Too good of a deal? what should I lookout for?

[heger]

I am strongly considering buying a 2009 sport edition v6. Its got 20k miles. and theyre asking $28.5k. Its from a dealer. Certified. Seems low to me. KBB says it should be worth $33k at excellent condition. Interior & exterior look great. But I havent driven it yet. Looking for any advice out there.

1...Why would it be so cheap? is there something I am not noticing? Is there something I should look closely at? Carfax says no accidents. 2 owner. first was a fleet registration. would that drop the value?

2...I havent test driven a car in 7 years. Since I bought my current 03 SE 4runner. Any tips or things I be sure to do?

Thanks in advance.

 

[6starbucks]

the reason its low is because it was a fleet car. most cars that have been "flagged" as fleet, sell for much lower.

i would say just inspect it with a "fine comb" and make sure the engine was taken care of.

how many miles did the first owner have it for?

 

[mysticz]

Toyota certified vehicles come with a great warranty so I doubt there is anything to worry about.

Ask for a carfax report and if there is no accidents of anything it should be fine.

That Runner is only 2 year old but since the 5th gen is going on it's second year that also makes it harder for them to move.

 

[Bftfan]

Seems like a good price, but not great. I picked up an '08 with 45k miles on it for $22k six months ago. KBB is a guess at best. What are other T4Rs going for in your area? With gas hitting record highs this summer I think we'll see SUV stabilizing and declining.

Look at it carefully. Take it to a mechanic for a once over. It's cheap insurance over the long haul.

 

[heger]

sounds weird but it was only a fleet car for 14 days. looks as tho all the miles are from the 2nd (private/personal) owner.

Noted on taking to a mechanic. I plan to do that. But anything I spot on my own? Anything to do or test during the test drive?

 

[DaveS]

Just on principle I wouldn't pay the asking price - it's a buyer's market for vehicles like this right now gas prices heading up. Some folks are getting good prices for low mileage 4th Gens right now mind you - the 5th Gen does not appeal to everyone and the 4th Gen has a lot of features no longer available - including a centre diff that you have to go to a limited for on the 5th Gen.

One thing on the test drive - make sure the driving position is comfortable for you - the one drawback of the 4th Gen is tight headroom especially if there is a moonroof. Make sure you are comfortable with the brakes - they are strong but need a bit more pressure than some vehicles. If you plan to stay stock I would argue an extended warranty into the price - the sport has xreas which is pricey to fix - the Toyota ECP covers shocks, many others don't. If you plan to do a lift you will probably find yourself removing the xreas however.

 

[BMAC]

It does not sound too cheap to me. I just bought a 2007 sport V6 4WD one owner in excellent condition 25,000 miles and Toyota Certified for $23,900.

 

[gptoy96]

What kind of a dealer is it at? Toyota?

"Certified" vehicles from brand name dealers are usually pretty safe bets. I'd still look at it to make sure it's what they advertise but would feel pretty good buying from one of those. (I did almost 3 years ago and am still extremely happy with my buy).

Alot of other non-brand name dealers offer "Certified" vehicles too but it's a whole different animal there and I'd be more wary on those. It still could be good but their "Certified" process would be different than a Toyota or like dealer that would have the manufacturers reputation to keep in mind. I'd treat these alot more like it was a private deal and buyer beware.

 

[Snesley Wipes]

Check the drivetrain... 4x2 vs 4x4.

 

[2003-4x4runner]

You should ask the sales guy if the 4 Runner was in any accidents and check to see if the car was flooded My Wife and I bought a 530 BMW that was only 1 years old , had low miles and they were asking $5k below market value. The dealer told us it was the loner car and it was certified . . When it came down to signing the paper work, the dealer told us that the car was in a accident, he showed us the paperwork and it was about $12k dollars in repairs. He also showed us the Carfax and it didn’t list any accidents because the dealer never reported it. All the repairs were done at the BMW shop on site. So you can never trust Carfax.