Should I buy this 4Runner? What to look for on PPI?

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DT2211

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1999 Toyota 4Runner - Used SUV Raleigh NC | Inline Auto Sale NC

I am a female and am looking for a vehicle to drive to Mexico for 6 months. I want something reliable that won't leave me stranded on the side of the road. I want an SUV for the space and clearance but it doesn't need to be 4wd. I have had toyotas in the past and loved them and saw this one which seems to be priced better than most here locally.

I test drove it today and everything seems to work fine, it is clean inside and drove straight and I could find nothing out of the ordinary to make me go hmmm..... but I know nothing about cars so take that for what it is worth.

I would like to take it for a PPI Monday but in the meantime thought I would ask here. According to the carfax on the sight It has had 6 owners, which kind of scares me! He won't budge on the price. He has no records.

What about timing belt? Would I need to change it and how much would that be?

What things would make you NOT buy the car if found on the PPI?

Thanks!
 
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Just wanted to say that he had another 99 4runner on the lot in case anyone looks at his other cars, it was a 2.7 4cyl with less miles but it looked ROUGH inside so passed on even test driving it.

4 runners are crazy priced here in the Raleigh area for some reason. Hard to find a 98 or newer for under 5K unless it has a salvage title or looks to be in HORRIBLE condition.
 
Used 4Runner PPI

I just bought a 2001 in Raleigh a few weeks ago. I paid $8k which is a bit high, but it had all maintenance records and one owner. The receipt for the Timing Belt/Water Pump she had done at Hendrick Toyota in Apex shows $722 (just for reference). I had my PPI done by Phil at Phil's Toy Store on Chatham St in Cary. Just google him. He charged my $95 bucks and spent over 2 hours on the truck. very thorough job and he made me feel very comfortable. If you're in Raleigh, I'd recommend taking it to Phil's. Good luck!
 
Can you tell me what part of SC? I might try to look down that way. Seems here in my area and up towards NOVO/DC the prices are crazy high. This one is priced $1500-$2000 under what similar 4runners are going for..... I don't mind mind making a weekend trip of it going to look in other areas if the price is so much better.
 
I know when I was looking for mine 2 years ago in Raleigh I experienced the same thing.
There was nothing worth a damn that was under $9000 at dealerships.
A couple private party ones in the $6-$7000 range were decent.
Most I saw around here were $8K and rode hard and put away wet.

I got super lucky and found one on Craigslist from a private party but they were in Charlotte.
I paid $7,700 for a 2002 Sport 4wd in very good condition with 2 owners, although the last owner whom I bought it from bought it from the first owner when it was less than a year old. He had records on it 3" thick.

I would be leery of a dealership around here selling a 4Runner for under $4k, but it does have quite a few miles on it.

To check the timing belt there should be a sticker near the water pump stating when it was last changed.

I also would NOT take what Carfax says as gospel either, they are notoriously wrong on many things.

Expand your search area as far as you are willing to drive.
 
I have been looking online for hours. NOTHING within driving distance that looks worth a damn for less than 6-8K and I would like to keep my spending at 5K or so.. This is a car I need to haul stuff to Mexico and drive around on their crappy roads and I do NOT want a car that I am afraid of getting scratched and dinged up as I know it will happen there.

I was hoping to get this one, put maybe a grand into it by changing the timing belt and a few other minor things but I need to buy in the next couple of weeks.... so may need to look at other makes and models if you guys think this one is a dud?? What would you suggest? I have seen some Xterra's in the 5K range, or late 90's Jeep Cherokee sports?
 
check this website for CL's cities.... came in pretty handy for my search which ended today in CO!!

New '00 w/132K $6K and will have maintenance to do!

States

Good Luck!
 
HRT4ME, I am spending 6 months there studying Spanish. Classes start the middle of July so I need to leave the East Coast in less than 3 weeks. My classes are M-Th and I want a vehicle so I can travel around with my German Shepherd on the long weekends.
 
