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What should I be looking for with a used Frontier under $10k, -125,000 miles?

2K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Amikira 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, I am new to the Frontier world but would like to get one as my mechanic friend recommend them as good trucks and less expensive than Tacomas.

Mu budget is $10k or below. I have seen some nice ones online from private sellers, but they seem to go pretty fast if priced well.

Should I go with the older model before they did the body redesign? Or is the post redesign better? Should I avoid the supercharger?

I am also concerned with the rust underneath causing problems down the road with a 15-20 year old truck. I had a great Mazda 3 that had almost 280k miles on it but could't pass inspection last year due to rust on the unibody. i would like to avoid that in the future with my next vehicle.

I would be using it as a daily driver and light hauling of branches, construction materials etc from time to time. Gas mileage is important too

Thanks
 
#2 ·
Where are you located? Here in Southern California, you could get a gen 1 (pre-2005) for half that, or a fairly low mile gen 2 (2005 to current) base model.

Have you had a truck before? Even a second gen 4 cylinder 5-speed 2WD will struggle to get 23mpg. If that's not acceptable, you should rethink whether you need a truck or could use a car and an occasional $20 U-haul trailer.
 
#4 ·
I am in Pennsylvania. I should have also said that I need the Crew Cab with the 3 seats in the back for my kids.

I know I can't expect great gas mileage, but need the storage space for tools etc.

I guess what I meant is that I would prefer to avoid those Frontier models or years with lower mileage compared to other Frontiers. I read somewhere that the supercharger doesn't get good MPG for example...
 
#3 ·
You are looking for a vehicle well over 100k miles. You should stick with the Gen 2 (2005+) as the Hardbodies are getting real old. Look for scratched bodies: this indicates off road driving, which is tough on the truck. There are some high cost repair items that older vehicles go through; a "rite of passage" so to speak. These are: cats, primary and secondaries, timing chain glides, clutch if manual, heater core. I don't think rust should be an issue.
 
#5 ·
first gen crew cab, I have an 01. best gas mileage ever gotten was 16 or 17. normally 12-14. and I baby it but I got her for 1500 with 230k on it. runs like a top and is a good looking comfortable truck but I would get a second gen if I had the choice of hte two when I found this one because the front suspension is better. unfortunately, the second gen has better suspension but is common looking where the first gen looks rugged but has stupid torsion bars and a solid dependable, though low hp engine

check fuelly.com for the gas mileage people get in real life. hit the link in my signature and you can check
 
#6 ·
oh ya. the engines are just as dependable as Toyota and mazda so I would not be worried and stuck on 125k miles. I have a buddy who had 500k on his first frontier when he got his current, which has 385k on it now. both are v6 model crew cabs with automatic transmissions
 
#8 ·
I would suggest that you look for one from a private individual who has owned the truck for a while. The used car dealers tend not to be honest about the vehicle condition plus they generally have no real background with it since they bought it to just flip.
Private sellers lie also but no as bad I believe. Plus it’s easier to negotiate with an individual who just bought a newer vehicle and needs to get rid of the old one.
Make certain you can take it for a good long road test...hiway, backroads, up and down hills, etc. Best option is to have a mechanic look it over...spend $100 or so BEFORE you buy rather than a couple thousand dollars AFTER you buy.
I once had a seller refuse to let me take a car to a mechanic....I immediately walked away. You can look and cosmetics but a mechanic can put it on a lift, check brakes, look for leaks underneath, look for frame damage, note any unusual modifications, etc.

Good luck in your efforts and let us know how it goes...
 
#9 ·
I would suggest that you look for one from a private individual who has owned the truck for a while. The used car dealers tend not to be honest about the vehicle condition plus they generally have no real background with it since they bought it to just flip.
Private sellers lie also but no as bad I believe. Plus it’s easier to negotiate with an individual who just bought a newer vehicle and needs to get rid of the old one.
Make certain you can take it for a good long road test...hiway, backroads, up and down hills, etc. Best option is to have a mechanic look it over...spend $100 or so BEFORE you buy rather than a couple thousand dollars AFTER you buy.
I once had a seller refuse to let me take a car to a mechanic....I immediately walked away. You can look and cosmetics but a mechanic can put it on a lift, check brakes, look for leaks underneath, look for frame damage, note any unusual modifications, etc.

Good luck in your efforts and let us know how it goes...
☝Not to mention their $2-$3000 dollar mark up and other fees.. on a truck in this price range.
 
#10 ·
Ok so here are a few examples of what I am finding in my area. These are private sellers and the black one sold within 2 days. Which one would you prefer and why?
Are the prices pretty good?


One is an 2004, old design with 110,000 miles $7,000

the other is a 2005, new body design 125,000 miles $7,200

Land vehicle Pickup truck Vehicle Car Truck
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Automotive tire Pickup truck
 
#12 ·
I kept hearing that the transmissions in 2010 and earlier years can have problems, so we opted for a 2011 V6 Auto with 125k miles that we found for $8,990.

I just sold my Jeep to someone yesterday who had just sold his 2006 Frontier because it was having a lot of transmission issues, so that's one person I've personally met who validated what I read online.
 
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