2013 and Earlier - Toyota 4Runner Prices Paid and Buying Experience

midager

Forgot to indicate I purchased the vehicle in Ontario, CA about 1.5 hours drive from where I am-Orange County.

canddmeyer

You did better than most. Don't sweat it. I'm surprised anyone gets one of these in 2WD, but to each their own. The 4WD's hold their value so much better IMO. Enjoy.

yobow1

For those of you who bought a 2004 at below invoice, how did you get the dealer to go that low? Are you including any incentives or rebates in that number? I have a good idea that I could get it $500 over cost, but that maybe it. Fill me in on the details. Also, do you think that you could buy a 2005 for under dealer cost (invoice) when they arrive? They maybe too popular and in demand to do so for the 2005.

mjcj

Im lookining for a good deal on a 4Runner Sport, V6...Was given quote of $27,100 w/ leather seats, Double cargo system and JBL cd player/cass. Its right in linbe with edmonds True Market Value. Not many options, I know but...Anyone do any better? price includes $575 dealer fee, before taxes, tag etc..

brian211

I'm looking for a 4runner. Two deals on the table, V8 ltd msrp 40759 my price invoice of 36635. V6 38409 my price 34600 invoice. Can I get below invoice or does this sound good enough.? Is the 4runner worth the extra pricing as compared to other 4x4s? Durangos Jeeps, Explorers, etc, are a lot more affordable. I think if I wait there might be rebated. Current financing is 0% for 36 months.

rookieray

Has anyone compared the prices for a 4-Runner via Costco verse negotiating with a dealer? I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get a price from Costco and go from there.....

neumie2000

Toyota is currently offering $500 dealer cash. I just purchased a SR5 V8 and paid $400 UNDER invoice. I would hold out until you find a dealer willing to give you the dealer cash rather than keeping it for themselves. Just my two cents!!

neumie2000

See my Post #684.

susieq1

Sounds very fair. My husband and I purchased a sparsley decorated (but still nice) V8, 4WD SR5 for $29,965. We purchased the 4Runner to tow a lite travel trailer (Trail Lite), of which it does very smoothly. If not for that, I would have loved to have had the V6, which has more horses than the V8. (The V8 has more low end torque.) Aaand I would have loved to have had those side curtain air bags, and the EJ JBL with CD Changer. Verry cool. You have a great color. You should not have any problems with resale. These are going to have great resale no matter what you buy.

golu

Hi All,

I just brought a used '03 4WD LTD V8 4Runner and I have 2 questions.

1. The outside badge just say 'Limited' on the passanger side. I have seen most other 4Runners have 'Limited 4WD' on both sides or on the driver side. Does that mean my car is not 4WD? I do have HI-LO switch on the dash, Down-hill assist and central diff locking switch. So why is the 4WD missing on the badge?

2. My dealer said XREAS is present. After reading on this site i realized its a optional on LTD. How do i verify that XREAS is present?

Thanx.

jwarthman

I'm ready to purchase a 2005 Limited V6 4WD. I suppose the dealers won't be interested in dealing much on price, since this vehicle is barely hitting the dealerships. Still, I wonder if anyone can talk about "deals" they've found or made on 2005 models.

For that matter, if anyone here bought a 2004 in the first month or two that it was available, I'm interested in hearing about that, too!

Bottom line, should I brace for paying something near MSRP, or are dealers (sometimes) willing to drop anywhere near invoice price this early in the model year?

Thanks!

-- Jim

jamonrob

Am in CA, central valley. Just took delivery on '04 SR5 4x4, v6, silver/stone.
Options:
EJ JBL 3 in 1 cd player, 10 spk, 6 disc in dash
NE Leather steering wheel, cruise, audio controls
SR Power tilt and slide sunroof
CM double decker cargo
DR roof rack
AW 17" alum wheels/tires
CF 5 piece mat set
NA 115 V ac power outlet
RF rear spoiler
RL daytime running lights
     50 state emissions
Preference ordered in March '04.
Paid: $31,145 out-the-door, cash, no trade
Breakdown:
     Sales tax: 2302
     DMV fees: 257
     Tire fee: 5
     dock fee 45
     vehicle total 28535

This included the $1k rebate
     
Additionals: full tank, full detail and fill-up in 30 days; first oil change/service

Love it. Crappy to have to wait so long, but I knew what I wanted, and didn't want. I understand the process. Also did not want an '05.

