2004 Tundra Value opinions, buy or pass?

Looking at a 2004, asking $11,700, 173,000 miles. Too much rust? Beater?

 

Not enough pictures. Can't tell if it's been coated, but looks like it on the long rails. Got more pics?

 

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Radiator should be very high on the replacement list. I like the lack of rust I'm seeing in the engine bay, looks like it's seen some salt, but not a ton.

Are you cool with the cosmetic condition? That's one hell of a dent in the driver door. You'll never cleanup that paint without repainting, and a proper strategic repaint will set you back $3k-4k, and that's not including the rear cap.

I'd prefer more pics of the frame, honestly.

 

Looks tired for that much money. Althought the frame looks like it's in good shape. How is the interior and do all the accessories work? At this point it will be due for lots of maintenance and repairs once you start driving it regularly, amounting to thousands of dollars. Be realistic - ask yourself how you will feel for being into that 20 year old truck for $15k or more after repairs. You might be able to do better with something newer. I like my truck and I need it (a 2003 with 201k miles), but I've spend tons of money on it and it needs constant maintenance.

 

This one was in Reno. I wanted to buy the camper shell.

I got mine, same year, same color with 144,000 miles for $8600 but had to do a whole front end rebuild, timing belt, radiator, and wheels and tires.

 

Seems a bit high from what I'm seeing.
Doesn't look abused . . . just doesn't look 'well cared for' either.
Unless there's some ridiculously good maintenance records, (which I doubt given the overall appearance), I'd pass.
Looks more like a $7500 truck to me.

 

It looks to be in okay shape BUT it doesn’t look anywhere a 10k truck IMHO.

 

You gotta get UNDERNEATH the truck and look at the inside of the frame rails. Like get on your back and inch around with a flash light in the middle of the afternoon. Look through the holes in the frame and look for heavy rust.

from the pictures it doesn’t look bad.

I’d also jiggle the tranny mount. Those are sometimes loose/cracked

also ask to see receipts for any “repairs” he’s either gonna have parts receipts or shop receipts

175k is basically perfectly broken in and ready to rock and roll. If everything else checks out.

 

Thanks for all the replies, great help on this fourm!

 

Honestly, that looks like my truck underneath and on the body, minus the dents. I've invested about the purchase price of that truck into mine, but mine was basically free. Like others said, be ready to do some maintenance. But that price is way off and I bet the seller won't drop to the price it's actually worth.

 

Educate me here Shifty, are you saying the radiator should be replaced because of the color of the plastic? Or is there another reason? Just trying to learn here.

 

• 177k miles.
• I think that's maybe the factory foam intact between radiator and support, suggesting that's potentially the original radiator.
• Plastic cap on top is marbled/light brown, i.e. faded, i.e. showing signs of age. i.e. likely getting brittle (OEM radiator had a near-black w/tinge of brown color to it, gets tannish w/age).
• Transmission cooling line passes thru the radiator at the base, and early on, the fittings degraded with time, allowing coolant to mix with trans fluid ("pink milkshake").
• New Denso radiator costs $100-150 from RockAuto, and based on surgery done by others here, it looks like it doesn't use that same old fallible connection.
• $100-150 is very, very cheap insurance to avoid needing to replace your entire transmission.

With what we've seen on here, I'd recommend replacing the radiator every 12-15yr/125-150k miles proactively as a basic maintenance item. Flushing the coolant and replacing the radiator while doing the timing belt would be at the top of my maintenance list for this truck.

 

Thank you! I had noticed your comment and had been wondering about my own radiator. It looks the same as the one pictured here, light brown in color, likely original, 208k miles...

 

I'd be making a point of addressing that...

 

I won't drive another mile before I do. Thanks.

 

I think I recently found that truck also. @shifty` pointed out what I noticed about the engine bay. Otherwise, needs re-paint, and that isn't reflected in price. I wasn't willing to look further given the uncertainty of the maintenance of the truck.

 

Hmm, bit pricey and she is lookin a little rough. Gonna have to put some bones in too. Personally, I wouldnt go for it.

 

just curious. What part of truck repaint are you estimating to be 3-4K?

Kind of wishing I had gone a little bit further now that I've got it back and seen the difference

 

There's not a panel on the truck lacking clearcoat, so it needs a whole repaint. Cheap repaint he may be able to get out the door $3-4k, or a possibly a good one if he knows someone that works at a shop who gets free booth time. I used to have that hookup until my dad's friend retired 6 years ago. OEM-quality job will cost twice that at most places I've ever heard, but there are some shops here in town that will charge you low 5-figures to do it right. For the cap, there's a place on the north side of ATL that advertises a cap refinish for $400 and they have a solid rep.

 

k thanks. I was just curious how mine fared and what it might cost to get the front quarter panels and at least all four doors painted

I paid 1900 for the hood roof and tailgate The lowest I could find around here for that from a reputable shop was about 2900

 

It's possible pricing has gone up since I was last hunting. Last vehicle I was looking to get painted was 8ish years ago now, my last GMT400. It was a similar color green as OP's propsective truck, but two-tone with beige on the bottom. Body shop a friend reco'd back then wanted $2,750 to paint from basically the door trim strip to the roof, but I needed to bondo or PDR the couple of small dents, remove the door trim, take the bed off, and haul the bed behind the truck to get everything there. I'd be responsible to reinstall new door mouldings and bed after the work was done. Seemed fair.

I'm sure your locale makes a difference also. Lots of shops within 5-10 miles of me. What you get done also. OP could probably get away with hood, roof between the rack gulleys, doors and fenders. Bed, tailgate, front bumper, and flares don't look too beat.

 

I’ve got a local custom (albeit smaller mom and pop type joint) body shop that paints panels for me at $500 a pop. He also reset the airbag light in my sons Mustang for free.99

 

I wouldn’t pay $11k+ for a beater. Move on.

Looks like original exhaust as well. Don’t tell me that doesn’t need repair.