Used Vehicle purchase advice

2,308 Views | 26 Replies | Last: 10 days ago by FunnyFarm14
Shumba
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AG
Need some advice Automotive board. I'm in the market for a used SUV or truck. Looking for a 4x4 for under 35k. What is the automotive boards thoughts on the following vehicles.

Toyota 4Runner (2014 to 2021 or so, maintenance is more important than miles, but would like less than 150k miles)
Lexus GX460 (same criteria as 4Runner)
Tacoma (Same criteria)
Tundra (same criteria)

So far, those are the four vehicles I am considering. What are the pros and cons for those? Should I look at others? I had a Chevy truck back at A&M and I had a bunch of electrical issues that really turned me off of GM. I have never owned a Ford, but am not opposed to it. I had a Nissan Altima, and it was a good car with no issues, but I always felt the interior was a bit flimsy. My father had a first gen Nissan Armada and put 170k miles on it without an issue, so I wouldn't be opposed to a Titan or a Frontier either. Anyway, I know I'm rambling a bit but I wanted to get the opinion of the automotive board. Thanks.
bam02
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AG
All great choices as far as function and reliability. Also consider Frontier/Titan for pickups as you can get a little lower mileage/newer vs the Toyota options in similar price ranges.
fixer
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Also look at land cruisers in 2016+.

Cons first:

Your options being Tundra, Gx460, Tacoma, and 4runner… your fuel mileage will be the worst possible mileage.

Even the new generation tundra is poor compared to competitors.

The tech in these vehicles is about a decade behind everyone else.

The 4runner is very "underpowered ". It does not accelerate all that well. Take it to any elevation above 3500ft and it will camp out at 4,000 rpm just for basic traffic maneuvers. Throw in a big steep hill lmao wow it will spin over 4k for minutes at a time.

I have a 2021 Limited and have had 5 other 5th gen 4 runners. The an acceleration is the only thing that really irks me about the 4runner.

The tundra hauls ass and especially in tow haul mode.

Tacoma is so-so. Make sure you sit in the Tacoma for extended period. The seats can bother some people.

I don't have much experience with gx 460 but it is definitely a better engine( small v8) for acceleration than 4 runner.

On 2019-2021 Tundra's Toyota yanked the auxiliary transmission cooler. These ab60 transmissions run suuuuper hot with every day driving. I'd put a cooler on it. There are retro fit kits available that bolt in in 3 hours. However there is not a giant wave of transmission failures either so apparently Toyota did their homework on that.

The limited 4 runner has a cross linked shock absorber system that helps with cornering and stability but doesn't last as long as the other 4 runner trims. It isn't bad but you are looking at shock replacements well before the other trims.

Starter replacement on tundras are a real pain.

The tundra does seem to have some accelerated timing chain tensioner replacements in vehicles with poor maintenance.

The 4 runner has added maintenance with greasing the driveshafts .

The canister style oil filters are definitely more involved for basic maintenance than a spin on oil filter.

The 4 runner has to have the front skid plate removed every oil change.

4runner and tundra in 2018-2020 had some minor issues with front differential bearings going out mostly in lifted vehicles. You can upgrade with a set of bushings from east coast gear supply. A very popular mod if you are gonna lift these vehicles.

Toyota also recalled fuel pumps on all 4 vehicles from 2015-2020 ( can't remember exact years) however I've yet to hear of a fuel pump actually failing as the recall info states…

The pros

The tech, fuel mileage are a trade off for reliability and durability . The 4runner weighs as much as a 74 Cadillac. It is super heavy for a v6. (The 4 runner barely got push button starting in about 2020-2021.)

Most 4runner trims are stupendous off road.

The tundra, Tacoma are good off road with right trim level. Gx 460 is fairly decent as well.

Resale value is good on all 4 vehicles compared to their competition.

4 runner, Tacoma have extensive aftermarket support for off roading and cargo gear.

I have a 2019 trd pro tundra and a 2021 limited 4runner. I really like them both.

The fuel mileage, and old tech are not that big of a deal to me.

The acceleration in 4 runner takes some planning and patience for passing on highway.

Choward4
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AG
GX460
Can get 2019-2020 with 75k-ish miles for $35k
They have full time 4WD and an understressed V8 that will go forever.

