Newbie needs your advice

N

NepDude

New member
Hi guys,

I have been reading stuff in your forum regularly the last few weeks. I think this is the most informed message board I have seen on the internet.

I am looking into buying an used V6 4Runner SE. I have found one from 03 for which the owner is asking for $20K. It has 38K miles in it and is scheduled for the 30K maintenance this weekend.

I checked kbb for its private party sale value, which is right around what is being asked - just a few hundred dollars more.

My question is are 2003 4Runners selling for their book value, less or more? I want to give him a fair offer and get a fair deal myself. I am thinking about offering him around 18K with the willingness to go 1K more. Would that be fair or would I be paying too much?

The 4Runner is stock except for fog lights and running boards.

After scouring for potential problems with the 2003, I have found the issues being manual seat rattle and rotten egg smell when driving with rear windows down. Are you aware of any other major problems that i might have missed for this model year?
 
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NepDude said:
Hi guys,

I have been reading stuff in your forum regularly the last few weeks. I think this is the most informed message board I have seen on the internet.

I am looking into buying an used V6 4Runner SE. I have found one from 03 for which the owner is asking for $20K. It has 38K miles in it and is scheduled for the 30K maintenance this weekend.

I checked kbb for its private party sale value, which is right around what is being asked - just a few hundred dollars more.

My question is are 2003 4Runners selling for their book value, less or more? I want to give him a fair offer and get a fair deal myself. I am thinking about offering him around 18K with the willingness to go 1K more. Would that be fair or would I be paying too much?

The 4Runner is stock except for fog lights and running boards.

After scouring for potential problems with the 2003, I have found the issues being manual seat rattle and rotten egg smell when driving with rear windows down. Are you aware of any other major problems that i might have missed for this model year?
Click to expand...

Call the dealer and have them run the VIN # to see if the fuel rail has been replaced. It most likely has. I have an 03 and currently have 38k miles and have had no problems at all, I love it! I bought it a year ago and paid 21k. When I bought it it had 28k miles. Same set up as yours V6. Good luck!
 
You should also run a Carfax report just to make sure it hasn't been wrecked. If the seller is the original owner, ask for the maintneance records, too. Since it has 38K miles and he's just now doing the 30K service, I'd inspect the records carefully to see if anything else was overlooked.

Overall, I'm very happy with my 2003 model.
 
Thanks Sharp,

Thanks for letting me know about the recall. I will verify with the dealership before I purchase to make sure that the fuel line was replaced.
 
Hi 01silverSR5,

It seems like you now have as many miles on your 4R as the one I am about to buy does. If you got it for 21K when it had 28K on it, I should be able to get it for a bit lower than the current asking. I appreciate your post. And yes, I will run the vin with the dealer to make sure about the fuel rail.
 
Hi jharris2,

I will call the dealership to find out if the previous maintenances were done on time.

Also, if the 30K maintenance has not been done and it has 38K on it, is it a risky buy? Or is there no risk?
 
Welcome to the site! Fog lights and the running boards are standard on all 4th gen 4Runners.


Koz
 
jharris2 said:
You should also run a Carfax report just to make sure it hasn't been wrecked. If the seller is the original owner, ask for the maintneance records, too. Since it has 38K miles and he's just now doing the 30K service, I'd inspect the records carefully to see if anything else was overlooked.

Overall, I'm very happy with my 2003 model.
Click to expand...
Carfax is almost completely worthless...

My 95 truck has had body work done to it twice at Toyota dealers for fender benders, and currently has 205k on the clock on its third engine.

Carfax shows it as a low milage, 1 owner vehicle that's never been in a wreck.

Of course its still worth a check to Carfax just in case something shows up, but something not showing up is meaningless.
 
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