2001 - 2002 Sport Editions

[p nut]

My situation (brief) - Had a 98 Limited, it got totalled, bought a Jeep Grand (5.9L of fury), but now want another 3rd Gen, but with AWD and no leather seats.

I found a couple of 2002 SE's in my area. One is at a BMW dealership. It is a one-owner trade in. The lady had dogs, because the rear cargo area has dog hair all over. The tonneau cover is missing, as well. Around 84k miles. It's black (my color of choice), stock, and seems to be in really good shape all around. The asking price is $16,900.

The other is also a 2002 SE, but silver. It has 71k miles and they're asking $17,500. It is also a one-owner car, and the carfax shows no accidents.

Both rigs are 100% stock. The black one does have new BFG tires on it. When I was starting up the black one, a belt started squealing. It did it for a couple of seconds and went away. Is this something I should be worried about?

I haven't been to take a look at the silver one yet, but will this week.

What do you guys think of the prices? How much more should I be shooting for? The prices around here are kind of high. The trade-in for the black one was around $14k, I think. Maybe offer $15k OTD?

[paddlenbike]

I paid $17,000 for my 2000 SR5 (5-speed, e-locker). It was in perfect condition with 55,000 on the clock. That was two years ago, but you are looking at a 2-year newer vehicle. Given that, the prices you quoted seem reasonable to me. You will find 4Runners priced lower, but when you find that one you want, it is often worth paying a little extra.

[bamachem]

those prices aren't bad, but they're not smokin' deals either. are you willing to travel to get a better deal (saving $2k or more) for the cost of a plane ticket and gas?

i've found that SUV's in texas are considerably cheaper than in other parts of the country. also, they're very unlikely to have any rust or other rust-belt problems. however, they will typically have slightly higher miles since things in TX seem to be a little more spread out.

[p nut]

Thanks. I've been looking through the Texas zip codes on autotrader, and there are better deals out there, but after figuring in plane ticket/gas, it's not that much better. Search continues.

[MTL_4runner]

I think those prices aren't too bad either, but I'd probably offer the $15k OTD and see how "for sale" they really are. It's really tough to get good deals at a dealership because their obviously in the business to make money off every transaction. You're right to be buying in the 5-6 yr old range because they are dropping in price pretty quickly as more new 4th gens come into the market. I usually try and buy from individuals and get them to negotiate a bit more with me and then I just set up financing at the bank myself.

...don't worry too much on the squeaky belt, not a big deal.

[p nut]

Well, neither of them would go anywhere below $17.5k OTD. I think that's too much for a 5 year old car with 70-80k miles. Man, these yota's hold their value...

I think you're right, MTL, I'm going to try to buy from a private seller. That's how I've bought all of my other cars, but the only ones available are at the dealerships. I think mainly, because the original owners are older ladies that don't want to deal with selling it themselves.

[Bob98SR5]

pnut,

man, it all depends on your market. its really vain to try to compare your pricing w/ someone who lives in another area, though i understand the value of getting a ball park figure.

use nada, kbb, etc to get a range and then compare it to the range of private and dealer pricing. you should have a clearer idea of what you might want to pay after that. also, dont forget to factor in about $1k in maintenance during your first year.

...and i said maintenance, not mods! :hillbill:

[p nut]

Thanks, Bob. I am having a tough time justifying spending $17-18k on a vehicle that's 5 years old and with 80k miles. I have decided that I am going to get either a 4th Gen 4Runner, 05-07 Tacoma or the new FJC. They're all a few more grand, but I'd have that piece of mind of a lower mileage/newer vehicle, which = priceless. :D

[ecchamberlin]

I agree that those prices are not too bad. Here in Socal the 4Runners and Tacos really hold their value well. I am helping a guy look for a 96-2000 with an e-locker and it is really hard to find one. I think anything 1996 to 2002 with less than 100K miles is okay. I just had mine smogged with 110K and the guy said it was super clean which I think is a decent measure of how it is holding up internally.

[neliconcept]

Thanks, Bob. I am having a tough time justifying spending $17-18k on a vehicle that's 5 years old and with 80k miles. I have decided that I am going to get either a 4th Gen 4Runner, 05-07 Tacoma or the new FJC. They're all a few more grand, but I'd have that piece of mind of a lower mileage/newer vehicle, which = priceless. :D


17-18k is high for something with 80k miles

thats a 15-16k car at most.

hell their are some over here in the east that are running 12-13k, one being an 01 with 95k miles on it. and its 11,990

get what you want though, if you dont find one before I get out there, ill help you find a 4th gen.

