Spectre
The Deported
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2007
- Messages
- 36,832
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
- Car(s)
- 00 4Runner | 02 919 | 87 XJ6 | 86 CB700SC
...and ended up with something completely different.
As noted in my Bronco thread, I've come to the realization that that thing is a time/money sink and can't reasonably do what I need it to do. It's being reassembled and as soon as it runs, it's getting sold. The plan was to sell the Bronco and use the funds from selling it and certain high value parts I'd accumulated plus some other funds to get a Nissan Armada. Unfortunately, it rapidly became obvious that I needed to buy a new 'parts shuttle/commuter box/daily beater" long before the Bronco would ever sell - among other reasons, the Bronco was likely to need the assistance of such a vehicle to be completed. I put the Armada plan on the back burner, collected what free funds I had available and went looking around in the bottom feeder end of the market.
It became apparent that this was not a good time to be looking for a car - Cash For Clunkers and subsequent similar programs have certainly winnowed through the used car market. After looking around for a week or two, I'd been lining up a 97 AE101 Corolla (shudder) as the best/most reliable offering in-budget, but there was one person ahead of me and they took it. I found myself looking at ads on CL around the state the next day while waiting for a long file transfer to complete at a client's office while messaging interested friends from FG and elsewhere about some of the candidates. I was just considering perhaps making a weekend trip to Austin to check out such penalty boxes as an 04 Camry or a 98 CR-V when I noticed an ad for a well regarded SUV posted at just $1100 with some very appealing pictures attached. I noticed that it was very close by my ciient's office; if I ascended to the roof of the office tower I could quite literally have seen the parking lot where the seller had taken their pictures. I quickly contacted the seller, who said they were available to show the car all evening, that the price was indeed correct, offered to send me more pictures and noted that they had a two-odd-inch-tall stack of service records for the thing. This last is basically something that does not ever happen at this end of the market.
I went to examine the vehicle as quickly as I could and was about to hand over the cash for it when a comedy of stupid (not on my part) ensued because of an idiot friend that decided to 'help'. Won't go into details on a public forum but in the end I did manage to get everything straightened out and purchased the vehicle for the original $1100 price.
Ladies and gentlemen, presenting my newly acquired rust free 2000 Toyota 4Runner 4x2 Limited (top trim level).
It does have damage to the front bumper skin and the rear liftgate, while functional and still sealing, is dinged up. The right rear mud guard is missing - but the rest of the truck is pretty much intact. I've already lined up a matching color, same year junkyard donor for the bumper skin and liftgate; I should be able to get those for less than $60 total. I'm also tracking down a new driver's seat because the one I have is badly worn and damaged. The sunroof doesn't leak, the electrics all work, the truck starts easily and drives well.
It does have the 5VZ-E 3.4L V6, but it's the fixed one that doesn't eat headgaskets like candy. The truck also has 210K on the clock but as noted earlier has extensive service records, has always been a Texas truck and was dealer serviced for the majority of its life. These things are known to run 400K plus so the mileage isn't a real issue.
The interior seats are all leather covered and the rear seats of course separately fold up/down.
The truck came fully equipped for towing though I'll have to replace the trailer connector out back due to damage.
No, really, it really is rust-free for a 2000 4Runner:
I think made out pretty well off this deal. At least I've managed to escape being sentenced to a FWD penalty box with a vehicle that should be around a while.
As noted in my Bronco thread, I've come to the realization that that thing is a time/money sink and can't reasonably do what I need it to do. It's being reassembled and as soon as it runs, it's getting sold. The plan was to sell the Bronco and use the funds from selling it and certain high value parts I'd accumulated plus some other funds to get a Nissan Armada. Unfortunately, it rapidly became obvious that I needed to buy a new 'parts shuttle/commuter box/daily beater" long before the Bronco would ever sell - among other reasons, the Bronco was likely to need the assistance of such a vehicle to be completed. I put the Armada plan on the back burner, collected what free funds I had available and went looking around in the bottom feeder end of the market.
It became apparent that this was not a good time to be looking for a car - Cash For Clunkers and subsequent similar programs have certainly winnowed through the used car market. After looking around for a week or two, I'd been lining up a 97 AE101 Corolla (shudder) as the best/most reliable offering in-budget, but there was one person ahead of me and they took it. I found myself looking at ads on CL around the state the next day while waiting for a long file transfer to complete at a client's office while messaging interested friends from FG and elsewhere about some of the candidates. I was just considering perhaps making a weekend trip to Austin to check out such penalty boxes as an 04 Camry or a 98 CR-V when I noticed an ad for a well regarded SUV posted at just $1100 with some very appealing pictures attached. I noticed that it was very close by my ciient's office; if I ascended to the roof of the office tower I could quite literally have seen the parking lot where the seller had taken their pictures. I quickly contacted the seller, who said they were available to show the car all evening, that the price was indeed correct, offered to send me more pictures and noted that they had a two-odd-inch-tall stack of service records for the thing. This last is basically something that does not ever happen at this end of the market.
I went to examine the vehicle as quickly as I could and was about to hand over the cash for it when a comedy of stupid (not on my part) ensued because of an idiot friend that decided to 'help'. Won't go into details on a public forum but in the end I did manage to get everything straightened out and purchased the vehicle for the original $1100 price.
Ladies and gentlemen, presenting my newly acquired rust free 2000 Toyota 4Runner 4x2 Limited (top trim level).
It does have damage to the front bumper skin and the rear liftgate, while functional and still sealing, is dinged up. The right rear mud guard is missing - but the rest of the truck is pretty much intact. I've already lined up a matching color, same year junkyard donor for the bumper skin and liftgate; I should be able to get those for less than $60 total. I'm also tracking down a new driver's seat because the one I have is badly worn and damaged. The sunroof doesn't leak, the electrics all work, the truck starts easily and drives well.
It does have the 5VZ-E 3.4L V6, but it's the fixed one that doesn't eat headgaskets like candy. The truck also has 210K on the clock but as noted earlier has extensive service records, has always been a Texas truck and was dealer serviced for the majority of its life. These things are known to run 400K plus so the mileage isn't a real issue.
The interior seats are all leather covered and the rear seats of course separately fold up/down.
The truck came fully equipped for towing though I'll have to replace the trailer connector out back due to damage.
No, really, it really is rust-free for a 2000 4Runner:
I think made out pretty well off this deal. At least I've managed to escape being sentenced to a FWD penalty box with a vehicle that should be around a while.
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