New Member from North Carolina

[Geary]

Hey guys,

Just joined, but I have been pouring over all the wonderful information available here for the past three months in preparation to buying my own 4Runner.

A little background:

Grew up here in North Carolina. Currently going to NC State University and majoring in Civil Engineering and going through the Army ROTC. The plan was to graduate this semester and get a new car, but was forced to lower the amount of credit hours I was taking a semester since Civil Engineering and ROTC was already tough to begin with so I have one more semester left (graduating in December).

Although I haven't graduated yet, I still need to get my own vehicle. I was using the family's old SUV (Jeep Cherokee Sport '99) while going to college. My sister just got her license, so I gotta give it up this summer. I have decided to get a 4th gen 4Runner wanting to stick with a solid SUV with off road capabilities and still look cool.

Currently:

I am looking around for a used 2006 to 2009 4Runner. Obviously, I am looking for one with 4WD. V6 or V8. under 75k miles.

I currently have two Sport Editions lined up to test drive this Thursday. Both are 2006 with a little over 60k miles with clean Carfaxes.

My first question for y'all, is it OK to ask for advice when buying a 4Runner? I read the forum rules and it seems OK, but I can't find a lot of threads on the subject.

My dad is helping me out by coming along as a second opinion, but he always buys new cars so he does not have experience when it comes to used cars. And I haven't bought a car period.

If I can get some help, do I just add to this post or should I make a new thread in the 4th gen section since that is what I am looking for?

Thanks Guys and I am diffidently looking forward to all the mods and fun I will have with whatever 4Runner I get.

Geary

 

[abenaway]

My best advice would be finish ROTC, youll come into the army as a 2lt, make more then me E6/ SSG whose been in for 7 years with 3 deployments. Wait 2 years the army will promote you automactically you will then make more than me x2 and do 1/4 of the work then go buy whatever you want.

 

[Geary]

Thanks Abenaway for the advice and thank you for your service.

I was hoping I would be comissioned this summer, but like I said I couldn't handle the credit hours I started out with. Either way, I was going to have to take out a loan for a car since I will not be able to keep my Dad's Jeep after college.

I am going to check out the two 4Runners tomorrow. I have the print offs from kelly blue book for both the private owner and certified. I also have an extensive checklist to go through. Most of it is generic stuff I pulled off of google searches on how to inspect used cars, but I also added some stuff I learned from here like making sure the 4Runner switches to 4Lo and center diff lock easily. Also a print off from toyota's parts and services website with all the recommended maintenance to check with what service records are available.

I only have a couple of questions:

I have a local toyota dealer lined up to do the pre purchase inspection for the private owned 4Runner for $79.95. Since the other one is certified, I was debating wether to have it inspected or not. Since it is the dealer itself, I am not going to ask them to inspect it obviously, but I don't live in that area and don't know any of the local mechanics. So what options do I have to get the certified one inspected if need be?

My other question is the two 4Runners are an hour and a half apart so I can't go back and forth easily so how do I negotiate with both...over the phone with one and face to face with the other?

Thanks,
Geary

 

[4runner_kid]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[K.C.]

Welcome to T4R.ORG!!