Ridiculous dealer mark-ups now on the 4Runner TRD Pro

Kamil Kaluski

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The fifth generation Toyota 4Runner has been around since the 2010 model year. Algebra tells that this is 11 models years, ignoring the fact that the mechanicals date back to the fourth generation 4Runner. Despite that age, it is a solid rig. My 4Runner is over ten years old and in that time only one thing crapped out on its own, and that was after I’ve ignored the issue for a long time. Needless to say, they’re solid and proven vehicles.

Toyota was ahead of the game with the 4Runner as it has morphed into being one of the overlanding world’s most popular choices. Toyota themselves didn’t miss the mark on that with the TRD Pro model. The idea was to take the already solid Trail, as it was called at the time, model and improve on it. Tires, suspension, a skid plate, and honestly not much more than some trim made people lose their minds over the TRD Pro.

Truck Central: 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro review

Fast forward to summer 2021. Car prices are insane and nothing makes sense. The dozen years 4Runner models stickers north of fifty grand. But also, because 2021, its availability is very low. Local dealers to me has less than a handful of new 4Runners in stock. Supply and demand, and all the jazz, allow dealers to mark-up some of the more desirable models. And those mark-ups now extended to the 4Runner TRD Pro.

According to Reddit, Millennium Toyota in Garden City, Long Island (the New York Long Island, not that other Long Island) is marking up their 4Runner TRD Pro inventory by as much as $30,000. Their website, which I won’t link to, lists five 4Runners in stock. Stated on the site are MSRP and “call for price” selling prices. Fuck all those people. Don’t ever pay over sticker for a new car, especially a mainstream car that the automakers sell more than 100,000 of every year. And to hell with all the scumbag dealers up-marking their shit like this.

Source: Reddit/r/4Runner. Thanks, Zerin!

About

Kamil Kaluski

Kamil Kaluski

East Coast Editor. Races crappy cars and has an unhealthy obsession with Eastern Bloc cars. Current fleet: 4Runner, Integra, Regal, Lada

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17 responses to “Ridiculous dealer mark-ups now on the 4Runner TRD Pro”

  1. Neight428 Avatar
    Neight428

    The Toyota store near me looks to have about four RAV4’s and two Corollas. I think the general manager parks his Tundra in the showroom to keep it from looking too sad. Supply chains, y’all, they matter.

    Reply
  2. Smaglik Avatar
    Smaglik

    It’s insane. I tell Craigslist looking at cars for sale because, well, that’s what I do, and it’s like I don’t even know Craig anymore but the numbers I see on there.

    Meanwhile, I can’t even sniff a fart on selling my e61. I knew it would be a tough car to sell in a mountain town without a bmw dealer when I bought it, but not this tough.

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      That’s bizarre, if there ever was a time to sell at a good price, it should be now. I am baffled by the high prices in general. Most people should be able to just wait out this supply squeeze. Or is everyone just so afraid of inflation that they’re going all in on whatever purchases they come up with?

      Reply
      1. smaglik Avatar
        smaglik

        It is confounding me. I’m asking at the higher range of private party by KBB, which I think is justified given the condition, but the only offers I get are 20%-30% below that. If that’s truly the market on it, then I’ll put another 20k miles on it, and then sell it for that number. It costs less than $500 a year to insure, and I can fix my own breaks.

        My friend Moe, from whom I bought the red wagon, is trying to convince me to give BaT another shot…at no reserve, and pay them to take the photos, with the thought that I’ll get more out of it in the end, even though I’d have to sink another $600 into it for the BaT cost, and a really good detail. I’m starting to lean that way.

        Reply
        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          It’s worth a try. For common cars à la Craigslist, I do also consider asking price minus 20% reasonable – this is how I car shop, at least. Then again, I am patient, and most sellers need time to come down to that number. I read your original classified and liked it, but maybe you need to put an unmistakeable emphasis on the car’s good condition to drive the price home.

          Reply
          1. smaglik Avatar
            smaglik

            I think the 20% rule is ok for a set of tires, or a chainsaw, or the other random stuff you find on there, but for something where the value is generally set by the market (and posted various places), offers that low indicate that the person isn’t really serious about it.

            The last jackhole I dealt with on FB marketplace wanted me to tell him the least amount I would take for the car. When I wouldn’t tell him, and noted, hey, that shows all my cards, and it’s up to the prospective buyer to make an offer, he offered $7500. When I didn’t engage, he asked if we were finished negotiating. I told him his number is trade in, and not serious, and he blamed the ensuing kerfuffle on me for not divulging the least I could take….jackhole.

