I've only had my '08 for about a year, it's been good to our family. I am currently under-employed and taxes are due, so I was comtemplating letting it go and using the money for paying off Uncle Sam and shoring up for an unpredictable 2026 job market. I paid a bit too much for it, so I'm already behind the 8 ball, but some issues have appeared - the steering rack has a leak, the rear main seal looks like it has one too, and there's a minor coolant leak at the heater tube (also brakes/possibly rotors are coming up for replacement).
Here's the conundrum - I could dump it as-is for something like 'trade-in' value, or I could fix all the above (at a Toyota shop, not the dealer) and sell it for around 'retail' (maybe more) as a sorted out LC (more marketable?). I could just keep it as well, but the reason I was thinking about selling it in the first place is because we're not going off road etc., and have only put ~2k miles on it since buying it; honestly it's total overkill for us. I would be fine replacing it with something cheaper, not a money pit and not too much of a downgrade, for what is my/our current day to day. I've been to that rodeo before and it can be made to work. I can also drive another 'classic' car we have, but being from the '70s it'll be a little less user friendly in colder months.
Either way, I'm going to be out some money, so I'm trying to decide if I'll be out more selling it as-is, or getting it sorted out first, then selling. Would keeping it be the wisest move? Nothing wrong with having a good vehicle in good condition, but sometimes it feels like I'm bringing a T-34 to a pillow fight....
Here's the conundrum - I could dump it as-is for something like 'trade-in' value, or I could fix all the above (at a Toyota shop, not the dealer) and sell it for around 'retail' (maybe more) as a sorted out LC (more marketable?). I could just keep it as well, but the reason I was thinking about selling it in the first place is because we're not going off road etc., and have only put ~2k miles on it since buying it; honestly it's total overkill for us. I would be fine replacing it with something cheaper, not a money pit and not too much of a downgrade, for what is my/our current day to day. I've been to that rodeo before and it can be made to work. I can also drive another 'classic' car we have, but being from the '70s it'll be a little less user friendly in colder months.
Either way, I'm going to be out some money, so I'm trying to decide if I'll be out more selling it as-is, or getting it sorted out first, then selling. Would keeping it be the wisest move? Nothing wrong with having a good vehicle in good condition, but sometimes it feels like I'm bringing a T-34 to a pillow fight....
