Potential first time owner, need some advice

[MapleRnnr]

Hi all, I'm a potential first time owner from Denver and was hoping to get some buying advice from the more experienced members here. Let me know if this isn't the right section to post this, but I had posted this in the new members section and wanted some help narrowing my search with the following criteria:

Budget: ideally less than $32k
Trims: SR5 Premium and Trail Premium/Off-road Premium (depending on the year)
Years: 2014-2018
Mileage: not a big sticking point, but under 100k is a bonus

I'll break down the (potential) typical usage into percentages based on what I currently do:
70%: daily driving
25%: ski trips, fire roads to trailheads, vehicle camping, washboard roads
5%: moab trails like poison spider mesa and top of the world (once or twice a year)

Mods: Based on the above, I'd like to have a nicer suspension but I don't think my typical use warrants any big budget setups (icon, king, etc). That plus sliders, maybe a front winch bumper, and better tires are about all I'm looking to do.

Hopefully this isn't too unrealistic. I know it's easy to have big dreams about modding and trails and everything but I want to keep it simple, at least at first . With all that being said, I like the sunroof and heated seats available on the Premium trims, and the security of a factory rear locker on the Trail/Off-Road definitely appeals to me. I'm hit or miss on crawl control and MTS.

I can also show people a few of the listings I've been browsing if that helps, but again I want to make sure that's not against the rules.

Ranking my color preference too:

1. Barcelona red
2. Nautical blue
3. Magnetic gray
4. Midnight black
5. Super white
6. Classic silver

Thanks in advance!

 

[KingTaco]

Sounds like you already have it narrowed down more than most. I think either a SR5P or TEP will give you what you're looking for. You can get your suspension dialed in with springs and shocks without breaking the bank. Considering a non-premium TE/OR might broaden your market, but if those are features you really want, I get it. I was all ready to buy a SR5P and ended up with a 16 Trail when I saw how much headroom the sunroof stole. I'm very happy with it (and I believe the cloth seats in the TE are nicer then the SR5). Factory rear locker is a nice comfort, and I prefer the dash trim in the TE. I haven't seen many TE or TEP in Barcelona Red, though. Good luck!

 

[MapleRnnr]

I agree about the dash trim. The black looks much better imo. Are there any issues with the sunroof leaking? I can deal with less headroom despite being a bit taller (6'2") but my first car had a leaky sunroof and it was very frustrating.

I've mostly got it narrowed down to these three:

1. 2014 TEP in red with 109k miles for $24.9k, has hefty sliders
2. 2015 TEP in red with 93.5k miles for $27k, TRD wheels but with hail damage
3. 2014 TEP in classic silver with 68k miles for $29.5k, has kdss and sliding cargo tray

#3 has the best potential as a blank slate with the lowest miles but it's also the most expensive and not in my favorite color. #1 has the best price and I'm sure that 109k miles is nothing for the 5th gen but Im not sure. And #2 has the hail damage so that's not as desirable.

 

[sn_85]

Honestly I'd get this one and call it a day
FS: 2013 Trail Edition - Magnuson Supercharger Icon Gobi (Austin, TX)

 

[KingTaco]

No, I haven't ever heard of anyone having issues with their sunroof. I'm about 6'-6" and sit pretty upright, so the headroom was unfortunately a deal breaker for me. If I had to choose, I'd probably go with #1 myself. Reasons being:
1. You said it's your first choice in color
2. Leaves you with the best mod budget since it's lowest cost and already has sliders
3. It's not silver (personal preference)
4. I don't see much difference between 93k and 109k
5. Hail damage can be quite pricey to repair, should you ever get tired of looking at it
6. Myself, I don't see KDSS as that much of an advantage. It's just something else to break is the way I look at it (there have been just a few people who've had KDSS issues/leaking, and I recall it being pretty expensive to repair)

Smarter folks may disagree; that's just the way I look at it. Plus if something changes unexpectedly and you end up needing to sell, it will be much easier to sell one without hail damage, and much easier to recoup your put base price when you start out with the smallest original investment.

EDIT: Forget all that an buy the one [MENTION=103801]sn_85[/MENTION] provided the link to. Even if you don't like the pre-facelift front end, you can always replace it with the new trim.

 

[yotantexas]

That 2013 is very nicely done. The supercharger would be very welcome at altitude, I PROMISE.
I would strongly consider that if I was shopping for a used 4Runner.

 

[flyrv9]

I wish we didn't have a sunroof. We never use it and it takes up headroom. I have to tilt the seat back to avoid brushing it at 6'3". And then there is possible hail damage. Living in tornado alley - we have been lucky so far!

 

[sn_85]

EDIT: Forget all that an buy the one [MENTION=103801]sn_85[/MENTION] provided the link to. Even if you don't like the pre-facelift front end, you can always replace it with the new trim.

That 2013 is very nicely done. The supercharger would be very welcome at altitude, I PROMISE.
I would strongly consider that if I was shopping for a used 4Runner.

Honestly if I didn't already have a built up 4R and was in the market for a used one that would be the one I'd get. It's tastefully done, it's a pre-face lift Trail, mag grey looks really good on the 10-13 trails and to top it off it has the Maggy installed. That thing is a nicely built up rig.

 

[MapleRnnr]

That is superb looking, and very clean overall. Not sure I'm sold entirely on the pre-face lift years, and plus in my mind half the fun is the DIY aspect of modifying a vehicle.
[MENTION=137810]KingTaco[/MENTION] you have a great point about the lower initial cost helping save money for future goodies. I'm leaning towards #1 right now too and it can probably be haggled down since it's a smaller dealer.

My one (tenuous) sticking point is the mileage. Coming from the Nissan realm, anything over 100k is just counting out the clock and that mindset has rooted itself pretty deep. But from what I've heard/read/researched, 109k miles is practically nothing on a T4R and it has a lot of life left in it. It's a carfax one-owner who's been in Washington State, Iowa, Vermont, and Maine. I don't think this would lead to any rust issues but I haven't yet gone to see it in person.

Are my concerns warranted, or do I have nothing to worry about and this is a good choice for a first T4R?

 

[KingTaco]

Are my concerns warranted, or do I have nothing to worry about and this is a good choice for a first T4R?

I'd always pay for a 3rd party to inspect it and make sure there aren't surprises but no, 100k is no big deal unless they've never changed any oils and they liked to do parking lot donuts while in 4lo. The diff oils should've been changed at least once by now. I'd try and find out if there's record of that being done. The fluid isn't cheap; I'd try to get them to change it all if it has never been documented. My 2016 is going to hit 50k any day now, and I don't feel like I've even started to break it in yet.

Seriously though, that guy with the 2013 must have $20k in extras. Just the supercharger is $6k+ There's a thread around here that gives step by step instructions and part numbers for swapping out the front fascia. That truck is tidy AF. He did a good job.

 

[wcjeep]

Test drive the various suspensions. We wanted kdss. Others prefer without. I wanted a manual transfer case. That meant Trail/off-road or early Sr5.

Having no sunroof is a bonus for us.

Good luck.