Buying an older high mileage 4runner

I don’t have much detail yet, and I am planning on taking it to a mechanic for a pre sale inspection, but currently my concern is mileage. It looks well kept. I can’t tell if it’s v8 or v6.


The mileage is 260k, we are currently negotiating at 6k or under.

advice or thoughts?

 

underbody rust will be the big question, followed by maintenance/collision history and care. It’s a 20-something year old truck so there will likely be things

 

That is a 1GR-FE 4.0 v6
They are practically bulletproof
If the frame is clean and doesnt have rust eating at it, and the maintenance logs are good, you probably have a vehicle that will give you quite a few more years of driving. You can expect small things here and there, fan clutch, odd wiring quirks, just maintenance things here and there. Make sure you drive it twenty minutes or so and make sure it doesnt overheat. Reach in and spin the fan and see how easily it spins, if it will continue to spin the fan clutch is going bad or is bad which will make them overheat and blow the head gaskets. This is one of the silent killers of the engine that nobody ever talks about.

 

Looks like a 2004 and I think it says 'Limited' on the side door. The wheels are from an SR5. There's no V8 symbol in the left side of the grill so it appears to be a V6. As icebear said, rust. Whoever is doing your inspection should be looking at the frame areas for rust cancer. That is a big problem in the early model gen4 T4Rs. Look for any cracks in the dashboard. There was a recall on the dashboards, early gen4, 2004 for sure. I had it done but it's past getting it done now. The dealer service report should show if that has been done. There was also a recall for trimming the gas pedal. I opted to ignore that one since it doesn't reach my floor mats and I've never had a problem. There was also another recall to modify braking to stop acceleration. Now I can't step on the gas and brake at the same time without the engine going back to idle. This should also be on the report. Leather was available on the Limited models but not the SR5 and Sports Edition.

Ask for the CarFax. Get the VIN and do a search at the Toyota Owners site as well

 

welcome

 

It is a 2005, and we are going to the mechanic tonight for a pre sale. We are in arizona, so there shouldnt be any rust. fingers crossed its all highway miles and I can swoop in with 5500. Which I think would be a solid deal if nothing major is wrong.

Also! Thanks for all the replies. I think the price is good?

 

Is it an Arizona vehicle? The pics taken in the dark don't do it any favors. I'd wouldnt pay $6k for it, but I'm also not in the market.

 

These are just a few 'visual' checks that I would do...

• Passenger side tires look like they need replacement (rear is bald?, front looks to be at/beyond wear bars). If those tires came off of either the front or rear, it's a rather unusual swap orientation.
• Condition of the spare?
• Seats look surprisingly in great shape considering the mileage...cant see the drivers seat as that would have the most wear and potential cracking. That leather general develops cracks around this mileage point. The vehicle may have lived most of its life parked in a garage rather than outside.
• Get a pic of the engine bay, look at the underside to check for signs of leaks especially around the valve covers.
• Cycle through 4WD to see how the transfer case engagement is as well as the front diff.
• Condition of the front CV Joint Boots. Any leakage around the front diff/CV joint seals?
• Condition of all rubber bushings. Cracked, compression wear marks (worn out)
• Limiteds have a sunroof, cycle the mechanism both tilt up as well as full open. Seals in good shape sometimes exhibit a "sticky" (kinda like torn paper) sound.
• Go around all of the doors and do a dollar bill test on the seals. This could indicate seals that are just worn (compressed) with time to doors not squared up (frame damage).
• Look at the Power Steering reservoir, what does the level look like? Could indicate wear amount of the brake pads/shoes.
• Radiator reservoir level?
• Condition of the air filter/airbox dirty?
• Condition of the Radiator fins.
• Check the condition of the wiper blades. Not only with the rubber's condition tell you about how much sun (and the vehicle as a whole) they've seen but also see how effective (life remaining) they are. It's a surprisingly good indicator of all the other rubber bits on the outside of the vehicle.

 

That is such a good list! Thank you so much!

 

Those are also Limited wheels. Only Sport Edition had different wheels during those times.

 

What do the rotors & brake calipers look like? You need to check the brakes & ask when was the last time the brake pads were replaced. You need to check every piece of glass & make sure its toyota glass. If one random piece of glass isn't toyota then you got more buying power

 

You need to inspect under the runner.
Rust can be a big problem and can ruin a runner.
Read up on frame rust on this site. There are many photos posted of mild to severe rust.
Take you cell phone camera and a towel next time to visit this runner. Lay on you back (on towel) and take pics of everything. If you lack the flexibility bring someone who can.
Walk away if you find rust.
There will be hidden rust inside the hollow frame rails and crossmembers if you find visible rust on the parts you can see.

 

I'll add to suggestions to inspect for rust.

Just because you are in AZ doesn't mean the vehicle has spent its life there.

 

Check the paint condition on the roof. If it's faded and the clear coat is starting to peel then the hood and other panels are soon to follow.