Question:
I want the Toyota platinum 7 yr, 100k extended warranty. My dealer wouldn't go below $1,175 for it.
Your input please: a) Is this a decent price? b) Do you know of a better price at another dealer or vendor?
Thanks much

keithb1

Hello All
I am completely new to this car buying thing and need a car within one week. Up until now I have been lucky enough to have company paid lease vehicles for my entire professional career so I have NEVER BEEN ON A CAR LOT TO PURCHASE. With changing companies I will get a $300.00/mn car allowance (not great but better than nothing). I have always liked the 4Runner but sold myself on the Highlander due to smaller size, work needs (20K driving per year) light towing,gas mileage, and lower cost. So I drove a 4 cyl. and 6 cyl. Highlander. The 6 cyl. is much better than the 4 cyl. but I was disappointed in the cockpit layout, armrests-seemed small and cheap to me for a 25K car. Then I drove a '04 Mitsubishi Endeavor XLS. Very comfortable, quiet, cool cockpit, etc. Sales guy offered me invoice less $200.00 or $24,000 out the door which is $4k over the high end of my budget ($15-$20K). Includes 0% financing for 5 yrs., up to 45K free maint. 5 yr.-60K bumper to bumper, 10yr.-100K drivetrain. It all sounded great until I investigated TMV and Cost to Own. First yr. depr. was $10K. Ugly. I then found a cherry '02 4Runner SR5 (Certified) with 15K miles,tow package, larger tires, etc. In other words, everything I need or want. This 4Runner is extremely clean. The dealer is asking $23,995. What is a reasonable offer by me and acceptance by the dealer for this vehicle? I hope someone will respond and say $18-$19K. According to Edmunds it is. I have budgeted $15-$20K for a vehicle and do not want to blow my budget or offend the sales guy. All I want is a fair deal. I look forward to any and all comments regarding my question and other input regarding car buying. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I HAVE ONE WEEK TO BUY A CAR.
Thanks in advance for your responses
Keith

mojay

My 03 limited only has Limited on the side and it is a 4WD. It was orig sold in Canada-that may be why. It has XREAS and you can tell by looking at the either rear wheel well and see a metal hose like tube going down to the suspension in front of the axle. Hope that helps.

yobow1

Anyone know if the 2005 4Runners out yet? If so, has anyone bought one and what was the pricing in comparison to the 04 models? Thanks.

atlantis2000

first:
Brand new 04 SR5 V8 4WD $29,204 (MSRP: $33,4xx, invoice: $29,954), with the following equipments:
3rd Row
EJ JBL 3-in-1 6CD
Anti alarm
leather steering wheel
rear spoiler
garage door opener
daytime running lights
BLACK color

Second:
Demo (with about 2000mile on it) 04 LTD V8 4WD $33,245 (MSRP 39,xxx, invoice: $34,613), with the following equipments:
Power sunroof
JBL 3-in-1 w/ 6CD chanager
carpet mat
Exhaust tip by valor
daytime running lights
SILVER color

Which one is a better deal? I like the third seat, but the SR5 doesn't have the leather. Limited has leather, but this one does not have the third seat.

