Good decision to buy?

I did a quick check on KBB in my area (PA) for that style truck and its coming up at $17,900 in excellent condition. When I originally was looking at buying I was looking for tacomas with 30-40k miles and couldn't find one for under $26k, so I just bought a new one.

 

Marty- I live in the SF Bay Area. After looking long & hard, I recently bought a exceptionally clean 2005 Prerunner TRD Off Road access cab SR5 V6 with 76k for 14.5k. The owner was asking 16.5k, which was right in line with the pricing of others in this area. There were no 09's, even with 100k, anywhere to be found in Northern California for less than 20k that weren't beat to death.

I'd personally jump on the deal if you feel the truck is what you're looking for! As others have said, 200k should not be a problem if the truck is well maintained!

Just my .02 cents worth

Don

 

Robert - Thanks for your comment. Wish the truck was a bit closer to home and I'd send a mechanic I could trust to check it out for me. I guess I did ok research. And got them to even send me their shop records. guess that was good. Good stuff...thanks!

M.D - Just ran the KBB for the NM area. Once all the bells and whistles are added it comes to $19,309 (what the heck do I need a back up camera for?)Figure another grand for tax & whatever...a little over 20k. One other piece of the puzzle; it has to double as a his/her truck. Thanks!

Don - You caught my attention when you said Ca. The truck spent 2 yrs in S. Ca. and the last two in Az. Yupe that seems to be the norm rather than the exception on prices.

I have a week to make up my mind so please keep em coming.

 

It is a good looking truck Marty. If you like it and it fills your needs then I would buy it.

The thing I would keep in mind if it were me is, the engine, trans and diff will last forever if properly taken care of. But with that much mileage little things will start creeping up sooner rather than later. Wheel bearings, brakes front and rear, possibly some sensors etc. While none of these things are very expensive to repair ( especially if you can do some of it on your own ) they will add up over time.

If you buy it and REALLY like it pay more than the payment when you can and you will have a title in no time. If you feel that it is JUST a truck that you will use then keep it for a while then pay off as normal.

This is how I would look at it if I were in the market for a used truck.
I would still squeeze them some. Ask them to make the warranty 6mos or a year on power train instead of 60 days. I do this just so it makes me feel better.

50=old man not so fast there. I am not that far behind you and I had a double by pass a couple of months ago. Were just getting started.

 

That's a very fair price. For a frame of reference, I have 116k on my 2009, and it easily has another 100k on it. This one is an Off Road, so while its 2WD, you still get a locker, which is better than nothing.

And once you get used to the backup camera, I think you'll find it's invaluable. I love that thing.

 

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

Just for reference, there's a 2004 double cab prerunner with 118k and the dealer is asking 14 for it. You're getting a much newer truck for 15 so just something to consider. I hear you on making payments! I've never had to make any in my life except for my last two trucks. They're getting too damn expensive to walk in and pay cash for anymore, plus financing rates make it tough to tie up that much money in a depreciating asset. Enjoy your new truck if you decide to get it! Prerunners are very popular around my area, I hardly see a 4x4.

 

I think you have two choices:

If you can wrench than you'll be able to keep up with all of the smaller things that start to wear down after 100k (some of them were mentioned above), in which case you'll save yourself a few bucks over time and more than likely you'll be very happy with the prerunner. You'll easily get another 100k out of it with prompt quality maintenance. I bought my 95.5 at 100k and sold it ten years later in 2011 for $3,500 at 250k.

Or, just spring for a new one off the lot and enjoy the warranty. I looked used for a long time and finally decided that the best investment in my area, and for me, was brand new off the lot.

Good luck!

 

That price is fair especially for a 2009. 100k miles is nothing for these trucks. I see trucks like these go for $15K at the auctions all the time. I would jump on it. Ask if its a trade-in or from auction. Either way, if they are selling it for $15k, they must have gotten it for cheap and I would try to find out why they got it cheap and where it came from? Either way I think it's a fair deal, I would be asking $20k for that truck on my lot.

 

Great stuff guys!!! I am feeling better about this thing...especially the 50 not being that old . Seems like just yesterday I was saying the same thing..."I'm right behind you"...

- camera might be a little easier on the neck
- sent sales guy the 6 Mo @ 7:48 NM time. We must be on the same pg.
- good stuff Robert
- I can wrench
- nothing like hearing it from a dealer...thanx Moe!

Wish I could post better pic. The one doesn't do it justice...it's a pic of a pic off the pc.

Great site!

 

Rear locking diff for mild off-roading, pulling boats up wet ramps, etc. Also useful as a "starter's pkg" for SAS builds.

 

How do you know is a pre-runner?
I looked at the picture and looks just like the 4x4 Off-Road I just bought for 16K.
Is there any pictures of the dashboard? To check if there is a 4x4 knob?
If it is a 4x4, then it is a fair price. Best thing to do, it to decode the VIN number, so you know exaclty what you are buying.

 

The mud flaps also are plain. Usually a good sign for a stock prerunner

 

^Photo shows two rows of the text on the right side of tailgate. Non-Prerunners would have only one row of text.

 

That's what a pre-runner is.....a 2WD drive version of the 4x4. Same suspension and everything, just doesn't have the 4x4 option. Double text on the right side of the tailgate as mentioned and 4x4 say it on the rear mud flaps.

 

Ok. Well , I overlooked those details.

 

Here are the pics you asked for and the tail gate...Thanks.

 

Nothing wrong at all with a prerunner as long as you don't need 4WD. Pricing on these trucks is all about condition. I sold my last 05 double cab trd for 12 grand with 135k on it. But it had been a work truck before I got it and it looked it. It wasn't in terrible shape but it was rougher than the 250k mile 96 I replaced it with. I just paid 15,900 for the 05 doublecab SR5 4x4 I bought last week with 122k on it. But it's super clean and the service records were excellent. I looked at essentially the same truck I just bought with 85k on it the day before and it smelled like a doghouse and was covered in scratches with bald tires. I could have bought that one for 12k or maybe even less. But it was a roach. It's all about condition. Sure there are plenty of cheap trucks out there but if you want a nice one you're going to pay more.

As far as things that will go wrong out of the 3 second gens I've had and another in the family the only real pattern I've seen is front wheel bearings and a/c compressors. I did wheel bearings myself on my 2 last 05's and this one had one side done at 72k and the other at 74k. A/C compressors on my first 05 and my brother in law's 05 failed within a few weeks of one another. Yet both my double cabs were fine on those. If it's had all the fluids regularly changed and doesn't appear to be beat I wouldn't expect anything out of the ordinary. Of course Toyota generally doesn't suggest transmission fluid changes on Automatics south of 100k so you'll probably have to do that.

 

Very much so.


I think this truck is well worth the price. It looks very clean and according the reports it has been well maintained.

I would pay the extra 10 grand over that Tundra any day of the week.

 

Thanks for the posts Ken & Joey...again great stuff!

Here are some additional pics of the undercarriage and engine. Please let me know if you spot anything out of the ordinary (CC heat shield will be replaced).

Thanks in advance!