So we are, or soon will be, looking for a truck for our son. More than likely used. He would prefer a Tacoma. I would like to try and at least see if this is feasible (budget wise).

Obviously there are the Toyota dealerships. And there is CarMax, etc.

Are there any slam dunks places you guys would recommend that would have the better prices?

Also, it seems like the used car market is en fuego….how much are used vehicles usually marked up? Or how much could I expect to ask to get discounted off of the prices shown?

Thanks for any help

Thank you for that info.

Do you are saying even go to the dealerships for used?

It isn't necessarily required, and even at a dealership you can get a truck that has some issues that were missed or "passed along" to the customer.

But generally speaking, a used Toyota at a Toyota dealership will get a lot better service as they get it ready for sale. Remember they have the technicians that work on these every day. They know what needs to be done where, they have the know how and have easy access to parts needed.

Plus, they are a lot less likely to put a truck on their lot that might make them look bad. If it has enough issues, they are more likely to just send it to auction rather than try to stand behind something less than their standards.

You'll pay more, but it's for a good reason.

But I'd do some research on a dealership before you go. It shouldn't be hard to find reviews and BBB info. I've had good experiences at every Toyota dealership I've been to.

I can't say the same for Subaru. I was at a Subi dealership a few months ago in DFW that was trying to sell me a Forester with cylinder issues. I'm not even a car expert and I could hear the knock plain as day. They pretended like I was crazy and offered a solution of an extended warranty. I RAN AWAY AS FAST AS COULD. haha

Bought my 2023 Tacoma Limited from Carmax. I'm in San Antonio and it was shipped in from Austin. Took about a month to find one I wanted. Tried local dealerships but gets tiresome trying to get final price. Dealerships add zero value.

Carmax is fine. Their prices are set and fair. Saying dealerships have 0 value is a bit much, but they can be frustrating. If you can't get an out the door price from them before you step foot inside, you're probably not gonna enjoy the experience.

We have had good luck twice buying from Carvana. You'll almost never get a real bargain buying from a regular dealer, but sometimes a CPO vehicle with an extended warranty from a dealer might be worth it. Buying from individuals might yield the best price but it can be a tedious search.

I bought two from a Chevy dealer. Both with 100K miles on them. And they still run great. I got about $750 off their asking price on both. Better than nothing.

So, you don't have to get them from a Toyota dealer.

I think you may get sticker shock when you see what even 10-15 year old Tacoma's are still selling for.

I think you should get him a maroon 1993 Camaro with a v6

JP76 said:

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I think you may get sticker shock when you see what even 10-15 year old Tacoma's are still selling for.

I think you should get him a maroon 1993 Camaro with a v6

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Oh no, I have been looking around for a little bit and yes, at first there was sticker shock. Now I'm somewhat numb to it. Pretty crazy.

Regarding the 1993 maroon Camaro….i actually had one I had bought brand new off the lot back then. Had th factory wheels chromed. I loved that car! I'll have to dig up my pic of it now