voodoolord
New member
Just don't be a dick. That seems like good life advice.
Used vs new
- Thread starter Aurora85
- Start date
PitbullRescuer
New member
Back to the original subject, OP. I bought new. I'm almost 40 years old and I've never bought a new vehicle other than a couple motorcycles. I always bought a few years old thinking I'd let someone else take the hit on depreciation. But I've owned a lot of used 4Runners and am still amazed at what kind of money they bring when I sell them. I'm in Philadelphia. I sold my 180,000 mile '99 SR5 to a guy who flew in from South Carolina to but it for $8,500. I sold a '98 SR5 with 260K on it that I bought for a song for $5,000 last year. When I started looking for a 5th Gen my search was for used ones. But as others have said, the user ones were still bringing huge money. '11's with 60K on them were still priced over $30,000. I went new because these things hold their value so well. And going new I got to pick out exactly what I wanted, I know all the history on it and there was no compromise. That my $.02.
ben550
New member
I too am impressed with the resale value on these trucks. That can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on if you're the seller or the buyer! I personally have only ever bought used. Usually a 6-9 year old vehicle with 100k miles on it. However I usually end up getting rid of them before they hit 200k. I would love to make the jump to a new vehicle for the next one... but we'll see. I will only do that planning on keeping it for 10-15 years. Maybe after the 6th gen comes out I'll find a good deal on a used 5th gen... On a side note I was driving down the road and saw a crew cab OR Tacoma for sale... It was a 2008 with 11,000 miles on it... He wanted 28k for it... wow. That is a lot of money for a 7 year old truck.
Storm Runner
Member
This has always been my way of thinking as well. That changed when I decided I wanted a 4runner. I currently have a 07 HUMMER H3 and it's got all the mods I want, as well as the luxury features. Being as picky as I am, any new truck was going to have to be exactly what I wanted to justify the purchase over what I have. This, of course, limited my options and I decided on getting a Trail Premium. There is very little price difference between a 2014 TEP with 30k miles and a 2016 TEP with no miles, so the choice was obvious in my situation.
With that being said, at the end of the day, it's up to you. What your budget can afford and how long you're comfortable paying for it. Everybody's situation is different.
Looking at the window sticker on the one I bought, the original price was $29k. I was able to take about $2k off that. I bought it in western NY and right after Christmas....timing and location is essential to finding a good deal.
Looking on autotrader, there don't seem to be many in that price range, if any at all. However, I know plenty of people who have bought used trails at that price range....it's all about bargaining power. My advice: wait until after Christmas...you'll have a much better chance of haggling the salesman down since its one of the slowest quarters for dealers.
A 2011 trail with 60k miles going for $30k is severely overpriced.
I think the major discrepancy between the crowd that prefers to buy new and the crowd that prefers to buy used is their understanding of the pricing. Some people on this forum seem inclined to take autotrader prices and KBB prices at face value....The reality is if you actually go into a dealership and negotiate with them, their asking prices will often change. Saving $6k-$7k, possibly more, by buying used is perfectly doable...you just need to be willing to put the time and effort into finding a good deal.
cjacob316
New member
This was the first new car I purchased. I drive a lot, and got tired of hitting 200k miles in just 3 years because I started with almost 100k miles on used cars. I wanted a 5th gen and with the amount I drive, if I was going to have to pay $25k plus on a vehicle, it made more sense to start from 0 and make it last twice as long for me.
Depreciation is deceptive. All vehicles depreciate after purchase, new or used. The second you buy any car, the price you can sell/trade it for will likely be less than what you just paid, especially if you purchased from a dealer. If you buy a brand new 4runner, put 1500 miles on it and then trade it in, you will loose X amount on the trade in because of "depreciation", but the dealer will turn around and sell it for the same price you originally purchased it for brand new. When I was shopping for my vehicle I found 4 used '14's, each with over 1000 miles on them, each were priced the same as my brand new '15 with 0 miles. Now what is the more sound purchase here?
Depreciation is deceptive. All vehicles depreciate after purchase, new or used. The second you buy any car, the price you can sell/trade it for will likely be less than what you just paid, especially if you purchased from a dealer. If you buy a brand new 4runner, put 1500 miles on it and then trade it in, you will loose X amount on the trade in because of "depreciation", but the dealer will turn around and sell it for the same price you originally purchased it for brand new. When I was shopping for my vehicle I found 4 used '14's, each with over 1000 miles on them, each were priced the same as my brand new '15 with 0 miles. Now what is the more sound purchase here?
