Piston Slap: Deferred Maintenance and the Toyota Halo Effect

Sajeev Mehta
by Sajeev Mehta

Earl writes:

Hi Sajeev,

I want to get my wife a used SUV. We tried a Volvo wagon, but it’s just too unreliable. My first choice is a 4Runner, but the prices here are insane, even for 10-15 year old ‘Runners. I’ve noticed I can buy a Cayenne or an X5 for similar prices to the aforementioned 4Runner, and that’s with fewer miles and years newer.

So, what gives?

Are the X5 and Cayenne unreliable junk to be avoided at all costs, or is it just that the folks who ponied up originally weren’t expecting above average maintenance requirements? What do you and Best and Brightest think? Get the old, rusty, reliable 4Runner; risk an X5; or get a Pathfinder or Explorer as a default choice?

Sajeev answers:

Ready the pitchforks: someone thinks Volvo wagons aren’t reliable!

But seriously, the 5-plus-year-old used vehicle marketplace possesses harsh generalities that feel like realities.

On one end, 10-plus-year-old Toyota trucks and SUVs earned a reputation for value/durability/reliability without the blue collar, fleet vehicle feel of an S-10, Blazer, Ranger, Explorer, etc. They command a premium, which (far too many?) people gladly pay.**

The other end? Out-of-warranty highline rigs once perched atop the height of good taste: until their multiple owners adopted deferred maintenance on a scale resembling a nationwide outbreak. Expensive eurozone parts and a steep repair learning curve mean that the only way to move the metal is via steep price cuts. You better buy one with a strong service history and know a good wrench and be a good wrench and spend time on the forums to keep one running for a reasonable price.

Somewhere between these extremes lies the rest of the world’s SUVs: not desirable ( Saleen Explorer and Trailblazer SS aside) but acceptable in performance and ownership costs. This is the sandbox I choose, and I discourage either extremity.

The comment about folks not “expecting above average maintenance requirements” is spot on: be it disappointing a la X5’s window problems or the sublime yet eventually leaky four-corner air suspension of older Navigators, the stereotypical third owner won’t pay for the proper repair. Nor appreciate a repair by OEM-trained techs (be it at a dealership or at a specialized independent repair shop) using OEM parts. It’s deferred maintenance above all else, baby!

So test drive Explorers, Trailblazers, Liberties, Pathfinders, Suburbans (usually cheaper than Tahoes!), Expeditions, etc. and avoid the extremes of the used SUV market. Either side may feel better, but if you listen to your wallet, it shall disagree.

**Whether or not newer Toyota trucks deserve to ride the coattails of earlier Toyotas is a discussion for the Best and Brightest.

[Image: Toyota]

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.

Sajeev Mehta
Sajeev Mehta

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  • Danio3834 Danio3834 on Aug 16, 2016

    Sajeev dishes solid advice. WK1 Hemi Grand Cherokees are a good value too if you want more performance.

    • Gtem Gtem on Aug 16, 2016

      WK1s are hot garbage all around IMO (admittedly no direct experience with them, except for a Lyft ride in a very rattly one). Give me a well kept ZJ or WJ any day.

  • Gtem Gtem on Aug 16, 2016

    Gentlemen, I give to you a 'third way' A gen 1 Toureg that some crazy Russians stuffed a Supra 2JZ motor into: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ5ktdPHS3A (this crew of guys is more well known for stuffing said Supra motor into GAZ Gazelle box trucks)

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