1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Buying from a used car lot

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Mallard386, May 21, 2019.

  1. May 21, 2019 at 8:08 AM
    #21
    chrispchicken9

    chrispchicken9 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2018
    Member:
    #264753
    Messages:
    992
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '04 3.4 tacoma, '16 4.0 4runner
    used dealerships weird me out in general.
    I feel like they tamper with the software to make stuff break in time, so you come back
     
  2. May 21, 2019 at 8:13 AM
    #22
    Appalachia Man

    Appalachia Man Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2019
    Member:
    #287854
    Messages:
    218
    Vehicle:
    03 Prerunner X-cab
    2.7L Detroit Truetrac 2" lift OME 880's & Dakar's
    thank GOD for carfax!!! hats off to the OP for doing his homework!

    edit: ...and 1st gen'ers help'n a brother out!
     
    Currygoat, 970btu and GQ7227[QUOTED] like this.
  3. May 21, 2019 at 8:22 AM
    #23
    cruisedon66

    cruisedon66 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2016
    Member:
    #186469
    Messages:
    672
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Pete
    Near St. Louis
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma Extra Cab 2WD A/T
    Defrost mirrors, compass/temp display rear view mirror, rear wiper on camper shell, trans.cooler.
    I ran the VIN through www.toyota.com
    Order date 7/04
    Date of first use 9/20/04
    8/27/10 water pump replaced.
    7/15/14 spare tire cable replaced under recall.
    3/16/17 oil change Huntington CA Toyota 78,825 miles.
    N.Y. Inspection sticker still good.
     
  4. May 21, 2019 at 8:32 AM
    #24
    DriverSound

    DriverSound Señor Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2009
    Member:
    #15329
    Messages:
    5,851
    Gender:
    Male
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2015 DCSB OR 4x4
    Too few to list.
    Seems shady to me with the 1 month ownership and structural damage at that time. Then 3rd owner accident. Now it shows the truck was in the west coast and now east coast. This is how they do title washing.
     
    JasonLee and cruxofthebisquit like this.
  5. May 21, 2019 at 8:41 AM
    #25
    81shark

    81shark Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2008
    Member:
    #10567
    Messages:
    4,079
    Gender:
    Male
    i wonder if the photographer is handicap?

    buy yeah,... structural damaged (frame rust?)... then an accident. that's a hard pass for me.
     
    970btu likes this.
  6. May 21, 2019 at 8:46 AM
    #26
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2011
    Member:
    #51038
    Messages:
    17,612
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    El Dorado, CA (NOT El Dorado Hills)
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD Tacoma 4x4 DC
    Kings, J59's Total Chaos UCAs Custom skids Sticker mod
    Dude, you know someone is totally going in to scoop this before you get there. you better hurry! :D

    Also, Carfax only knows what is reported (voluntarily) to it.

    But who cares if the frame has been replaced or there was structural damage reported?

    If it was fixed properly, it would be BETTER than new. Focus on what it looks like now, not how it got there.
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2019
    TWJLee and 4x4spiegel like this.
  7. May 21, 2019 at 8:52 AM
    #27
    OneWheelPeel

    OneWheelPeel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2016
    Member:
    #187371
    Messages:
    2,312
    Phoenix, AZ
    Buy the truck, not the seller.
     
  8. May 21, 2019 at 8:54 AM
    #28
    FreshOldTaco

    FreshOldTaco Well-Known Rider

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2019
    Member:
    #280564
    Messages:
    3,560
    First Name:
    kevin
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma
    That Toyota emblem isn't stock
     
    Currygoat and GQ7227[QUOTED] like this.
  9. May 21, 2019 at 8:58 AM
    #29
    Thunder Fist

    Thunder Fist Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2017
    Member:
    #210312
    Messages:
    5,613
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    David
    Birmingham, AL
    Vehicle:
    2017 MGM TRD OR DCSB
    Like, so many.
  10. May 21, 2019 at 9:01 AM
    #30
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2011
    Member:
    #51038
    Messages:
    17,612
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    El Dorado, CA (NOT El Dorado Hills)
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD Tacoma 4x4 DC
    Kings, J59's Total Chaos UCAs Custom skids Sticker mod
    None of those are stock. The "Tacoma V6" looks like it's from a 2nd gen, and that "Toyota" emblem is far too small, not sure what that's from...

