Potentially Purchasing an '09 SE Tomorrow. Need Advice!

[Jazz30-06]

I currently have this 'runner as an overnight test drive. I like it so far, but it is a long ways from my Subaru, haha.

50 Best Used Toyota 4Runner for Sale, Savings from $1,619

The frame is clean and the only signs of rust on the body is some streaking from under the rear door handles, which was a bit odd. 4WD works well, both high and low. (Takes a few seconds to engage sometimes, but always does what it's switched to.) The coolant is a little low, but nothing crazy. Oil was, unfortunately, changed by the dealership very recently.

Anyways, I have a few questions that I would greatly appreciate having answered before signing for it.

1. Is 14k actually a decent price? It's almost spot on KBB and 2.5k lower than NADA. I'm in MI, and the frame is clean. It was a Canadian vehicle for its entire life until last month and had undercoating sprayed on it regularly.

2. After a quick Google, I haven't found anything on one of the biggest issues it has. For some reason, the barrel on the rear gate doesn't work with the keys for the rest of it. Is there a way to tell for sure if the gate is the original or was replaced? Is it even remotely common for these barrels to freeze like this?

3. The HVAC backlight is out, is this common?

4. Is there anything else I should look for?

Thanks!

 

[Bluesky 07]

Can’t recall if my ‘07 has this but vehicles often have a small sticker with the VIN on doors, hood, hatch, etc. You might check for those & see whether they match.

 

[Maka4runner]

I currently have this 'runner as an overnight test drive. I like it so far, but it is a long ways from my Subaru, haha.

50 Best Used Toyota 4Runner for Sale, Savings from $1,619

The frame is clean and the only signs of rust on the body is some streaking from under the rear door handles, which was a bit odd. 4WD works well, both high and low. (Takes a few seconds to engage sometimes, but always does what it's switched to.) The coolant is a little low, but nothing crazy. Oil was, unfortunately, changed by the dealership very recently.

Anyways, I have a few questions that I would greatly appreciate having answered before signing for it.

1. Is 14k actually a decent price? It's almost spot on KBB and 2.5k lower than NADA. I'm in MI, and the frame is clean. It was a Canadian vehicle for its entire life until last month and had undercoating sprayed on it regularly.

2. After a quick Google, I haven't found anything on one of the biggest issues it has. For some reason, the barrel on the rear gate doesn't work with the keys for the rest of it. Is there a way to tell for sure if the gate is the original or was replaced? Is it even remotely common for these barrels to freeze like this?

3. The HVAC backlight is out, is this common?

4. Is there anything else I should look for?

Thanks!

1. That seems like a good price. I bought my 06 2wd for 13,500 with 117K miles. However this was 4 years ago. The best vehicle I’ve ever bought in regards to practicality, price, dependability and will upgrade to a newer runner in a couple of years. Saying it’s a Canadian vehicle assumes that it snowed a lot? Constant salt on vehicle during snow conditions hence the regular undercoating.

2. Not really sure about this issue, but, the using the key to close the rear gate glass is convenient. Not sure if you can switch the barrel or get it adjusted at a dealership to match the keys.

3. HVAC backlight? Are you talking about the lights for the heating and cooling controls on the dash? How it should illuminate, but doesn’t? If so, that’s an easy fix, you can get a couple of little bulbs for a few bucks. That panel just pops out with a simple pull, can’t remeber if you need to pull a 10mm bolt first, if so, I just left my bolt out for quick access. I remove my head unit when I park At the airport for an extended period. Theft deterent. Lol.

4. Not sure about 4wd stuff, but I think all runners have a sunroof. Check the sunroof seal. I’ve recently had an issue with my sunroof leaking. I did a quick and inexpensive fix and it’s held for a few months now.

Xreas shocks? Any leaks?
Fan belt?
Assuming your a DIY guru, check the engine compartment and see if any component looks newer than the others. Like a water pump since coolant is low. Forgive me if your mechanical skills are above average. Just trying to find something, I’m like you, you can never ask too many questions about a vehicle purchase. I just hope that you get the answers you want to hear and they hold true. Hope I could assist and Best of Luck in your purchase

 

[Jazz30-06]

Can’t recall if my ‘07 has this but vehicles often have a small sticker with the VIN on doors, hood, hatch, etc. You might check for those & see whether they match.

I will check for this in the morning, thank you!

 

[Maka4runner]

Just saw the pics.
Yes, check the sunroof and make sure it doesn’t leak, check corners where handles (oh s*it bars) are to ensure there aren’t any water spots/discoloration. You can also run a piece of paper between the seal and roof to ensure the paper doesn’t pass through.

Yes, the HVAC backlight is an easy fix. Bulbs are about $5.
YouTube

 

[Jazz30-06]

1. That seems like a good price. I bought my 06 2wd for 13,500 with 117K miles. However this was 4 years ago. The best vehicle I’ve ever bought in regards to practicality, price, dependability and will upgrade to a newer runner in a couple of years. Saying it’s a Canadian vehicle assumes that it snowed a lot? Constant salt on vehicle during snow conditions hence the regular undercoating.

