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

[av8ter]

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.

I don't see anything fishy. Honestly. Have him show you records of oil changes and it will likely show you the progression of miles that rules out the "90,000" reading submitted by the lazy dealership employee.

Things to beware of:

*Front timing cover leaking oil.

*Front axle boots torn/broken at the in board CV.

*Worn/failed bearings in the rear end(third member), sounds like baseball cards in bike spokes, lots of noise from the rear end.

*Excessive brake input force required or pulling one direction while braking can be a trashed(seizing piston) front caliper.

*Vibration when braking, if any consider cost of replacing brake rotor against the purchase price

*Confirm proper function of air-conditioning

*Any dummy lights on on the dash, the brake actuators on these 4runners or unconventional(and expensive to repair), lots that can go wrong but a you'll have lights staring you in the face to let you know.

*Confirm functionality of 4wd system

*Leaking water pump, easy to be seen from underneath at weep-hole



That about covers anything that will lead to serious remorse if found post-purchase.

 

[njfastlife]

I don't see anything fishy. Honestly. Have him show you records of oil changes and it will likely show you the progression of miles that rules out the "90,000" reading submitted by the lazy dealership employee.

Things to beware of:

*Front timing cover leaking oil.

*Front axle boots torn/broken at the in board CV.

*Worn/failed bearings in the rear end(third member), sounds like baseball cards in bike spokes, lots of noise from the rear end.

*Excessive brake input force required or pulling one direction while braking can be a trashed(seizing piston) front caliper.

*Vibration when braking, if any consider cost of replacing brake rotor against the purchase price

*Confirm proper function of air-conditioning

*Any dummy lights on on the dash, the brake actuators on these 4runners or unconventional(and expensive to repair), lots that can go wrong but a you'll have lights staring you in the face to let you know.

*Confirm functionality of 4wd system

*Leaking water pump, easy to be seen from underneath at weep-hole



That about covers anything that will lead to serious remorse if found post-purchase.

there are NO records other than the emissions testing. NONE. he said he did his own oil changes and the only thing he ever had done at the dealer was the replacing of the wheel which was noted on Toyota's site as being done at 90k. typo? maybe/probably, but still...

on top of the fact that he won't let me have it checked out by a mechanic, just too many red flags.

and in all honestly, i believe him. it drove pretty goddamn good. seemed like a 10 year old car with 50k. definitely not abused (see photos). but i am way too wary to drop $12k with a few of those lingering questions.

i am super bummed he decided against it too. sounded like his wife got him all worked up.

 

[av8ter]

there are NO records other than the emissions testing. NONE. he said he did his own oil changes and the only thing he ever had done at the dealer was the replacing of the wheel which was noted on Toyota's site as being done at 90k. typo? maybe/probably, but still...

on top of the fact that he won't let me have it checked out by a mechanic, just too many red flags.

and in all honestly, i believe him. it drove pretty goddamn good. seemed like a 10 year old car with 50k. definitely not abused (see photos). but i am way too wary to drop $12k with a few of those lingering questions.

i am super bummed he decided against it too. sounded like his wife got him all worked up.

0 chance of the PPI coming back clean if done by a Toyota dealer, they will find something. He probably just doesn't want to barter.

12k is the price? Seems pretty reasonable considering 4wd and the white car tax.

 

[njfastlife]

0 chance of the PPI coming back clean if done by a Toyota dealer, they will find something. He probably just doesn't want to barter.

12k is the price? Seems pretty reasonable considering 4wd and the white car tax.

it's only reasonable (and very much so) if there aren't huge issues with it. which will remain unknown.

he has every right to refuse a mechanic's opinion. it's just unfortunate for me as a buyer b/c if i got an all-clear i'd pay tomorrow

 

[ARunner]

Don't blame you for walking on this if you're not comfortable. Any seller should be willing to have the vehicle inspected. If they aren't they're either hiding something, or sorry to say, too dumb to know better. Old man lost a sale for lack of some common decency or is crooked. Keep looking, you'll find the right one eventually.

 

[4Runnermex]

oh and here's a video of the engine

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

Sounds like crap!!

 

[JimyHong]

I don't think that video is doing it justice. It sounds like it's running inside a fishtank or something!

 

[4gin007]

Sounds like a boat, haa. I hope your hand was muffling the mic on your phone some how.

