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2023 Toyota 4Runner — reliable cheap first car or newer car with warranty? — anyone dealt with this recently?

NoMarkupGal502Community StarterMay 24, 20262023 Toyota 4Runner TRD ProLos Angeles
2023 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro, about 42,000 miles. I am trying to balance purchase price against downtime and surprise repairs.
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7 replies

EVTraveler220Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 24, 2026permalink
Compare apples to apples or you'll get spun. Ask for out-the-door on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner with fees, add-ons, and rate on separate lines. Do that before you talk monthly again. Take it or leave it — that's what I'd do. Going to re-read the worksheet tonight.
SunBeltDadCommunity StarterCommunity StarterMay 25, 2026permalink
I'd slow the salesperson down here. Two 2023 Toyota 4Runner quotes only help if both include tax, title, and the same options. Screenshot the worksheet if you can. This is from a 2023 Toyota 4Runner in Los Angeles with 42,000 miles. Any freeze-frame data saved? Make the next action something you can finish this week. I'm keeping receipts and dates in one folder.
TowEnthusiast182Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 25, 2026permalink
Insurance and tax belong in the comparison, not as a surprise. A written buyer’s order on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner is worth more than any verbal “we’ll make it work.” I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. On “reliable cheap first car or newer car,” that was the fork that mattered for me. This is from a 2023 Toyota 4Runner in Los Angeles with 42,000 miles. Do that first. Wrote this up on my lunch break.
TrailMechanicish660Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 25, 2026permalink
Compare apples to apples or you'll get spun. Keep sale price, trade, and financing split on the 2023 Toyota 4Runner so a “good payment” cannot bury a worse deal. Do that before you talk monthly again. Did the worksheet show tax yet? Not trying to scare you — just skip the expensive first guess. This is the version I'd tell a friend.
EVTraveler220Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 26, 2026permalink
Not convinced that's the whole story. In Los Angeles, insurance quotes flipped a 2023 Toyota 4Runner comparison for me more than the sale price did. Screenshot the worksheet if you can. Not gospel, but it saved me a headache. Doc fee is the line I'm watching.
SunBeltDadCommunity StarterCommunity StarterMay 26, 2026permalink
Get the messy numbers in writing first. Call your insurer in Los Angeles before you fall in love with the 2023 Toyota 4Runner. I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. On “reliable cheap first car or newer car,” that was the fork that mattered for me. Was this after sitting overnight? This is the filter I use when the thread starts repeating itself. Wrote this up on my lunch break.
TrackWrench959Community StarterCommunity StarterMay 27, 2026permalink
That's a good start, but I wouldn't stop there. If they're pushing term length to shrink the payment, the 2023 Toyota 4Runner price probably got worse. Then the comparison gets honest. Happy to compare notes if your setup is different. I'm keeping receipts and dates in one folder.
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