Tacoma with 177k?

Hey y’all, I am in the market for a 2nd gen Tacoma as a first truck and found a red 2007 double cab Tacoma trd off road with around 177k miles on it listed for 13,900. The interior looks to be pretty clean with no stains or rips, and it also has a truck bed cap on it. I was wondering what you all thought about it? Would it be reliable and a pretty safe investment with it having that many miles, and what you think a fair price would be to buy it for? I looked on KBB and the average seems to be around $11,000 at that mileage but I don’t really know if that would be too high or too low of an offer.

 

Depends on frame condition and what maint. has been done.

 

Seems high with the mileage, but if you really want the cap that's a point you won't have to do yourself.

Thoroughly check the frame and ask if it is a new frame especially if you're from a cold weather state, if you do nothing else

 

I wouldn't be particularly worried about the mileage itself, but would want to have a pretty good idea what the maintenance and ownership history was. If it's like 1st or 2nd owner truck that seems like it's been well cared for it's probably a decent truck. I can usually get a rough idea on how something has been cared for based on how many little things are broken on it and how much underbody damage/gunk there is. Roll under a truck with half a yard of dirt/grease built up under it and 20 different other little things wrong and I might pass. Regular maintenance history is one of the keys to a long life.

 

Check for clean title (not fire, not salvage).

OBD2 scan for proper results. Watch out for anything that says "incomplete," or "incomplete data," "incomplete readiness," "insufficient data," etc. That would mean the ECU has just been reset to turn off the CEL. At idle, check for any parameters with excessive +/- drift from normal even if they're not throwing a CEL today, because they might be just on the hairy edge of throwing one a year from now.

Ideally you'd want to take the vehicle to a good independent dealer tech for a pre-purchase eval, including full realtime scan, but some sellers of course might balk at this.

EDIT: Change "dealer" to "tech." Serves me right for typing before thinking.

 

Keep in mind if the frame is sketchy, it is not eligible for replacement. 12yrs from in service, rolling window. That's a huge one with me on these early 2nd gens, but I am in a salt state so....

 

The owner said the frame was replaced under the recall and that he’s changed the oil every 3,000 with synthetic although he bought the truck from a dealer at around 139k and it looks like there was a few owners before so not really a clear maintenance history. I guess the only real way to know is to check it out myself and see how it’s looking and sounding.

 

Figure 4K to “fix” it. It needs it all; soup to nuts (unless it is done). Brakes, shocks, springs, u joints etc) but ya, I’d be all over that like Ape on ugly. Edit: looks good, Man. Buy it. Look at the e-brake cables to see if they’re broken or functioning and good luck! See you back here, soon!

 

Key word, said. I think if you run the VIN on Toyota's site you'll be able to tell if so. Don't trust the seller on this one b/c as someone else said, window is shut for it to be done.

 

Run the VIN on Toyota's site to also check and ensure it is an "Off Road". If looks like there are some switches missing on your drivers open door image. If it is not you might be able to negotiate a lower price.

 

Looks like a good truck you could get it for maybe $12k. I'd buy a 1st or 2nd gen only if it had the frame replaced. Unless it was from a southern state and garage kept.