Advice on possible purchase - 2004 SR5 200k miles

I’m looking at a 2004 SR5, V6 4.0L with 200,000 miles. The carfax shows 45 service entries - lots of stuff like ac compressor replaced, along with standard maintenance. No rust. No accidents. They’re asking $7500. It felt great on the test drive - good pep, smooth acceleration and braking. Just looking for some pro advice. Thanks!

 

does it have 4wd? if so i think thats a decent price with maybe a little wiggle room.
if it has stock suspension, then thats probably a $1k upgrade you will want to make right away. its a weird one but check the sunroof, and make sure its functional and not leaking. i had to replace mine, and luckily i found one at a junk yard. if not that would have been very expensive to repair. you're probably also looking at new brakes and other front end components, which if you can do yourself are not too expensive.

 

First off, we ain't pro's. We're just keyboard warriors on a web forum who claim to have tons of knowledge. Post pictures of the vehicle if you can so we can check it out. But in the end........go with your gut. If the service records check out, the frame is pretty much rust free (all frames will have some rust) and the price is right.....go for it.

 

Yes, 4WD. Sunroof works, not sure about leaks. Brakes have been replaced at least once. Rear differential serviced, not sure about shocks etc. I think they maybe have been done too.

 

Is $7500 out of line for the vehicle all things considered?

 

Doesn't seem like a horrible deal depending on where you're located. Don't see any rust bubbles or anything. But old isn't like buying new. Things get un covered on the way home.

 

based on the year, I would be curious whether or not records show the head gasket being replaced.

 

Head gasket replacement was not mentioned in the carfax, however, ChatGPT said that this engine was not prone to gasket issues like the other 6 cylinder engine was. Buuuuuut….Ive been seeing mixed reviews about the dealership. I’d definitely get a pre purchase inspection if I decide to go any further.

 

the 2003-2005.5 was WELL known for head gasket issues
The head gasket was changed about 2 months into the 2006 year model. The 2006+ models are the "practically" bulletproof ones.

 

I guess AI wasn’t so intelligent in this case.

this is what ChatGPT said…

• The 1GR-FE 4.0L V6 used in the 2003–2009 4Runner is generally considered a very durable engine. Many reach 300k+ miles without major issues if maintained.
• Head gasket failures are not a widespread/common issue on these engines. They do happen, but much less frequently than on Toyota’s older 3.0L V6 (3VZ-E) from the early 1990s, which had a notorious reputation for blown gaskets.

 

Meh... Its mostly right, the 2003-2005.5 wasnt like every single one was going to blow but we do see them quite often at the higher mileage and here lately i wanna say we have had 3-4 on the forum in the past 2-3 months have theirs let go or come asking questions about how / why.
I'm thinking it stems from the coolant, its been said that coolant gets acidic and an electric charge to it over time. The people who run forever and dont change the coolant are likely the ones that have the head gasket issues. People who change the coolant per specs are likely the ones that skate past any issues.

Here watch this:

https://youtu.be/dfGTI0sWozc?t=504

 

Carfax shows the coolant was flushed at 102k and 189k. Also Transmission fluid flushed, power steering too.

 

thats a positive