Buying a high mileage 1st gen

I’m looking at possibly buying a 300k mile 2005 crew cab 4x4. It’s an SR5, very clean frame and interior with a pretty minor dent in the passenger door area. 2 owners, appears to be maintained very well. He’s asking right at 5k. What are y’alls thoughts?

 

When was the timing done last?

 

supposedly 30k miles ago. Rear bearings, seals, and fluid was just done

 

Pics? Pics of underneath?

 

If the seller can't produce documentation showing when the belt was done, do yourself a favor and verify that it was in fact done like he said. On the right side (passenger side) of the engine, remove a couple of 10mm bolts from the plastic cover that conceals the Timing Belt. You'll be able to see just how new that belt really is when you pull that cover away from the engine... a TB with 30K on it should still look almost new, not shiny and certainly not showing any cracks.

 

The 300k is pretty high obviously. The motors are strong and can go forever, but some of the fiddly bits age, rot and fail just like every car. Anything made of rubber, anything underhood made of plastic. $5k isn't a bad entry price if it's fully functional. If it was meticulously maintained, maybe most of these things have been inspected and replaced as needed and you're not too far behind. Pics of frame underneath and general condition would be helpful. Depending on where this car spent it's life, rust could be a major issue. Even more helpful is take a mechanic friend, or take it to a trusted mechanic for a once over before purchasing. Good luck sir

 

There are a lot more pics than that. Interior is tan cloth, clean. I am very mechanically inclined and will check over stuff with a fine tooth, but wanted to ask owners thoughts on that price, and overall buying a high mileage 1st gen.

 

As long as it’s been maintained, that’s not a high mileage truck for these vehicles. That’s middle aged lol

 

Good news, based on the imaging of the underneath, I would say that's a clean frame and rear diff cover sir. Further inspection is always warranted, but these are either rust buckets, or they are not. This one appears not. The shot of the valve train assembly with the cover off is a little concerning. What type of oil and what interval was he changing it? Must have been dino oil? I've run synthetic at 10k intervals the last 150k miles and the inside of my valve assembly was pristine shiny silver, just like it left the factory. None of that brown varnish tint. May not matter, there's no sludge buildup that I can see. Nice looking truck.

 

That ain't no up north truck, I tells ya...

300K is a lot, but we're not talking about an F-150 or a Silverado here... It appears that the truck was very well maintained, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that it's as good as it looks..

 

300k? It's almost broken in then.

 

2500.. for the one I last purchased... 267k at the time, new frame, but I had to do all the required maintenance... previous owner did the bare minimum... I would gladly have spent the extra money on purchase in order to have saved the parts and lablor...


Who am I kidding... I would have found something that needed fixing...!!!

Check that rear axel housing and the backing plates... very labor intensive if any needs there...

 

Prices will vary depending on your location, but I think it's at the TOP of asking.
A LIMITED, then, sure.

 

A cursory check of prices within 500 miles of my location:
No DC Tundras available for $5k. Cheapest is a 2006 with 255k miles for $6k. And it looks beat.

 

300k isn't a problem. Asking price is very fair, it's a 15 year old truck so be prepared to do some maintenance on it and in return it will last a long time and will be reliable.

If it is to your liking, buy it.

 

Just make sure its not a rust bucket. No amount of money saved on the purchase price will soften the blow when you go to replace anything on the truck. Clean frame and non-rusty components are worth the extra dough up front. Well maintained is a plus. Oh, and check the 4wd. Another person just purchased one earlier this year and tried to use it for the first time in a snow storm and it didn't work.

 

My 87 4Runner had 285k when I sold it before I had to deploy overseas.. Thing ran like a tank... If you like it, buy it or look for another... So many out there. Timing is everything.

 

Fixed.....

 

That doesn’t look bad at all. Most likely below the rust belt. The 300k isn’t too concerning, however since you said you’re mechanically inclined, check over seals and gaskets and plastic parts for rot. I may try to talk them down a bit, but honestly if everything checks out that isn’t bad.

 

I love listening to my dumbass yuppie brother gasping at trucks with 90 thousand miles on them like that's a lot. Meanwhile us over here dont even flinch at 250k. Damn idiot BMW owner

 

For a German car 100k is time to sell usually. Those cars start nickel and diving you to death, even if you do the work yourself like I do, the parts are expensive for German cars. He should sell that thing and buy a Lexus and stop worrying about mileage.

Toyota, and particularly these trucks, don't have much that goes wrong other than rust.

 

He wants to sell it. He drives a 2013 (I believe?) 355i or 325i coupe. One of those two, pretty sure 355i. It's a 4 cylinder. He only has 39k on it but hes looking for trucks but he likes the fords. He just needs to buy a tundra and be done with it!

 

He should sell it while he can still get good money for it and buy a used Toyota. Ford wouldn't be my first choice even if I wasn't a Toyota guy.

 

5k would be a steal on that thing in CA if its as clean as it appears in those pics. You being mechanically inclined is just a plus to fix any needed wear items as they show up.

 

Use a flash light and crawl up under the truck. Look specifically at frame portions just behind front wheels and just in front of rear wheels. Need pics from laying directly under the truck looking out and not pics from standing/squatting outside looking in/under.

 

A bit OT, but we’ve had BMW’s for decades and never bad experiences, on the other hand I’m not sure about the newer ones, we never moved past e46 because they’ve been so solid and reliable for us. One of my dad’s e36’s (his ‘93 325i) we sold early 2000’s with 225k on it, nothing but standard maintenance it’s whole life, even had the original clutch.
I have found Toyota and BMW parts on par price wise.
That being said, I fully support the statement that Toyota/Lexus are solid, long lived low maintenance vehicles, and the Tundra is a solid truck, that’s why we’ve all got them, right?

Back on topic; OP, where is it located? It’s a bit hard to see the potential problem areas in those pics, and there’s definitely rust on back, what appears to be the hitch frame.
PHM’s advice is right on, get under it with a light and prod at any rust you see, if there’s anything bubbling or flaky, work at it, maybe even take a flat screwdriver with you to prod with. Depending on where it’s located, from what I see it looks promising, and a decent price.

 

I’m in SC. No rust at all. Truck drives good! All seems in order.

 

i got a rust free Californian, all toyota dealership maintenance per manual then some for 3500 with 290k.
I am not due for belt and pump til 370k
knock him down

 

I agree you should get under the truck to photograph any rust you want us to evaluate. Jab the rusty surfaces with a screwdriver. If it’s solid, maybe try and talk the seller down, but have the asking price near at hand. If it’s not rusted and you don’t buy it quick, someone else will.