Poor Man's Pre-Purchase Inspection

[vachss]

Going to look at an '04 Sport 4WD in a couple of days and would like to do a quickie pre-purchase inspection on my own. My routine in buying used cars is to crawl around underneath (and in the engine bay) looking for leaks, rust and evidence of accidents. Check obvious things when driving (odd noises, vibration, braking, steering). Make sure the various 4WD modes work OK.... and that's kinda it. I've already pulled the service records and they look OK.

Anything else special I should check for?

 

[ghs215]

Drive it to a auto-parts store and tell them to scan the vehicle for codes...ensure all the monitors have completed (if not, run)

Also ask them to test the electrical system and battery on the car, why not, takes 3 min

That should tell you allot

 

[TORCH]

check VIN numbers, run VH report and read thread about common stuff to look for.

 

[Sisente]

Firestone does a $25 inspection. They put it up on the lift, and check for leaks, etc. They will even let you take a look, and will point things out. I always use this, and even tell the seller. If they have something to hide, they try to convince you not to take it to someone. In my experience anyway.

 

[preacher35]

[MENTION=97292]vachss[/MENTION], you did not mention how many miles are on said '04 Runner. However, if it has over 90k, you need to have someone check the evaporator drain hose on the underside of the engine compartment, coming out of the firewall. 4th gen Runners are notorious for developing leaks in the A/C evaporator, thus causing the a/c to stop blowing cold air. The problem can be masked for up to six weeks with a freon charge, but the result will eventually be the same with your compressor no longer pumping due to low freon levels. The evaporator is located between the dash and the firewall and is very expensive and difficult to replace (between $1,100.00 to $1,400.00 just for labor!). Have your mechanic check said drain hose for any signs of freon. Hope that helps you out and good luck!