Long time lurker, first time poster. Hoping the experts here can help guide me on what I should look to replace on a high mileage 200 series.
I am getting ready to (hopefully) pick up my first 200 series and found a local one that seems to fit the bill, but it is definitely up there in mileage (250k). The current owner used it for many years to commute about 35,000 miles a year, so "highway miles" is pretty accurate. Drove it today and everything seems fine, but it doesn't seem to drive quite as smoothly as the other 200's I have driven before. I am guessing that everything is just tired after over a quarter million miles.
Overall the car is very well maintained and has a stack of service history from mostly Toyota dealers. It seems like anything the car needed/the dealer recommended the current owner did, but it was limited to normal scheduled maintenance and the normal items (batteries, brakes, radiator, starter, TPMS, etc...). A very big detail is the 200 also received a new (used) motor within the past 5,000 miles. The one thing I don't see is any sort of work done to the suspension at all.
What sort of items would you recommend replacing on something like this? Really looking to ensure it has that 200 series ride and drive you would expect. I would rather do it right the first time if I am in there. Below is a list of what I am thinking, but I want to see if there is anything else I may be missing (suspension or otherwise).
I am getting ready to (hopefully) pick up my first 200 series and found a local one that seems to fit the bill, but it is definitely up there in mileage (250k). The current owner used it for many years to commute about 35,000 miles a year, so "highway miles" is pretty accurate. Drove it today and everything seems fine, but it doesn't seem to drive quite as smoothly as the other 200's I have driven before. I am guessing that everything is just tired after over a quarter million miles.
Overall the car is very well maintained and has a stack of service history from mostly Toyota dealers. It seems like anything the car needed/the dealer recommended the current owner did, but it was limited to normal scheduled maintenance and the normal items (batteries, brakes, radiator, starter, TPMS, etc...). A very big detail is the 200 also received a new (used) motor within the past 5,000 miles. The one thing I don't see is any sort of work done to the suspension at all.
What sort of items would you recommend replacing on something like this? Really looking to ensure it has that 200 series ride and drive you would expect. I would rather do it right the first time if I am in there. Below is a list of what I am thinking, but I want to see if there is anything else I may be missing (suspension or otherwise).
- Front/Rear Shocks
- Front/Rear Springs
- Front Upper Control Arms
- Front Lower Control Arms (any good aftermarket options?)
- Front Sway Bar Bushings (on frame)
- Front Sway Bar Links