Advice on price for an 03 SR5 V8

[JTS197]

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a used 4th gen 4Runner. I am planning to test drive a 2003 SR5 V8 4x4 today. It has 109k on it and from what I can tell, it does not look like the timing belt/water pump was ever replaced. It looks like basic maintenance was done (oil, brakes, rotation, etc.

The dealer is asking $10k for it and KBB has trade-in value at about $7500.

What do you guys think would be reasonable to offer for this 4Runner?

Thanks,

John

 

[Dylan]

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a used 4th gen 4Runner. I am planning to test drive a 2003 SR5 V8 4x4 today. It has 109k on it and from what I can tell, it does not look like the timing belt/water pump was ever replaced. It looks like basic maintenance was done (oil, brakes, rotation, etc.

The dealer is asking $10k for it and KBB has trade-in value at about $7500.

What do you guys think would be reasonable to offer for this 4Runner?

Thanks,

John

Sounds like a decent price for them to offer, but you could go lower. I bought my '04 SR5 V8 a year ago for $10,500....after they dropped down from $14,500. Mine didn't have the t-belt done, and it had more miles than yours...142k. My runner was very clean when I bought it though.

 

[cpark_12]

If the truck is clean, tires are good, it locks into 4lo, and everything electronics wise works, I'd say $9K and they change the timing belt and water pump!

 

[Sungod]

I recently sold my 03 v8 4x4 SR5 with 140K for $7500 selling it myself. They were offering around $6k trade in pretty much everywhere I went, and mine was spotless and impeccably maintained. 10k sounds a little high. I agree with $9k and they change the timing belt and water pump.

That is as long as it has the color matched body panels. If it is the unpainted body panels like cpark has in his picture, I would drop the offer to $8k.

 

[JTS197]

I recently sold my 03 v8 4x4 SR5 with 140K for $7500 selling it myself. They were offering around $6k trade in pretty much everywhere I went, and mine was spotless and impeccably maintained. 10k sounds a little high. I agree with $9k and they change the timing belt and water pump.

That is as long as it has the color matched body panels. If it is the unpainted body panels like cpark has in his picture, I would drop the offer to $8k.

Yeah, this one has the cladding on it. I was also looking at possibly doing the timing belt and water pump myself if I could save $$$ from the purchase price.

 

[Sungod]

Yeah, this one has the cladding on it. I was also looking at possibly doing the timing belt and water pump myself if I could save $$$ from the purchase price.

Chances are you would be better off with negotiating the belt and pump into the deal. Realistically their cost on the service would be about what it would cost you in parts. Plus you don't have the hassle of working on a car that you just bought. It looks better on paper for them to sell it a higher price even if they have to put some work into it.

The cladding should be a strong negotiating point. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but it has very limited appeal. There was a reason that Toyota did something I have never seen any auto manufacturer do and that is change a model that drastically in the middle of a production year. The cladding was only around for about 6 months before it completely disappeared. You couldn't even special order it. This is something that you need to keep in mind when you buy it. You will have a very hard time selling it compared to ones with painted cladding unless you lower the price. The only way you can justify selling it later at a lower price is if you get it at a lower price now.

Car buying needs to be done with a business approach and keep your emotions out of it. There are plenty of cars out there. There is no need to settle for something that isn't perfect financially for you.

 

[ben550]

If KBB is $7500, the dealer probably paid 5k for it... I would not go anywhere near $10,500 for it. Offer $7500. Its 11 years old with over 100k miles... Walk out if they dont take $9,000 or less.

I was curious and just looking around. Found a nice 08 4runner I was interested in. So I had them appraise my 2004 and see what they would offer in a trade... The dealer offered $4,000 less than KBB suggested... I walked.

 

[Hapeacres]

I bought an 04 V8 with 147K off a used car lot for 7500 almost two years ago. They wanted 9,000 but the check engine light came on and the timing belt was never done. Since they did not want to deal with any of that they just lowered the agreed upon price to 7500. I had the catalytic converter heated up and blown out to get rid of the check engine light (no charge) and paid about 800 for timing belt and a bunch of other stuff right off the bat. So I would say to offer 8,000 and maybe accept up to 8,500. I think thats a good offer and if they dont want to make money off of that, keep looking.

 

[JTS197]

Well, I checked out the 03 and it was in pretty rough shape:

3 different brand tires (one flat)
headliner torn
seats torn up
dealer was not sure about the timing belt (he said it would run them about $800 to do if they needed to)
hood look like someone took some 400 grit sandpaper and went to town
cladding was falling off in some areas

Needless to say, I passed on it. I could not even test drive because it had not passed inspection yet. I know it is 11 years old and should not expect it being perfect but man asking $10k for it? Then I noticed in Autotrader today, they bumped it up another $500??? :twitch:

So I looked at two other 4Runners and need some input at which might be the better buy:

2008 SR5 V6 - 106k. The interior looks brand new, and all service seems to have been done. No roof rack. Asking $16k

2005 Limited V8 - 138k. Not as clean as the 2008 overall but maintenance has been kept up on it (timing belt changed at 95k), Nav., leather is a little worn out. Asking $13k.

I drove both of them and I know I can be happy with either one but am I getting anything more, reliability wise, for $3k more by going with the 08?

Thanks,

John