Purchasing Advise (Again)

[cmcollar]

This is a 2011 LC with 133k miles offered for $29,000. Grey metallic / grey interior. No damage history. Serviced every 5,000 miles at a Toyota dealership. Interior and exterior of the vehicle looks very good.

Other than normal oil, filter, air filter and tire replacements, here are what is shown on its maintenance history:

* 45,000 - decarbon service completed
* 50,000 - fuel system cleaned / serviced, fuel injection system serviced, induction system serviced
* 57,000 - front and rear brakes replaced
* 62,000 - battery replaced, decarbon service completed, transmission serviced
* 67,000 - tranmission serviced
* 77,000 - transmission fluid flushed (why so much attention given to the transmission????)
* 98,000 - new water pump
* 122,000 - spark plugs replaced
* 127,000 - battery replaced
* 129,000 - New tires
* 133,000 - front brake rotors replaced

The dealer sent me two videos of the underbody. I've taken 5 screen shots and attached them below.

Thoughts / comments on the price??

 

[canyonrider]

The transmission service would make me a little leery, although it looks like perhaps whatever was going on was resolved with a flush (and no apparent issues since?). Also consider that this could likely need a radiator and starter in the near future if they haven't been replaced.

 

[DPA200]

Yeah the transmission service would make me a little leery too, but who knows. I'm at 125k and never had anything transmission related.

I second what @canyonrider said it will most likely need radiator and starter soon. Get him to send you photos of the top plate on the radiator, unlikely that age would not have the hairline crack we all know and love so much. Not a reason not to get, but good to use in negotiating price. Here is the thread if you hadn't already seen:

2008-2018 Radiator Failure and Public Service Announcement

Edited by Moderator to change date range in title Curious who else has had a failure of their radiator on their 200 of the 08-10 model years by a crack on the top next to the molded in platform. I got lucky and found mine before it was catastrophic. I notified @TexAZ because I know his truck...

forum.ih8mud.com

Also a pic of the crack you are looking for:

The starter, if you don't plan to do yourself can be a pricey labor job, 6+ hours it sounds like they are usually billing. 1 thing i'd also check (issue i'm dealing with now) is whether the front lower control arm bolts are seized. If they are seized there is no way to adjust to get alignment after a lift. KDSS adjustment bolt too is known to seize, check that too.

 

[cmcollar]

I called the dealer that previously maintained the LC and asked about the "transmission service" as shown on the carfax. The service advisor was nice enough to go into the records and look to see whether there was a complaint that caused that to be looked at. There was not. The first time this was noted was at the 60,000 mile check and he thought it was just the way Carfax captured that portion of the work. The same thing at 67,000. He said the fluid was flushed at 77,000 . He offered to me (without asking) that the vehicle appeared to be very well maintained. He could not see evidence of the radiator or starter being replaced.

I have asked the selling dealer to take a picture of the top plate of the radiator and also I've asked him to verify whether the starter has been replaced recently. I've also asked him to have the service department determine if the front lower control arm bolts are seized as well as the KDSS adjustment bolts.

Once I determine the status of the above 3 things, I'm going to ask you what you feel is a fair price given the condition. Depending on what needs to be done, I may want some advice on what I should ask to be done pre-purchase (and what the corresponding purchase price should be). $29,000 is their starting price before any negotiation.

Thanks again!

 

[DPA200]

I take it you'd be buying the truck sight unseen? Is it from the rust belt, not saying pics look that way, just curious?

Have you checked on the toyota owners website? You can punch the VIN in there (after you make an account), and that might give you more detail on the service history.

 

[cmcollar]

I take it you'd be buying the truck sight unseen? Is it from the rust belt, not saying pics look that way, just curious?

Have you checked on the toyota owners website? You can punch the VIN in there (after you make an account), and that might give you more detail on the service history.

Hello and thanks for your advice.. I would not purchase it sight unseen. It is a few hours drive away. Vehicle was owned and serviced in AL, SC and FL). Road salt should not have been an issue. Good idea on the Toyota owner's website. I still have an account there from my previous 8 Toyotas....

Thanks again.

 

[DPA200]

Hello and thanks for your advice.. I would not purchase it sight unseen. It is a few hours drive away. Vehicle was owned and serviced in AL, SC and FL). Road salt should not have been an issue. Good idea on the Toyota owner's website. I still have an account there from my previous 8 Toyotas....

Thanks again.

perfect, good the way your handling getting them to get you video and info before wasting your time driving out

 

[lasalsa]

PM me the VIN and I may be able to tell you what they paid for it, and the wholesale price, if they bought it through auction.

There also may be similar options coming through auction I can probably get for you..

 

[DPA200]

I dunno, curious if the Toyota Owners comes up with anything regarding the transmission. Same time I did see the rest of the history, having 3 owners, but it looks very solid. Good southern states, no accidents, almost all Toyota service. Price IMO is already pretty good for a 2011 at that mileage . Might be a great find. Starter and radiator I wouldn’t expect to have been changed yet (if they hadn’t failed yet), I’d just use it in negotiating to try to get a couple grand off knowing your gonna have to spend that soon. But base price as is ain’t bad at all for a non rusty 200 That is local to you.