Thanks for you input.

slandy

KeithB1, Dont worry about offending the salesperson. If you really like the 02 then offer him 19k and see where he goes. HE has 05 models coming on board now, so he wants to move some cars, new or used.

keithb1

Thanks for the advice. I offered 19K. We negotiated to $20.5K. I was heading back to complete the deal and the sales guy called saying they would not sell for less than $21.5K so I walked away. Yesterday I found an '03 4Runner with 26K miles on it which is one year newer with 10K more miles on it than the O2 I have been wanting. I really liked the '03. The engine is larger, more torque, etc. The dealer wants $21.5K and I just raised my offer to $21K. So we are very close. Question to the readers. I hear extended warranties are negotiable. Is that true? If so. What is a reasonable offer for a Certified Warranty? What is included in the warranty? Is it just power train? Thanks again for your comments.
Keith

keithb1

Quick update. I just closed on the '03 4Runner with 26K on the clock for $21,250. A buddy in the business told me the blue book on the Runner is $22.6K. Pretty much everything I have seen online was at least $24k-$26k so I think I did alright. Looks I purchased the car with 4 days to spare. Thanks for the advice.
Keith

slandy

Congrats. I know you will enjoy it. Just make sure all the fluids have been changed. Its always good to start from scratch so that way you know what has been done. One thing you can do is call all the Toyota dealerships in your area and ask them if they have performed any work on it in the past. Just give them your VIN#.

keithb1

slandy
Thanks for the advice about the fluids. Boy, you really have to watch these guys. They tried to charge me $215.00 for license fee when the tags are good till Jan. 2005. The tag fee went from $215.00 to $15.00. I also purchased the 6 yr/100,000 mile warranty. This will definitely give me some peace of mind. My buddy in the car business recommended to buy it as well as other friends and neighbors. One friend told me he has used the coverage for every used vehicle he has purchased so it sounds like a good thing. I am anxious to take a spin in my new vehicle when it is delivered tomorrow . Thanks again.
Keith

moonjo

Ok, folks. This is what I got at a no-haggle dealership here in Colorado (Denver metro) to agree to.

2004 4Runner Sport
Stratosphere Mica

 - Engine: 4.7L V8 DOHC SMPI
 - Silver Roof Rack & Black Cross Bar
 - Leather Steering Wheel
 - Power Tilt & Slide Sunroof
 - Cargo Net
 - Cargo Mat
 - Double Decker Cargo System
 - Carpet Floor/Cargo Mat Set (5 Piece)
 - First Aid Kit
 - Rear Seat Audio
 - Radio: JBL Synthesis 3 in 1 w/6 Disc/10 Speakers
 - Rear Spoiler w/Center High Mounted Stop Light
 - Compass
 - Inside Rear View Electrochromic Mirror
 - HomeLink Garage Door Opener
 - Daytime Running Lights

$33,275 +lic and fees. Out the door price came to $36,711.

I went in tell the salesman that I put a request into Costco but I hadn't heard back from them. He said they would price match Costco. He said Costco's deal was $700 over invoice. After going to "the desk" he came back and said Costco's deal was actually $800 over invoice and that's how we got to the numbers above.

They wanted $495 for an alarm system and I said if they threw that in I would take the vehicle. He said they couldn't do that. But I was convinced that I was still paying about $500 - $1000 more than I could get it some place else.

Am I crazy or was that a good deal? What really made me mad was that they said the price was only good for that day. I would understand if we negotiated a price on our own, but they were price matching! How can that be good for only one day if price matching is their policy and not an exception?

stever

It's good for one day because if you go home and think about it, you may decide to wait another day for the 2005 model or maybe you'll email that dealer over in Salt Lake or Kansas City. And the dealer doesn't want you to go home and think about it.

Tomorrow you should be able to get another price that's good for one day only too! And that price may be even better than the one you got today.

There's always another car on the lot and another deal to make. Unless your current ride is parked in front of the showroom with a cracked block, there's no reason to get in too big a hurry, even if the model year-end inventory is getting thin.

Sounds like a lot of haggling going on with that no-haggle dealer!

Steve, Host

moonjo

Ok. I'll agree to your point about the "good for one day" issue, but what about the price we "negotiated?" Is that a good deal?

stever

You should run the options, color etc. through the TMV pricing calculator for your zip code. That'll will tell you what others in your area are paying - you want to purchase for that number or less.

I came up with $33,442 for a Boise zip code so I'd say it's right in the ball park, but not a super great deal. Seeing as how the '05's are on their way, I would have expected a little bit better offer, but maybe the impending snow season is propping prices up in your area.

Anyone?

