2006 T4R v8 Sport....is this a good deal?

[runfun]

2006 T4R Sport V8 4WD Black...$22,500 good price?

Hi Everyone,
First time poster here. Lots of great information. Here's my deal...I currently drive a 2006 Honda Odyssey Touring minivan. Bored with it and want another 4runner. Husband drives our 98 T4R Brown v6 Limited and I actually prefer that car over the minivan. Have one kid and a 70lb dog and will be driving to baja sur over the next decade several times as we are building a casita there. 4Runner is perfect for this. Also I only drive around town here so gas mileage isn't huge issue but safety and off-roading is key.

Test drove a private party sale vehicle today.I loved the way it drove. It is a 2006 T4R Black Sport v8 4WD with 17.5k miles. Has moonroof, and key for me rear side curtains for the 4 year old sitting in the back, also has a spoiler with rear light on top middle, Seller asking 25,500...before test drive said she would not go any lower then 24,500. This is San Francisco Bay Area so not sure if this is a fair price or not. Originally wanted a v6 but after reading this forum and seeing how nice the v8 drove I'm all for the v8 now.

They smoked so the car smelled like a smokers car (i am not a smoker and did not like the smell) but it was in excellent condition other than a pretty good scratch that they painted over on the right rear fender. Very clean other than the smoke smell.

My question is has anyone successfully rid their car of a smoke smell (cloth seats)...it isn't horrible, just noticeable?
If there is a good way to rid a vehicle of the smoke smell I would be very interested in buying this car. I think 24,500 is too much given smoke smell and some tiny rock dings in the hood scoop thingy and the decent side scratches on rear fender. Seller seemed very motivated and said only 2 people looked at it in 1 month of advertising it.

Any suggestions on what the lowest price I should offer is?

One other question; i will sell my minivan via private party as well...comfortable with that process and been successful in the past getting top dollar. But would it make better sense to do a trade-in to avoid the sales tax issue? although I heard in CA that doesn't really apply. BTW seller is willing to work with me on sales tax issue if you know what I mean.

Thanks so much for anyone's opinions, suggestions etc. Much appreciated in advance.

runfun

 

[Hayn4R]

Hey runfun,

The 4R sounds good. I wanted to trade my v6 in for a v8 but gas is just ridiculous. I am not sure if that is a good price but try and bargain it down. Go for it though because it is fun to drive.


Good Luck,
Hayn4R
2005 Sport 4x4 v6

 

[josh220]

I would go lower. Seems a bit high for a private seller. As for the smell, you can always get all of the carpet/upholstery cleaned with a steamer. Using a spray that eliminates odor might help if it's not too deep.

Dealerships deal with trade-ins from people who smoke, so they can get it out for you. I'm not sure if that would fall under the interior detail package, which runs around $100 I believe. It may be a bit more extensive depending how bad the smell is.

 

[runfun]

2006 T4R Sport V8 4WD Black...$22,500 good price?

2006 T4R Sport V8 4WD Black with 17.5k miles...$22,000 good price? So basically I have come to the conclusion this is the most I will pay for this vehicle and am considering making her this offer today. Is this in ballpark or could I go even lower? Seller faxed me the MSRP Invoice and retail including all options was $36k+.
thanks
runfun

edit: thanks to those who have replied so far.

 

[MLB]

Re: 2006 T4R Sport V8 4WD Black...$22,500 good price?

2006 T4R Sport V8 4WD Black with 17.5k miles...$22,000 good price? So basically I have come to the conclusion this is the most I will pay for this vehicle and am considering making her this offer today. Is this in ballpark or could I go even lower? Seller faxed me the MSRP Invoice and retail including all options was $36k+.
thanks
runfun

edit: thanks to those who have replied so far.

22k would be a fine price IMO. But paint repair is VERY expensive.

 

[runfun]

mlb...thanks for the negotiating tip; paint repair being expensive....didn't think of that one.
runfun

 

[veloindy]

A quick search around the Denver area listings, and that price seems fair. They will go lower though, especially as gas prices continue to climb. Have you checked Toyota for rebates on a new V8 truck?

I personally would stay away from a car that was skoked in. You can clean the seats, and carpet, but not the headliner.

 

[runfun]

A quick search around the Denver area listings, and that price seems fair. They will go lower though, especially as gas prices continue to climb. Have you checked Toyota for rebates on a new V8 truck?

