Buying Advice -- fair price for this Tacoma?

Sorry to start a "is this a good price?" thread but I searched and couldn't get some of my questions answered plus I would like people's opinion.

I'm looking at a '03 Xtracab 4X4 SR5 with V6 and manual transmisison. The truck has 136,xxx on the clock and it's in decent shape. The good thing is that it has had only one owner and it's got a clean carfax with decent service history. I checked it out on a lift and the frame is clean and no leaks from what I could tell. Worn out ball joints in the front and needs new tires in the back and the fronts aren't in much better shape. The truck has some dents in the hood and sides of the bed, and some other bumps and scratches due to being used as a work truck. The interior is mostly clean but the door seals are all jacked up and some of the trim pieces are stained from heavy use. The truck also rode a lot "bouncier" than all the other Tacomas that I've test driven so far so I'm thinking it's due for a suspension refresh.

Dealer is asking $9,300 plus TT&L, which comes out to around $10.2k. I've been looking for a manual '03-'04 xtracab but the body flaws and the wear on the interior plus the stuff I'd need to do to it (new tires for sure, possibly suspension, etc) turned me off and are making me think more than twice. Is this a good price or should I keep looking?

Here is the link to the ad, and the picture angle/resolution hide a lot of the flaws I mentioned: http://www.mazdaofmesquite.com/used-cars/2003-toyota-tacoma-xtracab-v6-manual-4wd-natl-v1130272/

 

I bought an '02 XTRA CAB TRD about a year ago with 139k on it. It was used as a work truck and beat up a lot more than that one is! I paid $6200 from a private seller. But I negotiated the price down due to the rear locker not working and fact that it needed the timing belt changed still. The suspension was also wore out, but I wanted to upgrade than any ways. This is what it looked like when I picked it up:


This is how it looks now.


I would try to talk them down another $1k or so, but the price doesn't seem to bad for a dealership!

 

Thanks for the opinion, and you've got a great looking truck! I ended up passing on the truck since the dealer didn't want to negotiate further. I could have dealt with a worn interior and changing tires, suspension, etc but I couldn't get past the truck looking beat up.
Is $10k-12k a reasonable budget to find a '03-'04 stock v6 xtracab with a manual transmission and that has reasonable mileage and that has been well taken care of?

 

Not sure how the market is where you are, but here in ID, I see clean late model 1st gens go for $15-16k... But I've also seen decent shape ones go for much less.. I recently saw 2 xcabs (same configurations you're looking for) for $12k/each- and 1 only had 107k on it.. If $10-12k is your budget, and if you have the time, I think you can be pretty picky and find a decent xcab.. Plus, cash speaks for itself when negotiating, if that's what you,re purchasing with. You're on the right track by passing that one up, especially if you've thought more than twice about it.. Good luck!

 

I just picked up my 03 DC TRD 4x4 limited with 75k miles for $14k. SO yea, for that money you can do a lot better. It is out there and if you spend the time looking, you will find it. GL with your search.

 

I paid 12k for my '03 Xtracab 4x4 V6 manual with approx. 135K miles last year...my buddy was the owner and it was pristine on the inside and underneath..body had the usual scratches and dents..knowing the seller was worth the premium.

 

that was a great price you should have bought it and came up here you might have made 5,000 dollars.
my truck came from a ranch way out in west texas, north of the mason dixon line the rust problem has made them close to extinct.
and you do not see many at all around chicago, unless someone keep it in a garage and kept the under-body washed.

 

OP, I think you made the right choice. 10,3 OTD would be a fair price for a dent/scratch free truck, IMO. Sounds like you'd need to immediately drop another $1,000 on tires and whatever else you find. A better deal awaits you.

 

Thanks again for everyone's input and opinions. So far I've only come across trucks that are configured how I want at dealerships, which is why I wasn't sure if my budget was reasonable enough for finding something clean and well taken care of.
About a month ago I came across a very clean '04 with 126k and the TRD package for $12,5k out the door but the steering rack was completely shot (steering fluid was everywhere due to bad seals), dryed up ball joints, and what scared me the most was that I saw fluid around one of the front diff output shaft seals. I passed on it and maybe I shouldn't have but thought of buying something that would immediately need the steering rack replaced and whatever else is going on with the diff spooked me away. Plus the dealer didn't want to work further down on price since played off the leaky rack as no big deal.

 

I paid $13,500 for my '01 DC TRD Off Road 4x4 with 72k miles in pristine shape from Chandler Toyota in Chandler, AZ. They charged me $300 to ship it to my door in Colorado. Locally, here in Colorado, it looked like similar vintage/mileage trucks were going for $16-$18k, so I jumped on it.

One thing I've noticed is that people get top dollar for 4x4s in places like Colorado, where it snows. You can often find better deals in warmer states. Check gargurus.com, autotrader, ebay and craig's list. While there are of course good deals on this forum, you won't find a steal-of-a-deal here as the members tend to know what their trucks are worth.

 

Have you figured out what's wrong with the locker or fixed it?

OP, I would shoot to keep it under 9 for the truck alone. Potentially seems like it needs work, and if it has scratches/dings/etc then you can always try to hem and haw over those to get the price down.

 

I paid 12k on my 2000 6" lift and 36s. Has 66000 miles

 

Correction: 35s

 

I have not figured out what is wrong with the locker yet. Haven't had much time to mess with it this summer. Hopefully I will have time to get it fixed this winter.

 

I paid 15k for a 03 dc trd 4x4 auto with 117k on it in denver. a similar one at another dealer with 85k on it was going for 17,500 and they would not budge on the price.I would not buy a truck in the condition you described as people who destroy trucks like that usually do not maintain them properly.

 

A year ago, I tried just that, and incredibly enough I got mine @ Ferguson GMC of Colorado Springs, while living in Tulsa, OK. I loose out on two truck back home in FL (Panama City and Tampa). It worked out I guess, since in two months I'll be living in CO again!

 

Found another Tacoma, a 2000 in decent shape and 185k miles but the dealer wants $10k for it. I'm thinking that's too much since it's not beat up but it's not in pristine shape either.

 

I paid $13K for an 03 TRD excab 4x4 manual with 82K miles and $15.2K for 04 TRD excab 4x4 manual with 52K miles here in California just to give you a price point. 03 was dealer listed for $16K and 04 was dealer listed for $17.5K, both at a Toyota dealership.

 

Found this guy poking around on craigslist the other day...
http://houston.craigslist.org/ctd/3364738098.html

Edit: My bad, I think that might be a 2X4?!

 

The dealers around here would want $15K for a truck like that. It's madness I tell ya!