PitbullRescuer
New member
You're negotiating $6K-$7K off of a vehicle priced at $30K? If so, my hat is off to you. I understand used vehicle pricing not very well, my family has owned a used car dealership in my town for the last 29 years. If the dealers in your area have that much margin in their prices I'm going to start buying cars for out place out there.
$6k-$7k off new MSRP, and that's being conservative.
A couple points to make... the people who truly make their choices based on sound financial decisions don't buy 5th Gen 4Runners. They are likely driving something 20 + years old that cost them nothing and is cheap to maintain, and using the money they save to invest.
So with that out of the way if you are looking at 5th Gen 4Runners in the US you will find very quickly that they hold their value well enough that most will be very close to the same price you can work on a new truck. You then have to weigh for yourself if it's worth it to save a very small amount and have a slightly used truck, or if you would rather start new. To save any sort of real amount as others have mentioned you will likely have 80-100k miles and it will still be priced relatively high.
So with that out of the way if you are looking at 5th Gen 4Runners in the US you will find very quickly that they hold their value well enough that most will be very close to the same price you can work on a new truck. You then have to weigh for yourself if it's worth it to save a very small amount and have a slightly used truck, or if you would rather start new. To save any sort of real amount as others have mentioned you will likely have 80-100k miles and it will still be priced relatively high.
I'm sorry but this is just not true. Several people on this thread have already commented how they saved significant amounts of $ buying mildly used (30k-40k miles) 4runners.
4runners, like many Toyota products, generally do have good resale values, but they are still subject to the market and consumer mood swings...for example the face-lifted 2014 and beyond 4runner have generally made the pricing on pre-face lifted 4runners (2010-2013) slightly less competitive (from a seller's perspective).
It's this mentality to buy new over used that in fact creates good opportunities for savvy car buyers to find good deals on the used market. Less market demand for used 4runners means that sellers (both private and dealers) have to cater to lower bids/offers in order to make quotas or complete the sale.
OP, if you want to buy new there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But don't let yourself be fooled...there is a distinct financial advantage to buying used. Anyone who disagrees with that is simply trying to justify their purchase decision in retrospect.
Last edited:
Batang.Gapo
New member
I was in the same predicament 5 years ago. Used 4Runners up here in Greater Toronto Area, Canada is insanely high.
I'm not willing to pay 30-35K for 4-5 years old truck with less than 100K. Long story short, I purchased new.
I'm not willing to pay 30-35K for 4-5 years old truck with less than 100K. Long story short, I purchased new.
Last edited:
Since you felt confident enough to flat out tell me I was wrong, after completely ignoring the first part of my post I decided to do a little research. I searched for a 2010 or newer 4Runner with under 75k miles with 4X4, so that it would be comparable to what I currently drive. The cheapest one available is $25,730 with 69,880 miles from there the milage stays in the 60-75k range and the price starts going up in the $27k-$28k range. The majority are 2010/2011 with a 2013 here and there.
I purchased my 2013 SR5 4X4 in September of 2012, everything said and done for $32,500... with 8 miles on it. Full warranty, Full Toyota Care, no questions as to how it was maintained prior and no weird stains/smells. During that search I looked up used, and found relatively few options and all were within $2k-$3k and had 60-70k miles. When I did the comparison it was close enough that it simply did not make sense to buy used.
For a general example where we assume the 5th Gen 4Runner with average maintenance can go 200k miles before the engine stopped working: I spend $32,500 on my new 4Runner, and divide that by a 200k life expectancy I'm paying roughly .16 cents per mile. If you buy the same car for $25,000 with 60k miles, and divide it by the remaining 140k miles, you are paying .18 cents per mile. Beyond that I'm getting the full use out of mine, and you are getting the difference between the current mileage and the mileage at which it stops working.
I'm not saying buying used is wrong, but I disagree with the arguments you make for doing it.
Last edited:
MinecraftGriefer
New member
You can get a good deal on a gently used SR5 since they depreciate faster than Trail and Limited. Trail and Limited models have crazy resale and Ive never seen used TRD Pros on sale. 
