Downgrading Vehicles

[duckman88]

Currently I drive a 2013 SuperCrew F-150 FX4 Ecoboost with about 55K miles on it. It has all the bells and whistles and is more than I need. I also want to get rid of a car payment and pocket some cash. Been looking at sequoias and land cruisers in the $10-$15k range, most have at least 100K miles but a decent number appear to be in pretty good shape. I drive a lot for work (mainly around the upstate but will make several trips each year around the southeast). The questions I have are: what kind of potential maintenance future maintenance am I looking at if I buy a vehicle with 100,000+ or potentially even 150,000+ miles on it? Should I focus on one model over the other? Is this even a smart idea?

[Buckin Bronco]

I would not be as concerned buying a 100,000 mile Toyota. I can’t speak for 2007 and newer but the 06s and back are strong.

[SaltMuck]

My 04 Tundra hasnt given me a minutes trouble. Bought at 147k and I've put 8k on it in 2-3 years. May put it in the TP soon, since it sits so much. It runs and drives like new, and I never had a payment on it.

[jwterry3]

I did this recently..went from a 2015 FX4 to a 09 Tacoma with 90k miles...loved the tacoma but was terrible for the fam.

Just settled on a 2010 F150 fx4 with 95k miles but had great maintenance records.

If buying a 10+ yr old truck or SUV with 100k plus I would only buy a toyota or lexus.....Id expect a transmission at 175-200k and little incidental stuff along the way

[Slaya]

Were it me, I would go ahead and replace belts, plugs, fluids, and filters. Get you a good starting point, and maintain it like it was your job from then on. Take care of one, and they will give you good service; abuse or neglect one and you will reap what you sow.

[duckman88]

Thanks to everyone for the input. Any one have any thoughts on land cruiser vs sequoia? The land cruisers in my price range seem to have at least 150k + miles, if not 200k + and the sequoias seem to be between 100-200k miles

[JBK]

I bought a Sequoia this summer. 2001 4wd SR5 with 210k miles. It was a one owner vehicle. Lady owned and serviced by Toyota for everything. She had every receipt for every oil change and service work that had ever been done to it. She had ran into a wall at a parking garage and the front bumper has a small crack in it. The paint is faded but other than that its in pretty good shape. It is no land cruiser but it is a solid truck. It pulls my 16' trailer really well. I don't even know my 17' john boat is back there. I drive down every road on my hunt club and not think twice about it. I took it too KRT and had the water pump timming belt replaced and he serviced the 4x4 and transmission and put some 285 Falkens on it. I would have zero problems hooking the boat up and driving anywhere I wanted to go.

It averages 18 mpgs. Again it is no cruiser but it was 2900 bucks. I think the 05 to 07 Sequoias are a little more desirable for the 5 speed trans and the change in the motor (think its the VVT). The traction control is "better" in the newer trucks. The only thing that the 01 to 04s have that are "better" is the manual 4x4 shifter. I Really like the truck. Compare it to the Tundra of the same miles and year you can get a lot more vehicle for the money going with the Sequoia.

[Saltydog235]

You’ll have to change the timing belt and water pump on a 4.7L Toyota at 90K intervals. Other than an O2 sensor and brakes I never did anything to my ‘05 LC. Just a solid vehicle. The mileage sucks though, 14mpg was it. Maybe 15-16 on the highway but the ride is great. That LC is liable to be running when the F150 is rusting in a junkyard somewhere.

We had an ‘06 Sequoia, it was bigger, got the same mileage but didn’t drive or ride like the LC. The resale was a lot less than the LC too. Two different frames and suspension systems. When it got time to get my wife a new ride, we drove everything and kept comparing it to a 10yo LC, the only thing that compared was another LC. Bought a cherry ‘13 and love it even more. When she’s ready for another vehicle, I’m not even looking at anything but a LC.