Ilovemountains

Well, I just drove over 300 miles for nothing. I went to look at this 2003 Tacoma TRD D Cab cash in hand... The truck looks new, clear carfax 72k on the clock etc.... My god, I have never seen the underside of a truck that rusty before, the entire exhaust was rotten, the fuel tank shield was rusted to the point that 65% of it was gone, you could almost poke your finger through the frame, the shock and spring mounts were flaking apart and every bit of hardware under there was rotten, I dont think you could have changed the rear diff, the bolt heads were that far gone. The salesman said " well it is an 03" then walked away and left me standing there, there was no way I was paying 15,000 for that truck, sadly it will end up in a junk yard... Brings me to my next thought, how did it pass MD inspection???? What a shame, what a waste of a day and what a waste of a full tank of gas in my Rav4... ARRGGHHHH... that really sucks. Here is a link to it, DONT buy this truck!!!

http://www.team1auto.com/VehicleDeta...-MD/1290335523

madbomber08

I feel your pain. My dad and I drove over 400 miles to Minnesota to look at a "Exceptionally Clean" 1997 or 1998 4 cylinder 4runner about this same time last year. Repeatedly, Dad and I prodded the salesman over the phone, "How's the undercarrige for rust"? The salesman told us "The undercarriage looks great no rust. If you see this thing in person, you'll drive away with it." From the pictures we could see it was excellent shape body-wise. I should've known that being from Minnesota and it being 12 years old that it's going to have some rust...not to mention it was at a wholesale lot.

Anyway Dad and I decided to make a weekend of it. We drove until about 12 a.m., found a motel and crashed for several hours. Got up and 5 o'clock and made it there before this wholesale lot even opened. First thing we did is look under the damn thing and not 5 minutes later Dad punched a hole in the rusy frame with his index finger. Just wonderful.

What a disappointment. We drove back home with our tails between our legs and an embarrasing story that hasn't got around too much. If I have learned anything from that experience is that I will never buy an older car like that from a lot. Won't ever buy anything from a wholesale lot. If I'm buying it's going to be pretty new from the dealership or it's going to be from a legit private owner.

MaK92-4RnR

Wow. I'd be so PO'd. 300 miles in my truck would require 1 and 3/4 gas tanks. Don't vehicles located in reputable rusting states have to pass some sort of inspection to be sold at a dealer?

Also, if it were much cheaper, and the frame is that rusty. you could sell it back to Toyota. ( not sure what kind of deal they'd give you )

bootown

You can leave a note for others that look at the carfax before driving 300 miles. Maybe you can save someone else the hassle you just went through.

http://www.carfax.com/notes/vehicle_...RAC&lpos=first

Ilovemountains

I just tried to leave a comment but get a "stack overflow 41" error every time I click submit. Im still bummed that is the exact truck Im looking for... what a shame.