I personally would stay away from a car that was skoked in. You can clean the seats, and carpet, but not the headliner.

what is a headliner?

i was thinking maybe it might be best just to trade in my odyssey for a newer model 4runner. i just hate dealing with stealers. first i have to haggle on price of my car then i have to haggle on price of new car, then i have to figure out all rebates and factory incentives....but now that i'm thinking about it maybe that makes sense. hubby won't net the 5k he was hoping out of the vehicle switch but i'd get a newer car. just hate the depreciation that happens when driving off the lot.

 

[veloindy]

what is a headliner?

i was thinking maybe it might be best just to trade in my odyssey for a newer model 4runner. i just hate dealing with stealers. first i have to haggle on price of my car then i have to haggle on price of new car, then i have to figure out all rebates and factory incentives....but now that i'm thinking about it maybe that makes sense. hubby won't net the 5k he was hoping out of the vehicle switch but i'd get a newer car. just hate the depreciation that happens when driving off the lot.

The headliner is the cloth liner on the roof, around the sunroof, etc...

Try to find a new car auto broker in your area, like this place:

http://www.drivelineac.com/

I used one for the purchase of mine. It was completely painless, and they saved me over 2k from the Toyota lots. They will send your Honda out spec's out to multilple buyers, and take the highest bid. I would bet the resale is HOT on your car. To bad you're not in Denver, my friend wants to trade his 4Runner for the Odyssey.

 

[Hayn4R]

I cant stand the depreciation either.

So to combat that, you need to be patient.

Where I live, there is a used Toyota dealer that I stalked for a good month to get what I wanted.

I bought my 4R used with less than 5K miles on it, to me it was brand spanking new. I heard an old man bought it for his wife, and she didn't like it (can you believe!!).

The dealer price for a new 4R at the time was close to $32K, the used sticker price was $27K, I walked away with the 4R for $27K.

I bought a 2005 4R around Thanksgiving 2005. So I bought a used car the same year it came out, you just have to wait until the end part of the year.

I would never buy a new car ever, just because of that $3-4K depreciation...to me it is not worth it....I can put sounds or accessories for that price.

If you have the time, you should wait until a 4R comes along that you absolutely love.

Good Luck Again!!

Hayn4R
Pimp'n 2005 Sport v6 4x4 Silver

 

[runfun]

Yes all good points. I think I will be patient. Problem is more patient I am the more my Odyssey Touring depreciates as well. But me thinks I can get a T4R newer model year hardly used like you. I don't want to wait until end of the year though. Thanks.

 

[runfun]

The headliner is the cloth liner on the roof, around the sunroof, etc...

Try to find a new car auto broker in your area, like this place:

http://www.drivelineac.com/

I used one for the purchase of mine. It was completely painless, and they saved me over 2k from the Toyota lots. They will send your Honda out spec's out to multilple buyers, and take the highest bid. I would bet the resale is HOT on your car. To bad you're not in Denver, my friend wants to trade his 4Runner for the Odyssey.

Thanks veloindy. Just for kicks what type of 4runner does your friend have? Yes I realize my car can command top $ at this point. Want to maximize that but also maximize low cost of a newish 4runner. Just not sure how best to go about it without spending hours of time haggling. I will take a look at that link. thanks!

 

[veloindy]

Thanks veloindy. Just for kicks what type of 4runner does your friend have? Yes I realize my car can command top $ at this point. Want to maximize that but also maximize low cost of a newish 4runner. Just not sure how best to go about it without spending hours of time haggling. I will take a look at that link. thanks!

He has a low mileage 05, Sport, V8. His wife drives the kids around the burbs in it. She's tired of the rear doors, and wants the mini-van.

Can't hurt to call the broker, he should quote a low price over the phone. They can usually find good used cars too. I'd say worth a call.

 

[OdinWiski]

I bought mine a month ago from a private party for $24,500. I bought it to replace my '05 Frontier Crew Cab, which I bought from stealer new, because I have two working dogs and need to be able to put two crates in the vehicle. It's the same as the one you're considering - an '06 Sport V8 4WD black. It had 15k on it and was in great condition - non-smoker, very clean inside out, no scratches or paint repair and in top mechanical condition! The only thing was the tires apparently weren't properly/timely rotated and the front ones had more wear. But I was going to change them out to 265/70/17 other brand anyways even if I don't do any lift and hence be able to size up even more to 285.

