Advice for new 4Runner purchase and inspection

My first post. Inexperienced buyer going to dealership to buy 2021 4Runner. What should I look for in inspecting and test driving the car before finalizing the deal? Any thoughts on “dealing” with the dealer would be appreciated. One specific question: It comes with TRD alloy wheels standard. Is the spare the same as the other four on the ground or is it some generic wheel? Hope it’s not a dumb question but somewhere I read that the spare wasn’t the same type.

So, I snagged a Venture Special Edition that wasn’t spoken for. It should arrive soon after Labor Day. My dealer found it for me; it was going to another dealer. My dealer arranged to trade a Limited they had for it and have it diverted/shipped to my dealer. Anything about that situation that might make my dealer more inflexible in dealing? Dealer is 2+ hours away, never been there, only contact has been phone/text with salesperson.

They want MSRP but no markup. So far haven’t heard there will be unexpected dealer additions (wheel locks, etc). I’m trading a 2008 4Runner SR5, 167K miles. It had $2634 of options at the time, moonroof, alloy wheels and things that are standard now. Sight unseen, they are estimating $7K allowance. J.D. Power show $9650 for average trade in and $10575 for clean trade in, so I’m wondering about being low-balled.

Appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

 

MSRP is good in today’s market, but I do believe they are getting you in the trade. I look at it this way, folks are paying MSRP, which is a few grand over what folks paid a couple years ago, but that’s ok, if your getting the couple grand or more your trade in is worth.

 

Oh, and test drive. Take it on highway, take it on curves, take it on dirt and try the 4 wheel drive stuff. Again, test drive.

Spare wheel is different.

 

Get an offer from Carmax or Carvana on your trade-in. Even if you don't sell to them, you can use it as bargaining leverage on you new purchase.

 

Negotiating is a little tough right now in todays market because they know they will have people lined up to get that 4Runner....

You should be getting $9,500 period....if not even a little more.
If you're paying MSRP you will be getting atleast $9,500. Once they actually see it in person they will bump the trade-in $$ as well

 

Sell to carvana or carmax. I got $4300 for my 2006 tacoma prerunner that was not 4x4. Other than stock options, it had the nicer toyota wheels and 265 BFG AT tires. It had 270k miles on the same engine/transmission/clutch and the tires were bald as hell. I probably washed it 10 times in its lifetime so the paint was crap and the interior seats were definitely “used”. Dealer would’ve probably given me 1.5k max in this inflated market. Just punch it in to carvana and they will give you a quote right then. If you accept in the window of time, they will come out to get it and give you a check on the day you schedule pick up. Easy easy.

 

Go online and look at carvana and vroom. Free no obligation offer. I took that with me when I traded my Tacoma for my Venture. There trade offer was 7k until I showed them the 13k carvana offer

 

My advice would be to get quotes from vroom, car max, caravana, and sell it through them. Likely you’ll get more regardless of showing it to the dealer and they are pretty hassle free. Then just take that money to add to your down payment. Don’t let the dealer get one over on you.

 

+1 on a 3rd party possibility, however a Toyota trade to a Toyota dealer might work out better than you think. Do your homework. I got way more on my GMC on trade than CarMax's offer. Dealers are starving for inventory. Look at the lots right now, empty. There are more domestic cars on my local Toyota dealer's lot than actual Toyotas.

Again, do your homework. Don't bite off more than you can pay off. If you walk away you still have an 08' with 167K on it. Can you get 5 more years out of it?