 

[zumogo]

Hey offer him 8k cash, see what he says.

 

[ben550]

I would not buy it. Too many issues. I bought used from a guy in his 40s off craigslist, however, he brought a binder full of service records covering every oil change/tire rotation, tuneup etc... Everything matched. Mileage, year, VIN etx...

Here are some that might be close to you.

I'd walk from that one you saw. Just not worth it. It seems to me he is trying to take advantage of you the young kid buying your first vehicle.


Toyota 4RUNNER

http://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/5168312547.html

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/5171376150.html

2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 MINT!!!

2006 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4WD

 

[Gatafly]

Tell him that if you can have it checked and barring anything big to consider it sold at his asking price. Tell him you won't knit pick on anything little so if it is good like he says you will be paying him cash that very day. I know he did his own oil changes as he stated (if true) but does he have mileage written down anywhere? I do all my oil changes and everyone I know that does them writes down the mileage somewhere. If he did not even do that then I probably would walk away as that just seems too odd.

 

[Flyingbread1]

Tell him that if you can have it checked and barring anything big to consider it sold at his asking price. Tell him you won't knit pick on anything little so if it is good like he says you will be paying him cash that very day. I know he did his own oil changes as he stated (if true) but does he have mileage written down anywhere? I do all my oil changes and everyone I know that does them writes down the mileage somewhere. If he did not even do that then I probably would walk away as that just seems too odd.

Listen to Gatafly. This a completely reasonable request, if he says no to this kind of offer then something is wrong. My biggest mistake ever with buying a used vehicle was not getting a pre purchase inspection.

 

[Sporin]

If I was dropping 5 grand then I'd forgo it, but there's no way I'm handing anyone 12 grand for a vehicle with ZERO maintenance records that the owner won't let me take for a PPI first.

It looks very clean underneath though, MUCH nicer than my truck.

 

[njfastlife]

If I was dropping 5 grand then I'd forgo it, but there's no way I'm handing anyone 12 grand for a vehicle with ZERO maintenance records that the owner won't let me take for a PPI first.

It looks very clean underneath though, MUCH nicer than my truck.

I know!

I'm about 80/20 on him just being old, stubborn and an unmotivated seller.

The engine does sound funky though doesn't it?

 

[2014 Warthog]

It didn't actually sound like that IRL did it?

 

[M1911]

He doesn't have any service records and he won't let you take it to an independent mechanic.

Once again, walk away. That is just too much risk.

Back around 2000, I sold my '87 Integra in a private sale. I was the original owner. I had every service record since new. They weren't organized, but they were stuffed in an inch thick manila folder. I also took it on the owner's behalf to a specialist Honda mechanic and paid for a PPI.

 

[rich045]

so the guy is around 70 years old, he does his own work aka oil changes, changing belts, regular things anyone can do. Lives 6 months out of the year in Florida aka snow bear. That is very common up here in the north east/new england. I dont see anything wrong with that car.
everyone is seeing it from a different point of view IMO. I live in the north east, I do my own work on my cars, there will probably be no service records for any of my vehicles since i do everything myself and get parts for wholesale prices since i run a performance store. I know a lot of my friends parents fly down to FL for the winter and leave their cars in the garage.
I guess I may be the onlyone who does his own work on their cars? Not everyone is down to drop a few hundreds when you can do it yourself over the weekend and save a few bucks.
thats just my .02 cents

 

[ARunner]

Nobody is dogging him for doing his own maintenance. To not allow a perspective buyer to have an inspection done on his own dime is unreasonable.

 

[Paisano]

Don't blame you for walking on this if you're not comfortable. Any seller should be willing to have the vehicle inspected. If they aren't they're either hiding something, or sorry to say, too dumb to know better. Old man lost a sale for lack of some common decency or is crooked. Keep looking, you'll find the right one eventually.

This is the key in a situation like this: being comfortable/piece of mind.

Because there's always another vehicle for sale out there. And you weren't pestering him, lowballing him, or doing anything out of the norm. Vehicle looks like it could be fine but nothing's worth if you don't have piece of mind.

 

[njfastlife]

I'd gladly pay anyone with mechanical skills and within an hour of New Haven CT to go take a look at it under the guise of being interested.

Lol. Worth a shot. If I knew anything about cars I'd be in a better spot!