A Winning Combination!

Learn how to ambush the dealer to get a great price! (last few paragraphs) This car rocks! But you still must make an informed decision before paying $30,000 grand for it (plus $4000 in other fees). So do your research.

Comparison With Other SUVs

My purchase of a black 4-wheel drive 2000 Toyota 4Runner SR-5 was a VERY informed decision and an excellent one at that. Every major magazine and auto web site recommended the vehicle. After studying various guides, it became clear that this was the most reliable SUV on the market for the price.

4Runner's Durability

You have to understand, my previous car, a beat-up old Chrysller Lebarron convertible, made arriving at a destination a crap-shoot...the engine would smoke up routinely. The Toyota engine is unparalleled and its consistency is astonishing. Although the Ford Explorer is a solid option as well, the 4Runner's engine repeatedly outperforms it. Plus, the 4Runner has a more classic, sophisticated look to it.

How it Drives

The pick-up is impressive for a two ton V6 vehicle. Last week, for the first time, in years, I was caught with a lead-foot and given a warning for speeding by an officer. Honestly, it shocked me because the car was driving so smoothly that I didn't realize the fast speed.

The Truck Has Game

Everyone I've driven in the truck has been impressed. Granted, a new car always looks nice, but the features, such as the new stereo system (just added in 2000)and the advanced heating system add a dimension of comfort to the vehicle. The truck is rigid on the edges, but sophisticated when and where it counts. It's a hot looking truck.

$$ The Price $$

I paid $30k plus taxes. All the auto magazines list the base model prices (significantly lower), which is not helpful to people who want a car with, say an a/c or four-wheel drive. So instead be smart..ambush the car dealers like I did.

On the web, get some quotes of the prices the dealers paid for the cars from the manufucatures. This info. is commonly available. It also shows you the price that the manufacturers recocommend the dealers sell it to consumers for.

Go into the dealership, negotiate for a while, and when they offer you their FINAL deal (no, not final Answer), ask how much they're making on the deal....once they answer with a bogus obviously smaller number than is really true, tell them that they are entitled to a profit, of say $500 on the car, and you'll pay the price that allows them to make that profit.

Then show them a print out of the internet numbers of how much they paid the manufacturer for the car. They will at first try to explain that those internet numbers are wrong. The numbers are right though (the dealer admitted that to me after we closed the deal), and stay confident. They are reliable.

These online manufacture recommendation prices give the cost of each feature or package( 6 player cd, special tires, sports package) offered so you can customize them with the features you want on your car. Don't forget that the dealership gets a rebate from Toyota of several hundred dollars on each car sold, so include that in their "profit" number Pretty soon, they'll have no choice but to acknowledge that you know your prices, did your research, and they will only be able to make a small profit off of your purchase.

You will get your reliable, rugged, yet good looking truck for a more reasonable price.