            I’m an engineer by trade, and tend to be too factual to sell things well. You make a good point though.

      2. Maymar Avatar
        Maymar

        I think it’s (at least) two things. First, North Americans are largely so auto-dependent, doing without a car until this blows over just isn’t an option. Second, there’s a lot of people who’ve spent the past 18 months not being able to splurge on any big ticket purchases, and are just getting a little itchy to bring on more debt (especially the ones who rolled through the pandemic unaffected).

        Reply
    2. wunno sev Avatar
      wunno sev

      I’m curious about this increase in used car prices. not that I doubt it’s real, but I suspect some portion of it comes from people who would be buying brand new cars instead buying very gently-used cars for new-car money, on account of the supply chain issues with new cars. I’d bet this is driving up the average used car price. meanwhile, demand for, like, *old* used cars – ie, things that can’t be easily substituted for new cars – may not really be that inflated.

      in parallel, I think, the enthusiast car market is hot because some fortunate people have got spare cash and time, but the latest trend is for the particularly “analog” cars, since the last few years of new cars have seen a real shift towards electrics and boring drab shit. not that I don’t think an E61 is cool, but it’s probably just not the hottest thing right now.

      these are my theories, backed up by zero data.

      Reply
      1. smaglik Avatar
        smaglik

        those are all reasonable thoughts.

        a complicated 14-yr old BMW is only easy to sell if it’s a desirable M car. Otherwise, the long haul awaits!

        Reply
        1. wunno sev Avatar
          wunno sev

          you just need to find the right buyer. I’ve been on both ends of this and had it end both ways. sometimes I see the car I want and just overpay what I think it’s worth because I want it. I don’t expect to make money on old cars, but I do like to limit my losses on a given car, so when it comes selling time, I just have to be patient until another sucker like me comes along. sometimes it takes a few months.

          in years past I’ve seen stuff sell weirdly cheap on BaT but it seems like a pretty solid bet these days.

          Reply
          1. Smaglik Avatar
            Smaglik

            Agreed on the BaT comment. It’s rare to see a deal on there now. Cars and Bids, though, some deals can be had.

            There is a newer site out there Collecting Cars. I spoke with them, and they wanted me to go no reserve as well….when they only had one vehicle live in the US (I think it’s an outside the US platform trying to break into this market). I politely declined, and then laughed at the arrogance when I got off the phone. Sorry pal, I’m not going to take all the risk for you to grow your business. Good luck with that…

        2. OA5599 Avatar
          OA5599

          A complicated 14-yr old BMW from a private party seller requires a special sort of buyer.
          – One who can pay cash. A bank isn’t likely to write a car loan for something that old, out of fear that the buyer will abandon the car and stop making payments at the next major repair.
          – One who would prefer an E61, when “transportation appliances” in that price range will probably be newer and have a reputation for more reliability.
          – One who is already familiar with the model’s quirks and is prepared to deal with them.

          The ideal buyer probably already has one in the garage, or misses the one he had. Have you tried posting on forums and social media catering to the owners? If someone there just got a big insurance check after his got wrecked or stolen, you’re golden.

          Reply
          1. smaglik Avatar
            smaglik

            It’s on forums and BMWCCA. I’m not real big on social media, so, not really even sure where to go with that. Good thoughts though, and I tend to agree with them.

      2. Scoutdude Avatar
        Scoutdude

        Yeah some of it is due to low supply of new cars. The fact that many people drove less than normal means that more people are buying out their lease since their car is worth much more than the buyout price. Another factor is the rental car business. They dumped a lot of their inventory early in the pandemic and now that things are picking up and they can’t get new cars they are out buying used cars now.

        It does seem to be breaking though based on what I’ve seen while looking for a new toy for myself as a number of the cars I’ve been watching on Cars.com and Autotrader and they have been sitting and many of them have price reduced tags on them now.

        Reply
        1. smaglik Avatar
          smaglik

          New toy? Do tell.

          I find myself pricing up the new M3, but probably won’t ever move on it, unless they were to bring the touring here…

          Reply
          1. Scoutdude Avatar
            Scoutdude

            For now I’ll just say a convertible, used.

  3. Smaglik Avatar
    Smaglik

    *troll

    Reply