Thinking about buying a used T4R...

[TheBigDu]

Hi all,

I currently have a 2007 Murano, mostly loaded. I bought the car about a year-and-a-half ago, and I loved it when I first got it, but I quickly began to find nagging issues, primarily the rattles and noises that the car makes. For as much money as I spent on the car, it should not be making those noises, IMHO.

I recently moved and dropped my commute to work down to about 6 miles each way, so I've been thinking of buying an older or higher mileage used vehicle to get a lower monthly payment. I still want to stay with an SUV (I know, Murano is not really an SUV) for the size and functionality of it, and the T4R has really been catching my eye for the past week or so. I'm not sure why I didn't look into these more closely when I bought the MO to begin with...

Anyway, there aren't many used T4Rs available around here, but I have found a few that look promising. I am basically trying to decide between an '03 V6 SR5 w/ ~67k, an '06 V6 SR5 certified w/ ~51k, and an '07 V6 Sport w/ ~66k. The '03 is the most tempting b/c my payment will be much lower, but I've gotten used to the 'newness' and features of my Murano, and I'm not sure that I want to go that old. I've also read a bit about the earlier T4R's 4-speed auto vs. the current 5-speed, and it seems like this shouldn't be a concern of mine.

The dealer is asking ~15,900 for the '03, ~19,900 for the '07, and ~20,500 for the certified '06. The '03 has the two-tone exterior (dark gray plastic trim) with a silver body, while the others are both all white. What does the dark trim mean? Was that just an option on the earlier 4th gens?

Which one do you guys think is most worth it? My monthly payment could be about $50-$75 lower with the '03 than the '06 or '07. Certainly that amount's not going to kill me, but it might be worth it as they haven't changed dramatically.

Thanks for any input!

 

[ran]

I am kind of new to T4R, but most will tell you to stay with the 06 and above. I am sure others will give you the details. good luck, ran

 

[SportRunner]

IMHO I would get the '07 Sport, just for the sport package alone is awesome.....I love the black seats, X-reas, tube steps and rack, not to mention the wheels.....:bouncy:

With the '06 how long is it certified for, just the remaining 9000 miles??

 

[4Runner8]

well which one is 4wd first if u wanna do some 4wheelin. and the plastic is on the earlier sr5 versions. thats what mine is. but its good for off roadin so it doesnt get as scratched and banged up

 

[chaz]

theres nothing wrong with the 03 if you dont might the 4 year difference from the 07. personally, i like the lower body panels being a different color, thats just the way they came in 03 before toyota went to the 1 body color & look.theyre the same generation. i had an old jeep grand cherokee & i can tell you that its cheaper to get & replace the unpainted panels if they get scratched than to have the painted ones repainted & put on, so i assume that would apply to the 03 t4r also. there are styling & other differences from 03 -07,but nothing so huge that you couldnt live without. id say , drive all 3 first, then decide if the 06 or 07 is worth the xtra monthly $ .the way things are today, 75 more a month is a big deal. in my opinion though,the sport package is most desirable, ( shocks,hood scoop,etc.) , yea, id probably get the 07 since they all have about the same mileage, but if the 03 was the sport instead that would be the one id get. take the 06 off the table, maybe look though the gallery, that might help you . good luck, either way, im sure youll be happy with the t4r.

 

[Uneek]

You didn't say what trim are the 4Runners for the various years. In 2005, the V6 got the 5-speed transmission and the V8 got VVT-i, also the spoiler is humped. In 2006, there were some changes to the exterior, the fender flares are rounded, different bumpers and cladding, projector headlights and LED taillights, small changes to the instrument cluster bezel. The Sport Edition got tubular style roof rack and running boards.

