Should I look at this Tacoma or run away?

hello all,

I am currently a University student and am looking for a vehicle to replace my current 99 Honda CRV that has seen better days. I was considering leasing a new truck but I think it would be too large a financial burden for me right now.

So I've been looking at the used market, and I came across this:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...ck/1199721381?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

Not the most in depth description, but has had the frame replaced under warranty and I think a new engine and trans put in. I have reached out to the seller to see if he has any paperwork or maintence records and the like.

I know Tacoma's are known for dependability, but is this one a lost cause? Should I just run away?

 

It's blank

 

Run if theres no truck and they want you to pay for one

edit: link now there

 

Is the CRV really in that much disrepair that it's no longer worth keeping?

If you're strapped, it's a lot cheaper to fix than to replace. Like.. many years worth of maintenance on one vehicle is spent in a single year on a loan note.

 

New frame, engine and trans???? I wouldn't be surprised if the suspension, brakes, etc etc need replacing too. I keep looking

 

Agreed. Never buy a vehicle that has had the powertrain 'rebuilt' or 'replaced'... if they have FULL documentation from a very respectable shop that is still in business and the price of the vehicle is outstanding it might be worth considering... but generally not the case.

 

267k miles and all that's previously been replaced? Yes run and don't look back

 

I like the "price is firm. Don't waste my time"

That dude is such a badass

 

The CRV has a major oil leak that I've tried to have fixed two or three times and it continues to leak excessively. I top the oil up every day. It is also lacking some modern convenience features I would love to have, like heated seats and a aux input.

Two features doesn't make it smart to purchase a new car. I'm trying to find the balance of, when do I stop throwing money at a vehicle and get my self into something new to me and hopefully in better condition. Another part of this is I would like to see if a truck is something that would even fit my life style.

I guess I will keep looking. Atleast I know to avoid engine swaps and frame replacements. If the Canadian dollar wasn't in the toilet I'd try to import one from the states.

thanks for the advice everyone.

 

Well, just avoid the idea of buying another used vehicle that's going to both drain your cash supply and be no less of a maintenance project than your current vehicle. In the end, the only difference will be that you spent all your money on another problem vehicle and now have a list of unknown issues to fix instead of a couple like you're having.

That said.. and I'm not trying to sound rude, oil leaks are an easy fix, your car needs maintenance - not expensive repairs, and heated seats and an aux input can be had for a couple hundred bucks.

I'm sure you want a new vehicle, but if money is tight then it's really a "want to have" thing than anything. A 1999 vehicle is pretty new and is still very much a modern car. If you were driving a $500 1980s Chrysler or something, then I'd be a little more open minded, but there's people everywhere driving far worse vehicles than what you've got and they get by just fine.

I'd start by figuring out where your oil leak is coming from and doing some research on the internet to identify what part you're looking at, then call a few repair shops and get some price quotes. Then buy a heated seat kit off of your favorite internet marketplace website.

The aux input is as cheap as a new, basic head unit. Most modern head units will have aux input, and I'm sure will be under $100.

 

True. Especially since both of those can be added to your current car at modest cost.

The oil leak should not be hard to find or repair, assuming you don't have a cracked block.

Hondas are like everything else, seals will fail. Crank, cam, rear main, valve cover gasket and distributor o ring (if old enough) are the most common culprits.

Several Hondas had oil coolers under the filter housing that will make a mess when that seal fails, and it will. Also, if it's a balance shaft motor, the balance shaft seal has blown out and lunched the motor on many a unit. There is a retainer that is simple to install when the new balance shaft seal is put in place, which should be part of any timing belt work.

If you have an equally cared for/condition/mileage CRV and Tacoma, your total cost of operation should be less with the CRV.

Tacomas are great trucks, but it is a truck, and costs more to operate.

 

My undergrad experience and financiality is probably totally different but the only advice I can give is really do your homework on what you can afford and don't push the limit just cause you want "newer". Especially if you have to look at blown out train wrecks of options like the one you linked. Find something with some good maintenance records and low history of issues.

 

430,000kms is a whole goddamn lot. I don't care who owned it, I would not pay $7500 Canadian Pesos for anything with that much mileage, replaced drive train or not.

 

I appreciate all the advice. I emailed the seller anyway with a couple questions and got a one sentence reply back. Gonna keep looking, I will find something not beat to shit at some point.

 

Crvs and Hondas in general are easy to fix and cheap to maintain, they run forever with proper maintenance. If it's leaking oil then that's usually an easy fix with a new gasket or seal, if it's consuming oil then you've got bigger problems. Either way it will be cheaper to fix what you have. Also does the Tacoma your looking at even have heated seats?

 

Run

 

If your on a budget DO NOT BUY A 2005 MODEL!

2005 was a great year, but the first production run. They had all of the defects while Toyota was working out the kinks in the new design.

The biggest issues 2005's have are:
- Bad head gaskets
- bad spiral cable
- bad leaf springs

Go with a 2006 to 2008. Also, if your a poor hungry college student, I would get a Prerunner Sport edition. You have all of the good upgrades like trans. and oil cooler, but do not have the extra maintenance expense sometimes 4WD trucks do.

Hope this helps

 

That's a TON of miles.

 

That's what I thought on my last ex