 

[cmcollar]

I dunno, curious if the Toyota Owners comes up with anything regarding the transmission. Same time I did see the rest of the history, having 3 owners, but it looks very solid. Good southern states, no accidents, almost all Toyota service. Price IMO is already pretty good for a 2011 at that mileage . Might be a great find. Starter and radiator I wouldn’t expect to have been changed yet (if they hadn’t failed yet), I’d just use it in negotiating to try to get a couple grand off knowing your gonna have to spend that soon. But base price as is ain’t bad at all for a non rusty 200 That is local to you.

So, I went out onto the Toyota Owners site and looked that the maintenance history. In addition to the maintenance I summarized above, the following significant maintenance has been done:

* 98,000 - They replaced the drive belt at the same time as doing the water pump.
* 104,000 - They REPLACED THE RADIATOR. The dealership had noted a small leak and recommended the replacement.
* 111,000 - Front brake replacement.
* 130,000 - They replaced the wiring harness. (Why would they do that?) Interestingly enough, it was replaced under warranty.

Any additional thoughts? I'm not aware of any recall regarding the wiring harness. I wonder what's up with that?

I'm honestly tempted to pull the trigger on this.....

 

[cmcollar]

Can someone please tell me what is hanging out of that hole in the picture below?

 

[DPA200]

Can someone please tell me what is hanging out of that hole in the picture below?


View attachment 2176523

a leaf? hard to tell in the frame grab. i know i get all kinds of rocks and stuff caught in various holes underneath. If you want you could post the video up and see if we see anything else we're missing. Just an idea.

Well that's good news about the extra maintenance items! I'd still have the dealer send a photo of the top plate (the area shown where it cracks) of the radiator just to double-check. I'm also curious if they used the updated part # vs the original design. Either way good news.

Wiring harness another odd one, but who knows, maybe a rodent made a nest and chewed some wires? It happens. Well good news is sounds like all these repairs were done at the dealership. The transmission thing the more i thought about it, odd, but who knows, and at least it was done at the dealer, and it has had about 60k miles ago of dealer service since then.

So as long as there is nothing we're missing, starter is the only known thing left to do. It's at the mileage/age it could go out any time without warning. Could last another 30k+ miles also, nobody knows. Ideally I'd get them to change it out for you since its at a Toyota dealership, so that's by far the cheapest option for them. If they'd do that, I'd just offer full asking price since sub $30k 200's are a at pretty competitive price point. Otherwise get them to knock $1200ish off the price and just deal with the starter on your own. Not sure how handy you are, the parts for the starter are pretty cheap (starter itself under $200), it's just a very involved big 6-9 hour labor bill.

 

[KLF]

It's a leaf.

 

[cmcollar]

If you want you could post the video up and see if we see anything else we're missing. Just an idea.

Thank you, @DPA200. These videos are quite large in terms of file size. Will this site accept an uploaded video?

 

[cmcollar]

I tried uploading the mp4's and the site does not allow files with that extension to be uploaded.

 

[DPA200]

I tried uploading the mp4's and the site does not allow files with that extension to be uploaded.

no you'd have to upload to vimeo or youtube, then post the link here.

 

[M1911]

That service history looks to me as though the service writer was good at convincing the owner to do a lot of service above and beyond that required by Toyota.

 

[cmcollar]

Here are links to the two videos shot by the dealership (just in case I didn't capture something important when taking the screen shots).

Thank you!

 

[DPA200]

Thanks for posting. I don't see anything new or alarming. It's a bit more surface rust than I'd expect for the states it's lived in, but not alarming. Anyways, Front Lower Control Arms, these (shown) are what you want to have them check if they are seized. You'll need to be able to adjust these bolts (4) if you plan on doing a lift. If your on the original suspension at 130k (cant remember if any of that got changed), then you'll probably want to change out with a lift soon.

KDSS bolt have them check for sure also. And if possible then go out there and request that they put on a lift and drop the front skids just to look around. Cam tower leak is also possible on the 5.7. I do see possibly some oil on the skids, but best to get a flashlight and look around for any signs of oil. Look through wheel wells, from top, from bottom ect. That can be a $2k repair. A lotta guys have this leak and just live with it though, it's not gushing oil, just small leaks.

 

[Volunteer]

That service history looks to me as though the service writer was good at convincing the owner to do a lot of service above and beyond that required by Toyota.

Agree with M1911 most non savy car folk roll into the dealerships and agree to the service writers advice sounds like the case here, I wouldn't over think the wiring harness probably a rodent issue one of our club members had a rat chew up the engine harness on his wife's T4R twice luckily his insurance covered it both times finally caught the rat. The price for year and mileage are fare so anything south of that figure and you are doing good. With the radiator, water pump and belt addressed the next thing that will need replacing is your starter and right now you can buy one for half the price I paid for mine two years ago there is a thread in here on the sale. Slightly more rust on chassis for a Southern truck surprised to see it around the slip yoke on DS but certainly not anything to be alarmed like you would be for one out of the rust belt and this one can certainly be cleaned up. Good Luck