I've bought 4 so far and can't recommend enough. You can add CarPlay as well which negates the tech being outdated.
Shumba
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AG
Fixer and Choward, thank you both for your feedback! This is why I love Texags. Choward, I'm curious, do you run premium fuel in your gx460? I know that it is recommended, but the GX is just a rebadged Prado right, and I imagine it is tough to get premium fuel in South Africa (my in laws live there and I've seen a ton of Prados down there).
Bones97
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AG
This guy knows his ****.

He speaks all the truths.

I currently have 4 Toyota's in the family fleet and our decisions below started around reliability, protection/safety, learning to drive larger vehicles for my sons.

-2017 Tundra Limited 2WD - bought in 2019 with 106k miles for my teenage sons to learn to drive on. Basic maintenance, runs like a top.
-2017 Tundra TRD Pro - bought in 2022 with 116k miles for oldest son to take to college. Basic maintenance, solid so far.
-2021 Tundra Limited 4x4 - bought in 2024 with 48k miles for me.
-2021 Land Cruiser - wife bought new in 2021. Every day she leaves home with it I shed a tear and pray it comes back unharmed.

To say I'm a fan of the 5.7L Toyota engine is an understatement.

Any of your desired vehicles are great choices and with the budget you mentioned, you will have great options, just ensure maintenance records are in line.

Choward4
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AG
We do run premium in them. They are tuned for it and it does improve acceleration and not slightly. I would recommend running it but I am a follow the owners manual or better type of maintenance guy.

The 5.7 are great. Make sure if you go that route to change the coolant as the metal gasket will essentially corrode out causing a massive issue as mileages get higher. There is a good video on this but a Toyota specialist on YouTube for Toyota/lexus called the Car Care Nut. He owns a 460 btw.

We also are Toyota family with a FJ, 4Runner, GX and LX.
zooguy96
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AG
I was in the same boat, but I couldn't justify getting a Tundra that was 2-3 years older with 30+ k more miles. So, I got a Titan with 27k miles. SV, King Cab, 4WD. Has been great so far.
sts7049
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AG
good recent thread on the GX: Would this be dumb? | TexAgs
aggiepaintrain
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AG
Your choices can be narrowed down to
Tundra
GX460

the others are great but are outmatched by the 2 above

If you need a truck get the Tundra, make sure you get one with the 38 gallon gas tank.

Shumba
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AG
aggiepaintrain, thanks for the clarification. I have a truck that I will be handing down to my son in August, so I don't "need" a truck, but I am not opposed to having two trucks. My wife has a minivan, and we are like the Griswolds and road trip everywhere (family of 4 fits rather nicely in a Honda Odyssey), but it would be nice to have 4-wheel drive when my son and I head out to fish in the summers. I'm leaning towards the GX460 as it seems to have the best of both worlds (creature comfort and off-road prowess), and it's shocking how much more a similarly equipped 4runner costs (at least from what I have seen so far).

One other question about the GX, I have read that Lexus repairs are more costly than Toyota. Is that due to the parts being different and Lexus charging more? Again I go back to the fact that I see tons of Prados in South Africa, and I can't imagine the parts would be different over here than over there, right? Chowdar4, did you take your GXs to a Lexus mechanic or just your regular mechanic? Or do you do it yourself? Does anyone know a good Toyota/Lexus mechanic in the Flower Mound/Lewisville/Frisco area?
GrapevineAg
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AG
Shumba said:

Does anyone know a good Toyota/Lexus mechanic in the Flower Mound/Lewisville/Frisco area?
LxToy Auto Care in north FW is really good. They are very knowledgeable and do great work.
aggiepaintrain
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AG
If the GX needs service, Toyota can do it or any reputable shop.
I take my 2019 to the Toyota dealership for service.
I run both 87 and 93 octane, kinda switch out. I see no performance difference
NoahAg
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OP, are you me, lol? I've been mulling over the same vehicles for months now, including Armada and Titan.
Shortly after buying my last car about 12 years ago I told myself my next vehicle would be a 4x4 Tundra.
Still trying to get over the used Tundra sticker shock.
Stat Monitor Repairman
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Shumba
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AG
Ha, NoahAg, I hear you. I bought my last vehicle (for me, that is) back in 2013 and at the time I was looking at 4runners and Tacomas, but ended up with a used Ridgeline that will now be my son's vehicle until he graduates from high school. Whatever vehicle I buy next will go to him in a couple of years, and I will rotate back to the Ridgeline. I tend to keep my cars for quite a while, so that is why I am looking at Lexus and Toyotas.

