Hey,

I got a big favor to ask. I am new to the forum, but have been lurking for a long time.

I found a 1996 Limited in the Sand Dune color for $9000. He was asking that, but I got him down to $7500. The deal is ready to go down tomorrow. Its a one owner, in perfect condition, maintained, and has all the records. The only catch is that it has 153K miles on it. It was obviously drivem more than the average car. But the guy sounds really sincere, and says that he used it as his commuter. It does not look beat up at all. It was checked out about 2K miles ago by his mechanic, and got good reviews on pretty much all accounts. I have seen the paperwork. But who knows, if the mechanic was a good one.

It would be my first 4Runner. Is this a good deal and should I buy it? aside from the 180K timing belt, what other major expenses should I be ready for?

But my biggest question is: is 153K really a lot for such a fine automobile as the 4Runner?

Any and all comments are welcomed and appreciated. I hope to get an much as I can before tomorrow's decision.

Thanks in Advance!

anyone??

That is a lot of mileage, but there are so many Toyota's out there that have gone 200,000-300,000. If you are at all worried about the mechanical condition of the car you could have someone you know and trust take a look at it. Then you wouldn't just be taking his word for it. You just have to remember that if you do buy it, it's used. And cars are mechanical and they do break down. If you read some of the recent posts you will see that even having a new vehicle doesn't always prevent that! I say go with your gut feeling.

153,000 miles is a lot for sure, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have plenty more life in it.... Just keep in mind that you should expect to be replacing things now and then with that kind of mileage.

What has been replaced so far? How about the alternator? water pump? Is the exhaust system original? Give a good look at the history and decide if it is worth it for you.

i bought my 98 with 160,000 on it and its still going strong, havent had any problems what so ever(so far) The previous owner used it to do bike racing and so he drove up and down the east coast. keep it well maintained and i hear theyll go to 300,000++

thanks for the tips guys. i am going to do a AAA inspection on the car. from what I can see, and the records he has, the thing is in tip top shape. for a car thats valued on kbb.com at around $11-12K, $7500 is not a bad deal. the location is california by the way. zero rust, no salt roads, etc etc.

yea get your own mechanic to check the car. since you're already getting a good deal you can afford a mechanic.