What to buy: under 100K or under 150K?

[tarbe]

...or you could just buy a well cared for 200K model and just go to Mexico, with some $$ left over for cold tecates and margaritas...

-H-

You aren't missing a single opportunity to pimp, are you?

 

[elmariachi]

I think we all pretty much agree that the internals are good for at least 300k given decent care. 50k miles is equivalent to 17% of the life of the internals.$5000/.17 = $29,412. Does a 1FZFE rebuild, pinion bearings and u-joints approach $30k

Your formula is misleading and does not take into account that if you buy the truck at 150k miles, half of the 300k is already gone. A more accurate way of estimating the real value of the 50,000 mile differential is to compare the loss accrued on the two trucks over time going forward and how much use you get before a common retirement point:

Tim's Truck: You buy it for $9,000 with 150,000 miles and you retire it at 300,000 miles for say...$3000. Total depreciation is $6,000, or .04 per mile. At 25,000 miles per year you get to drive it 6 years.

Jim's Truck: I buy it at $14,000 with 100,000 miles and I retire it at 300,000 for the same $3000. Total depreciation is $11,000, or .055 per mile. At 25,000 miles per year I get to drive it 8 years.

So via direct comparison, for $5000 I get two more years of driving before arriving at the same mileage as the cheaper truck. And.......I get to start out with a truck that has 30% less wear on it, internally and externally. I chose the 100K mile truck (and it weren't no $14K either :

 

[bull]

What about modifications? They should factor too.

low mileage no mods

high mileage no mods

low mileage w/mods

high mileage w/mods


I just bought a high mileage vehicle with every modification I wanted.

1997 40th
lift
315/75/16s
CDL
Supercharger
etc etc


and I'm pleased with the outcome. I feel I got a great deal with all the mods

 

[schlopecki]

Your formula is misleading and does not take into account that if you buy the truck at 150k miles, half of the 300k is already gone. A more accurate way of estimating the real value of the 50,000 mile differential is to compare the loss accrued on the two trucks over time going forward and how much use you get before a common retirement point:

Tim's Truck: You buy it for $9,000 with 150,000 miles and you retire it at 300,000 miles for say...$3000. Total depreciation is $6,000, or .04 per mile. At 25,000 miles per year you get to drive it 6 years.

Jim's Truck: I buy it at $14,000 with 100,000 miles and I retire it at 300,000 for the same $3000. Total depreciation is $11,000, or .055 per mile. At 25,000 miles per year I get to drive it 8 years.

So via direct comparison, for $5000 I get two more years of driving before arriving at the same mileage as the cheaper truck. And.......I get to start out with a truck that has 30% less wear on it, internally and externally. I chose the 100K mile truck (and it weren't no $14K either :

Interesting post. Thanks.
Nice truck too, but what is up with those side steps? ;p

 

[schlopecki]

What about modifications? They should factor too.

low mileage no mods

high mileage no mods

low mileage w/mods

high mileage w/mods


I just bought a high mileage vehicle with every modification I wanted.

1997 40th
lift
315/75/16s
CDL
Supercharger
etc etc


and I'm pleased with the outcome. I feel I got a great deal with all the mods

IMO the ideal truck would be a "truck my granny drove":
super low mileage, no mods, great condition and of course CHEAP.

I like low milage because I do all the maintenance myself and I know when and what kind of oils/grease/filters I put.
I prefer do all the mods I can myself, so I know how they are done.
I also like to tweek "of the shelf" mods (should see sliders on my 4Runner).
On top of that, no mods truck probably will have less wear.

But price is a factor I have to take into account, hence the thread.

 

[elmariachi]

Interesting post. Thanks.
Nice truck too, but what is up with those side steps? ;p

Those "sidesteps" teach you to wheel with prowess, and they keep my happy so I can drive the XJR every now and then. And I am still waiting on someone to make a sub $600 slider solution.

 

[tarbe]

Tim's Truck: Total depreciation is .04 per mile.

Jim's Truck: Total depreciation is .055 per mile.

So you admit your depreciation per mile is 38% greater than mine?

 

[elmariachi]

So you admit your depreciation per mile is 38% greater than mine?

Yes, because I am paying more for my truck. But I am getting 33% more use than you.

You need to get out of the house, bad. Come up here and look at my shiny new alternator idler pulley.

 

[tarbe]

You need to get out of the house, bad. Come up here and look at my shiny new alternator idler pulley.

Just got home...went to CyFalls H.S. awards night to see my little girl get 5 academic awards! I sure hope that translates into a scholarship of some sort!


Why did you have to put a new idler pulley in such a low mileage truck?

Oh, don't forget to factor in the opportunity cost of that extra $5k one would spend on that theoretical 100k truck

OK, I'm done with the :shotts:

 

[chriscruiser]

IMO the ideal truck would be a "truck my granny drove":
super low mileage, no mods, great condition and of course CHEAP.

I like low milage because I do all the maintenance myself and I know when and what kind of oils/grease/filters I put.
I prefer do all the mods I can myself, so I know how they are done.
I also like to tweek "of the shelf" mods (should see sliders on my 4Runner).
On top of that, no mods truck probably will have less wear.