Steve, Host

moonjo

Yeah, I ran the options and color through TMV and came up with an invoice of $31,970 and a TMV of $33,124. So I guess they really are in the ball park. But, like you, I thought they would want to get rid of their '04s to make room for their '05s, so I was hoping for something under $33K. Thanks for the help.

elkman

First of all, thanks to everyone for sharing their pricing info. My wife and I just purchased an '04 limited in St. Louis area Monday, the 30th. I went to one dealership and offered them invoice less rebates, and they actually acted offended. So, I then offered them $300 over invoice, plus their license prep fee of $205. They came back with $500 over invoice. My wife and I decided to walk. We got the same old story that this was good for today only! Bull!

We went to the next dealership, found a Limited with all the options that we wanted, told the dealer we would only do invoice, he said you have a deal. One hour later, we were on the road with a new limited.

The next day we received a call from the "only good for today price", and it seems they had a change of heart. They were very willing to accept our offer.

Don't be afraid to walk away from any deal!

Again, thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences. This is the first place I check out when ready to sign papers.

stever

fwiw, most of the car manufacturers reported declining sales for August '04 (Seattle Times),

US Toyota sales were down 10%, so there's another hammer you can use on your today only salesperson.

Steve, Host

carm11

just purchased a 04 sr5 demo 4,000mi on the odometer, traded a 02 honda crv ex with 33,000, got $15,500 for the honda, the 4 runner was bought for $25,300 its a base sr5 , came with 17" wheels , roof rack, and mats, beautiful vechile, all white, sticker was $30,500 , only problem is the dreaded pop noise from the driver seat now and then, also thinking about putting on the rear spoiler but not sure if i really like it. got so many compliments on this vechile so far, very happy with the overall ride and quality, so thats my story, above prices do not include any tax or transfer, did this deal on 31st last day of the month, the best time to close a deal. any input on this, or any options like the spoiler that may be suggested, would be appreciated.

moonjo

Just to let everyone know the final outcome of our purchasing experience....

We ended up going through an auto broker which saved us nearly $1000 under the dealer final price. The whole experience with the auto broker is very postive. So positive that I believe all our future car purchase will be done through the broker!

Thanks for your input, Steve.

yobow1

I'm going to be in the market for a 4Runner at the end October. I live in the San Diego, CA area. Can you, or someone else, give me an auto broker's name, web address and/or email address? The price you got seems pretty good. Where does your final price fit, relative to the dealer cost of the vehicle? What year was your 4Runner? Do you need to "lock in" with the broker (such as a down payment)? Can you have the broker give you a price on the vehicle you want without being obligated to them? More info on your experience would be helpful.

Thanks.

moonjo

The auto broker I used is H.M. Brown. However, I think they are just local brokers, meaning that they serve Colorado customers only, but I could be wrong. If you want to email me I can send you the name of the broker I dealt with, who was particularly good at getting us a good deal.

My wife dealt with the broker directly, but I believe we just put our request in for the options we were looking for. The broker then went out and found the 4Runner with everything we asked. Gave us the price of the vehicle plus his flat fee (which was well worth it and still under what we could have gotten the vehicle for at the dealership). We then needed to put $500 down to secure the vehicle. The auto broker then brought the vehicle into his facilities so we could come by and sign the paper work and pick the car up. Very easy and straight forward. No, going back to the desk to negotiate the price. Everything was up front. So, I recommend HM Brown to everyone, specifically the broker we dealt with.

keithb1

I just want to confirm "walking away from the deal". Having never been on a lot to purchase a vehicle I found a beautiful '02 4Runner. We negotiated a deal and 2 hrs. later I got a call that the price had increased by $1K. First thing Monday morning I went back to the internet. I found an '03 4Runner with 10K more miles but better engine, new body style, etc. I bought it for $250.00 less than the "new price" the previous dealer quoted me on the '02 model. My advice is to not let emotions come into play because there are a ton of cars out there just waiting for a new home.
Keith
P.S. Oh yeah. My '03 4Runner is great and I love it.

