44 years of driving & never owned a Toyota before & never black vehicles either / this was about to change !!
- I always buy very good / low mileage used vehicles
- but coming from a rust belt...
...I enjoy searching out the cream-puffs
- helps that I did weekend auto-body rust repair , for 15 years straight
- so I have a decent eye, evaluating a future purchase
Last summer, we needed to replace wife's Volvo v70 wagon, with 300,000 Km.
- she wanted a Gen3 RAV4, for work
- I liked the older 4Runners, went on a golfing outing in one / seemed like the perfect SUV
- golfing buddy said, his Gen3 T4R was the best vehicle, he ever owned
- but finding a mint 15 year old 4x4, in the rust belt / is next to impossible
And the wife wanted something newer, like around a 2010 (aka 5 years old).
a) So I looked for 6 months, and found a like new Doctors
2008 RAV4 Limited, v6 with 55,000 miles.
- turned out to be an awesome family vehicle, at a great price
Wife simply loves it and vehicle is a tank, driving on snow covered-icy roads / high on safety & has quick acceleration, adding to the good weather driving experience.
b) My friend owns a used car lot & repair garage / he knew I was looking for a Toyota FJ.
- one customer had a nice 2008, but she sold it privately and it never made it to his used car lot
- unbeknown to me, dealer buddy really liked the Gen3-T4R, as he bought a brand new Limited, in 2000
- so he dealer-to-dealer bids on a mint-one owner
2000 4Runner SR5, 3.4L-v6, with plans to keep it if I don't want it
- dealer picked T4R up at auction one night, i bought it the next day
c) Before Xmas, our son was buying a new luxury SUV / replacing his 4 cyl. 2008 Nissan Rogue.
- he want an Audi q5 and Dad got him to look at Lexus
- both of us went to the bargaining table, son bought a new
2015 Lexus RX350, v6 / 13.3% off MRSP
- the wife's 3.5L-v6 RAV4, sold me on the Toyota newer v6 power train and Lexus had all the bling, his business ride needed
SUV Note - a) and b) and c) are all black vehicles, family purchased in last 12 months.
I am a member of 3 Toyota forums - one for RAV4, one for Lexus, and T4R.org is my daily favorite.
- I joined this great forum, after buying the wife's RAV4
- and 6 months later, I had my very own rust free 2000 4Runner SR5, with just 80,000 original miles
It will serve me well, for the next +15 years, as a DD.
- brings me a smile, every day I hop in it (due to being a real 4x4, with truck frame)
- just a fun & reliable vehicle, running errands with the family dog (riding shot-gun) / perfect size with timeless styling...
- future plans are to pull a 22 ft. camper trailer / East & West coast vacations, in retirement
So once again, the old 4Runner & this great forum, gets high marks here / another extremely satisfied customer.
ing that I can find a used Quicksand TRDP @ a reasonable price in the Fall of '17.
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