03 Limited V8. Buying need opinion

B

brick

New member
Hello All,

I am getting ready buy a 03 Limited with all options. Just want your opinion on deal and what to watch out for.

Facts:
1. it has 45,000 miles and is at a Toyota Dealer
2. Is a certified Toyota used car.
3. Very mint condition except for wear on driver side of car. Emblem on steering wheel is worn, some trim paint is coming off.
4. Price is at $24,000
5. Plan to drive under 10,000 miles per year, plan to tow 20' boat.

Questions:
1. 45000 miles on it. I find it hard to buy a used vehicle with this many miles. Sounds like many of you would consider this low miles. Should I be worried about this?
2. Interesting wear: I am an Automotive Engineer in Detroit and this car look like brand new inside and out. I was beginning to think it was wrecked but I cannot tell. Oddly in the Drivers area there is some wierd wear. i.e. Seat leather wrinkles, worn Toyota emblem (chrome missing in areas). Knicks in some trim pieces
3. We typically do not buy 1st year new models. I know it is a Toyota. What do you think about this?
4. What else should I now about a 03. I can by a new 05 Sport for 7 grand more.
5. Is this a good deal?

Thanks in advance,
Jim
 
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I just bought a 03' 4runner V6 limited with 36k on it. i purchased an additional 3yr. 36k warranty bumper to bumper for about $1,000 extra. the price i paid just for the 4runner was $24,888. it has all the options on it. anyways, not sure if that will help you out or not.
 
1. Even though 45,000 miles is not a lot of miles on a car, especially a Toyota, it is a lot of mileage for a 2.5 year old car. That is around 18,000-20,000 miles a year when the average is 12,000-15,000 miles per year. I would not be worried form a reliability stand point, but I would look into the future resale value of the truck. Mileage is not a cheap thing to pay for when it comes to sell.

2. Did you do a carfax report on the truck yet? That uncovers a lot of important information that the dealer may not be telling you.

3. The early production 2003 V6's had a recall. There were a few TSB's on the 2003's but they are very reliable. I don't think you should be worried.

4. There were a few mechanical changes made from 2003 to 2005. The 2003 V8 had 235 hp and 320 ft. lbs. of torque. The 2005 V8 has 270 hp and 330 ft. lbs. of torque. The 2003 V6 was paired with a 4 speed automatic and the 2005 V6 is paired with a 5 speed automatic (same transmission as on the the V8).

5. It sounds like a good deal. KBB said the dealer should be asking around $27,000.
 
1. 45,000 miles isn't a whole lot, but it all depends on how it was driven in those 45,000 miles. I have 40,000 miles on my 03 so far and it drives just like my uncle's brand new 2005.

2. The Limited's leather does not wear very well. All the 2003/2004 4Runners I've seen on dealer lots all have substantial wear on the leather, lots of wrinkles and creases. So I'd say it's normal what you're seeing. The missing chrome on the horn button does seem a little off. Unless the previous owner(s) held the steering wheel with the palm on the Toyota logo, I don't see how the chrome could be peeling.

3. I was a bit hestitant about buying my 2003 because it was a new model. I had planned on a 2004, but needed a car and the 2004's were not out yet. Here I am 23 months and 40,000 miles later with no major problems.

4. Early V8 Limiteds had a lower tow rating, I believe they were using the weight-carrying hitch in the early models and switched to the weight-distributing hitch later in 2003. Check the hitch, if there are two metal plates with round holes on each side of the hitch, it's the weight-carrying hitch. If there's a bar, it's the weight-distributing hitch.

5. Not sure about your deal, sounds decent.
 
I have an 03' Sport v8 with 42K miles on it...no complaints. The leather on my driver seat has wrinkled too, as mentioned before, probably no the best leather???
As far as the tow capacity being less on some of the early 2003 model v8's, this is an easy fix. You can buy weight distributing hitch to replace the weight carrying hitch. Hidden Hitch has one for about $140.
I think another difference in the new ones is the sealed transmissions and the v8s got more HP. Not sure what new ones cost these days, but I think it would be worth it to look into a 2005.
 
Thanks!!!

Thanks for all the great feedback. I have not pulled the trigger yet!

I am trading my 01 Jeep Cherokee so I went to a Jeep dealer to get a trade in price. Tradein was actually better at Toyota dealer. Drove a $40k Grand Cherokee with hemi. Not bad but the lease was only $350/mo. So now I am down to a 2.5 yr old Limited 4runner on a buy payment or a new Hemi Grand Cherokee on a lease. Same payment!!!

Also, Carfax was clean, 4 runner was serviced at this dealer with records, interior wear still makes me wonder. Plus it has the 5,000 lb hitch.

Hmmmmm!!!!

Biggest objection is the 44,500 miles.

Jim
 
Dude, I know this forum is biased but I'd take the 4Runner over the GC any day of the week...

There are numerous converts from the Jeep camp and they all left for good reasons...
 
Just a thought. Many dealers are wanting to sell the last of the 05's now, so you may be able to get a good deal on a new one. I just bought a SR5 V8 with about $2000 worth of options(sunroof, side airbags, etc) for 28,000.
 
I found dealers ready to move at invoice on the sport I really wanted (Ti Silver V8). Plus there is a great money factor on V8's right now.

If I lease through Toyota is there any downsides I should knoother than the typical lease jargon???????????????

Dealer said Toyota leases are the hardest to get out of. So I will have the vehicle for 3years no matter what happens.

Going to pick it up tonight.

Jim
 
picked it up.....what an incredible car. I took it on same roads I take the corvette. Incredible handling!!!!

End up with new 05 V8 sport in silver. Just incredible. I love it.

Also, pulls my boat like a dream. Taking it on 500 mile tow trip tomorrow.


Thanks for help,
Jim
 
Ummm... You shouldn't really be towing until the vehicle is broken-in properly first...

I would personally wait until I hvae 500-1000 miles on it before doing any kind of towing.

Ricky



brick said:
picked it up.....what an incredible car. I took it on same roads I take the corvette. Incredible handling!!!!

End up with new 05 V8 sport in silver. Just incredible. I love it.

Also, pulls my boat like a dream. Taking it on 500 mile tow trip tomorrow.


Thanks for help,
Jim
Click to expand...
 
Congrats on the new ride. You definitely made the right choice in going new. At least you know that you were the one to break it in properly.
 
RickyCRX said:
Of which he's not.
Click to expand...

I didn't see the part where he said he was going to tow with it this weekend. I don't recommend that either. I even went easy on the gas until I had around 1,500 miles on it.
 
What part of "Also, pulls my boat like a dream. Taking it on 500 mile tow trip tomorrow" did you miss?? Sounds to me like he's going to tow something 500 miles the DAY AFTER he picked it up...

So, I guess you're right.... He's not towing with it this weekend, he's towing with it today.... :bash:

Ricky




Mark86 said:
I didn't see the part where he said he was going to tow with it this weekend. I don't recommend that either. I even went easy on the gas until I had around 1,500 miles on it.
Click to expand...
 
RickyCRX said:
What part of "Also, pulls my boat like a dream. Taking it on 500 mile tow trip tomorrow" did you miss?? Sounds to me like he's going to tow something 500 miles the DAY AFTER he picked it up...

So, I guess you're right.... He's not towing with it this weekend, he's towing with it today.... :bash:

Ricky
Click to expand...

I was just saying that I overlooked his post where he said he was towing a boat. I was referring to his post before that. I don't recommend it either.
 
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