Greeting, first Tacoma advice

Hey guys, a fellow member recommended I post here after asking for advice in a different section.

I'm in DFW and looking to pick up my first Tacoma in the next week. Right now this is the number 1 contender:

2013 Toyota Tacoma
PRIVATE SELLER
$15,900
http://atcm.co/S2PVDP/1e92fd21

I'm going to check it out in person tomorrow and would appreciate any advice on what to look for, or issues to be aware of.

Thanks guys! Looking forward to joining the club.

 

Welcome to TW

Nice looking truck

 

So is it a Prerunner or 4x4? The title says Prerunner, the description says SR5 4x4. Kinda weird. But if it does turn out to be a 4x4, that's a decent price. Just kinda high mileage for the year but nothing to worry about on a Taco.

Here's something I typed up over a year ago for someone else in your situation. It's pretty long winded but should be a solid guide for when you go look at it:

If it is private party I would ask the owner if you can take it for a test drive, and take it to a parking lot or something. Get underneath it and look for any rust, leaks, cracks, dents in the skid plate or anywhere else from rocks, etc. Also look for frame damage/rust. Check the CV joints for torn boots, leaf springs for cracks, shocks for leaks, front and rear diff for leaks/cracks. Look for anything else you can possibly think to check. Then go under the hood and see if it's dirty, has a lot of oil/grease anywhere, and check the oil, antifreeze, coolant, brake fluid, etc. Then drive it for a while, listening and feeling for anything that doesn't seem right. Run the A/C and stereo. (I forgot to do the A/C on my truck and found out later the A/C clutch halfway seizes up sometimes.) Go somewhere with a dirt patch and put it in 4x4 hi and 4x4 lo. Give it some gas and make sure all 4 wheels spin. Listen for weird sounds and feel for anything weird again. Check all the lights and gauges. Look for stains, stretches, or worn spots on the seats. I can't think of anything else really at this point, but remember, DO NOT talk prices until you have checked everything out and are sure you want the vehicle. Then, use any issues you find as haggling points to get the price lowered a bit. Good luck, and I hope this helps!

 

Welcome! Make sure It's the model you want, and take the poster's advice above. Some guys are happy with 2wd and some guys wish they had 4x4

 

It is strange that the title says prerunner, but it does have the 4wd knob on the dash. Seems the owner doesn't know what a prerunner is.

 

Confirm it’s 4WD. I’d be comfortable buying a used 2nd gen with 150K miles any day. Although I think $15,900 is a bit high. I think $13K-$14K would be more reasonable. But, go for it and make it your own!