Thoughts on this DC??

Hey fellas (and ladies), have been an avid follower of the site for a while, and alot of the resources here have really helped me in my hunt for a first gen DC 4x4 taco. I came across this one at a dealer near me, and wanted to get some insight from you all on price/condition overall. I think it is listed a bit high, especially for the miles on it. I test drove it today, and it seemed to be in pretty good shape. Also checked the typical areas for rust, etc and everything seemed to check out.

Link: http://www.shelor.com/used/toyota/t...oyota-tacoma-christiansburg-virginia-19227452

If I were to bargain for price with them, what number should I aim for? I was thinking something around 12K would be more reasonable...

Thanks in advance,
Taylor

 

If you can get it for 12K or even 13K Out The Door, GET IT!!!! These are HARD TO FIND!!!!!

Ask if the they did the Timing Belt. Water Pump, trans fluid change & diff oil change....
It is Clean and again rare to find one that clean... Do a Carfax also..

Good Luck!!!!!

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/314291-lets-see-most-expensive-1st-gens-4-sale.html


It is priced at going rate, actually Low for a 4WD...

 

I agree with what has been said, looks clean. Be sure to ask the right questions. I agree with the OP that 161,000 is a fair amount of miles for $13,888. I bought mine last May for $13,300 with 76,000 miles and I know I got a good deal, but the same $ for more than twice the miles seems a touch high. It never hurts to negotiate. Good luck!

 

If it hasn't been mentioned yet, "FRAME RUST" would be a deal killer for me! I'll say it again, "FRAME RUST" is the achilles heel! You may feel unconfortable about doing this, but you need to crawl underneath it and check out the frame. Or, take it to a mechanic you trust, get it up on a lift and look at it then. Most dealers will go along with you on this so long as they feel that you're a serious buyer.

It would be nice to know where the dealer got the truck from, whether it was a trade-in or they bought it from an auction. My guess it came from an area that uses salt on the road during inclimate weather which leads back to the frame rust issue.

The truck looks very clean and the mileage isn't out of line for the year. I have an 02' DC that I paid just a little bit more for. But it's a Calif truck with no frame rust and given the geographical area, it cost more. I'm doubtful that they would come off of their price as they probably know what they have, but perhaps you can negotiate some of the dealers fees. Not much but it may be something they'd be willing to give up.

Good luck in your search, whether it's this truck or another that comes along.

 

Thanks for all of the input everyone! Tinmann, I did crawl under the truck and look while I was there, and while there was a little bit of surface rust near the rear shackles, it didn't seem to be anything super significant (no holes in the frame, I pulled a bit on the shackle mounts and they were strongly attached at the frame). Is there any other areas that i should be looking at really closely? In regards to the history of the truck it was a local trade in, and this particular dealer has done nearly all the maintenance since the truck was new (timing belt was done at 88k). It has been in Southwest VA its whole life, and while they do use some salt on the roads during the winter, its nothing like they do up North.

As a separate topic, does anyone know if a truck this old can be financed? Don't quite have the $$ to pay outright at this point in time. I think the dealer mentioned that they could finance, but I have heard better deals can be had elsewhere.

 

The front bumper is pushed in on the passenger side, its uneven. I think you can talk the price down due to the mileage.

 

As a separate topic, does anyone know if a truck this old can be financed? Don't quite have the $$ to pay outright at this point in time. I think the dealer mentioned that they could finance, but I have heard better deals can be had elsewhere.[/QUOTE]

I have essentially the same truck and I would probably ask 13 for mine.

As far as financing goes, with an older truck you may have the best luck at a credit union. Some places won't finance if it's older than 7-8 years.

Good luck!

 

Looks like beauty... yes id inquire about the frame and see if the recall was done or not, other than that it looks fantastic.

 

HokieT, nice to see that you took the initiative and looked underneath the vehicle and did your homework on the history. Perhaps the service department would allow you to look at their records to see what service has been performed.

As far as financing goes, everryone is differerent and has their own set of rules. Alot depends upon your credit history and how much you want to finance.
I'd have to agree with WyoRoam, credit unions maybe your best bet and the dealership as your last option.

 

looks very clean and decent for it's mileage.

however their description of the "mechanical" leave something to be desired. just make sure to look at factory specs and compare to what's there.

15" wheels/tires and obviously a no, 3.91 gears weren't an option, and manual locking front hubs would be sticking out of the front hubs (no center cap for wheel). I know it's nit-picking but if a place cannot get the easy details right then it irks me.

anyhoo GLWB