    But, those are just badges and have nothing to do with how good of a truck it may be. It could just be a sign of repainting the tailgate, or just that the PO like the look better...
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  11. May 21, 2019 at 9:10 AM
    #31
    cruxofthebisquit

    cruxofthebisquit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2009
    Member:
    #18936
    Messages:
    5,308
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    John
    Orange Texas
    Vehicle:
    2000 TRD
    OME and worth every penny.
    If you know what your looking at it's worth a look BUT everyone is right, that jumping state lines with auctions bullshit is a good way to clean a salvage title.
     
    970btu and GQ7227 like this.
  12. May 21, 2019 at 9:14 AM
    #32
    FreshOldTaco

    FreshOldTaco Well-Known Rider

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2019
    Member:
    #280564
    Messages:
    3,560
    First Name:
    kevin
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma
    Good eye, the font of the Tacoma emblem is different for sure. I agree they're just badges but it's worth noting as it could point to an accident/repair.
     
    cruiserguy and GQ7227 like this.
  13. May 21, 2019 at 9:17 AM
    #33
    Mallard386

    Mallard386 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284643
    Messages:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2001 ext cab 4x4 4 banger 115k and counting
    TBD
  14. May 21, 2019 at 9:20 AM
    #34
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2011
    Member:
    #51038
    Messages:
    17,612
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    El Dorado, CA (NOT El Dorado Hills)
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD Tacoma 4x4 DC
    Kings, J59's Total Chaos UCAs Custom skids Sticker mod
    For sure. But like I said in an above post, as long as the work was done correctly, it's like even better than original. So the fact that "repairs we made" shouldn't scare people off.

    Look at the condition it's in NOW.
     
  15. May 21, 2019 at 9:21 AM
    #35
    Mallard386

    Mallard386 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284643
    Messages:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2001 ext cab 4x4 4 banger 115k and counting
    TBD
    I noticed that and was sketched out, that was part of the reason I asked for peoples thoughts. Good eye Thanks!
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  16. May 21, 2019 at 9:28 AM
    #36
    4x4spiegel

    4x4spiegel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2019
    Member:
    #281807
    Messages:
    5,083
    not everything is reported to Carfax
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  17. May 21, 2019 at 9:35 AM
    #37
    cruxofthebisquit

    cruxofthebisquit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2009
    Member:
    #18936
    Messages:
    5,308
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    John
    Orange Texas
    Vehicle:
    2000 TRD
    OME and worth every penny.
    Being that it was in an accident then sold off and auctioned. I suspect it was intercepted in the salvage process. Not supposed to be able to do that but I know for a fact it used to happen a lot.
     
    JasonLee, Appalachia Man and GQ7227 like this.
  18. May 21, 2019 at 12:58 PM
    #38
    OneWheelPeel

    OneWheelPeel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2016
    Member:
    #187371
    Messages:
    2,312
    Phoenix, AZ
    Exactly what I was going to say. We all know the OEM tailgates are junk anyways when you're actually hauling stuff.
     
    GQ7227 likes this.
  19. May 21, 2019 at 2:00 PM
    #39
    eforayter

    eforayter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2019
    Member:
    #287078
    Messages:
    179
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    1st Gen Xtra Cab
    When I was looking for my truck this year, I was weary of the same thing. However, as most people have said, just get a carfax and make sure the vin matches, then just go through the truck with a fine tooth comb. Check the frame for sure and any suspension components, look for leaking oil etc.
     
  20. May 21, 2019 at 2:12 PM
    #40
    0xDEADBEEF

    0xDEADBEEF Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2019
    Member:
    #285037
    Messages:
    19,847
    Vehicle:
    2000 reg cab 4x4 flatbed MT
    Look it over closely and make a list of all the problems you find. Use that list to knock down the price and figure out how much you're going to have to put into it as well. Eventually either you'll find a price you're comfortable with and you'll get it, or they'll still want too much for it. It all depends on how badly they want to get rid of it.

    For what its worth, my other truck sat on the used lot for 18 months before I got it - because of the manual transmission. Its been rock solid for 12 years.
     
    GQ7227 likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top