Alright, so the price isn't horrid I guess. practical and dependable are two things at the top of the list right now. (Subaru has a full one-off drivetrain swap that has been plagued with issues.) As far as Canadian, they are usually far enough north that Salt doesn't work, so they don't even try and just use sand instead.

2. Not really sure about this issue, but, the using the key to close the rear gate glass is convenient. Not sure if you can switch the barrel or get it adjusted at a dealership to match the keys.

Sounds like something I need to call the local dealer about tomorrow.

3. HVAC backlight? Are you talking about the lights for the heating and cooling controls on the dash? How it should illuminate, but doesn’t? If so, that’s an easy fix, you can get a couple of little bulbs for a few bucks. That panel just pops out with a simple pull, can’t remeber if you need to pull a 10mm bolt first, if so, I just left my bolt out for quick access. I remove my head unit when I park At the airport for an extended period. Theft deterent. Lol.

I am referring to the backlight for the LCD panel, not the controls. I saw something about an RGB mod for this in a build thread, so I am assuming it can be done. Just not sure how it would be done, as there hasn't been a write-up as of yet. I have no idea how hard the dash on these comes apart.

4. Not sure about 4wd stuff, but I think all runners have a sunroof. Check the sunroof seal. I’ve recently had an issue with my sunroof leaking. I did a quick and inexpensive fix and it’s held for a few months now.

I know the sunroof works, but not sure how to tell if it is leaking since we have been getting freezing rain/sleet/snow the last few days.

Xreas shocks? Yes, afaik. Haven't been able to get under it. Any leaks? Not that I can tell without crawling under it. The good thing with the snow is a white canvas to show all this.
Fan belt? I think it was alright. I will double check though, thanks for the reminder!

Assuming your a DIY guru, check the engine compartment and see if any component looks newer than the others. Like a water pump since coolant is low. Forgive me if your mechanical skills are above average. Just trying to find something, I’m like you, you can never ask too many questions about a vehicle purchase. I just hope that you get the answers you want to hear and they hold true. Hope I could assist and Best of Luck in your purchase

The clutch for the fan looks newish, but it could just be that it's painted and not left to corrode like every other car I've owned. :shrug: Thanks for the info!

 

[Jazz30-06]

Just saw the pics.
Yes, check the sunroof and make sure it doesn’t leak, check corners where handles (oh s*it bars) are to ensure there aren’t any water spots/discoloration. You can also run a piece of paper between the seal and roof to ensure the paper doesn’t pass through.

Yes, the HVAC backlight is an easy fix. Bulbs are about $5.
YouTube

Awesome! That looks to be an extremely easy fix, thanks!

 

[chris in ky]

Front axle halfshafts, check the inside boots.

My '06 has a leak in the AC evaporator, common problem. Expensive fix.

I am glad mine is the 4.0, don't have to worry about timing belt change or cracked header. Still quite fast.

 

[Toyojay]

14,000 isn't the worst price I've seen, there's probably some room in it. The lock cylinder on the gate is probably just seized. You can try some graphite in it, see if it frees up but its easy to replace and have it keyed.

HVAC illumination being out, very common. Every 4th gen I've messed with has had at least one of these small bulbs fail.

Check the timing cover, where it meets the cylinder heads. The 4.0 1GR likes to leak/weep oil from there. Especially on the RH side. Not a humongous deal, but not the most fun job. Check the water pump for crusty leaks/wet leaks while you're there. Also, check the battery! Everyone always forgets the battery, easy to negotiate a new one.

Belts, fan clutches, power steering stuff is pretty easy to get to and mess with. They're solid vehicles so I wouldn't sweat it too much.

 

[RivMan]

Something doesn't seem quite right about that truck.

It doesn't appear to have the Sport Edition roof rails, or the Sport edition running boards. I also don't think I've ever seen an SE without a rear spoiler.

Also, if it was originally a Canadian truck, why does it have a US dash cluster, and are those miles correct? If the cluster was swapped, I wouldn't trust the miles shown.

Just a few things to think about...
-Rob

 

[trd_v8_sport]

1. Is 14k actually a decent price? It's almost spot on KBB and 2.5k lower than NADA. I'm in MI, and the frame is clean. It was a Canadian vehicle for its entire life until last month and had undercoating sprayed on it regularly.
the price for these things are all over the place sometimes, best advice i can give is to look in your area at similar ones and compare

2. After a quick Google, I haven't found anything on one of the biggest issues it has. For some reason, the barrel on the rear gate doesn't work with the keys for the rest of it. Is there a way to tell for sure if the gate is the original or was replaced? Is it even remotely common for these barrels to freeze like this?
used to work for toyota and yea, it was fairly common, mine does every now and then, but some graphite spray cures it real fast


3. The HVAC backlight is out, is this common?
also yes, but not a terrible thing to do

4. Is there anything else I should look for?
that compartment under the radio, double check that, the door looks a little off opened. everyone and yourself have pretty much covered the other items, id take a good look at the calipers it seems to be right at that mileage where they will go bad if they havent been replaced already. if you can get under check the seal in front of the driveshaft to make sure its not starting to leak. rear differential on the driver side on top, theres a small plunger-like opeing, make sure it moves freely, its a breather for your rear dif.

