Possible Buy

Hello there, I have the opportunity to buy a 2006 Tundra with a clean frame for $3500 does have some dents and scratches. It has big dent on the top of the tailgate and scratch gouge down the passenger side. It has 370k miles, the timing belt and water pump was changed at 339k. I’m just wanting your guys opinion on if it would even be worth buying. Everything works on the truck, it does have a brake pulsation when driving. The interior is in perfect condition except for the driver seat it has a pretty good sized tear. Would love your guys thoughts, thanks!

 

Pics are now uploaded.

 

I'd buy that in a heartbeat. In fact, if you don't buy it, tell me where it is and who to contact -- I'll do a fly and ride. (And I don't even need another truck right now!)

 

At the end of the day, miles don't scare me. Dents and dings don't scare me. As long as the body damage doesn't impede on functionality, it's irrelevant. The best thing that you can do is read the 1st 2 posts in this sticky. Commit it to memory and use it as a check list to decide it this truck is what you want to spend your money on. Keep in mind the cost of items that you will want and need to replace in the (very near) future.

 

Don't take the sellers word about the timing belt. Visually inspect it. But for $3,500 it seems like a decent deal given the condition and miles. Try to negotiate down to $3,000.

 

Looks like a good deal. Be prepared to do a lot of front end suspension work at that mileage. I doubt the previous owner did much of any at that price. I’m assuming it’s 2WD as well.

 

Yes

 

I'd buy that in a heartbeat if it's 4wd.

 

I'd buy it for that. Expect to spend some money getting everything caught up on maintenance though.

 

Unfortunately I won’t be able to buy it, it just sold right before I could go pay the cash for it. It was 4wd as well.

 

Watching stuff like this is instructive for me once I list my Tacoma. Looking at the marketplace, there are Tundras that have been for sale since before I started looking. So at least March. They look to me like really good trucks, but have over 250,000 miles. For whatever reason, that seems to be the point where they sit without selling, even at $6-7,000. It worries me to think that my Tacoma could be for sale for 6 months or something...With 330,000 miles, I know my market has shrunk to only a few who really know these trucks.

But at the right price, these things obviously still move fast. So likely the people with good high mileage Tundras and Tacomas that have been sitting on the marketplace for months and months are just asking too much. It's not that no one is willing to buy a truck with 300,000 miles, it's just that the price needs to be right. I've had some anxiety that the truck just won't sell. So I'll need to price the Tacoma accordingly. If I get enough to pay off the debt I've racked up getting the Tundra where I want it mechanically and otherwise, throw a few hundred back in savings, and pay a thousand or two on what I owe for the Tundra itself, I'll be plenty happy. That could be as little as $4,000.