'03 4runner with too low mileage?

[jaebird82]

I know someone that has a 2003 4runner for sale with under 30k miles on it, V8 Sport Edition 2wd. Family owned by an older guy. His kids showed me the truck yesterday and it looks pretty new except for some fading of the plastic cladding found in '03 sports.

I'm driving the SAME exact truck right now (my grandpas) so I had something to compare it to back to back.

The truck seemed... slow. Just very boring and vague. I didn't get to drive it on the freeway. It didn't feel bad but it didn't have that nice pull and engine pur my Grandpa's has with 70k miles. The wife drives it to work sometimes, so it IS being driven. They have no receipts of maintenance but said they'd go with me to a mechanic to check it out before buying. They said he took care of it.

I assume the timing belt will need to be replaced since it's almost 10 years old, same with tires? Do you think a tune up would make it run better, or do you think only at 22k miles it wouldn't need done? I'm getting a good deal on it if I buy it.. but I don't want to buy it if something happens to be wrong with it or it doesn't end up feeling like my grandpas... please advise.. does the ECU need to be reset?

 

[Texas_4Runner]

Just make sure that you get a deal good enough to resell it and get your money back if you're unhappy.

It's kind of hard to answer your question without knowing how much they are asking.

 

[Texas_4Runner]

Oh,

And if I was buying it, I would give it a tune up and change the belt and water pump. So make sure you let them know that you're going to need to put some $$ into it so you get a better deal.

 

[jaebird82]

Hey,

Thanks. 14,500 with 23k miles. I already told them I'd probably need to get a new timing belt so they lowered the price. I'm getting a loan so it's a pain in the ass to sell when you have a lien on it. I want to make sure this purchase counts.

 

[jimithing]

That's too much for a 2003 IMO. Especially since it's 2wd.

 

[jaebird82]

what would be a good price for one with 23k miles? i mean id also have to get new tires.. a tune up... timing belt changed.. all of that. 13k seems like a low ball offer figuring it only has 22k miles on it. maybe i can squeeze 13.5 out of them.

there's an 05 v8 4x4 with 92k miles on it for 15k. what deal would you take?

That's too much for a 2003 IMO. Especially since it's 2wd.

 

[NJshadow93]

I think after a tune up and timing belt/water pump you'll be good to go. I paid 13,000 for my '03 V8 4x4 with 77,800 miles last year. Sounds to me like that truck is craving a good road trip with lots of highway miles, lol.

 

[jaebird82]

Lol. You're actually the reason why Im even thinking about getting the '03. I hate the two tone but i saw your plastidip job and was like ok that looks pretty good.

It actually to me looks better with the plastidip black cladding to me than without because at least it looks different. I've seen a billion black 4runners out there and they all look the same.

if only this one was 4x4! i live in socal but wouldn't mind doing some trails. I'm thinking i should take it to toyota before i buy it and have them do a compression test and check everything like if oil changes were done since they have no proof- what do you think?

Edit: oh and im also thinking about getting the halo lights too. lol.

I think after a tune up and timing belt/water pump you'll be good to go. I paid 13,000 for my '03 V8 4x4 with 77,800 miles last year. Sounds to me like that truck is craving a good road trip with lots of highway miles, lol.

 

[NJshadow93]

Great, so you wanna copy my truck. Wonderful. LOL, jk man. Honestly, I think the Plasti-Dipped cladding looks bad@ss. Adds a tough look, as opposed to the regular black 4Runners. Idk, something about the matte black cladding that I really like. I am only kidding about the copying thing, that's what the forums are for! About taking it Toyota, definitely a good idea to pay the $100 to get a tech to do a full inspection. Also, register the VIN on the Toyota owner's website so you can see everything that was done at Toyota dealerships. But if you do have your heart set on a 4x4, don't settle. You don't want to regret it after the deal is done. Although 4x2 4Runners have proven to be pretty tough, depending on the trails you take it on. Gaterose, for example, takes his 4x2 truck off road with no problems. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[jaebird82]

lol. yeah i'd pretty much be copying you. you should feel honored! I honestly would probably end up breaking **** if i started 4x4'ing and all my money will be tied up in my loan and i'd rather spend the money on a nice ass mountain bike.

once a year i do go to Arizona though and 4x4 would be so awesome to go explore. But.. thats once a year, kind of hard to justify it. if i wasn't in need of a car now i'd probably wait. there is an '05 4x4 with 92k miles. the guy was honest with me and said most of those were city miles so i dunno. also im a little worried about this '03.. it feels stale. slow. you think because it just needs a tune up and isn't driven enough?

i'll def keep you updated.

Great, so you wanna copy my truck. Wonderful. LOL, jk man. Honestly, I think the Plasti-Dipped cladding looks bad@ss. Adds a tough look, as opposed to the regular black 4Runners. Idk, something about the matte black cladding that I really like. I am only kidding about the copying thing, that's what the forums are for! About taking it Toyota, definitely a good idea to pay the $100 to get a tech to do a full inspection. Also, register the VIN on the Toyota owner's website so you can see everything that was done at Toyota dealerships. But if you do have your heart set on a 4x4, don't settle. You don't want to regret it after the deal is done. Although 4x2 4Runners have proven to be pretty tough, depending on the trails you take it on. Gaterose, for example, takes his 4x2 truck off road with no problems. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[NJshadow93]

The V8s in these trucks certainly aren't slow. You mentioned how the one you've been driving lately feels good right? I'm sure it just needs a tune up. With that mileage, It probably still has original things that need to be replaced such as spark plugs, air filter, etc. Like I said, it needs a good long highway trip. Also, the 2WD should have a bit more pep than a 4x4 because it's lighter.

 

[jaebird82]

not slow

not slow at all. I just sold my mazdaspeed3 with 263hp in stock config. had an intake and stage 1 tune. i don't expect a 4runner to win any races but i'm moving away from the whole speed thing. although years go i did beat some ricer acura. he didn't like that.

my grandpa's 4runner feels nice off the line. tons of torque. has great passing power, but does run out of steam in the higher rpms. and i dont get tired of that v8 sound. i know the 05 and up don't have that problem because of the extra hp.

i hope that's all it needs. it would suck to pay for that and probably a compression test and then not buy it because there's something else up with it.

The V8s in these trucks certainly aren't slow. You mentioned how the one you've been driving lately feels good right? I'm sure it just needs a tune up. With that mileage, It probably still has original things that need to be replaced such as spark plugs, air filter, etc. Like I said, it needs a good long highway trip. Also, the 2WD should have a bit more pep than a 4x4 because it's lighter.

 

[Gatafly]

what would be a good price for one with 23k miles? i mean id also have to get new tires.. a tune up... timing belt changed.. all of that. 13k seems like a low ball offer figuring it only has 22k miles on it. maybe i can squeeze 13.5 out of them.

there's an 05 v8 4x4 with 92k miles on it for 15k. what deal would you take?

$14k.

I paid $13.3k for my '04 V8 4x4 in like new cond with 93k on it.

 

[Sungod]

If you don't need 4x4 then the 03 would be a deal. As for tuning up, you should change the points, condenser, cap, rotor, Oh wait, it has none of those. There is nothing to tune up. At most you can clean the MAF, put in a new air filter, and run some fuel injector cleaner in the tank. Changing other components like the plug, coil packs, etc. will yield virtually nothing unless something is bad and your CEL would be on.