....other than that enjoy your possible new ride! you wont be dissappointed!

 

[Run4Evr]

For the price, its seems about right, I bought my 08 for 14k with 118k miles.

 

[Bluesky 07]

Something doesn't seem quite right about that truck.

It doesn't appear to have the Sport Edition roof rails, or the Sport edition running boards. I also don't think I've ever seen an SE without a rear spoiler.

Also, if it was originally a Canadian truck, why does it have a US dash cluster, and are those miles correct? If the cluster was swapped, I wouldn't trust the miles shown.

Just a few things to think about...
-Rob

Just saw the pics for the first time and those are all great points. The roof rack seems especially mismatched.

Also, it's a 4WD as indicated by a B as 4th character in the VIN but the "4WD" badging is missing from the doors. While some people remove it, if badging is consistent from Canada to the US, the "SPORT EDITION" on the passenger door appears to be too far forward for the "4WD" to ever have been there.

Here's my '07 SE for comparison on those two items:

The SE running boards are also tubular, similar to the thickest part of the roof rack in the pic above.

Seems fishy. I get that passing would be disappointing - finding my 4R took over a year of looking - but unless the dealer can provide reasonable explanations for the discrepancies, I'd keep looking.

 

[Samm25]

Maybe this is just me or a personal preference, but for an ‘09, you can always tell who keeps their vehicles in great shape...and that just doesn’t look like one to me. The guys bring up a great point about all the little discrepancies, but not only that, there’s a rip in the seat and those wheels looked chipped as hell.

I personally don’t think the $14k price tag is worth that vehicle with 121k miles on it. I purchased an ‘08 earlier this year for $15k with only 80k miles. If the truck had rust and wasn’t in the excellent condition it was in when I purchased it, I could never see myself spending that kind of money on a 10 year old vehicle.

To each their own, but something about that truck just seems shady to me.

 

[Samm25]

Maybe this is just me or a personal preference, but for an ‘09, you can always tell who keeps their vehicles in great shape...and that just doesn’t look like one to me. The guys bring up a great point about all the little discrepancies, but not only that, there’s a rip in the seat and those wheels looked chipped as hell.

I personally don’t think the $14k price tag is worth that vehicle with 121k miles on it. I purchased an ‘08 earlier this year for $15k with only 80k miles. If the truck had rust and wasn’t in the excellent condition it was in when I purchased it, I could never see myself spending that kind of money on a 10 year old vehicle.

To each their own, but something about that truck just seems shady to me.

 

[Samm25]

Maybe this is just me or a personal preference, but for an ‘09, you can always tell who keeps their vehicles in great shape...and that just doesn’t look like one to me. The guys bring up a great point about all the little discrepancies, but not only that, there’s a rip in the seat and those wheels looked chipped as hell.

I personally don’t think the $14k price tag is worth that vehicle with 121k miles on it. I purchased an ‘08 earlier this year for $15k with only 80k miles. If the truck had rust and wasn’t in the excellent condition it was in when I purchased it, I could never see myself spending that kind of money on a 10 year old vehicle.

To each their own, but something about that truck just seems shady to me.


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[Inv4drZm]

Canadian vehicles can be a little different optioned than US ones, though I would have expected it to have kph not mph. Some unusual discrepancies though it appears nothing mechanical only superficial.

Looks like a good deal to me as long as it has no rust underneath.

 

[Bluesky 07]

Canadian vehicles can be a little different optioned than US ones, though I would have expected it to have kph not mph. Some unusual discrepancies though it appears nothing mechanical only superficial.

Looks like a good deal to me as long as it has no rust underneath.

I'm not so sure. The worst case explanation for stuff like the rack and badging is shoddy work following accident repair or repainting. What's the best case explanation?

 

[Jazz30-06]

I have a Carfax for it showing the Canadian stuff and it has lots of stuff about undercoating and such, which is why the frame is so clean. There is still paint on most of it.

I am checking the VIN number on stuff now. I can't really get under it well, but there are no leaks from what I can see. I am checking the other stuff over the next few minutes.

Thankk you to everyone that has been replying to this thread. I really appreciate it.

 

[Jazz30-06]

So, battery looks almost new. No leaks anywhere on the engine. Axle boots are good. It think it has XREAS like an SE would since there is a hydraulic line going to each shock.

I checked the VIN before, and it was an SE based on that. There are the global recovery stickers on all doors, hood, and rear gate that all match. Based on the Carfax, the dealer bought the truck at auction, so I'm guessing they know nothing about any of the discrepancies you mentioned otherwise.