Choward4, what modification do you recommend for getting Apple CarPlay on the GX460? It sounds like you have some experience there.
Choward4
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AG
On wife's which is a 2023 we use Lexus. On others which are 2009, 2019 and 2017 we use Toyota dealership. We live in Salado so use local Toyota dealer as he's a friend and pricing there seems fair to me.

For the Car Play I would look at the Beat Sonic interface.

You won't be unhappy with your choice. Maintenance is straight forward and mostly these things just don't break. No window regulators, no actuators, no piddly stuff really. Just keep up with fluid changes.
ac04
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A+ on the initial list, did your homework. lots of great info on this thread as well
Redstone
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AG
I have a 2016 4Runner Limited and my wife has a Nissan Kicks.
scs2001
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AG
I'm also interested in the SUVs you listed, but am also curious about the Audi Q7. We have three kids (high school to college) so would like to have a third row when needed. Any experience with the Q7 on this thread?
fixer
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scs2001 said:

I'm also interested in the SUVs you listed, but am also curious about the Audi Q7. We have three kids (high school to college) so would like to have a third row when needed. Any experience with the Q7 on this thread?
A usable 3rd row for people older than 10 yrs old is typically not in the domain of mid-size SUVs.

Some are way better than others, but for a usable 3rd row, the full size SUVs have this covered.

The mid-size suv 3rd rows are "30 minute" 3rd rows. If this is all you need then you won't have any issues.

See 3rd row review at 10:32 on Q7.

The Q7 Is Still A Family Affair | 2024 / 2025 Audi Q7 Review

Versus Tahoe at 6:58

The Best Large SUV In America? 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe

For reference I took a group of family on a 10 hr trip in my Suburban and the third row passenger was comfortable entire trip to and from. A total of 20 hours in 3rd row.
Shumba
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AG
I would agree with fixer. Back when we bought our Odyssey in 2020, we looked at an Armada, and the Sequoia, and found the third row to be way too small for my 12-year-old. My wife was adamant that she would not drive a minivan. Still, after test driving the Honda and the Toyota, and after renting a Kia Sedona, she realized that the minivan was a rolling living room, and when it comes to straight-up people hauling, minivans are the way to go.

Now, if you only occasionally need the third row, then a mid-sized SUV is fine, but if you are like us, we use the heck out of that minivan (two teens, both play sports, and you can stuff a lot of athletic equipment, coolers, pop up tents and fold up wagons in the back of a mini-van). And before you say it, yes, minivans are not "cool" and you lose all street cred with your friends, but to be honest, you probably peaked on your wedding day, so don't worry about being cool as an adult. Just kidding, I don't know you but as a general rule, we are all cooler in our heads than we are. Anyway, that's just my two cents.
NoahAg
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Quote:

I would agree with fixer. Back when we bought our Odyssey in 2020, we looked at an Armada, and the Sequoia, and found the third row to be way too small for my 12-year-old.
How big is your 12 year old, lol? We don't use our Pilot's 3rd row a whole lot but when we need it it's certainly adequate for trips around town. We taken a couple of really looong trips packing in 3 rows.
The Armada and Sequoia have to be much roomier than a Pilot, right?
TRIDENT
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AG
I would go with a 4x4 crew in 5.7 V-8 Tundra or 5.6 V-8 Titan for a pickup, or get an AWD GX-460 for an SUV.
Shumba
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AG
Yeah, he's big. He's 15 now and plays offensive line. He's about 6'1 and around 265 so he is adult sized now, but he has always been big. We just took a trip back to visit the parents in Amarillo (from Dallas) and he rode in the third row of the Odyssey comfortably. He actually likes it back there!
scs2001
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AG
Thanks, everyone! She's been in a minivan since 2010! They are absolutely the best for long trips, hands-down. Passengers are super comfortable, and there's more than enough room for plenty of luggage. She's just ready to move on and drive something else, and I don't blame her! Thanks for the tips on the third row in the midsize SUVs. Will definitely keep that in mind.
FunnyFarm14
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AG
I like my F150.

Had a 2016 5.0L that I ran until rats ate the wiring harness.... got tired of chasing electrical issues to traded it.
Found a lightly used 2021 F150 (80,000 miles). 3.5L for $30k. This is a rig ride for me so it goes airport, to work, to airport, to hotel with nothing but oil changes in between in ND. ALl my company trucks have been F150's i have no issue DD'ing to 200k with routine maintenance.

Of the ones you listed I'd go 4 runner or Tacoma. Those seem to hold value better than most. I was shopping for these when I found my F150. Glad to have the cab room.

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