Looking at buying a 2000 SR5 – advice/pointers would be appreciated

So I'm not clueless with cars/trucks but it certainly isn't an area of expertise for me. I have been looking for a tacoma for a while, and as all of you reading this know it can be challenging to find a good one for the right price. This thing has a rebuilt engine that was just done (with as many Toyota parts as possible being as old as it is), a transmission with 70k miles on it, 'custom' suspension done within the last 6 years, and it's clearly pretty well taken care of and drives nicely. The owner is asking 13k for it. There's some slight surface rust, but besides that all appears to be in order.

Here's the link with pics.

https://santafe.craigslist.org/cto/d/tesuque-2000-tacoma-new-engine/7586118636.html

Any thoughts/recommendations for me before I make a decision? Appreciate any feedback in advance. Thanks!

 

Looks like the paint on the cab on the passenger side doesn't match the door & the bed. I'd ask why.

 

Frame, frame, frame, and check the frame again. Bring a hammer.

 

My only question does New Mexico use Salt or Other Winter Chemicals in the Mountains .

Has this truck lived in New Mexico all it`s life or did it run away from the great Northern Rust belt.

I know mileage gets run up fast in that part of the world 70,000 miles is not an almost new transmission .

Why so many fail to show pictures of the frame is beyond me.

One seller advertised new engine that was a 100,000 miles ago .

A good inspection and road test is in order. These Priced are crazy now .

Happy Hunting and Good Luck!

 

23 years old. Almost 300k miles. $13k.

The only way I'd step into something like that was if I personally knew the owner and had maybe even helped with the refreshing of things, so I knew exactly what I was getting, not what an ad says.

If you want to proceed, pay to have a pre-purchase inspection by a quality independent mechanic, and ask them to do a full systems check, including a compression and leakdown test.

 

Hard to reeeally tell but from what I can see here. She’s rusty. Me personally I would avoid it. Having said that, trucks are dumb high and if you can talk them down then maybe. Point out all flaws you can. Lol

 

Figuring that a new engine would run $6k for self-install I'm doubtful that this guy is then selling his truck for $13k. The paint, the rust peeking through... Lots of little flags that would make me skittish.

 

New engine/fresher trans, at the end of the day it still shows 300K on the clock. You buy it and a year later decide it ain't for you. Yur in for a helluva hit IMO. I'd offer $10K, but only if it was my dream truck, which it ain't. Good luck.

 

Yes there is a lot of salt on the roads here in the winter. These things are definitely priced crazy these days, and $13k seems too high for this thing, which is why I felt like getting some opinions on here. $10k seems like it's more within reason... though the mechanic that did the work shared $10,600 of work that has been done to 'restore' it. I liked how it ran, but still seems a bit risky of a buy for my taste.

 

Agreed, that's kinda my thinking here as well.

 

The mechanic that did the work has the truck right now and has been quite forthcoming with whats been done/what may need to be done, etc, and even offered healthy skepticism and suggested a second opinion, though the trusted people I'd go to don't work on Toyotas and those they've referred me to are tied up for a week+.

The person selling it seems very cool and forthcoming as well... but in the end what matters is whether it's a good deal or not. Seems like a steep price point to me, particularly with a frame that is in less than ideal shape.

 

Well, Kelly BB says it would trade in at around $8500 and private party sale around 10-11K, so there's that.

 

I would keep looking. I bought a 2001 TRD in good shape (perfect frame) with 100,000 less miles for half that.

they are out there.

 

I'm feeling that as well. It definitely seems too high of a price, regardless of the nonsense in the used car market right now.

 

Thank you all for the thoughts, concerns, and opinions offered! Much appreciated