gary4x4

Brian -- Sorry that this is a late post but I just started thinking about a 4Runner again . .
Don't even think about getting an alternative 4x4 -- especially an American one and especially a Jeep. Total junk, lousy value. And the prices aren't that much better and they depreciate rapidly. 4Runners set that standard and then got overtaken in the mid-90's but now set the standard again. Just read the owner comments and ratings on this site for used ones. I've owned 2 of them and they are awesome. I've been out of the country and am now looking at a 4Runner again. I live in Colorado and really do use the 4x4 -- only 4Runner is truly built to be on off road car.

illini7

Elkman, you mind letting us know which dealer gave you the better deal in St. Louis? I have had recent experience with a couple of the dealers in St. Louis helping my girlfriend get her Solara, and I am in the market for a 4Runner or a new Tacoma and am interested to hear where the 2 experiences you had took place.

ll78759

If anyone knows, what is the best price for 2004 4Runner in Texas. I am specifically interested in a 4WD SR5.

willowink

I recently purchased an 04 4Runner via the internet at a dealership 120 miles from my home. The information that the dealer gave me stated the vehicle had 5 miles on it. I based my price paid on the info that was given me and feel I received a good deal. I gave a credit card for a down payment and picked it up the next day. I did take it for a quick test drive and noticed the mileage was 37 miles. More than I expected, but neverless I accepted the vehicle. Three days later I discovered that the vehicle had almost 900 miles on it. The 37 miles that I saw was on the odometer was a trip odometer and the actual mileage when I picked it up must have been in the range of 650 miles. I've since tried to contact the salesman and he won't return my calls. Am I wrong to think that 650 miles on the odometer is more along the line of a demo rather than new, and should I have received a discount specifically because the mileage wasn't 5 miles as stated? I paid what Edmunds shows is the average price paid. Your thoughts mean a lot. Thank you, Beth

biglatka

Beth,
Surely you're pulling someone's leg here. I don't believe someone actually bought a 4Runner this way. Your statement: "I've since tried to contact the salesman and he won't return my calls." tells it all. The average price now for a 2004 should be invoice or below. Did you pay that??? What's the point of your questions? You can't do anything about it now, but just hope that only thing the dealer didn't tell you about was the mileage of the demo you bought.
Good luck

jm78

Went to the dealerships this weekend around Boston. Invoice for all the options I want is about $34,589. The best # I could get was $33,600. At this time of year, when they're trying to push off the 2004s, is that a decent price?

Thanks for any help.

willowink

Biglatka,
Thanks for your advice. That's exactly the way it happened and now I know that I made a mistake in the way that I purchased the vehicle. The point of my question was whether or not I had any legal recourse. I feel bad enough already. Beth

slandy

Look on the odometer statement you recieved with all your paperwork. Im curious as too what it shows.

corancher

Beth, from a honest-dealing point of view, I'd say that vehicles that have more than 100 miles should be considered to be demos, and that should be discussed and disclosed.

From a legal point of view, I suspect the odometer disclosure form rules the day.

Lastly, I considered a demo when I was shopping, and a couple of sources agreed on about 50 cents/mile as the appropriate deduction for demo miles driven. That was right in line with what I was figuring at the time, as a way to compare vehicles with different test drive or demo mileage.

Let us know what your experience is from here, and what your odo statement says.

rjordan

Beth,
     It would not hurt to see a consumer law attorney. There are two things to look at here. whether or not your vehicle would be considered used before you purchased it and odometer fraud. Are you saying that the real mileage did not appear until you operated the trip odometer? I thought trip odometers were a separate gadget and that the actual mileage shows at all times. Bring all your paperwork for the attorney to examine. Bob.

