buying used 4runner, is a tow hitch a bad sign?

[steezemcqueen]

oh ya. Fun story when we pulled the engine apart to rebuild it, it looked like everything was brand new. The piston rings were almost perfect, almost every internal component was in perfect shape. Toyota really does know how to build an awesome engine. Its to bad the U.S. car manufactures dont even try to do the same.

yeah.
i had to replace a valve on mine and at 220k, it still looked almost new

 

[K2Runner]

Also what i found when i was looking for a vehicle is that some used car dealers like to spray the hitch black so it doesn't look like it's been used. Just look underneath the vehicle and pay attention to were theres rust and were there isn't rust!

 

[h2gofast]

Also what i found when i was looking for a vehicle is that some used car dealers like to spray the hitch black so it doesn't look like it's been used. Just look underneath the vehicle and pay attention to were theres rust and were there isn't rust!

yeah, this is true, I've seen two painted hitches already where the paint wasn't more than a week old.

I'm beginning to give up on trying the car lots for a used 4runner. It looks like it's going to have to be a private seller.