Any options other than replacing engine for $11k?

Keep calling them. They will say there is nothing they can do many times. They don't want to give you money but can. Also, talk with the dealer. They have an allowance from Toyota to spend on helping customers out. Even if the dealer gives you a couple grand and Toyota corp gives you a few grand, you are better off than nothing. But I can almost assure you corp will give you a decent amount of money if you keep calling them.

 

yes, that sounds like a nightmare. just replace it with a remanufactured engine.

 

Agree, no trust.

 

All used vehicles can be risky, but the added cost of new is usually worth that risk. I saved more than this $12 repair by not buying the same truck new.

 

Quick update... I called 3 other shops besides the dealer. One quoted me 2k more than the dealer did. One told me they don't do engine swaps anymore. The third never called me back.

I had an inquiry with the dealer to see what they'd offer me for the truck on trade in, they offered $5k so that's a joke. Definitely planning on fixing it at this point.

I'm trying to get the non-dealer shop that's actually willing to do the work to come down on their price, because I'd much rather have them do it than the dealer... but not if it's going to cost me even more. They all said they thought the 11k was a fair price (which seems fuckin' insane to me).

It's looking like I may just have to bend over and let the dealer fix it, which I really don't want to do. I'd love to keep shopping for something better, but I'm also not super interested in dragging this shit out for a month.

Does anyone in the Denver area have any other shop suggestions? Preferably a toyota specialist.

 

Damn! And nobody has taken a look at it yet? I'm still skeptical on the engine needing replaced.

What shops in Denver have you called so far?

 

I've never bought a used vehicle from anyone but a brand dealer. With Toyota, I've always bought certified used vehicles and had very good experiences. My Tacoma had 9875 miles on it and was about 15 months old. My wife's new RAV4 is an off lease 202 with 26K miles. I expect that we'll have both for some years to come.

If an independent quoted you $2K more than the dealer, I don't think that the dealer is bending you over. I think you'll get a better warranty and less of a headache from the dealer, but what do I know? I don't expect that you'd be happy with having to put that much money into a truck you just recently got, but I'd be more upset with Carvana than the dealer.

 

Don’t buy your next car from Carvana or Carmax, their vehicles are way overpriced. I also heard a lot of shady stuff going on with Carvana. Your truck only had 4500 miles and had multiple owners when you bought it? Sounds like you bought a lemon.

I’m sorry this happened to you, I hope you get it resolved.

 

I see a lot of people wanting to put the blame on Carvana.

The OP drove the truck about 5 years & 73,000 miles.

If there is a blame to be assigned here it was probably a Toyota part that failed not deception by Carvana IMO.

Hopefully we find out exactly what failed by the end of this.

 

I didn't get this vehicle recently. I've had it for 4 years and I've put 70k miles on it.

I'm just looking for the best deal possible, and just don't like giving car dealerships any money if I can avoid it.

 

I'd trust a master tech at a dealer over an independent shop if it is the same price.

 

I always read on this forum where owners say that the 3.5 is a high revving engine and makes me believe that others read it too and drive it like a race car. I see it here and there around town too. 3rd gen drivers gunning it at stop lights for no real reason (not needing to pass another car).

In the end we don't know how OP drove the vehicle and can only assume what they say on the forum.

I'm assuming a MIL did not come on as I didn't read any posts about fault codes appearing or reported by the dealer?

 

Kinda going through the same with my 1st Gen, independent shops weren’t any cheaper than the dealer. Have been burned by independent shops in the past, so I don’t trust any of them. At least with Toyota, if anything were to go south, you can run it up line to corporate.

So having the dealer do it, we plan on keeping the truck for awhile, and are thinking about moving here in a couple years, so if there are any warranty issues that come up there are nearly 1300 Toyota dealers nation wide that could handle it. Not so with independent shops, even the ones within a network…trying to get warranty claims from a shop that didn’t do the work, envision being a nightmare.

It used to be a lot cheaper to do engine installs, my ‘85 4Runner 22RE was $2000 total, however that was many years ago, plus that was a much simpler truck….so cheap is not the case anymore. Thought about doing a JDM, but the labor is so expensive, might as well do a reman with a better warranty. 36month/100K, instead of 1 year/12K miles. We are right around $12K, which was pushed to $15K because the truck needed some of the accessories replaced too. Starter, power steering pump and lines, few other things too.

Not cheap by any means, but a heck of a lot cheaper than a new one.

Have been waiting on the engine and parts for going on 8 weeks now, “supposedly” done this Friday the 7th. Not holding my breath.

 

Did I confuse you with someone else? Bought a low mileage 3rd Gen, with several owners, bought from Carvana?

If so, ignore my Carvana remarks, but I still think you'll get better results from a dealer.

 

No, that's me, but as far as we know it only had one other "real" owner.

It was owned by an individual for 2 months, it was then owned by the bank, then it was owned by carvana, then it was owned by me...

But I bought it 4 years ago and it had 4500 miles on it.

You'd have to really fuck around to break a new vehicle that fast.

 

the 3.5 should run at 3-5K RPM all day for 200K miles without issue. an occasional touch of the red line at 6K shouldn't hurt it either.

i read here on occasion where owners baby their truck, and one guy in particular wrote he seldom shifts (MT) above 2.5k RPM. that kinda driving may do more harm over the long term than the owner that revs it a little, within reason of course.

if these engines 'get hurt' at mid RPM range they are weak, and something is wrong with the design, assembly, or components. it just should not happen.

 

car-part.com for finding a used Tacoma engine, then have it dropped off at an Asian car private repair shop.

 

I rarely go over 2.5-3k RPMs. I don’t see the need go higher with normal driving. I give very little throttle input and it accelerates just fine. There is plenty of power there.

 

Well this truly sucks!
Gone are the days you could have just bought a $1k hoopty to get to work and fix this thing in your garage over time.
(I’m guessing you can’t get a $1k hoopty anyways, w prices the way they are)