Should I buy 2017 Taco with 250K miles?

Offer them 8k and see what they say. It would be worth it to me at that price. 12k is pushing it if it needs a couple thousand in work.

My folks gave away my old lifted tahoe to his company for driving up into the mountains to a power site after I messed a few things up on it.

They offered to sell it back after a few years for cheap but it wasn’t worth it even at that price cuz it was beat to shit.

YMMV

 

If the price was 10k or less it would be more reasonable. That level of miles for the age however indicates it was most likely highway miles. I’ve seen plenty of fleet Tacoma’s go 300k+ miles.

At 250,000 miles there’s a good chance things like ball joints, shocks, tie rod ends and u joints will be close to the end of their life span. The serpentine belt and tensioner should have been replaced, sparks plugs at least 1 or two times. From a drivetrain perspective if there’s no visible leaks and the engine has been maintained, it’s reasonable to expect 300,000 or more miles. Plenty of examples of the 2gr reaching those miles.

It’s usually not powertrain issues but all the maintenance items people tend to neglect that causes them to get rid of these trucks. Suspension, wheel bearings, carrier bearing, alternator, water pump, etc. Fleet trucks get driven hard, so at that price it’s not great to be honest.

 

To the OP

People who buy new trucks for some reason are freaked about what they could/ might have to spend in repairs on a used truck.

Also 95% of the 3rd genners on here don’t know how to change their own oil

 

My truck has spent 7 winters here in CO, driving on I-70 frequently through heavy storms and recently salted and plowed roads. The level of rust on the vehicle is incredibly minimal and I wash the underbody maybe 2 times a month at most. It’s not an issue compared to the east coast or rust belt, especially for cars younger than 10 years old.

 

I think they are also terrified of being stranded. With their cell phone glued to their hand.

 

Nope. I had a car with 420k miles … it ran yes… but just about everything was worn out. The seat… the carpet had a hole where the foot went … brake pedal rubber wore out … steering wheel… cats were tired etc

Most people don’t maintain their vehicles properly anyways …
That 250k truck needs to have proof of an entire suspension overhaul… on time oil changes … 2 coolant changes …. 8 or so diff fluid changes, 3+ trans fluid changes, oxygen sensors …
Given that even the trans fluid is dirty none of this was done.
One is buying someone else’s deferred maintenance and possible used up shit box.
Nothing is pointing towards a properly maintained high mile vehicle

 

Do you own one?

 

My 2013 4runner would disagree. The front lower control arm bolts were seized, my trailer hitch rusted through, and I had to cut the bolts off holding the front skid plate in place because they had become rusted to the truck.

Also pretty much every rock chip on the front of the truck that hadn’t been quickly addressed was rusting.

And this is going to one of those subscription car washes with under wash allegedly part of the service.

Maybe the Tacoma is made differently since it’s not from Japan?

 

depends on the car. Toyota tends to use better plastic and rubber formula than other brands.

No way around inspecting and seeing what's actually worn or not.

Not a bad idea to change O2 sensors, shocks, ball joints, as early as 100k
it's either been done or hasn't
it's either scanning clear good to go, or has faults stored
whole point of PPI

 

That too

But having said that I wouldnt personally pay 11k for a 250k mile truck like most on here. Mostly because I can afford a newer nicer truck. But I have never bought a new truck. But if I did and kept it to 250k miles I wouldnt bother selling it at point either, prob figure I got my moneys worth out of it and just park it in the shed so that I could say I still have every truck I bought new.

I aint no mechanic but I could swap an engine if I had too. Its just unbolting things and unclipping wiring

 

Well my experience has been different but I use a hand held power washer to get into hard to reach places below the frame. LCA bolts are prone to seizing on these trucks regardless of location. I’ve cut many seized LCA bolts off of tacos and 4Runner’s from places like AZ and TX when I used to work as a tech. That’s not the same as entire frames rusting through in >7 years like you find in the rust belt.

 

Drop $14k down on one of the few remaining 2023's

 

This right here. Like any other vehicle these trucks are as only good as their maintenance history. Even more obscure services like power steering fluid flush’s and brake fluid flushes should have been performed by this mileage. Even if required maintenance has been done, something really expensive like a catalytic converter could go out at that mileage. It would still be drivable but if it’s registered in Denver it wont be emissions compliant.

 

minimum wage buys more than that, a better truck, with less miles

depends on the person
some people buy good stuff some people buy shit

 

with interest rates right now? you would have paid +60k when you were done and have a truck worth 25k.

 

That’s just what happens when you buy cars/trucks

 

Not to me.

 

what are you currently driving?

 

Not to me either. I got my 2021 at 1.9% and was steaming mad that it wasn't lower.
I dropped $25k down and as of today I owe like $4,500 on it. After it drops to $3xxx I'll just pay it off.

The trick to buying a new vehicle is the idea that the best time to buy one is when you don't need it.
Save your pennies for the rainy day when you decide to do it and slam as much down as you can.

The wife's car was paid off, the 'thing' I was driving was way paid off - sold it for a pretty penny and used
some severance pay to slam a bunch down. This one will last the rest of my pitiful days. No more new cars
for me.... but if I were to buy another it would be the last of the 2023's....

 

similar situation, decided it was time i finally bought a vehicle i liked. Trade in was worth 12k put down 10k owed 8k on a new SR. paid off in 6 months. Keeping it till the wheels fall off hopefully 200k more miles (to 250k)