 

[ABooker]

I vote for the 03 model! I have two of them. My Limited has 144k miles on it and is still going strong. My SR5 has 65k miles and is like new. NO Rattles!
However, I think your dealer prices are a bit on the high side. I see a lot of deals here in Anchorage, Alaska for a few thousand less. See if you can find an individual that is selling vs a dealer. That's what I did. I paid $11,000 for my limited last year and $17k three years ago for the SR5 with 40k miles on it.
Both are 4x4's and in excellent condition.
Good luck and enjoy the ride!

 

[VNT]

I bought my '05 with 28k miles when the gas prices were pushing $5.00 here in Chicago. People were dumping these sweet cars left and right, it worked to my advantage.
Now the dealer was asking $20k for a certified vehicle, my price was obviously lower, much lower. At the end the dealership agreed to meet my price but stated he would drop the"certified" from the bill of sale, which was fine by me. I told him it's a Toyota and I'm not worried it's not certified.

 

[TheBigDu]

Thanks for everybody's input...

I finally test drove a T4R today... a 2004 SR5 V6 4x4 w/ 42,000 miles. I liked it for the most part....noticed the steering is a bit lighter than my Murano, with maybe less on center feel, but I liked everything else. The truck felt very solid, which is what I'm looking for. I mentioned to the dealer that the rotors are badly warped and maybe they'll do something about it, but I didn't talk money with him yet.

I'm also looking at a 2005 Sport V6 4x4 with 76k on the clock. Both vehicles have the same asking price, and I'd think the 2004 is a better deal with such low mileage, but I like the Sport features. Tough call...

 

[toto]

This thread will give you an idea of what changed from year to year.

 

[ellmer]

Keep looking. I got my 08 SR5 with 28K miles, certified, for $21K two months ago. Your dealer has much room to move.

 

[jdub]

This was very helpful.

I'm in the market for a new 4Runner as well. I've found a few, but the one I'm leaning towards is a '06 Sport with 44k on the clock. Dealer has it marked at just over 24k, seems pretty over the top for me. Any suggestions on where I should try and come in?

Also looking at an 06 SR5 with 27.5k on the clock listed at 24, and a 06 limited with 60k listed for 23k after an internet rebate. After doing quite a bit of research, they all seem quite high. Any suggestions? The sport and the SR5 are both certified, but the limited is not. The dealer offering the sport also offers a lifetime limited power-train warranty.

Thanks a lot. Hopefully I'll be a happy owner in a few days.

 

[ellmer]

check autotrader.com. Set your radius for about 200 miles or more. Most dealers will have internet specials, i.e. on the internet, they advertise their discount, where as, if you just go to the dealer, they will try to get their list/sticker, whatever you call it for a used car.

Also, I think the used car market may have changed dramatically in the last few weeks with the cash for clunkers deals. Dealers were focused on used cars until this kicked in, now they are only interested in selling new.

 

[TheBigDu]

check autotrader.com. Set your radius for about 200 miles or more. Most dealers will have internet specials, i.e. on the internet, they advertise their discount, where as, if you just go to the dealer, they will try to get their list/sticker, whatever you call it for a used car.

Also, I think the used car market may have changed dramatically in the last few weeks with the cash for clunkers deals. Dealers were focused on used cars until this kicked in, now they are only interested in selling new.

That's a good point about the CARS program. I had not thought about how this would affect the price. So you think they would be less willing to move on the price? The counter to that is that the dealers haven't been selling a lot of used vehicles and would jump at the opportunity to get them off the lot. Interesting...

 

[Weave]

Definitely keep pushing on those price points. Over the weekend I picked up a certified 2003 SR5 4x4 with V8 and 65K miles for $11,900. The package included a 3 month/3K mile warranty and most every bell & whistle except leather and sunroof. But you gotta keep your eyes glued to the websites and act quickly (i.e. have your financing lined up before contacting the dealer/seller).

 

[TheBigDu]

After reading some threads about the XREAS systems wearing out towards 80,000 miles, I think I'm leaning toward the 2004 SR5.

I've also been reading about the ATRAC system. Has this been standard on T4Rs since 2003? Would a 2004 SR5 have it? Thanks!