Buying this truck- you see anything wrong?

Either way you'll know less about this truck than you will ever know about this truck.

 

Updated photos posted above any input?

 

My 2010 did get an external frame coating, I think 2018. They did use the wax you mention at some point, not sure if it was a change in how they treated it based on years of vehicle, the actual substance, etc.

 

Mine at 11.5 yrs old, with coating

 

I wouldn't worry about the hitch too much. They take a beating if you take it off road and even just from using a hitch receiver and once the paint starts to flake off it gets rusty quick. Coat in some sort of oil or rust preventer if you buy the truck. Otherwise looks rather clean from what I can see. If your serious about it pick it up yourself and crawl around under it before paying.

 

I aggree... looks smooth and doesn't appear to be painted over or a rubberized coating. Just for comparison this is my 07... original frame / fluid film only.

 

Maybe mine went in 2019 or 2020, could be region specific although that's a MD truck maybe condition of the frame or like you said depending what they are doing that year. Maybe they gave me the FU service? I only went to extend the coverage which may have since expired.

Those round plugs I was speaking of are forward the oblong plug.

 

a lousy Fluid Film commercial. I'm kidding but get out of here with that immaculate well maintained truck! Seriously it does look good.

 

That looks incredible

 

I have heard of the wax as well..not until after mine got the CRC black spray that I recall though. Not sure if it's coincidence..but either way I'm sure yours was done after mine, FWIW

Check on yours, mine was a final inspection no later than 12 yrs from first date the vehicle was put in service..so you might need to do that one soon

 

This, and a few other areas showed some flaking of whatever coating is on the frame. You can see what looks like overspray on the right rear shock in one pic.

You mention a small lot w/ no service facilities, that reeks of a wholesale lot. Usual vehicles with too may problems to run through the dealer auction, so they go to 'buy here, pay here' lots.

Ask the seller if the vehicle has a valid MD State Inspection certificate, it's he "safety" inspection that every vehicle has to go through before title/tags can be issued. The inspection gets pretty deep but is only a one time thing whenever the title changes owners ( with a few exceptions).

 

That is the proper coating Toyota used [white and very thick] for the second treatment, the earlier one was a unmitigated failure, basically an asphalt based one that caused extensive rusting under it anywhere there was a break in the coating.

The white UC treatment wasn't a total coverage, they only did certain seams and areas, it must have been put on with an almost grease gun type of applicator.

 

On the inspection part you mentioned. It’s a one owner truck. I guess since he’s had it since new it’s not been inspected again. I’m not registering it in MD I would be taking it back to TN where there is no inspections.

 

For a MD truck, that doesn't look bad at all IMO. A someone who lives in the MD/PA area it could be a whole lot worse. I think the 2011+ trucks didn't get that nasty CRC coating, just some white looking seam sealer and plastic plugs. I had a 2014 and that's what they did. I had a 2009 that had the black CRC coating done on it and it was terrible, rusted underneath of it in no time. The 2014 was fine. I'd buy it, but that's me.

 

The biggest question to ask is how this low mileage one owner truck ended up on a wholesale lot. If a dealer took it in on trade, then rolled it to an auction, there could be cause for concern other than the frame.

 

Perhaps but who knows what dealer got it? I traded in a cherry 5 yr old Chevy truck (at least looked like it) on my Tacoma and they ended up not putting it on the lot.

 

Keep looking: With the rust issues and areas you can actually see, you can find a better truck for $20,000. The previous tar undercoating application makes the short-term rusting problem that is visible even worse over time. Those major rot areas you can see are only going to get a lot worse and there are probably more of them that haven't broken through and shed the coating in the process.

FYI: The extended frame warranty on the 2nd gens is 12 years after first use: If it had the mandatory frame inspection and treatment (off-white "frosting type) -before- the deadline. These inspections show up on the Toyota VIN reports.

 

OR if it had the black crap they used prior, as mine did. We need to know when first date of service on this truck is to see if he's got a chance at a final, I surmise not

 

Replacement frames have a unique sticker on them. My son's 2005 with a new frame on it has one. My 2014 w/original frame has no stickers on it, (and I believe never did unless someone peeled them off). (unlikely) It has been re-inspected and re-verified by the dealer every year (three times) since I got it in 2021. They --do not-- touch-up or re-apply the rust-preventative goop applied previously during the inspections. I touch it up with Fluid-Film every fall.