Pre-Purchase Inspection Options

I am going to have a truck taken in for a pre-purchase inspection this week, and I am wondering where to take it.

Should I go to the nearest Toyota dealer and have them take a look? Or should I trust an independent shop in the area where the truck is? Any pros and cons of taking it to either one?

 

Take it to an independent mechanic that you know and trust or look it over yourself, or better yet, do both!

 

I looked it over myself earlier this week, its an 08 TRD Sport Access Cab by the way. Frame seems good no rust, suspension seems ok, clutch seems fine, no crazy dents or obvious body work(I took a magnet with me like a dumbass), but my mechanical expertise is nowhere near an actual mechanic. The only thing that tripped me out, which I'm not used to the 2nd Gen 4WD system, is when I turned the knob while parked and in neutral the little green truck frame on the dash kept blinking. I'm used to the older style of engaging 4WD, is it possible I just did it wrong? Please someone tell me I'm just an idiot.

 

If 4wd didnt engage, it's likely not used very often, or there is a problem with the actuator. My truck was the same way when i test drove it and tried engaging 4wd. the thing just blinked and beeped at me. Keep trying would be my recommendation. These actuators freeze up if it isnt used often and they can be a pain to get them to engage. Took me 10-15 minutes of sitting in the parking lot with the sales guy to get it to engage.

 

Sweet so I'm not an idiot! The truck lives in a suburban & rich part of the Bay Area, so I'm assuming 4WD is rarely used. Should I just keep flipping between 4H and 2H?

 

Yes, and once it finally kicks in 4H, then try to go into 4Low. You might try moving forwards and backwards in a straight line slowly to get it to try and engage. Works for both high and low

 

Thanks dude! You may have just saved me a world of headaches and possibly passing on an otherwise great truck!

 

Sure thing! Now that im thinking about it, 4high actually shifts better and engages smoother if you are doing it while moving 30-40mph. The gears mesh better or something i think i remember reading somewhere. You can engage 4high at up to 62mph so just get moving a little and then try if it doesnt work when you're in the lot

 

Will do! Its a whole new world when you're not driving with a 1990 4Runner, I was taught that I would destroy every single part of the car if I wasn't stopped when engaging 4WD. But also I was a teenager and my father was probably just telling me shit to keep me from being a dumbass.

 

I don't think you need to be in neutral just to go from 2H to 4H, but to go to 4L you do. Sometimes have to roll to get it to fully engage.