[Bob98SR5]

p nut,

so have you done any research on local area pricing? if so, what did you find out?

just as a reference point, i bought my 98 sr5 for $15.5 w/ 55k. im in CA, so its a more competitive market. it seems that your prices are above the norm.

btw, how old are you? if you are younger, they will almost always jack you up on the pricing b/c they think you are young and dumb

bob

[p nut]

Yeah, locally, the ones I looked at were all in the $17-19k range with 70-90k miles. It seems as though the pricing is pretty high up here (Utah), too, since 4WD's are in higher demand and Toyota's hold their value ridiculously well. I am well into my 20's :D(will be 30 this year...still feel weird about that). The dealerships have treated me professionally enough (plus, one of the guys there is a friend of mine from college). Even looking at private sellers, the prices are highly inflated compared to other places (East Coast, mostly).

The black one sold a couple of days ago. I did test drive a new Tacoma yesterday, though. It felt really nice. It was the Access Cab (I don't like how the D-Cab looks) with the TRD OR package. It looked really good. The only complaint that I might have is the lack of room in the interior. I also test drove the new FJC. It was nice as well. The rear seats were actually pretty roomy and comfortable.

Anyway, if a nice 3rd gen doesn't come up this week or the next for a decent price, I might just pony up the cash for a new rig.

[xcmountain80]

Try Carmax if you have those out there. I bought mine there and actually paid just over trade in for it. The dealership will be slightly higher, or perhaps a dealer that does not carry Toyota that is selling a 4Runner?


Aaron

[surf4runner]

when shopping for cars near katrina fallout-beware of reconditioned vehicles that got flooded and fixed. check the history.

i paid 16,900 for my '02 (2WD) in '05 and it had 74k mi on it, now @131K w/o any issues.
they had 3 similiar on the lot and bargained a price (all were over 18k) for the least desirable of the 3 and said id pay that for the loaded version.
also helped $$$ unloading the 94 blazer at the same time :D

i looked to see what mine is worth and i think i could still get ~15K today for it.

[p nut]

Ok, I think I've made my decision. The FJC was cool and all, but the things that bothered me were that huge blind spot, and the windshield issue (supposedly, the windshield cracks REAL easily and the replacements are $1300--yikes). Plus, without a lift and 33+" tires, they don't look that great. And if I did put 33-35" tires, the MPG would really suffer for my commutes.

The Access Cab Tacoma was just too small inside....so I'll be getting the Double Cab Tacoma. I should be finalizing the deal this week.

Thanks for the help, all.

[ecchamberlin]

Not a bad way to go. Dcabs are nice. Also very easy to find witht he factory rear locker (All TRDs thru 2004)

Good choice.

[xcmountain80]

Yep that s what I would have purchased had I not found the 4Runner, then My brother got one.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/xcmountain/P1110274.jpg

Aaron

[p nut]

Well, I went to the dealership yesterday and figured out the price on a 2007 D-Cab Tacoma TRD Off-Road (Diff Lock, JBL 6-disk stereo, etc), Super White. I was SO close to signing on the dotted line. At the last minute, I told them I needed to think about it. And right now, I'm glad that I didn't sign. It was an awesome looking truck, and had everything that I wanted, and they gave me a GREAT deal. However, $30+k is a big chunk of change. I just didn't want to put that much into a depreciating asset.

On a brighter note, I think I might have found 2 very possible candidates for my next rig. Both 4Runners, one is a Sport and the other Limited. I'm going to take a look at them this weekend, and hopefully drive away in one of them.

[p nut]

Ok, sold my Jeep. It's crunch time. There is a 2002 Sport with 70k miles out in New York that I'm looking at. There is also a 2002 SR5 with 60k miles locally. I'm going to take a look at it today. If memory serves correct, the only difference between the Sport and SR5 is the hood scoop, fenders and interior accents (aluminum dash pieces, cloth seat design, etc.), right?

The SR5 is cheaper, so I might end up getting that, unless anyone has objections. The Sport does look sweet, and it's a CPO, but it's 2300 miles away. And if I get out there and it drives funky, smells funny, etc., that would suck.

[Bob98SR5]

buy local, p nut for the very reason you mentioned

[neliconcept]

buy local, p nut for the very reason you mentioned


agreed, only reason im looking here in South Carolina and out in Colorado/UTAH/wyoming area is because ill also be out there.

also if you can get a sport with leather it will be very rare, i have one of very limited 01 sports that have leather, my friends 99 highlander has leather and those are the only two ive seen with leather.

just my worthless .02


edit: just forgot you didnt want leather, my bad bro.

[p nut]

Thanks, guys. I think I will buy local. I could not check it out today. I've got the appointment set up for tomorrw.

neli - I do not ever want to own leather interior again, unless it's a heated/cooled seat. Even then, I think I would still prefer cloth.

[p nut]

Just picked up a SIlver 2002 SE. Thanks everyone.

[ecchamberlin]

nice

put some pics of it up when you can.

[p nut]

I wasn't too sure about the color when I bought it. I was really looking for a black. I still do think black does look the best, but this Thunder Cloud Metallic is a very close second. I love the deep silver. Here is one crappy pic.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/shinpaul/IMG_1084-1.jpg

[ecchamberlin]

real nice looking rig.

