Buying a Pre-Owned 2010, need advice

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PolkManiac

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I have not fully decided if I want to go pre-owned or new yet, price and features will factor into that more. But, if I do decide on a pre-owned, I'd like any advice you guys may have.

What are some common issues I should look or listen for? I've read about the transmission issue and the related TSB for that, so I'll ask about that. What else?

Are there any services that I should ask them to do before I buy it? I've seen someone mention reprogramming the ECU, or resetting it, should I have them do that? Anything else I should have them do?

I'm not going up there until Saturday morning, so I have a couple days to get advice from you guys.

TIA for any help
 
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Is there really a decent selection of pre-owned 2010 models out there? I'm sure they are some, but I haven't seen any in my area (not that I'm looking!).
 
Anything with computer updates, I wouldn't worry about. That can easily be done while having the oil changed.

Check the undercarriage. Make sure it hasn't been abused off-road as a demo. Look for missing paint, mud, belly pan dents etc.

After that, the usual. Does the interior stink (smoke), scratched paint, scuffs etc.

Any unseen mechanical problems will be taken care of with the warranty.

Anything for sale used this soon will most certainly be demo's, ie. driven by people who have neither paid for or give a crap about the vehicle. So watch out.
 
I'm forever the skeptic. On a vehicle this new, I'd HAVE to know why it was available for sale so soon. I'm suspicious of this good a vehicle coming up for sale so soon.

I'd insist on proof of where it came from, off-lease, demo, whatever. If traded, I'd want to talk to the prior owner.

Check the tires. On a boating forum I'm on, a guy bought a late model Armada "demo", and came to find out that three tires had a total of 5 plugs, and they were not the OEM tires or wheels.

Assume it's still under factory warranty?
 
Obviously price is the driving force here. No idea what pricing is like in the "7th Circle of Hell" area, but I got a little over $3K off msrp on my new one in April.
 
PolkManiac said:
I have not fully decided if I want to go pre-owned or new yet, price and features will factor into that more. But, if I do decide on a pre-owned, I'd like any advice you guys may have.

What are some common issues I should look or listen for? I've read about the transmission issue and the related TSB for that, so I'll ask about that. What else?

Are there any services that I should ask them to do before I buy it? I've seen someone mention reprogramming the ECU, or resetting it, should I have them do that? Anything else I should have them do?

I'm not going up there until Saturday morning, so I have a couple days to get advice from you guys.

TIA for any help
Click to expand...

In my area, I have seen some private party used and demos with roughly 10K miles selling for about $3k under invoice compared to a new 4R. The demos may have been beat up by testers, maybe not. Most people who test tend to drive the car softly. The real issue is the staff because they abuse them like no other. A private party will likely be your best bet but take the advice from others about making sure it has never seen any off-road time. There are many legit reasons that a private party wants to sell, including: moving, money or they simply hate it.

Personally, I would buy new since 4Rs are going for 700 below invoice here. Good luck.
 
PolkManiac said:
I'm in the Dallas, Tx area - is there an easy way to see what they're generally selling for new around here?
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Call half a dozen dealers, request the internet dept, and ask, "I am ready to buy, how far under invoice can you go?" Don't ask, "what is your pricing?", because you will rarely get their best price. Cut to the chase and ask for how far below invoice they can go. Prices can vary greatly between dealers.
 
I'd also check AutoTrader.com

They are pretty good about listing what's available around you without having to call the dealers. It won't help with Invoice (Kelly Blue Book, maybe?), but it helps to get a quick answer to what's around.
 
PolkManiac said:
Will the dealer show me the invoice price, or do I need to find that elsewhere?
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They can email you an invoice, mine did. You don't even have to call them, really. You can negotiate via email like I did, or just send the same email to several dealers. Tell them what you want as far as options, etc. and that you are contacting other dealers in the area.

How you go about it is up to you, but I'd try to play them off each other until you get a price you are happy with. Just don't expect the impossible, you won't get a loaded LE for $29k. The internet makes it a less contentious process but your are still dealing with salespeople.
 
One more thing... watch out for the finance person. This is where buyers relax because the dealing is done, or so they think. The finanace person will bend you over if you agree to anything they try to sell you, gap insurance, ext warranty, window etching, etc. Even if a product is worthwhile, you can get it cheaper by 40-70% from another source.
 
How is the radio in the base model? I have a Scion Hu in my 2004, I'm assuming that the base radio will be a downgrade from that...
 
PolkManiac said:
How is the radio in the base model? I have a Scion Hu in my 2004, I'm assuming that the base radio will be a downgrade from that...
Click to expand...

Audio performance is very personal. You have to go see yourself. Regardless, people are upgrading their audio fairly easily on the 4R. If you are particular about audio, no stock system will be satisfactory. This should be the least of your criteria when it comes to the 4R.
 
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