Would you buy this truck?

[Teachu2]

For the 19,000.00 quoted price (including purchased warranty, which is probably not worth the paper it is printed on), a NEW Nissan would be a better deal.

The Toyota is not worth $12,100.00 either, in my opinion. I have had (2) Toyota pickups, and (3) Toyota cars, and I like Toyotas.

But I don't like over-paying for anything, and an 11-year-old Toyota is not worth $18,000.00 Or even $12,100.00

Maybe it's a regional thing, but Toyota pickups retain value in California pretty well. I totalled one that was 12 years old with 165k miles on it, and the insurance paid me nearly 60% of the original new purchase price. My son sold his '96 Tacoma last year - beat up body and interior, smoked in, dirty/stained, 4 cyl w/auto trans, air not working, over 300k miles on it. Put it on Craigslist for $2500 and had people offering more to buy it. Sold it in 4 hours.

At least once a month, I see a caravan of Tacoma 4x4s being driven to Mexico, each towing another. Usually has a few box trucks carrying one and tow at least one more. Always Tacomas, and only Tacomas.

I've owned pickups for nearly 40 years. Four Toyotas, two GMCs, two Fords (real Fords, not rebadged Mazdas), and a Dodge. Every time I have strayed from Toyota, it has been an expensive disappointment. Just my experience.

 

[Capricious]

Maybe it's a regional thing, but Toyota pickups retain value in California pretty well. I totalled one that was 12 years old with 165k miles on it, and the insurance paid me nearly 60% of the original new purchase price. My son sold his '96 Tacoma last year - beat up body and interior, smoked in, dirty/stained, 4 cyl w/auto trans, air not working, over 300k miles on it. Put it on Craigslist for $2500 and had people offering more to buy it. Sold it in 4 hours.

At least once a month, I see a caravan of Tacoma 4x4s being driven to Mexico, each towing another. Usually has a few box trucks carrying one and tow at least one more. Always Tacomas, and only Tacomas.

I've owned pickups for nearly 40 years. Four Toyotas, two GMCs, two Fords (real Fords, not rebadged Mazdas), and a Dodge. Every time I have strayed from Toyota, it has been an expensive disappointment. Just my experience.

Ok.

Then buy a NEW Toyota 2WD regular cab for about the same $19,000.00 that the 11-year-old one is priced at (with the extended warranty)


We are discussing a vehicle for a kid here, and "Dad" is footing the bill. What are the kid's needs (as opposed to his "wants")?

"Dad" didn't buy me any vehicles, and I learned the hard way that buying what I "wanted" vs. buying what I "needed" was a financial mistake.

Also learned to walk away from deals that looked bad. There is ALWAYS another "deal."

And if Dad is contemplating paying cash, he should be dealing with private sellers, not a dealership. The dealerships charge a premium because they can arrange
financing. If he doesn't need the financing he doesn't need to pay the premimum.



And my $120,000.00 house in Missouri (paid for) would sell for $360,000.00 (or more) in San Diego. Just need to figure out how to get it there.

 

[Teachu2]

I agree that it's not a good buy - and it's also off the market.

 

[Capricious]

Probably got sold.

To someone who never learned to walk away from a bad deal

And the price the buyer paid will figure into the reported "book" values of these things, bumping it up a notch.

Little wonder that the average "consumer" in this country has little (or negative) financial net worth.

 

[Teachu2]

Most valuation guides are set up to ignore extreme examples - both high and low.

 

[Capricious]

I don't set much store by these "price guides." Awhile back I checked the reported value of my current truck and came up with a fairly wide range of values.

NADA Guide vs. Black Book vs. Kelley Blue Book

 

[RollingsFarms]

The only thing I know is he's looking for a good first truck for a 17yr old kid. I suggested a regular cab, manual transmission, 4cyl. Hard to get in trouble with those and your insurance will be a little bit cheaper since it's a regular cab. Plus everyone should learn to drive a manual transmission in my opinion. He says he's been looking on Craigslist but those trucks are priced high as well.

 

[jlgurr]

If I could have afforded it we would have bought a Tacoma for our teens. They've always been pricey in the used market. Actually traded my 98 Taco for the 00 Tundra still driving today. 281,960 miles so far. No major repairs. IMHO, can't beat a Toyota.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[Capricious]

The only thing I know is he's looking for a good first truck for a 17yr old kid. I suggested a regular cab, manual transmission, 4cyl. Hard to get in trouble with those and your insurance will be a little bit cheaper since it's a regular cab. Plus everyone should learn to drive a manual transmission in my opinion. He says he's been looking on Craigslist but those trucks are priced high as well.

That would be my choice as well.

A base model new Toyota 2WD regular cab would cost about what that 2004 would have cost along with an extended warranty.

Trouble at the moment would be finding one in stock. With easy financing EVERYONE is buying trucks, and the Toyota dealers also seem to
like to load-up their stock trucks with all sorts of options, so that is all a lot of them have in stock at the moment.

I have noticed that one CAN find new base Nissan Frontiers, and the extended cab Nissan is priced about the same as the standard cab Toyota.
Now that Ford is no longer building Rangers, all the auto parts stores around here than used to run parts in Rangers are switching over to
the Nissans. There is an O'Reillys up the street here that still has one old Ranger and also one new Nissan. They park them side by side. The Nissan
is quite a bit bigger than the Ranger, I noticed. The Nissan is getting to be the replacement for the Ranger in fleets.

Back in the 1970's the Datsun was the mini truck to have. One could get after market 4WD kits (no factory 4WD) and also step side bed kits for the
Datsun.

My 1978 Toyota Hilux was second fiddle to the Datsuns.

 

[scaredychicken]

No - run away, and don't look back. I know that it sounds like a good deal, but it is already 12 yrs old (2016s out shortly), 2 owners, 2 accidents, that truck has already had a life at 35,000 kms. Unless you are very mechanically inclined, it is probably not worth the headaches. At $18,000 it is far too much - perhaps $10,000 would be reasonable. I would keep looking though ... thing that concerns me the most is that you don't know the total damage amount from 2 accidents ??? fender benders (would be the $18,000 value) but major wrecks (write offs or near wrrite offs = never the same) would make it worth $5000 now. Insurance has a way to go cheap on repairs, so I wouldn't go near this one. Is this at a Dealership or as a private sale? Do they have all the repair receipts, any liens ? etc. Bottom line - Keep Looking, better deals out there. (and my next purchase will probably be a Tacoma, I'm a fan - those are great trucks, a little less economical than others for fuel efficiency though)

can you even get a vehicle loan, or an extended warranty on a truck that old ? (not the case in Canada)

(perhaps I'm too late for this party ... )