Saga for Finding a 4x4 First Gen with Low Miles in Florida

What a bummer. Maybe it was for the best..you'll find another

 

Problem with integrity is if it's based on faulty logic, you end up on that particular road that's paved with good intentions.

We can't know for sure the seller's intentions, but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

 

Yeah 100%. He knew I had mechanical experience and also for a guy that installed his speakers and exhaust system, he should know that a sway bar isn’t a very expensive fix. If he had “integrity” he would’ve asked me first since I was the first to show up to check out the truck and when they found the problem (if they even did) ask me if I’d still like to buy it or at least match their offer, which I probably would’ve plus some.

I mean, putting myself in his shoes I’d take the more money every time so I don’t really blame him. They probably gave him an ultimatum that this is their above asking offer or we walk away. Wish there was some honesty, but I understand not hurting my feelings, he was a nice enough guy so I can’t complain about that

 

I’ve been burned by that before. Just be sure next time don’t go look at something like that without cash in your pocket. Sellers will almost never turn down cash in front of their face.

 

and to think that i spent a fair amount of time and resources to completely delete the swaybar from my truck

 

It sounded like the seller was intentionally letting all three people check it out on purpose. If he had any intent to sell it to OP, he would’ve let OP offer to buy it on the spot. The fact he insisted on letting all three ppl look at it is a huge red flag on his intent. It’s why I told OP to offer above ask. That’s what the dude was legitimately looking for, else he wouldn’t have insisted on letting the others look. He wanted to see what people would offer knowing 3ppl would be looking at it and wanting it. He knew someone would offer high.

My guess? He let the first two look, and told the 3rd, “look, I’ve gotten two above-ask offers here, if you can’t pay more than 11k-12k, I’ll sell it to them!”

He probably already had the story of what he’d tell OP concocted in his mind. And schmoozed him while there to make OP think he’s not a bad guy.

People are scuzzy, man. Granted, dealers are too, but sellers like that give everyone a bad name.

 

Bingo...

He told me prior that two people were already asking for 8k before they even saw the truck. Afterwards he asked me what I thought and I told him 9. Looking back on it he was clearly fishing for a higher ask. My guess is when the people after me came to see the truck, he told them exactly that, "two people offering 8k and one offering 9k, can you go higher?"

Moral of the story is, if it's too good to be true it usually is. In this case the deal was good, however, the seller had other plans to get the highest price for his truck by letting many people see it at once like you said.

Fully open to AC after seeing that truck too, it looks way more clean than a DC imo.

Going to make sure if I find a deal with a private sale, I'll have cash in hand or at the most have the cash in the bank so I can pull it out if the deal is local or through a dealer. I'm not experienced with deals and this is the first time I've been burned, but that won't happen again. I just gotta be more careful and aware of what I learned dealing with strangers selling cars on the internet.

 

You'll find a better situation and this will add fade away. I do tend to be cautious, but take people at their word. Someone says "I'm not accepting offers today", I'm not going to be the dick that makes them an offer. I respect their wishes. But to be saying they aren't accepting offers as a ploy to get higher offers is just lame.

Whether I got a deal on my truck or not, the transaction left no bad taste. The guy could have gotten a thousand or two more had he held out. But after talking on the phone, he agreed to hold it for two days and when I told him his asking price was all I could afford, he still put a set of new tires on for me so it would be safe to drive home.

As to looks and utility, we all make compromises. Someday...someday I'll have a regular cab truck. I've had them for work and just something about it...like driving around in a large, rural Montana ranching valley (no paved roads for 60 miles) in a regular cab early 90's Ford F150...just something about it fits some image in my mind of what a pickup truck is and should be doing.

I really wanted a regular cab Tundra, even though it would have slightly cramped my lifestyle. I think they look the best, and it's the feel I want driving around. I've had a regular cab Toyota pickup but never a full size. I loved being able to reach over my shoulder and slide open the rear window on hot days.

Anyway, I do not like how the DCs look. When I was in the market, there were DCs everywhere. Dozens of DCs for sale. I never looked twice. I get that some people like the look, I get that even if you don't like the look you may "need" the DC for hauling people. But yeah. The AC does look really good to me, so I was happy to buy one. But I'm still most drawn to the RC.

 

I'm a strong believer in the maybe mindset, so sure I could've gotten this truck, but maybe I'll stumble across something even better. What makes me so sour about it was he said he wasn't going to sell the truck yesterday and sell it over the weekend, but went ahead and sold the truck anyways. That's the most disingenuous part of the transaction. People just aren't honest.

