny fluid, see if it smells or looks burnt.
its those kind of things you want to ask yourself. OH, and depending on where it is, LOOK AT THE FRAME. if i was closer to ya id go with ya to inspect it, but yeah, im not sure where you are, probably no where near san diego.

 

I can handle that sort of cursory inspection but I wasn't sure (and it doesn't seem from what I've read here so far) that there are certain major items to look out for. You look at used 5 series and there is a list of 30 things that "tend" to go wrong with them... FWIW the car looks very clean from the pics I have seen. I'm not buying it sight unseen but also don't want to waste driving 3 hrs each way if I can avoid it...

 

Well, considering there are no problem areas, and its a newer truck, then a basic 20 minute inspection is just fine. All I would do is a basic driveablility test, check all the fluids, get under it and check for leaks, loose suspension parts, and thats it.

Remember, its a Toyota, not a BMW.