Maybe buying a truck. Is this a good buy?

Hey Folks- my wife and I have been looking for a good deal on a tacoma for a couple of months now. We found a truck on craigslist that they are asking $13,000 for and it seems like a good deal. It is a 2002 4x4 extended cab v6 manual with 80,000 miles. It is sr5, TRD (with locking rear), power everything and is in pretty good shape. It drove very nice, it might need a new clutch but other than that it seemed solid.

We are buying from a private party and they have owned it for 2 years. They have only changed the oil on it and haven't had other issues. There have been two total owners and it has lived in Colo its whole life. The carfax checks out clean. It seems like a good deal for our area; tacomas are a lot more expensive than blue book out here.


Anyone have thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks a bunch.
Ryan

 

Good deal IMO.
13.5k for a TRD with 80k miles is not bad. Since you're out west it shouldn't have much rust, and even if it did rust, you would have the 15yr warranty for a free frame replacement.

Just check and make sure it was taken care of before you buy, but that's not a bad deal.

 

i'd jump right on that deal...mabye you could haggle down the price a little though

 

We are going to pick the truck up tomorrow. I am really excited. I will post pictures of it in a couple of days. Now to replace the topper and get a spray in bed liner. Does anyone know how much it costs to have a spray in liner installed?

 

Don't get a spray in liner, try to find a factory liner that snaps/clamps into the bed. With a spray liner, the bed/fenders will still get dented because there is no gap between the liner and metal bed, whereas to the factory liner has at least a small gap and will absorb all or most of the shock when something is thrown or dropped into the bed.

Just my opinion though.

 

13.5K for a 2002 w/ 80K (or so) is a pretty good deal TRD with all the trimmings ? Sounds reasonable (maybe take a little off for clutch issues)...... I bought my 2000 TRD 4x with all options w/ 94K for 10K

 

I would definatly see if you can haggle the price alittle b/c of the clutch and the timing belt needed to be replaced in 10,000 miles. I picked up my 03 4x4 sr5 trd v6 manual with 70,000 for 12,000. Good luck.

 

It sounds like a good deal. I have a 2001 SR5. It isn't a trd but it is a 4x4.. I paid $6500 for mine, but it has 160k on it, and runs like new.. I get average mpg of 17 around town, and 19 on the road. I would buy it.. The truck will outlast the payments..

 

Buy it before someone else does. That's the problem with shopping for Tacomas, the second you see a truck you like, chances are it's already sold

 

Do it!!!

 

That truck looks nice, Grab it...!!! I wouldn't get any "spray" in liner. The best "non" plastic (if you want to go that way) liner is Herculiner. I "think" it was tacoman101 that posted a nice write-up on doing it yourself with some good pictures.

Welcome to the forum....

 

yep werloc, that was me...heres the link: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1s...ner-replacement-herculiner-write-up-pics.html... and thanks for the pointers oofy15354

 

Very good stuff everyone. I will be picking it up tomorrow. We talked him down to 12k for it. Good to know about the spray in bed liner stuff... I might look into one of the plastic ones.

We are now trying to figure out how it works to buy a truck with a lien on it. The guy seems honest, but I am a little sketch buying a truck without getting the title right away. The bank technically ownes the truck, so we are going to write a check to his bank and then the bank will transfer/send the title to us. I am also going to have the previous owner show me a copy of his loan payments so that I know the entire loan will be paid off when I give him my money. Does anyone have advice/experience buying a truck from a private party who has a lien (loan) on the truck? Advice? I think I am doing things correctly.

 

I guess things aren't like they use to be. I've Bought AND Sold vehicals with bank lien's on them. Back in the day, it was a local bank loan, so we just went to the bank with the lein and made payment with a money order. But times have changed. Most likely this bank is NOT local. Not done like 20+ years ago. To the best of your ability, try to write up a letter with the truck's VIN# on it and what you are doing in "detail". Have the Buyer AND Seller sign it, and both of you keep a copy. Also, try to photo copy "both" your driver's lic. on the same paper. It may save you some greef if something happens. Good luck, and post pics when it's yours......