Ron4RNevada
New member
I'm coming from a very different point of view -
I've had quite a few 4x4s over the years -
I use them in the dirt a lot -
I know what works best for me in the kind of terrain I'm in -
I didn't want a third seat; I didn't want or need most of the bling that comes with the TRD, Trail or Limited. I didn't want KDSS, X-REAS, hood scoops, auto steps, 20 inch wheels, slide out trays, navigation, fancy paint colors, or a lot of info-tainment stuff.
I didn't like the "looks" of the '14 or '15 front end.
I wanted a "plain-jane" '13 SR5 4x4 certified truck with reasonably low miles. I didn't even care what color it was...... Northern Nevadans tend to buy 4Runners new and keep them forever. I found two vehicles that met my needs in Reno bothe '13 SR5 4x4s. One I could have gotten for 29K with a lot of cosmetic faults; the second was 31K and was flawless:
It had 32000 miles on it and had obviously never ever been in dirt (It came from New Jersey). I had the perfect excuse for getting rid of the p-metric tires and going up to the LT - e-rated MTs. It had the package that included the power seats, sunroof and a couple other things. The power seats I like - the sunroof will never be opened.
So my reasoning is a bit different than most of you who have responded here.
To the OP - EXACTLY WHAT TRUCK DO YOU WANT? Year, Model, equipment, etc. Then go and find it.
OH - Now have 48000 miles on it and have not changed a thing on it. It has now done 26 off road treks and suits me just fine.
I've had quite a few 4x4s over the years -
I use them in the dirt a lot -
I know what works best for me in the kind of terrain I'm in -
I didn't want a third seat; I didn't want or need most of the bling that comes with the TRD, Trail or Limited. I didn't want KDSS, X-REAS, hood scoops, auto steps, 20 inch wheels, slide out trays, navigation, fancy paint colors, or a lot of info-tainment stuff.
I didn't like the "looks" of the '14 or '15 front end.
I wanted a "plain-jane" '13 SR5 4x4 certified truck with reasonably low miles. I didn't even care what color it was...... Northern Nevadans tend to buy 4Runners new and keep them forever. I found two vehicles that met my needs in Reno bothe '13 SR5 4x4s. One I could have gotten for 29K with a lot of cosmetic faults; the second was 31K and was flawless:
It had 32000 miles on it and had obviously never ever been in dirt (It came from New Jersey). I had the perfect excuse for getting rid of the p-metric tires and going up to the LT - e-rated MTs. It had the package that included the power seats, sunroof and a couple other things. The power seats I like - the sunroof will never be opened.
So my reasoning is a bit different than most of you who have responded here.
To the OP - EXACTLY WHAT TRUCK DO YOU WANT? Year, Model, equipment, etc. Then go and find it.
OH - Now have 48000 miles on it and have not changed a thing on it. It has now done 26 off road treks and suits me just fine.
Last edited:
ScissorMeTimbers
New member
My wife and I just had this conversation a few weeks ago. We live in Florida and it seems as though the Southeast Toyota region is not fond of 4x4 4Runners so finding a new one was a difficulty on its own. The difference in price between new and used was so miniscule in this region that it made sense to order a new one. My last Tacoma was also beat to hell by the previous owner and I had no idea which has also pushed us toward new vehicles as well, not making that mistake again.
I say if you are dropping $30k or more on a vehicle, buy new and get the options you want.
I say if you are dropping $30k or more on a vehicle, buy new and get the options you want.
I did say that timing and location were key to finding a good deal. Buying in the fall in the Chicago area, I wouldn't expect to find much of a discount either.
Broadening the search outside of the Chicago area:
SR5's (50k-65k) found for about $25k:
Cars for Sale: 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 in Fairfield, OH 45014: Sport Utility Details - 410091434 - Autotrader
Cars for Sale: 2012 Toyota 4Runner 4WD SR5 in Oakfield, NY 14125: Sport Utility Details - 408834858 - Autotrader
Cars for Sale: 2010 Toyota 4Runner SR5 in Elkins, WV 26241: Sport Utility Details - 405481899 - Autotrader
Cars for Sale: 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 in Fairfield, OH 45014: Sport Utility Details - 410091434 - Autotrader
Even found a trail with about 63k for about $24k (which is a decent deal if anyone is looking for a trail):
Cars for Sale: 2010 Toyota 4Runner 4WD Trail in FREEPORT, NY 11520: Sport Utility Details - 410986852 - Autotrader
SR5 with 34k miles for about $26.5k...which is still a good discount from the $32.5k price you paid for your new one:
Cars for Sale: 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 in Jersey City, NJ 07304: Sport Utility Details - 410183889 - Autotrader
Waiting for a good time in the year (after Christmas, early spring) would likely yield some even better opportunities.