But price is a factor I have to take into account, hence the thread.

Good point...was the truck wheeled? Was it a "travel vehicle" or was it used for day to day work traffic?

100k VS 150k yes the miles being lower will lead to a longer ownership so that's something to decide on, do you want one with lower miles to keep it longer? Or do you want to look for that high mileage cruiser which has been beaten? OR...do you go with the high mileage one which has been cared for.

After all, these are Toyotas and if cared for out live just about everything out there these days. Funny, I was driving mine home tonight thinking how the damn thing feels...exactly the way it did when I first picked it up. But then again, I've taken very good care of mine so if you have doubts, I would go through that noob FAQ and have someone go over the vehicle before you buy it whether it's a 100k or 150k vehicle.

Good luck!

 

[MH_Stevens]

I think we all pretty much agree that the internals are good for at least 300k given decent care. 50k miles is equivalent to 17% of the life of the internals.

$5000/.17 = $29,412. Does a 1FZFE rebuild, pinion bearings and u-joints approach $30k

BUT the point is this, if you look at all the examples here where engines have died, nobody actually ever does the compleate rebuild. It's cheaper to buy a new used cruiser so your math has no meaning. He asks "why a 100?" I already answered that - I think the 80 a better 4x4 than the 100, but the 80's are wearing out - the millage is getting high and it is getting more and more difficult to find a good one. That's all.

 

[tarbe]

BUT the point is this, if you look at all the examples here where engines have died, nobody actually ever does the compleate rebuild.

There are very few done, because these are very robust engines and they generally do not wear out. They are destroyed through some failure (HG for example) or neglect. But to see one worn out by high miles is very rare. Making the 150k truck that has been well cared for all the more attractive.

 

[chriscruiser]

There are very few done, because these are very robust engines and they generally do not wear out. They are destroyed through some failure (HG for example) or neglect. But to see one worn out by high miles is very rare. Making the 150k truck that has been well cared for all the more attractive.

My view is the care and how the vehicle was used is critical. I'd take a 200K 80-series that was used for travel any day over an 80k improperly maintained 80-series.

I would recommend doing the critical checks such as leak-down, compression, and detailed inspection. Also, I would insist on maintenance records as well.

However, even if records are provided, I would change all the fluids just to be safe! (that's what I do)

 

[schlopecki]

My view is the care and how the vehicle was used is critical. I'd take a 200K 80-series that was used for travel any day over an 80k improperly maintained 80-series.

I would recommend doing the critical checks such as leak-down, compression, and detailed inspection. Also, I would insist on maintenance records as well.

However, even if records are provided, I would change all the fluids just to be safe! (that's what I do)

No doubt I would change all the fluids right away and then plan on other maintenance/rebuild items and mods of course.
The good pre-buy inspection is what I'm after.
Where can I do thorough inspection like that?

 

[MH_Stevens]

No doubt I would change all the fluids right away and then plan on other maintenance/rebuild items and mods of course.
The good pre-buy inspection is what I'm after.
Where can I do thorough inspection like that?

Cruiser buyers know what they are after and a GOOD truck goes very quickly, not usually time to arrange a inspection by someone who knows cruisers, and if there is time then it's probably a bad one.

Read up here so you know the danger signs to look for, like replacement rad, green in rad, drip marks around HG, Bad fan clutch, dirty fluid in axles, check service records, no more than one or two owners. Watch for when an ad first comes out and if these all pass and it looks good you probably can make the decision yourself.

 

[schlopecki]

Cruiser buyers know what they are after and a GOOD truck goes very quickly, not usually time to arrange a inspection by someone who knows cruisers, and if there is time then it's probably a bad one.

Read up here so you know the danger signs to look for, like replacement rad, green in rad, drip marks around HG, Bad fan clutch, dirty fluid in axles, check service records, no more than one or two owners. Watch for when an ad first comes out and if these all pass and it looks good you probably can make the decision yourself.

Thanks for the info.
You are probably right.

 

[wallstrum]

Cruiser buyers know what they are after and a GOOD truck goes very quickly, not usually time to arrange a inspection by someone who knows cruisers, and if there is time then it's probably a bad one.

Read up here so you know the danger signs to look for, like replacement rad, green in rad, drip marks around HG, Bad fan clutch, dirty fluid in axles, check service records, no more than one or two owners. Watch for when an ad first comes out and if these all pass and it looks good you probably can make the decision yourself.

this is exactly what i had done. i had paid for 2 cruisers to get looked at by competent independent toyota specialists, and neither one of them was in great shape (ie: the owner thought, and continued to think, that they were in much better shape than they actually were). finally, i saw one show up in the newspaper. we went and looked at it then next day, and after finding out that they had had all of their maintenance done on time and at the local toyota dealership, we bought it on the spot as there was someone who had called and wanted to check it out if we didn't buy it. the specs: no lockers, but 105k for $11k, in really good shape. i can't complain...

wally