Should I buy it?

[kieranoconn]

So today I went and checked out this 4Runner. 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LIMITED The Km's were below average at 208xxx and the exterior was spotless with no dents or scratches. Under the hood it was clean but with corrosion on the battery which is simple to clean. The interior was clean as well. The leather was in decent condition. This is the first owner and he is a business man who only used the truck for city driving. He never took it on any distance driving. The rear diff hasn't even been used once and he's never taken it off roading or used the 4wd. The back window works, as well as everything else. The brakes are great and the sound of the truck at high speeds was fantastic. There was only 2 flaws. He said within the next year or two the timing belt needed to be replaced and the truck took an extra second than normal to start. I wonder if those 2 problems are any to be concerned of. I plan on taking it to a Toyota dealership nearby and get them to run a diagnostics test of the car. He had it at $9000 which is an alright price, but then he said he could do $8000 without me even asking, so im sure i could get him to $7500 MAYBE even $7000 but i doubt that. He didnt seem the most educated about cars. Keep in mind those are prices around the vancouver area so $7000 would be an amazing price. Does anyone have any opinions on the truck, anything i should be looking for when toyota runs the check? Let me know

Kieran

 

[Cjtapp]

id buy it. looks clean as a pin. love the color combo.

 

[Jc12]

the t belt should have been done around 160 so this to me looks like postponed routine maintenance. Keep in mind i got a steal but i picked up my latest 3rd gen - a 97 supercharged 4runner limited, 250k all service records etc for $5200. 7k would be a good price..8k a little high. To the Americans these prices will likely seem crazy but this is definitely the way it is around here. Get a quote for the belt etc from the dealer when you are there for the inspection and let the seller hear, it will be pretty high and this will drastically help your position to negotiate.

Finding a clean single owner car is rare so sometimes its worth paying a little more. Make sure the diff's are okay as they should routinely be put into 4x4 to keep the seals from drying etc. Also i think you meant to say front diff, not rear. Nice looking rig tho, love the colour combo

 

[Jc12]

oh and that starting thing.. thats a 4runner 'thing'. You mean an extra second or so of cranking until it actually fires up right? That is normal

 

[kieranoconn]

yes i know how long it should start up, its like an extra second longer than normal. ill deffinately consider your opinions, thank u

 

[LSUfanatic]

Sounds like a great 4runner. The engine being slow to start could be from needing new spark plugs & wires. Rust is the major thing to look for with the 3rd gen and older 4runners.

 

[kieranoconn]

I mean I could consider this car, that i havent checked out before... ---1997 Toyota 4runner v6 ltd--- any opinions on the two?

 

[Ol'Blue]

This is a nice truck...

 

[kieranoconn]

Any other opinions?

 

[2002tii]

All things equal, the 2000 would be more appealing than the 1997. But all things are rarely equal.

The 2000 looks clean, but I would have a few questions:
- are there service records? Any indication of regular maintenance performed? If not, I'd be very nervous.
- Why is the 4Runner badge on the tailgate lower than it should be? Indicates the tailgate has probably been repainted, ie a wreck. Every panel should have a VIN sticker on it somewhere. Go through and make sure all of them are there and that they match the vehicle's VIN.
- Timing belt - when was it last done? It's a roughly $700-800 service in the U.S. Not sure how much it would be in Canada.
- Check to make sure it goes into 4WD and 4WD low (and diff locked) without any issues. If 4WD has never been used, problems might be lurking there.

Regardless, anticipate spending some money on it within the first month or so of ownership if you want everything (like bushings, shock absorbers etc) to be up to "new" spec. No matter what, it's a 13 year old vehicle.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Did you read the 4Runner buyers guide?

Read this:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82033-3rd-gen-4runner-buyers-guide.html


Also see:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/69744-3rd-gen-faq-tutorials-documentation-reference.html


:hatsoff:

 

[MONTYMTB]

Why is the 4Runner badge on the tailgate lower than it should be? Indicates the tailgate has probably been repainted, ie a wreck.

I agree - somebody else posted this exact same listing not long ago, and I wondered why the 4WD badge isn't on the gate.

 

[madetomeasure]

I agree - somebody else posted this exact same listing not long ago, and I wondered why the 4WD badge isn't on the gate.

That's OEM Canadian runner placement of emblems