Salvage Trail potential purchase?

[ASUMTNEER]

My wife loves the AG color and a buddy of mine that runs a dealership just bought a 21 AG Trail at auction that had been totaled and rebuilt after hitting a deer. The vehicle would be likely worth $50k+ in this current market with a clean title, but I can get it for just south of $40k with the rebuilt title. Is it worth it? This would be a car that my wife would likely keep for years to come, but I know selling a salvage vehicle at any point will be difficult. Opinions appreciated. Thanks

2021 Trail with 18k miles
Looks to me like someone has swapped the interior of an SR5P and added the third row seating, which the trail didn't have as an option.
Pro skid plate and roof rack. Lift with Pro wheels and BFG AT tires.

 

[Humble Leader]

I think that's an SR5P that someone tried to convert to TRD PRO. I can tell by the interior and features that I can see that I don't think its a trail or TRD PRO

look at the e brochure and compare trim levels. if someone added the third row, they would need to add air bags and change the flooring + other things back there. easier to take an SR5P and try to convert to Trail or TRD PRO than go the other way around

https://www.toyota.com/content/dam/toyota/brochures/pdf/2021/4runner_ebrochure.pdf

 

[HanginInUtah]

I think that's an SR5P that someone tried to convert to TRD PRO. I can tell by the interior and features that I can see that I don't think its a trail or TRD PRO

look at the e brochure and compare trim levels. if someone added the third row, they would need to add air bags and change the flooring + other things back there. easier to take an SR5P and try to convert to Trail or TRD PRO than go the other way around

https://www.toyota.com/content/dam/toyota/brochures/pdf/2021/4runner_ebrochure.pdf

Add my vote to this comment. Unless something has changed, TRD Pro has an actual shift lever for the transfer case, not the dial. And there was never an option for third row on TRD ORP or PRO in the past. I'm not an expert on 2021, but I bet someone added some lipstick on that pig.

That being said, if the work is done well, it should still last you for quite some time. If you're thinking you're going to only keep it 2-5 years, maybe it's not a great investment for the rebuilt title. Sure looks nice on the outside, but the real test is inspecting what's underneath to be sure they 'rebuilt' it correctly.

 

[ASUMTNEER]

Running the VIN through the decoder, it's definitely a TRAIL model.

 

[SlickTRD]

Running the VIN through the decoder, it's definitely a TRAIL model.

trail is sr5 with color and a cooler and some other bits here and there. hard pass on salvaged titled tho.

 

[Charles Bronson]

Don't do it. Vehicles with salvage titles rarely drive or close right. You'll also lose terribly when you sell in a few years, especially since the market for these vehicles will be significantly lower. The salvage title will make it massively worse. Be patient and wait for the market to correct in 6 to 12 months and by something better/nicer/not wrecked.

I'd also VERY curious as to why and how a deer impact totaled a 4Runner. My guess is the deer led to a loss of control and more significant damage was incurred when the truck hit something else. Why do I think this? We just got our 4Runner back from the body shop and the shop manager told us it's damn near impossible to total out a late model vehicle these days because values are sky high.

 

[spartacus]

Salvage title with good rebuilt vehicles only effects the resale by like 10% -15%, even less for a vehicle in demand. Buy it at a good value and drive it. You won't have any issues unloading it. Resale value might be a little lower then the going rate but not by much.

 

[CavPro]

check with your current insurance company to see if they'll cover it, if you buy it.

 

[rdruss]

Salvage title with good rebuilt vehicles only effects the resale by like 10% -15%, even less for a vehicle in demand. Buy it at a good value and drive it. You won't have any issues unloading it. Resale value might be a little lower then the going rate but not by much.

Yes, and as long as people understand what a salvage title is, what was repaired on this particular vehicle and what has the experience of the seller been to date with this repaired vehicle I would take the chance if the savings are significant and the repair has been done right.

 

[Mybuddytmil]

Don't Call It 'Basic': The 2021 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition Still Has Some Nifty Gadgets! - YouTube



That is a SR5 with trail package. It is NOT a Pro or Trd offroad. It is not even a "Trail" that was replaced with the TRD offroad.

 

[Charles Bronson]

Did SR5s/Trails come with electronic 4WD? This one has it. By going with a SR5/Trail, you also loose out on all the crawl control and related features only available on the TRD Off Road and Pro models. Too much compromise for a salvaged 4Runner to get one in the color your want. It would be cheaper just to wrap the wife's 4Runner.

 

[ASUMTNEER]

Did SR5s/Trails come with electronic 4WD? This one has it. By going with a SR5/Trail, you also loose out on all the crawl control and related features only available on the TRD Off Road and Pro models. Too much compromise for a salvaged 4Runner to get one in the color your want. It would be cheaper just to wrap the wife's 4Runner.

Yes, the SR5's and Trail Special Editions came with the electronic 4WD switch.

 

[02SE]

Someone really tried to make that look like a TRD Pro. It's not. It's just a Trail which in '21 is just an SR5 with some styling cues.

I wouldn't buy it. Especially with a salvage title. Some sucker who thinks it's an actual TRD model will be fooled.

 

[mrblah]

if it comes with the toyota trail ice cooler... I'd buy the cooler

 

[ASUMTNEER]

if it comes with the toyota trail ice cooler... I'd buy the cooler

Sadly, it doesn't have the cooler

 

[mrblah]

Sadly, it doesn't have the cooler

have em knock off 10k...:reddance:

 

[uh0h50]

Easy pass.

 

[ANoob]

Why was it declared a total loss? Was the frame bent in the crash? Personally, I wouldn't. Just get a new SR5.

 

[s13koop]

Did SR5s/Trails come with electronic 4WD? This one has it. By going with a SR5/Trail, you also loose out on all the crawl control and related features only available on the TRD Off Road and Pro models. Too much compromise for a salvaged 4Runner to get one in the color your want. It would be cheaper just to wrap the wife's 4Runner.

Original Trail Editions had rear locker and shift lever for 4WD '10-16'...?, which then became the TRD OffRoad basically ('17+). Which is why the current Trail is confusing because it has neither

 

[Too Stroked]

The two biggest questions I always ask about vehicles with Salvage titles are: 1) How bad was it hit? and 2) How well was it repaired? Not knowing either of those answers in this case leads me to look at other evidence - such as the fraudulent TRD Pro badging. If somebody would stoop low enough to do that, I wouldn't trust the repairs. Easy pass.