How far do you plan on taking it as far as mods?

[randver]

nice looking rig. i say you should call it the silver bullet.

[p nut]

Thanks, guys.

ecchamberlin - I am not going to go crazy yet. I am building a house, so I need to keep this as a daily driver friendly vehicle until then (plus, I have a 100 mile commute daily, so MPG is more important to me than 33" tires). So for now, I think I'm just going to get some Stubbs sliders (yes, the running boards will be taken off), and some Toyo Open Country's or REVO's, but that will be about it. In a few months, though, I will buy another daily driver and make this more off-road capable. I love what you've done to yours and will probably serve as a model to what I'm going to do. Only other thing I would do would be to get a rear bumper w/a tire carrier.

randver - I would call it the silver bullet, but it's not the fastest thing. :D My 98 had a supercharger on it, and that was much faster. But, the reason why I didn't want a supercharger this time was because the supercharged rigs require more maintenance, premium fuel, etc. I just wanted a solid, reliable rig for the long-haul.

[neliconcept]

just a hint darker then mine, my coworker has that exact same one except its a 2wd and they look cleaner if not more shiny then my millenium silver does.

[ecchamberlin]

Thanks, guys.

ecchamberlin - I am not going to go crazy yet. I am building a house, so I need to keep this as a daily driver friendly vehicle until then (plus, I have a 100 mile commute daily, so MPG is more important to me than 33" tires). So for now, I think I'm just going to get some Stubbs sliders (yes, the running boards will be taken off), and some Toyo Open Country's or REVO's, but that will be about it. In a few months, though, I will buy another daily driver and make this more off-road capable. I love what you've done to yours and will probably serve as a model to what I'm going to do. Only other thing I would do would be to get a rear bumper w/a tire carrier.

randver - I would call it the silver bullet, but it's not the fastest thing. :D My 98 had a supercharger on it, and that was much faster. But, the reason why I didn't want a supercharger this time was because the supercharged rigs require more maintenance, premium fuel, etc. I just wanted a solid, reliable rig for the long-haul.
makes sense to me. I just bought a daily driver myself but have been so busy with my new house that I have not done a single thing to the runner since closing on the house. just the way it goes I guess.

Daily driver is so nice to have though. 37mpg out of a $2,500 car with no payment is perfect for my commute.

Gonna enjoy watching you build her up in the next few years.

[Rock Slide]

Looks good p nut! Looks identical to mine the day I bought it (minus the running boards). You'll love the way the thunder cloud metallic paint doesn't show dirt. I have not washed mine in 2 months and it still looks clean. Welcome to the Sport club. :D

Oh yeah, and my friends often refer to my 4Runner as the "Grey Goose". (haha...long story.)

[surf4runner]

great choice!

must be a lot of silver/grey 02 SE, i got one too :D

[p nut]

Thanks, guys. It's been nice driving it around for the past few days. A lot smoother than the Jeep.

Rock Slide -- I'm jealous of your Hilux Field Monitor. That install looks CLEAN. I would like to do something like that, but I think I'm just going to take the easy way out and get a Garmin/Magellan. :D

[Rock Slide]

Thanks!

I was very lucky to not only find a working Hilux FM, but one that matched my interior too.

But do Garmins/Magellans have the cool scrolling green lights! :D j/k

[p nut]

No, they don't. That's why if we ever meet up, you'd better not turn your back, because when you turn back around, all you'll see is some wires hanging down by your rear-view and a couple of burnout marks.

:D
jokes

[Rock Slide]

No, they don't. That's why if we ever meet up, you'd better not turn your back, because when you turn back around, all you'll see is some wires hanging down by your rear-view and a couple of burnout marks.

:D
jokes



:lol: :lol: I'm sure! I've got buddies of my own that tell me the same thing every time they get in my 4Runner. On a couple rare occasions I've taken my 4Runner to the dealer for service/checkup, I've actually had more than 1 mechanic offer to buy it from me. :)

[Bob98SR5]

p nut,

looks like you found a winner :) look in the tech section re my stubbs slider writeup. also, you'll appreciate the silver because it does not show dirt like black does. i had black cars all my life and when i bought my desert dune 4runner, i was a little disappointed w/ the color choice (3rd owner). but as i've become accustomed to the color, i appreciate it more.

i remember at the first june lake trip, one of the girls on the trip said "hey bob, when did you have time to wash your truck?" :D like i said, it doesnt show the dirt well :)

bob

[p nut]

Yeah, after having to wash my last black Jeep almost weekly, it's refreshing not to have to worry about that. I'm really starting to like this color more and more. I don't think it's silver. I think it's a mix of silver and gold.

Anyway, it all worked out in the end. The less time I have to spend washing, the more I can mod/wheel. :D