Buying first 4runner tomorrow potentially

Hello everyone,
I have long wanted a 4runner as a reliable method of getting around everyday. I am going to look and potentially purchase my first Toyota tomorrow and would like to know what to look out for and what questions I should be asking.
Some preface, I am 19 years old currently attending fire academy, will be using the car to drive to school daily and work, with occasional backpacking trips. Probably will take the car up to the snow too, depending on capabilities.
I don’t know much about cars, am not mechanically inclined, but I have constantly heard that these cars are reliable, easy to work on, and have parts everywhere.
Here is a link to the car I’m eyeing:
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/mountain-view-162k-reliable-runner-sr5/7698452259.html
Any advice/information would be much appreciated, I am pretty much a beginner when it comes to working on cars.
I’ve linked some text messages between me and the owner to provide further info about the car.
Thanks everyone for the help



edit: attached further conversations with the owner
Asked why he was selling and here was his response lol


Edit: additional convo

 

Check the frame for excess rust.

Welcome to the forum!

 

Hey thanks for the response, much appreciated.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but the frame can be inspected from under the car right?

 

Yes bring a ball peen hammer to tap if you hear a thud or if the hammer goes thru that’s a bad sign lol i have a 4k boroscope i bought on Amazon for like 20 bucks because im neurotic and ocd and like to look inside my frame

 

You're going to make your own decision, but I'm going to tell you this: you're 19 years old and you're talking about buying a vehicle that is older than you are.

Please don't.

For that price, you could get a much more recent Kia or Hyundai, or even something like a Camry.

No offense, but given your age, it wouldn't be hard to sell you a complete and utter POS that could possibly be on fire at this exact moment.

What you need to do is to buy a car that is not cool...one that doesn't make you feel excited. It should be so boring that you say, "FML, why can't I have a cool car?"

Buy the newest car with the lowest amount of miles that your budget can afford that isn't: a) a luxury car; b) made by any company owned by Stellantis; c) modified; or d) cool.

Once you've been working for a few year, and think you're doing alright financially, then you can go ahead and buy something "cool" that you will ultimately regret. Why will you regret it? Because your first "cool" car will likely cause you to overlook something that you will indeed regret. This could even repeat itself.

At any rate, don't buy this car. I mean, welcome to the board if you do, but seriously....don't.

 

Thanks for the response, I appreciate your advice. I have had these thoughts myself and have spent lots of time thinking about this decision.
I completely understand your reasoning and agree with you, however I do not plan on relying on a car for too long. I will be backpacking across Europe and parts of North America in a couple of years and am currently on a great path towards becoming a firefighter hopefully. I have my EMT certification already and am almost done with fire academy, and I consider myself ahead of most people my age. I know this isn’t the best opinion to have about oneself and that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others but I feel pretty comfortable with where I am at.
What do you think I would potentially have to deal with if I were to buy this car? Realistically, how long would it last me with continuous use and proper maintenance?
Thanks

 

Thank you for your response
Should it sound hollow? Or have no sound at all when I hit it?

 

It's a pandora's box...really, anything could go wrong at any time. I owned my dream car in my mid-20s, it was an air-cooled Porsche 911. Bought it with 135k on the clock and sold it with 145k. Even though it was built like a tank, and had TONS of service records and things that had been fixed, I always knew that I was one bad moment away from a repair that could cost me $3k easily.

This isn't a great choice for primary vehicle. If you were looking to buy a fun vehicle to go wheeling in to add to the stable, it'd be another issue.

If you do intend to go forward, pay for a pre-purchase inspection at a mechanic of your choosing - and not someone who has ever seen the vehicle before.

 

That’s pretty sick, 911 has been my dream car forever.
How do you go about the mechanic inspection? I’ve never bought a car used before so I’m not sure how it works. Would I find a mechanic to bring with me or should I ask the seller to drive it with me to a mechanic of my choice?
Edit: do you have any recommendations on choosing the inspector? I don’t have any personal mechanics who I am close with.

 

I just read the ad and saw it’s a second gen v6 not to discourage you op but that 3.0 is probably the worst engine Toyota made I would call it the only bad truck engine Toyota made. It’s known to blow head gaskets get horrible fuel mileage and gets the same horsepower as its ultra reliable god like 4cylinder cousin the almighty 22r(e)

Plus the price is way too high I would get a 3rd gen or newer the 3rd gen starts at 1996 and has the ultra reliable 3.4 liter

 

Look for reviews for a local mechanic that deals with Toyotas.

There are some mobile mechanics who will do PPIs, but if you bring the car (or have him) bring the car to a shop, they can get it on a lift.

You’ll be paying for the PPI, and before you transact the deal, you need to be able to talk to the mechanic without the seller there to argue about things. Listen to what the mechanic says, and don’t be afraid to ask them if they think it’s a good idea.

