3 owners under 50k miles

I'm looking at buying a 2021 Limited Nightshade DC 48k miles with 3 previous owners.
Carfax:
1st owner - 15k; routine maintenance
2nd owner - 23k; oil change only
3 in RC lift installed (I will swap out for a better one)
3rd owner: 10k; oil changes

I borrowed it for a few days and it runs fine. One concern is the coolant reservoir was empty so I filled it and it never leaked. Not sure how well they inspected it.
Currently have them down to $35.5k from 38. 12 mo/12k dealer warranty.

Any opinions welcome!

 

If it's an RC DB lift the crossmember has been removed and replaced so reversing that lift will not be easy or straightforward.

Check the coolant crossover pipe for evidence of leakage. It's a common failure on 3rd gens and one reason the coolant may have been low.

While you're checking that out also look for evidence of a leak around the timing chain cover which is also known to leak (oil).

 

certainly is odd there were 3 previous owners , something ain't right . probably more than the potential coolant pipe leak too ! just saying

 

It has a thick steel TRD skid plate which I didn't remove.
Could that have been installed as a way to replace the crossmember?

There was oil on the skid plate furthest from the front of the truck. I assumed it came from changing the oil filter.

 

This. Check for rust, and maybe check the steering rack as well. Those are the common issues.

I always have a mechanic I trust look over anything I'm going to buy, to make sure I'm not missing anything.
Lots of people buy a vehicle drive it for a year and sell it, so 3 owners isn't necessarily bad in my mind.

 

If you can show us a picture of the truck down low from the front it'll be pretty obvious. You can tell just by looking at how high it's lifted vs CV angles. A DB lift lets you get like a 6" lift with nice, flat CV angles. The downside is that it permanently changes some stuff on the truck that you may not want, and if you move to a state with vehicle inspections it may not pass safety.

That oil could be from anything. I'd investigate further before even considering buying that truck. Do you have a local independent Toyota mechanic near you? Best thing would be to pay them a few bucks to look everything over, especially the stuff mentioned so far in this thread.

 

Is it 4x4??

Also, rough country isn't the absolute worst if you do end up deciding to keep it. Take it for a test drive and see how it handles/rides, could end up liking it

 

When you(4th owner) go to sell it, many will pass with it having had 4 owners. The price would have to be great to make up for that possible loss on the backside

 

@pvanzee82 post a link to the truck so we can better help

 

I returned the truck yesterday so no photos available.
It's likely 3-4" lift kit. CV angle aren't flat, but the wheel are surprisingly aligned despite the OEM UCAs.
Overall, I like the truck but hate the mods and questionable history.....and maintenance. Appreciate the insight!

 

Here's the link:
https://www.mcgrathauto.com/used/Toyota/2021-Toyota-Tacoma-d6a95e7aac18268e558ca1900d901a9c.htm

 

Yes, it 4x4. I posted a link to the listing. I drove it for two days and it seems normal.

 

That's a very valid point. Even if i keep it for another 100k miles, it's still 4 owners.

 

Would be nice if you could contact the previous owners and get their take on it.
For a few dollars more could you find a 2023 out there, preferably with no mods on it?

 

Definitely check these! Especially the coolant crossover pipe, since it was low on coolant. Since it was low on something so obvious,, I am already skeptical of the seller/dealer.
Also it is missing a center cap,, not a big deal, just shows the seller/dealer's lack of attention, and makes me think they're hacks.

 

The biggest issue I have run across being in the business, is people not getting a full vehicle pre purchase inspection, and finding out later the vehicle had been wrecked or damaged in other ways, that means putting on a rack and lifting and pulling all the wheels and looking at everything including junk yard parts, now they probably will not check the ATF due to time, but they should check the levels of any and all other fluid levels, this includes a test drive and checking for pending and or history codes, looking for frame damage/repair, newer welds etc etc etc, you will have to pay for the inspection, but better to inspect no rather than find out later.... A Carfax report ONLY shows what has been reported by the dealer, my cars have all been serviced properly by the business that I just retired from, but no Carfax report on any of them... I bought a vehicle a few years ago that had been wrecked but the Carfax was clean, I bought it from Toyota used, I showed them where the repaired damage was and they couldn't believe it (it was what I was looking for lol)... So get any used vehicle checked out by YOUR mechanic of choice not theirs...

 

100% agree. Carfax is far from the whole story as they like to emphasize "reported".

 

I couldn't agree more. They're knock-off TRD rims because they're 18" and that style only comes in 17". Also says "Not OEM" on the inside. I located the mfg and they don't sell caps separately.

This dealer has mixed reviews, but the bad reviews seem legit.

WAY too many red flags on this truck.

 

Appreciate the feedback, everyone! I need to trust my gut. Didn't feel right from the beginning. Onto the next one!

 

If they can’t even do an oil change without cleaning up the mess what’s that say about the rest of the truck. I’d wanna know what’s up with the oil on the skid. My truck just turned 49k and you can eat off the skid