Used 4th Gen pre-purchase inspection results

Hey guys, some questions based on the results of an inspection I had done this morning on a used 2007 SR5 4x4 runner with 206k miles on it I'm considering buying.

Would love to hear any feedback/advice/suggestions/recommendations based on the below. Just looking to better understand any major risks associated with this purchase and do my due diligence. My plan is to use this as a weekend baja camping vehicle, so it needs to hold up to off road abuse and not get me stranded in the desert.

The good:

-No Leaks, no codes, passed smog recently, interior is virtually immaculate, AC seems to work well, 4x4 works as expected, no concerns with engine, no concerns with transmission​

The not so good:

-Owner swapped the 4th gen brakes for 5th gen/larger size, which apparently caused the master cylinder to not have enough fluid to properly compress the brakes, results in the brake pedal being very mushy, you have to push pretty hard to get the brakes to engage
-Rotors are warped in the front, causes vibration at high speeds
-Right front wheel bearing has "some play" in it, will need to be replaced eventually
-Driver side front ball joint suspension boot is ripped
-Paint has peeling/bubbling
​

Possibly Bad (need input):

-Exhaust is very rusted, drive shaft has rust, cats have rust, frame has some rust, but doesn't look horrible - no cracks, looks mostly surface level
​

Questions:

-Vehicle lived in Illinois for 6 years (snow/salt), however, is now in San Diego - so ultimately my question becomes, does rust progress only in snow/salted road conditions? Or, is it one of those things where now that it's in a desert environment, the rust won't progress? In other words, how concerned with the rust should I be?
-Is the rust something I should have repaired/coated to prevent further issues if it is something progressive? Trying to gauge how worries I should be with the rust issue.....I don't plan on reselling this thing, I'm going to drive the wheels off it and eventually scrap it, so how long would a rust issue take to be catastrophic?
-How concerned with the wheel bearing issue should I be? No idea how difficult that is to have repaired nor how costly typically.
-Ball joint boot and brake issues, owner is willing to fix these items if I buy the parts, this gets in to the negotiations which I'm not too worried about, but just making it known that he's willing to fix some of this stuff.
​

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks for any feedback you might have! Cheers!

 

Rust, San Diego has relatively low humidity. And further east you are away from the ocean, the dryer the climate, which is nice for vehicles.

Brakes, quite a few 4th gen runners had problems with the brake caliper pistons freezing. I think quite a few people upgraded to the 5th gen brakes. Never heard of that causing a problem with the brake fluid. I have the 5th gen brakes on mine and it's never been an issue.

Wheel hub, rotors, brakes, easy fix assuming you have some tools and confidence to work on your own vehicle. Just youtube it for info.

Paint ... yah, it's a Toyota. Unless it's been parked in the garage the entire time, that paint gonna be flaking bad, especially on the hood.

Rust, would have to see photos. You can't stop the rusting process but a nice environment should definitely slow it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=4runner+wheel+bearing+replacement

 

^^^^ This plus Fluid Film for the rust. Flush the frame inside good with clear water, let dry thoroughly & spray all rusted surfaces. They sell a wand that lets you spray the inside of the frame. Wool Wax is also good.

 

About the rust:

If rust stated and is not treated moving to a climate where snow is non-existent will slow it down, a lot. Will it stop? No, it must be repaired if needed and treated to stop the much slower spread of rust. Even with the dozens of underbody washes, you can't see inside hidden areas where rust might have started and is not visible. If I were concerned I would rustproof said vehicle as a precautionary measure.

Rust is like cancer. It doesn't "go away" on it's on. You must treat it. Immediately & often.

 

Sounds like a solid running vehicle that with some minor repairs and maintenance would work for your intended use.

 

No one can really truely advise you on the rust without seeing photos of the degree of the rust, if they do they are just guessing at it not being very bad!!

All the other stuff is easily fixed.

The upgraded 5th Gen brakes shouldn't be a problem, it sounds like they weren't bled properly.