Return or keep - 2012 GX460 (2 Viewers)

[r2m]

Thanks everyone. A lot of food for thought and I still can't make up my mind.
If anything, my flip flopping back and forth almost tells me I should just return it for the peace of mind and find one I don't have any worries about.
At the same time, my buddy from Chicago just came by and he said it seems like a great car and didn't think the rust was anything to worry about, but he's also coming from the rust belt.

The car is a pleasure to drive, handles well, no creaks or rattles, good maintenance history.
Prices at least here in southern California are insanely inflated.
Seeing used 2015 4Runners with 120k miles going for $32k asking price.
Most GXs with fewer miles and that are newer (15-16) are going for 28-36k, so like R2M pointed out, I'm asking myself how long I'd need to wait for a clean example for a more compelling price.
Pretty sad state still for the used car market.

Don't want to tell you what I paid for mine back in 2018.... Okay, you twisted my arm: 2013 GX460 Luxury, 32,000 miles: $32,000
Keep it, clean it, enjoy it! It really isn't that bad. One last question: how long do you keep your vehicles? If you turn them over every several years, another reason not to worry about it.
Heck I'll even take you out on some easy wheel'n with it!

 

[Rednexus]

Thanks everyone. A lot of food for thought and I still can't make up my mind.
If anything, my flip flopping back and forth almost tells me I should just return it for the peace of mind and find one I don't have any worries about.
At the same time, my buddy from Chicago just came by and he said it seems like a great car and didn't think the rust was anything to worry about, but he's also coming from the rust belt.

The car is a pleasure to drive, handles well, no creaks or rattles, good maintenance history.
Prices at least here in southern California are insanely inflated.
Seeing used 2015 4Runners with 120k miles going for $32k asking price.
Most GXs with fewer miles and that are newer (15-16) are going for 28-36k, so like R2M pointed out, I'm asking myself how long I'd need to wait for a clean example for a more compelling price.
Pretty sad state still for the used car market.

If you like driving it and it's solid mechanically, and you can't beat the price, I'd keep it and undercoat it with the Woolwax/Fluid Film cocktail. I bet that coating will still look good 5 years from now!

Perhaps I need to make a business buying GXs here in MO and shipping them to CA to flip. A bit rustier underneath, sure. But, our clear coat and leather fares better with time .

 

[SDTrojan]

Don't want to tell you what I paid for mine back in 2018.... Okay, you twisted my arm: 2013 GX460 Luxury, 32,000 miles: $32,000
Keep it, clean it, enjoy it! It really isn't that bad. One last question: how long do you keep your vehicles? If you turn them over every several years, another reason not to worry about it.
Heck I'll even take you out on some easy wheel'n with it!

That seems like a really solid deal for you for a 5 year old car (at the time) with incredibly low miles.
Definitely haven't seen any 2020 with 32k miles for $32k on the market lately, or even close.

I typically keep my cars for 6-7 years, and that's around the time I was planning for this one.

My main hang-up is the calculus of how much money I'll need to put into this one to keep her on the road and in good shape, versus what I would be able to pick up if I added that same money into the initial purchase price.

I was relooking through the PPI inspection, and it also mentioned the lower control arm bushings cracking.
Not sure how urgent it is, but I imagine maybe I'd want to add new lower control arms at the same time as I do the struts, and I imagine that would easily climb into the ~4k territory for both. That said, I'd have a fairly new suspension after those.

Decisions decisions...

 

[r2m]

That seems like a really solid deal for you for a 5 year old car (at the time) with incredibly low miles.
Definitely haven't seen any 2020 with 32k miles for $32k on the market lately, or even close.

I typically keep my cars for 6-7 years, and that's around the time I was planning for this one.

My main hang-up is the calculus of how much money I'll need to put into this one to keep her on the road and in good shape, versus what I would be able to pick up if I added that same money into the initial purchase price.

I was relooking through the PPI inspection, and it also mentioned the lower control arm bushings cracking.
Not sure how urgent it is, but I imagine maybe I'd want to add new lower control arms at the same time as I do the struts, and I imagine that would easily climb into the ~4k territory for both. That said, I'd have a fairly new suspension after those.

Decisions decisions...

If you're planning on any kind of suspension lift, I'd suggest after market UCA's. They'll give you more suspension travel with the longer arm shocks.
BTW, I just realized I don't even know what your "end game" is with this GX. Is strictly a daily driver, or are you planning some mods for it?

 

[SDTrojan]

If you're planning on any kind of suspension lift, I'd suggest after market UCA's. They'll give you more suspension travel with the longer arm shocks.
BTW, I just realized I don't even know what your "end game" is with this GX. Is strictly a daily driver, or are you planning some mods for it?

This is my first ever offroad rig, so my endgame is still unclear.

My initial plan was to drive it as is for a a few months, and then at least mount some all terrain tires and 17" TRD Pro rims that I brought during this past Black Friday sale.

Then get out on a few mild trails, and see if I feel limited in any way.

The fact that the front struts need replacing, makes me wonder if I should just replace them with OEM ones, or just do all four at the same time, delete the air bags, and put on a lift kit.

 

[Hiluxforever]

I would recommend replacing them with a lesser expensive offroad shock like a bilstein or one of the many other brand of dampers. I found the factory dampers to be wholly inadequate for the vehicle off pavement.

 

[Acrad]

My ‘12 was $32k back in early 2017… still had the factory powertrain warranty in effect with just shy of 35k miles. It was a Southern California rig.

It was actually a few months shy of it’s 5 year “in-service” date as vehicle was originally sold in May of 2012.

 

[r2m]

This is my first ever offroad rig, so my endgame is still unclear.

My initial plan was to drive it as is for a a few months, and then at least mount some all terrain tires and 17" TRD Pro rims that I brought during this past Black Friday sale.

Then get out on a few mild trails, and see if I feel limited in any way.

The fact that the front struts need replacing, makes me wonder if I should just replace them with OEM ones, or just do all four at the same time, delete the air bags, and put on a lift kit.

As Hiluxforever stated, don't do your shocks twice. Just do it once and for all and be done with it.
Regarding you hitting some trails to flush out your rig, first thing you'll find out real quick is the approach and departure limitations. While still maintaining a somewhat stock look, you will probably want to trim up the lower lip of both the front and rear bumpers AND trim/remove the running boards.
With the extra inch or so in suspension (and travel), slightly larger tires, along with the trimming, you'll have a good looking rig and be good to go!

 

[D21FJ60]

People already said it but it may have been a winter car- kept in an area for skiing- oil changes done periodically when they drive back home or something.
That is the rust id see on something here in the DC area, not where you got this from.
If you don't want to return it, see if maybe they can give you some sort of payback?