Out here in Arizona, $4k for a good Runner is a sweet price. I paid over $6k for my Highlander edition. A few things.

1st The wheel moldings and floor boards look freshly painted. Why?
2nd The passenger side airbag is a different color than the dash. Looks replaced...indicating it has been in a wreck.
3rd The insides of the wheel wells have been painted. This is a common reseller trick to either make a car look better and/or hide problems like rust and wear.
4th What's below the 4Runner emblem on the back? Is that a real SR5 badge?
5th Being picky, is there a screw missing from the drivers seat panels and why is the passenger seat laid so far back when taking sales pictures?

There are a few more things to look over. Do you have or can you borrow and OBD2 tester? I always test for trouble and DTC codes. Next, open up the valve cover and swab your finger on the inside of the engine. Do you feel grit? If so, it's probably missed regular oil changes. Open the radiator and check the color and level of the fluids. Pull the transmission dip stick and smell the tranny oil. Does it smell burnt? Was the truck warmed up before you drove it? Might have a starting or cold idle issue.
Lay under the truck and take a look at the back side of the transmission and the axle. Are they dirty from oil leaking? Make sure all the windows go up and down smoothly. The rear hatch needs to support it's own weight. Do all the interior lights work?

I test everything when looking to buy.

And last...DO NOT get attached to the truck before the purchase. Buy it only if your 100% sure of it. You can always find another one, for a good deal, and in better shape, if your patient.

Justin
 
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Take it to a mechanic or dealer for inspection...

In the wheel wells it looks to me like painted over rust and or dirt..... wheels look super odd.

Wont budge? walk away. I can smell the turd through the web.
Id rather have the wrecked 00 I bought....
 
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Thanks for the great advice. Now that you pointed out these things I see what you are talking about especially the airbag panel. The Carfax is clean but the girl in the office said that it was a Mexican guy who owned the truck last so perhaps he was illegal here and didn't want to call the cops when he got into an accident. If no one reports it, Carfax doesn't know about it. It did drive strong and smoothly up to 60mph without any pulling so perhaps it didn't have any major damage.

The paint seemed much better all around until you got to the rear door, it looked much rougher there.

The seat was still back. I pushed it up and it seemed fine, not sure what the purpose of that was.

Would you suggest I walk away or take it in for a PPI? I don't have much time to wait for a lower pricer 4runner so may need to consider other cars. What about xterras? Looks like I can get a newer lower mileage xterra for around 5k, would that be my best bet? I wish I had not waited till the last minute to start looking for a vehicle, my bad for sure!
 
So far, it looks like a truck I would walk away from. I REALLY don't like the airbag color. Seems fishy to me.
Also, keep in mind that maintenance matters more than mileage.
 
OK,

I thank you guys for all your helpful advice. I will walk away from this one but keep my eyes open over the next week for other 4runners while considering other options.
 
Where are u going to live in mexico? I lived south of mexico city for six months doing the same thing as u. I did not have a car so I road the buses and they were great! If u are set on a car go for the 4runner. Check out this site.. liferemotely.com and they have all the right reasons why you should be driving a 4runner south of the usa
 
DT2211 said:
HRT4ME, I am spending 6 months there studying Spanish. Classes start the middle of July so I need to leave the East Coast in less than 3 weeks. My classes are M-Th and I want a vehicle so I can travel around with my German Shepherd on the long weekends.
Click to expand...

Cuernavaca, the city of eternal spring?
 
Actually I am going to study in 3 different cities, one of which is indeed Cuernavaca

1997 Toyota 4runner SR5 4X4

OK< so this guy posted on CL today, it's a 97 with 237K miles. $3400 and he is negotiable. He changed the timing belt at around 127K miles so it will have to be done ASAP but again he is willing to take that into consideration on the price.. I am set up to see it tomorrow in the afternoon and if I like what I see I will get a mechanic to look at it.

Only issue is he says it uses about a quart of oil every 3-4K miles. How much should this concern me?
 
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