I have seen people use this logic before and I have never understood it.
How many people buy their vehicles new or mildly used and keep them for the full 200k life expectancy? I don't think many. I think what is more likely is that they will sell the vehicle somewhere down the line to avoid expensive engine rebuild costs and other big maintenance items. In that case, buying new costs more vs buying used since the new vehicle suffers much greater depreciation than the used one when it comes time to sell.
Also, for your logic to hold true, both you (the owner who bought new) and the other guy (who bought used) would both have to hold your vehicles for the duration of the vehicle's estimated life span (~200k miles). At that point you both have the same options:
a) sell the 200k 4runner as a junker
or
b) pay for the engine rebuild (~$2k-$4k and that's being generous for a Toyota engine) and whatever other items might need work.
The simple math still holds true: you originally paid $32.5k for your 4runner and guy who bought used (let's say with 55k already on the odometer) paid $25k (that's being conservative).
Going with option (a) you and the used owner both get the same sales $, but you still paid $7.5k more for your vehicle.
Going with option (b) you and the used owner both need to cough up $2k-$4k for the rebuild, but you still paid $7.5k more for your vehicle.
FYI, I really don't think buying new is inherently stupid or foolish. There are pro's con's to both approaches...but the financial advantage definitely lays with buying used. That's why most car-buying guides advocate buying mildly used and warrantied vehicles.
Last edited:
The logic is simple math, and was used because surely people who care about saving money and sound financial decisions wouldn't regularly flip a vehicle which is the easiest way to lose lots of money. It was used to illustrate that at the most base level, to even match the value of buying a new 4Runner and keeping it for a 200k miles (which many 4Runner owners do) you would have to get a pretty amazing deal and that would just be to match the pure monetary value not exceed it. Then come the values you can't quantify as easy which is being the only owner, having a complete knowledge of the service history and use, no weird stains or smells. Some vehicles depreciate fast enough that buying used is almost always a better option than taking the initial hit, Toyota, and specifically 4Runner doesn't work that way.
I'm not looking down on the purchase of used 4Runner, it makes sense for a lot of people, but not because it offers any tangible financial advantage over buying new. Thanks however, if you didn't buy them used the trade values wouldn't be so high and If everyone kept them forever, they would stop selling them.
voodoolord
New member
You also have to look at availability. There are 2 Toyota dealers within 35 miles of where I live. The first one had a white SR5, that was it. The second one had one on the lot and the one we bought that the woman was still cleaning her stuff out of after trading it in. In my area they are few and far between. The dealers are horse trading them between each other because they can't get them from Toyota. I consider my 2015 limited with 13K basically new but still did alright on the price I think.
We have always bought rigs in the 60K to 80K range because we didn't want to spend a lot but it's always ended up costing a lot to maintain the rig and like others said you don't know how well it was maintained. I finally got sick of it and wanted a warrantee coupled with a very reliable vehicle so here we are. Keep a positive attitude and keep looking but don't settle for something that your going to regret later.
We have always bought rigs in the 60K to 80K range because we didn't want to spend a lot but it's always ended up costing a lot to maintain the rig and like others said you don't know how well it was maintained. I finally got sick of it and wanted a warrantee coupled with a very reliable vehicle so here we are. Keep a positive attitude and keep looking but don't settle for something that your going to regret later.
Actually the only reason I was able to buy mine used was because someone else decided to buy it new. So thank you to whoever that was.
Also, if everyone who bought a 4runner liked it so much they kept it forever, wouldn't that indicate to Toyota that there is a market demand to sell more, not less?
In the interests of civility though, you win. OP you will definitely save money by buying a brand new 4runner...:happy:
Last edited:
PitbullRescuer
New member
So you took $2,000 off yours, but getting $6,000 - $7,000 off is conservative? I'm just trying to follow what you're saying here.
