Thoughts on this 1st gen buy?

https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/cto/d/1997-tacoma-4x4-lx-v6/6706606765.html

1997 Tacoma 4x4, 3.4L V6 engine, 223,XXX miles listed $5800. My hesitation is the high miles, and the reason for needing all the work listed in the ad. My intrigue is because for under $6000, it still seems like a deal.

My intent is camping and mild overlanding.

Would you guys buy a truck with 223k miles?

Would you be worried about an extensive list of repairs and maintenance in the last year?

 

You will always need to do repairs on older vehicles. Judging by that add it looks like the owner likes it and took care of it. I'd say the price is quite fair. $5500 would be a good deal I think.

 

Looks like the owner cares about it, and if they have receipts I would go for it. just check the bottom (the frame) for rust. that is the only thing that can kill these trucks.
250k on a toyota just means its broken in. my gx470 is at 255k and drives like new, my taco is at 240+k and will drive like new after I do some maintenance on it.

 

I wouldn't be worried about what the owner did, those are normal items to replace. I replaced all my bushings at 130k. 223k is not high mileage if it was taken care of, there's at least another 200k in there easy.

fluid changes are good to see, means the owner cares and not neglects.

check vehicle history and see if any accidents, but it just sounds like some things went bad. the steering rack is sometimes hit or miss.

if stop & go driving the clutch would need replaced sooner than highway driving so that can make sense.

I'm not sure the valves need adjusted on the 3.4 but the 2.7 I've seen this done

 

Looks like a good deal to me s long as the frame looks good. Good luck.

 

Buy it

 

Looks like they just dropped the price too....if jump on it if I wasn't half a country away....BUY IT

 

always laugh a bit when I see :

• A/C is working and blows cold

or heater blows hot

 

Same. Among other things: "strictly highway miles"

 

I’d buy that in a heartbeat!

 

Good Deal.

 

Grab it or you will be sorry.

 

I laugh at that because in my 98 it still does the same! I think "How could this be?" So old and it still works? Modern marvel. lol

 

x2 on this Solid advise ... check frame for rust .... this is a keeper !

 

Considering it's in the LA area, I'd say it's a valid selling point. I've tried selling vehicles here in Denver with non-operational AC's and they just sit.

 

Seller lives 120 miles away from me on the other side of LA (would take me 3-4 hours to get there), so I'm not able to check it out till Saturday. I told him I can come get it then. Not sure why he continues to drop the price knowing that, but he seems in a big hurry to sell.

 

@Crodell6 is only 45 min from there. And he likes driving.

 

Time to jumpstart your toyota buyers agent career

 

Can't imagine avoiding traffic going through the entirety of LA at 5pm lol.

 

Check for rust and oil leaks