Potentially buying my first car ever today. A used 4th Gen 4Runner. Help?!

[Paisano]

Thank you. I also plan to bring up that I want a PPI (assuming everything else passes the eye test).

Does the owner usually bring it to the mechanic or does the potential buyer? I've identified a solid one right near his home.

I think you would be the one to take it to the mechanic as the potential buyer.

Maybe somebody else can give you more info about that, I've never actually done it myself (like I mentioned before, plenty of people, myself included, have been burned buying used).

 

[TrdLtly]

Remember that Carfax and all the other VIN history reporting companies only report what has been claimed or reported. If something happened to a vehicle in my garage and I had my cousin do all the repairs.... it never gets reported. DO NOT RELY on the reports. As others have said: Something fishy. Walk away. Let it be someone else's problem. Also note that most titles have to report whether the odometer has been altered.

Make him prove the mileage or walk away.

 

[njfastlife]

Remember that Carfax and all the other VIN history reporting companies only report what has been claimed or reported. If something happened to a vehicle in my garage and I had my cousin do all the repairs.... it never gets reported. DO NOT RELY on the reports. As others have said: Something fishy. Walk away. Let it be someone else's problem. Also note that most titles have to report whether the odometer has been altered.

Make him prove the mileage or walk away.

I'm going to grill him don't worry.

I will return to the thread tonight to provide updates and get further direction.

 

[robaroni]

Playing devil's advocate here...if they don't estimate then what are the chances owner brought it in at EXACTLY 90k

Ask him about it before you drive all the way there. As mentioned before, ask him if he has any other recent service records that have mileage on them.

 

[blind squirrel]

Sub'ed :hungry::hungry:

 

[wadle5]

I would say the red flag in its entirety is the only thing listed on Toyota website is in for BODY REPAIR?!?!

Did the owner forget that one time he brought his "LOW" mile, clean, mint vehicle to the dealership for body repairs.?

I'm going to side with what everyone else said. Walk away.
Don't justify just because he is old he's innocent. Just because he is old, doesn't mean he still isn't a liar. It just means he hasn't been killed yet by someone he cheated.

sidenote:
Wasn't there a white 4runner that was just submerged at a boat dock?? haha

 

[ret42]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since the dealer reported the mileage, if you register the car with less mileage than that, any future carfax reports will show an odometer conflict. I don't think it would go on the vehicle registration, but if it's something you ever plan on reselling later on, it's just another thing worth considering.

This of course is secondary to everyone else's advice.

 

[njfastlife]

I would say the red flag in its entirety is the only thing listed on Toyota website is in for BODY REPAIR?!?!

Did the owner forget that one time he brought his "LOW" mile, clean, mint vehicle to the dealership for body repairs.?

I'm going to side with what everyone else said. Walk away.
Don't justify just because he is old he's innocent. Just because he is old, doesn't mean he still isn't a liar. It just means he hasn't been killed yet by someone he cheated.

sidenote:
Wasn't there a white 4runner that was just submerged at a boat dock?? haha

I already cleared that up by calling the dealer

It was a replaced wheel

 

[njfastlife]

If anyone is in the New Haven area and wants to take a look with me let me know.

 

[wadle5]

I already cleared that up by calling the dealer

It was a replaced wheel

So he lied about replacing a wheel? He only replaced one? Was this due to an accident, or him just rocking a curb by himself? Replacing a wheel you would hope he did an alignment after while there, but that doesn't show up either?
So hopefully not all of his record keeping is done like that.

Just seems strange and he isn't fully disclosing everything, which makes me think there are more underlying monsters which explains the price cut(read "deal")

 

[njfastlife]

Update:

Guy seemed very legit. Older. Maybe 68-70. Lives in FL half the year. Some photos and even a YouTube video for you all to opine on...

No idea if this helps with mileage issue but...

 

[njfastlife]

I already cleared that up by calling the dealer

It was a replaced wheel

 

[rick1987]

looks like a nice truck.

 

[JimyHong]

I'm starting to feel like when Toyota looked at this thing it might have only been at 9k miles and not 90k.

 

[njfastlife]

I'm starting to feel like when Toyota looked at this thing it might have only been at 9k miles and not 90k.

Yea maybe, but the stubborn old man wont get it looked at by a third party mechanic.

Bummer.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Yea maybe, but the stubborn old man wont get it looked at by a third party mechanic.

Bummer.

Wait. He won't let you pay on your own to have a 3rd party look it over?

All he has to do is bring the truck for 45 mins.

That is a huge red flag. The guy is 75 ... What exactly else does he have going on in his busy schedule.

 

[njfastlife]

Wait. He won't let you pay on your own to have a 3rd party look it over?

All he has to do is bring the truck for 45 mins.

That is a huge red flag. The guy is 75 ... What exactly else does he have going on in his busy schedule.

I brought it up to him when looking at it and he goes "I know a great guy we can use" and the guy actually did come recommended online.

I called him an hour later and asked to use one of my choosing (10' from his house). He said he had spoken to his wife and they both agreed they didn't need to go through the trouble.

Guy was in no rush to sell. Kept telling me the car spoke for itself.

 

[njfastlife]

oh and here's a video of the engine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pej9-tUJClY

 

[RPS13]

Wait. He won't let you pay on your own to have a 3rd party look it over?

All he has to do is bring the truck for 45 mins.

That is a huge red flag. The guy is 75 ... What exactly else does he have going on in his busy schedule.

It's time he'd rather not spend. It's a used car - take it for a test drive, poke around it - pretty self explanatory.

This whole PPI craze on mundane daily-driver vehicles is an internet thing. As it was rare before car forums became big.

I brought it up to him when looking at it and he goes "I know a great guy we can use" and the guy actually did come recommended online.

I called him an hour later and asked to use one of my choosing (10' from his house). He said he had spoken to his wife and they both agreed they didn't need to go through the trouble.

Guy was in no rush to sell. Kept telling me the car spoke for itself.

The guy wants you to stop wasting his time. He buy it or don't.

How'd it drive? That's the key thing.




I've gambled on cars I know needed work, and a mechanic wouldn't have told me any more than I already knew. But if the thing runs and drives fine, with no obvious issues, jump on in and buy it. Put that ~$100 you'd waste on a PPI on some maintenance items right off the bat and you'll be in better shape 99.9999999999% of the time.

 

[njfastlife]

It's time he'd rather not spend. It's a used car - take it for a test drive, poke around it - pretty self explanatory.

This whole PPI craze on mundane daily-driver vehicles is an internet thing. As it was rare before car forums became big.




The guy wants you to stop wasting his time. He buy it or don't.

How'd it drive? That's the key thing.




I've gambled on cars I know needed work, and a mechanic wouldn't have told me any more than I already knew. But if the thing runs and drives fine, with no obvious issues, jump on in and buy it. Put that ~$100 you'd waste on a PPI on some maintenance items right off the bat and you'll be in better shape 99.9999999999% of the time.

while you're probably right, i'm not in a position to drop $12k on someone else's potential problem.

to completely stonewall it is a slight red flag or he's just not motivated to sell. which is fine, but sucks.