Trying to Decide What to Do

[MINISuperCooper]

Hello All,

My wife and I are trying to figure out what to do with our 2003 4Runner. We just bought it a year and a half ago, but we had it at the dealer a week ago and received some unfortunate news. One of the front XREAS shocks is starting to leak. (The price was a bit shocking.) We also have a CV axle that is starting to leak and a sway bar link is is starting to go. I've crunched numbers and called around. Essentially, if I do the work myself and remove the XREAS system and use some Bilsteins, we would save a ton of cash. I simply don't have time. We're leaning toward selling it and getting something else. However, I'm trying to figure out what kind of financial hit we're going to take.

It's a silver V8 Sport Edition with around 73,000 miles on it. The interior/exterior looks amazing. We have kept the oil changed with synthetic, kept the drive shaft greased, changed the diff. fluid, and had the timing belt changed. It has some rust on the underside, which I was planning to take care of this month. We still owe quite a bit on it, and I'm wondering what we can realistically sell it for with the suspension problems it currently has. We paid $14,000 for it a little over a year and a half ago. (Yeah...we probably paid too much for it.) If someone is planning to buy a wheeling truck and planning to replace the stock suspension anyway, this would be a good 4Runner for that. That was my plan originally. We're just not in that position yet. It's still my wife's daily driver. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[K_Labs]

Keep it and fix it when u can. (mine sat for a year before I even worked on it) Buy a pos car for @ $500 until u can get around to fixing the 4runner and I bet you still spend less than what the dealer quoted you. You drive the beater give your wife your car. Then when the 4runner is fixed u already made the trade and u get the 4runner everyday.... Everybody wins!

You should be able to knock out the repairs in weekend with a buddy.

 

[2ndGenFlip]

Keep it and fix it when u can. (mine sat for a year before I even worked on it) Buy a pos car for @ $500 until u can get around to fixing the 4runner and I bet you still spend less than what the dealer quoted you. You drive the beater give your wife your car. Then when the 4runner is fixed u already made the trade and u get the 4runner everyday.... Everybody wins!

You should be able to knock out the repairs in weekend with a buddy.

Agreed could not have said it any better man.

 

[Kean]

If the truck were otherwise without any issues, I'm guessing KBB is probably going to be anywhere from $8k-$10k depending on the options and condition selling to a private party. ...take a couple or more grand off that if you trade it in and more considering the problems you mentioned. Sounds like you would likely be upside down if you try to sell.

Personally, I would just fix the issues and keep the truck. ....if everything else was in otherwise good shape. Heck, I just spent close to $4k on my wife's '08 Forester (head gaskets, timing belt, water pump & misc associated items). It's private party value is upwards of $5k IIRC. It was worth it though since is likely we can get another 100k miles out of it (currently has 190k). I don't know what that "shocking" amount was that you were quoted but I'm guessing it will still be a cheaper alternative than selling it at this point.

It sounds like you folks are happy with the truck aside from the current problems. I would keep it in either case whether you spend the money to get it fixed now or buy a beater as suggested. ....it also makes sense financially IMO.