willowink

You're both right. Odo rules the day and I'm an idiot. States mileage was 546 which doesn't add up either as I only drove it 120 miles and parked it. Regardless, I signed the papers without looking. Of course, had it been made verbally known or pointed out, I would made my fuss then. On the bright side, my local Toyota dealership gave me some good advice today, along the lines of what you said, Corancher. It seems not all hope may be lost, after all. Thank you for your interest and advice. I have learned a lot from this experience and I am better for it now. Beth

willowink

Bob,One of the neat gadgets on the Toyota is that it has 2 trip meters that can be used for MPH and trip miles sisimultaneously as well as an odometer. It's electronic with one display. Press once for "A" trip meter, press again for "B" trip meter, press a third time for the odometer reading. It was set on "B" in my case and the mileage said 37 miles. It didn't occur to me to push to check because the spec sheet sent to me the day before said the vehicle's mileage was 5 (five). I know you are not implying this Bob, but, please don't anyone think that I'm trying to get out from under this car. I love my 4Runner. I just felt that I'd been ripped off and was wondering what other people had done in this situation. Thanks, Beth

rjordan

Beth,I have no legal expertise but I think different State's might look upon this as borderline fraud. First, I believe Dealers can sell demo's as new but they must reveal that it was a demo. The dealer I believe owns the vehicle but does not titled it. This is how they get away with selling it as a new vehicle. If you want to; go through the cost and options program that Edmunds has. Compare that to what others paid under the TMV (Total Market Value). Here is what I believe you should have paid:
1. TMV minus the rebate.
2. You should have receive a further discount because the 2005 models will soon be out.
3. To me, a demo is a used vehicle, and you should have received still another discount.
If you feel strongly about this, a consultation with an attorney maybe be worth your while. Bob.

willowink

I agree, Bob, it is fraud and I do feel strongly about it. I penned an email off to the GM of the dealership and the reply was a song and dance about having to go get the 4Runner from another dealership just for me. He told me that they were going on what the othership told them so it's not their fault. He offered to pay for a rock chip that I hadn't mentioned in this discussion. He also stated that "they" did not use it as a demo. Well, I might be an idiot, but that was a bold face lie. The salesman had previously told me he had the 4Runner on the lot.
I lease big rigs to National Accounts as a profession. The paperwork is different as it is a lease, but when I tell a customer the truck has 5 miles on it, the truck HAS 5 miles on it. There's no fiddling with the odometer or trip odometer, there's no shuffling paperwork around hoping he doesn't notice if I lied about the mileage and there's no saying "it's not my fault". I'm only as good as my word and I don't feel it's antiquated to expect the same from others. Thanks for letting me vent. I'll fire off another letter to the GM in the morning. What he doesn't know is that my brother IS a lawyer and while I've yet to involve him, it would be easy enough. And cheap too. Getting back to your question Bob, the price I paid was slightly below the TMV, and assuming the mileage was 5, I felt that I had received a fair deal. Had I been told the actual mileage, I still believe I would have bought it. Of course I would have asked for a discount commensurate with the mileage. Today, as I wrote to the GM, I was thinking that 50 cents per mile (suggested by Corancher) would have been an acceptable offer on their part. Now, having been dismissed with an "it's not our fault", I could care less about the $300. It's all about the principle. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks, Beth

4runnin

Hey everybody just wanted to share my price with you guys in case your looking for a 04 4runner.
4runner sr5 4x4 in black with following options:
sunroof,roofrack,spoiler,wheel locks, jbl head unit, leather steering wheel with audio controls, preferred accessory(floor mats, cargo mat, cargo net, first aid kit), 2 wireless head sets

msrp - 32,752
paid - 27,700

got this deal at 355 toyota in maryland...the people at the dealership arent great but the deals are good...i drove down to maryland from new jersey to get the car. they have pretty good deals going now since they are trying to unload the 04s. dont hesitate to ask any questions you have about my deal.

oneson

As a STL resident, I was just curious to find out where you bought your vehicle? I test drove a Black 4x4 limited SR5 V8 recently, (at Jim Lynch) and I just loved it!! Thanks for your help.

wayne9269

hey there all. i was just wondering what would be a decent price on a new 04 4runner sr5 with a few options, 3rd seat, spoiler, floor mats, cross bar.. msrp is $31524. i live in wisconsin. any help would be very useful. also, does anyone know if there gonna start giving rebates or possibly 0% for 5 yrs on them? thanks,