Buying Tips?

[nikolasz]

Hey all,

I'm in the market for a 3rd Gen. Its my dream ride. I've studied up on the 3rd Gen Buyer's Guide, but I'm not very knowledgeable about cars so I have a couple questions...

My budget is roughly 6k, but I'd like to stay around 5k. So I'm mostly looking at '96-00s with >120k miles. I'm trying to put together a standard list of questions for sellers:

So as I see it the big ones are:

1. Timing belt replaced around 90k
2. Radiator replaced at some point
3. Lower Ball Joint recall in 2005/replacement
4. Regular maintenance/oil change etc
5. New-ish tires (tires seem really expensive)

And when I am inspecting the car:
4. Visually inspect for rust
5. Evaluate transmission function while driving/breaking function while driving
6. Check oil level/smell/color

Am I missing something? Are there other questions I should ask or things I should look out for when I'm checking out 4Runners. I have my heart set on a 3rd Gen but I just can't afford to have any big items come up and my (current) DIY skills are null.

Thanks in advance!

nik

 

[farmerjon]

Look under the truck for signs of leaks of oil or other fluids, make sure the axles aren't leaking oil.

 

[thebrandon]

This is worth reading if you haven't checked it out already.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html

 

[TOPSECRETTUNDRA]

Ask to see the vehicle history report but don't rely on it because sometimes accidents are not reflected on the report. Also check with Toyota to see what service has been done. That alone can show a history of problems.