I had looked around all over in the Phoenix area, dealer or private, for a few weeks. And I found that from the dealers I could get a V6 2WD with comparable mileage out of the door at that price. Anything else if 4WD out of the door price would be a bit more. Remember, you'll have to pay taxes if you buy from a dealer, which depending on where you are, will set you back another $2,000 or so. Factory warranty carries over regardless of whether you purchase from private party or dealer. And if you're getting a loan yourself instead of relying on the dealer to finance you, it really doesn't matter who you purchase the vehicle from. I honestly don't see any advantage in purchasing a used vehicle from a dealer - they very rarely can beat private seller's price, if at all. So think about what extra could a dealer offer you in this case???? Maybe none?

I wouldn't say I had an exceptional deal, but given what was and is available around here and the condition of the truck, it wasn't a bad deal. Maybe you could use the smoke smell and paint repair cost as your bargaining chips and knock the price off a bit more

Like everyone else said, you will enjoy the truck if you do get one. I'm loving it even though I'm still sort of adjusting to driving an automatic now Let me put it this way: I liked it so much that I finally bent my rule of not ever buying an automatic! IF ONLY they'd ever put a standard 6spd manual back in the 4Runner, it'd have much better power delivery, give you a lot more control, and be a PERFECT vehicle. But of course, we all know that's not going to ever happen - not in the US lazy of A, unlike what they have in the Prado in other countries

 

[zeppelin]

Don't know how to answer your other questions, but this is almost the same car I have and I love it.

 

[Hayn4R]

In response to OdinWiski,

the advantages of buying used from a certified used toyota stealer is obviously 1) the $4K less you pay for a practically brand new vehicle and 2) the critical mass factor. This refers to the amount of options at your finger tips. Usually the stealer I stalk has many different used models of 4R's, Tundras, Tacomas, FJ's...etc. Being able to match up different models, different options with certain price ranges allows you to make better informed descisions.

So if you do have a certified used Toyota dealer near you, you should check them out.

Hayn4R
Pimp'n 2005 Sport v6 4x4 Silver

 

[josh220]

I just saw an 06 in the paper today with about the same specs as you specified, and it was going for about $16K.

 

[veloindy]

I just saw an 06 in the paper today with about the same specs as you specified, and it was going for about $16K.

Something is wrong with it. That's WAAAY below book value.

 

[OdinWiski]

In response to OdinWiski,

the advantages of buying used from a certified used toyota stealer is obviously 1) the $4K less you pay for a practically brand new vehicle and 2) the critical mass factor. This refers to the amount of options at your finger tips. Usually the stealer I stalk has many different used models of 4R's, Tundras, Tacomas, FJ's...etc. Being able to match up different models, different options with certain price ranges allows you to make better informed descisions.

So if you do have a certified used Toyota dealer near you, you should check them out.

Hayn4R
Pimp'n 2005 Sport v6 4x4 Silver

I suppose you have the advantage of having a few vehicles lined up at one place at the stealer. But then again, do some work with private sellers, it's just a bit of more research and planning. And when I buy a vehicle, I usually know what i want exactly in terms of model, year range, and trim. I'm setting out to look for a 4Runner and I don't really care whether they have FJ's, Tocoma's and Tundra's on the lot for me to decide on. As far as "certified", if I were to buy a used toyota with 15k on it, I wouldn't worry about it being "certified" or not. It is highly unlikely that such relatively new toyotas would have any issues. Most used toyota's at the toyota stealers are certified, which to me does nothing except bumping up the price tag if I'm considering a vehicle with this low of a mileage. Of course, if you're comparing purchasing a certified used to purchasing a new vehicle - yes, it does save you money. In fact, depending on the value of the vehicle, once you drive it off of the lot brand new, it could depreciate $4-5k right away. But as far as buying a certified used from stealer vs. buying a used with comparable low mileage and conditions from a private seller (most likely at a lower price), it's a no-brainer to me. And fortunately I'm fairly mechanically inclined and know what to look for when getting a used vehicle But to each of his/her own, I was just offering my 2 cents on why I would opt for private seller instead of stealer in these particular situations.

And that $16k someone just mentioned is out of this world! something is not right about that...lol

 

[josh220]

Something is wrong with it. That's WAAAY below book value.

It was from a dealership, so there's not a whole lot of room for BS.