What to look for in used trucks?

Hey All,

I'm new to the toyota scene and I'm looking at 2008+ models with a budget of 21K. Is there anything in particular to look out for? I will be doing some easy off-roading, nothing crazy. I enjoy going to the Outer Banks in NC and would love to drive on the beach some.

I found a 2010 4dr 4x4 SR5 with 70k miles that I am leaning towards. Anything to be particularly worried about? Listing is at 23k OBO.

 

prolly want to make sure the frame is not rusted....

 

I will for sure. I'm not mechanically inclined, but I thought I would look over the basics.
-Make sure 4x4 works
-Look for rust or bends in the frame
-listen for any odd sounds
-drive at different speeds and listen for tranny issues
-General damage

Is a base SR5 worth the money? I know I will miss out on the LSD and some interior features. I'm not in a rush, so I want to get the best bang for the buck. Preferably with the most off road capabilities a stock taco can provide.

 

I've talked to a few folks that gave me some good advice for buying used.
- look at the engine bay with the truck running and look for any evidence of leaks or odd vibrations (also check fluids)
-get it on a lift or just look underneath for rust, any trail damage, leaks from brakes
-once you confirm the sound system works properly, shut it off and listen for odd noise and make sure it handles well
- always be ready to walk away.

Good luck and have fun!

Oh, and to answer you question about getting a base model, I have everything I need for my use with my base model and I hate chrome. Depends on how you want to use it!

 

I've never driven a base off road but the bilsteins on the sport and off-road aren't much better than the base model shocks.

 

Good to know. I have been debating vehicles for a long time. I took forever to decide between a full size f150 and the tacoma. I finally decided I can live with borrowing my dads full size truck when needing to haul anything heavy. Feels good to have settled on a tacoma.

Edited to add:
Really enjoying the forum. Tons of user friendly tutorials and helpful threads.

 

service records, if available.

 

Frame rust is the biggest concern. The front boxed section of the frame is more susceptible. Look for rust holes on the inside frame wall near the catalytic converters.

Look for oil leaks on the engine, at the seam where the front timing cover, head, and block joint up.

Service records would be a plus. Particular items to look for:
spark plug replacement and rear diff fluid replacement every 30k
driveshaft (aka propeller shaft) greased every year or 10k

 

Spend the 30 bucks or so for a carfax. Carfax is not the all knowing but it can help. I think you can get a 4 run subscription or so carfax for that price for 30 days.

 

Lots of what was said above +
Drive as many as your patience and timeline can handle.

 

I do have access to CarFax.

I'm struggling with the prices! These trucks are not cheap by any means. There are not many for sale in my area either. I was hoping for 21-24k I could land a 2008+ TRD offroad 4x4 4dr with 50-70k miles. Is that realistic?

 

Have a mechanic check to see if the lower control arm boots are rusted into the alignment came. Big bucks or a severe pain to fix.

 

I would think you could get a 2010 Dc TRD for around 23k or so. Private party sales maybe a tad more as they are trying to get every drop of blood out of it before taking a bit less on trade. Gotta be patient.

 

The Tacomas have the highest resale value of any vehicle in any class in the USA. The absurd resale value pushed me toward buying new.

 

If you have the 21k in cash, you should put it down on a 2015 or 2016!

But if you are still wanting the most capable off-road Tacoma, get the TRD off road. It comes with a rear locker. Very useful when off-road.

As for problems, check all the fluids and check for rust. That's the only problems on these trucks. Is that they rust away too fast.