If the seller balks at the idea, or tries to talk you out of it, then that’s their way of telling you that they know something is going to show up on the PPI.

 

$150k for a high country.

 

Sorry for the bad news but the seller is full of himself. First of all, 150K for a Silverado. LMAO. And replacing all of that on a 162K 4Runner, sounds like he is either lying or bought one hell of a junker and just started replacing parts. The frame looks suspect as it looks way too clean especially as rusted as the exhaust looks. My 92 has the original exhaust and looks better than that. As others have said, look elsewhere. Especially since you know nothing about taking care of any issues that may pop up. That is not the vehicle to learn on.

 

and a

FULL 24 HOUR WARRANTY

seller guy is a moron

Buy something else unless you get all the receipts and get it fully inspected

‘Seller is a bullshitter

 

I'll share a few thoughts:

1. If you don't buy this 4Runner, it's not the end of the world.

2. The seller, based on his texts, does not impress me. According to him, he's a wonderful, rich guy, but he wants the deal to be liability-free in case YOU crash and kill someone. That, in itself, would be a deal killer for me because I don't appreciate it when someone talks down to me.

3. Not everyone is an English major (including me), but there are enough strange phrases in his texts that I almost wonder if it's a scam. Has he asked for any $ up front?

4. It has been my experience that any time someone tries to put time pressure on you it is a red flag. While there may be other people interested, the world isn't going to beat down his door just because it might snow. Even if someone "steals" (his words) this 4Runner from you, there will be others.

5. The guy can drop $150k on a truck (really?) yet he is engaged to a woman who drives a vehicle that he has put "many thousands" into, and it's still only worth $7K? I wonder why a "wealthy" guy like him isn't attracting "wealthy" women?

6. There's just too much stuff here that makes me skeptical.

7. What does your dad think?

8. See point #1.

Good luck.

 

Yeah, whenever someone says “I’m wealthy and don’t need the money” that means they need your money desperately. Plus, this guy uses poor communication skills. As suggested earlier, get a regular inexpensive car with no sex appeal but good reliability.

 

Preferably a vehicle with a manual transmission.....

 

his texts sound sketchy as hell. i would stay away from this one.

 

seller sounds like a complete chowderhead. *might* be a decent vehicle, but I'd ghost him and move on

 

Just re-read the texts. I liked the bit where he was willing to perjure himself (and get you to do the same).

Anyone who spends $150k on a pickup truck is a moron.

 

Scratch this vehicle off your list. It doesn't pass the smell test. The guy does sound sketchy!

 

I vote on a hard pass on this particular 4Runner. Like Pavo has noted, that gen engine is known for problems, the next gen, a year or two later with the 3.4L V6 is a real gem. My oldest son had a 1999 Tacoma Prerunner with that engine that was bulletproof. I changed the timing belt on it at 175k and it looked brand new. Twin cam as I remember too. He found a Snugtop camper shell on Craigslist for $100.00 and went everywhere camping, pulled a small trailer with it. My advice is to tell her to stick it where the sun don’t shine and look for the next gen, all the while saving your money for a reliable, long lasting, trouble free Toyota wheeler! You’ll find another, just be patient.

 

The woman in the Chevy doesn't look amused.

$150K? Now I see what they mean by "High" Country.

 

My car was 22 when I bought it around the same age. If you have the time to work on it and are willing to it should be fine.

If you don’t want to work on it yourself, get something newer. If I had paid someone to fix every problem that arose on my 4runner when I was in school I wouldn’t have had any beer money.

Of all the 4runners made over the years the best fuel economy you could get was around 20 city. That would be one with a I4, the 3.0 V6 isn’t efficient. Being in California that would get onerous fast.

 

Run! Fast.....

There's plenty of other 4runners for sale.

 

He is selling his new fiancé's 4 runner, but says it was taken care of by his mechanic of 25 years this whole time?

There is enough poor grammar in there to run me off, and the story does not make sense. Maybe it is legit, but I would not spend another minute on this if it were me.

There will be a million more great deals. Many times the next deal will be even better!

 

I don't agree that you shouldn't buy a cool car, or 4runner for that matter, but definitely this guy is either a scammer or a complete àhole that thinks very highly of himself and very lowly of you. I would not bother going to look at it.

 

There's no such thing as a "cool car" that costs $7,500 that is suitable to be a daily driver for someone who doesn't work on his own vehicle, and is currently juggling school and work.

Unless your definition of cool is a Smart ForTwo, it isn't going to exist.

 

Hard pass.

If somebody acts like they are doing you a favor selling you something, tell them to go fuck themselves.

This guy is a pathological liar and narcissist.

 

IDK, there's some pretty cool mini trucks (datsun, toyota, nissan) in that price range. Civic hatchbacks, Suzuki samurai Kia sportage. Lots of good looking, dependable cars to be had around $7k, you just have to know where to look.