But yeah! I think I'm more drawn to the AC than DC and there is plenty of space for hauling people while also keeping the truck more compact. I'm not tall and neither is my girlfriend, so plenty of legroom for people-hauling on roadtrips and stuff if need be. The RC in the Tundra looks super goofy to me though with the 8-foot bed, but some people like that so more power to them!

 

UPDATE:

Sent this guy a message for his listing. Shot him pretty low on the ask because it’s been up for a while and has a ton of work done to it prior: I’m eventually going to overland the vehicle so it kind of works out and maybe check it out this upcoming weekend unless it sells.

Edit: I’m also looking at this 04’ access cab that was completely redone in Houston Texas. Found it on a Tundra Facebook group. Owner is a mechanic who manages a shop and this is his project, says he’s selling it for a fair price since he didn’t put much money into it. If that goes well that’ll be a much better grab then this truck.

 

pictures of the 04’ AC from Texas and the last picture is the before. Said he’s going to sell it for a fair price but from the picture you can clearly see the guy knows what he’s doing and also get a good look at the whole frame. If the deal is great I’m 100% going to fly out and buy it once he’s done with the build.

 

Nice that he took the time to paint inside the jambs and such. I can't imagine he'll want less than $20k for that though?

 

Found a possible diamond in the rough in Florida, ask is 5.5k and 130k miles but clearly needs some serious bodywork done to it in regards to possibly a new paint job and definitely a new clear coat. Also a deep clean in the interior but it looks pretty well kept. Going to get more info on it but I know it isn’t going anywhere soon.

 

I would think so, but he told me he’d sell it for a fair price since he did it all himself. Not sure how that is, so we’ll see

 

Clear always fails on the red and green trucks. If it's not, it's because it sat in a garage or carport all the time and got wax regularly. This is why I like the non-clearcoat colors and favor white trucks, no clearcoat to peel.

I don't see bodywork needed on that, I see a new bed needed. Which isn't much, $500-$1,000 and you can probably find one paint-matched. Curious how the bed is so fucked and the rest isn't though.

 

Yeah I’m going to question him further but the only thought on why the bed is fucked and the cab isn’t was that it was a work truck. That’s promising news though in terms of replacing the bed, and if it was only worked for 130k miles it might still be worth it, especially at 5.5k. Just depends on the frame condition at that point.

 

Nice colour! Might be worth the coin if everything is truly well sorted.

 

Not trying to brag, but reading this thread makes me truly grateful on how I came upon my 2006. In 2021, my dad bought it from my uncle (due to uncle's failing health) for $10K with around 80K on the odometer. A year later, due to my dad's health, he decided to sell. I didn't really know about Tundras, but after talking with some customers at work and perusing this forum, I realized what a gem it was. My dad sold it to me for $9K with 83K on the odometer. I see now how lucky I was. I should have bought a lottery ticket that day too.

 

Lucky you man, I would’ve put it all on black…

hopefully I can get lucky and find a gem like you soon! Just gotta have the patience. Congrats on yours man

 

https://offerup.co/GNdv6nHzJJb , rare2tone, limited ,4x4 ,114k miles,1 owner , dealer maintained

 

Wow. Didn't know two-tone existed in these. Leather seats with leather seat covers! Funny.

That one actually looks like a great deal. Wonder what happened to the hood. With how immaculate the thing looks otherwise, I'm surprised they let the superficial body issues go.

"Fair" deal on that Texas truck is going be real spendy...shifty` probably has it right with $20k+

 

I’ll check it out, it’s in Cali though but I’ll entertain it!

 

The two tone imperial jade mica with thunder gray was the only two tone option from Toyota, 2000-2002. The dealers and distributors (looking at you, Southeastern Toyota) did their own two tones a lot, especially the first year or so.

 

Interesting. These 1st gens have a little bit of a certain era F150 look to them. For some reason that two-tone looks even more like a Ford...but I still like it.

 

Found another 01’ in Texas at 159k miles:


He has an urgency to sell it in two weeks or he brings it to Colorado where he lives, so I shot him a message. More photos in a sec I’ll edit this post once he does.

Edit: Pictures

Definitely needs a clear coat but paint itself looks very clean. Maybe a fender and bumper replacement but nothing major. Waiting on undercarriage

 

Toyota copied the design of that era F-150, exterior and interior. They even wanted to call the truck T-150 but Ford stopped them.

 

Huh! Crazy. Well that explains it.

 

Frame of that 01’ Above. Said the truck was in southern Oklahoma must of it’s life, so kind of a red flag. Again I’ll edit it when he sends me 1000 more pictures:

 

Wait what the fuck is that coin stack on the frame???? I just saw that

 

That frame doesn't look too bad. Yeah, its got some surface rust, but it doesn't appear to be rotting.