First Car - I want a Solara but I'm no expert

[Vanyl]

I've been looking around at a few different cars and originally I didn't even look at Toyota (even though my family hasn't had any major issues with them) mostly due to the look of their cars (I was in a Dodge Charger/Ford Mustang/Mitsubishi Eclipse market originally). I had considered a Celica but the used ones I found were really badly off.

While wandering a used car lot I found this beautiful silver car and once I sat in it I knew I found the kind of car I wanted. It was a 2004 Silver Solara SLE V6. Since then I've been looking all over for Solaras trying to find a good price and quality. They're hard to find in my area so I'm venturing further out and I needed some advice from the experts what I should be looking for.

I'm in South Western Ontario (Canada) so the prices and mileage will be slightly different than the U.S. but I'll try to convert it so everyone might have a chance of understanding and helping if they so wish.

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Car 1: 2004 Silver Solara SLE V6
Price: 16,500$ CAD (16,625.22 USD)
Mileage: 74 799 km (46 480 miles)

Features: I assume the standard stuff on a 2004 SLE: power windows/mirrors/seats, heated leather seats, power sunroof, CD player (not with mp3 as far as I can tell), radio, a/c, wood-grain trim, etc.

Notes: No keyless entry (no key fobs and it looks like only one key in total - I was pretty sure keyless entry was standard but in true salesperson form, the man supposed the owner had opted out, but I suspect they just never got the keys with key fobs). It has a couple of scratches (really small) on the rear bumper and one under the gas cap. Coffee stain on the inside rear foot well and a little grungy on the displays in the center console area.

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Car 2: 2007 (listed as 06 online oddly) Red Solara SE
Price: 18,995$ CAD (19,144.70 USD) - offering 18,000 including converting it to Canadian measurements and delivery (1.5 hours away from where I live)
Mileage: 38 500 km (23 920 miles)

Notes: Obviously lacking a sunroof and heated leather interior. A couple of pinholes and a hole that looks like a burn mark in the back seat (no bigger than a dime). No noticeable dings on the paint job. Smaller engine (4 cylinder to the other car's 6). It does have keyless entry and mp3 capability.

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Car 3: 2004 Red Solara SLE
Price: 15,300$ CAD (15,428.48 USD) - Dealer changed the price of online listing to 15,900$ when I called to come in and look at it prior to my arrival and tacked on almost 700 in admin fees.
Mileage: 89 600 km (55 670 miles)

Notes: It does have keyless entry. The paint job on the front hood/bumper/mirrors has many small chips in it (as if it was driven highway-speed in extremely close proximity to a gravel truck for hours). I suppose I can touch that up but that's a lot of them to fix. Battery was dead and dealer stored it in the back so I couldn't test drive it anyways. Everything looked ok, but the hood was not aligned quite right at the front (on the body curve) where it meets the bumper (dealer claim: it was warped a little from repeated closing with pressure applied only on one side [ie. used on hand on the left side to close it and so it shifted]).

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Car 4: 2004 Black Solara SE V6 (3.0L not 3.3L)
Price: 16,995$ CAD (17,151.98 USD) - includes "Cost Saving Warranty, Fresh safety check, Clear air test, First lube oil and filter, Roadside Assistance, Delivery cleanup, Inspection report"
Mileage: 84 000 km (52 200 miles)

Features: Driver Air Bag, Passenger Air Bag, Anti-Lock Brakes, Air Conditioning, Power Steering, Cruise Control, Tilt Wheel, Power Windows, Rear Window Defroster, Tinted Windows, AM/FM Radio, Alloy Wheels, Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors, Sunroof (seemed like more than the SE normally comes with)

Notes: I haven't been out to see it in day light yet (going today after work, saw it last night though) and it has a couple of dings on the rear bumper, can't tell the front but the front has a plastic hood wind/rock deflector on it (which I don't really like how they look, though black on black isn't bad, but after seeing that Red SLE, I understand why it's there) so probably not as bad as Car 3.

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So far these are all I've found in my area (looking as far as 2.5 hours out of town). What I really want is a nice car that won't cause me a lot of headaches right off the back (I know all cars eventually die). It's my first car so I'd rather not break the bank on this. I wanted a new car but I'm in love with the look and feel of the Solaras and a new one, while affordable would be a considerable break in the wallet for me right now.

The features I really would love to have in this car are the power mirrors, windows, doors, and seats (I drive a no power anything P.o.S. 1999 Protege that is dying faster than I can drive it). I would love something with lumbar support and a good back to it cause right now I can't drive very far at all without a sore back. Cruise control (which they all had) and good pick up. I'd prefer a sun roof at all possible so the second car is not as big a contender except that it comes with a remaining warranty and they'll deliver/haggle the price. Heated and leather seats are something I would love but I can live without if necessary, but in the winter I'm sure I'll be crying if I don't have them lol. I'm also stick-shift challenged so it would have to be an automatic.

I have one question as well. With the first car and it's lack of keyless entry, if all I get out of them is the one key (obviously it has the chip in it cause it can start the car) how many should I have received (ie. would have come with the car originally)? Approximately how much am I looking at to replace the keys with chips and the key fobs plus programming them? And is it possible to re-program the car with a new number when doing the keys or not (and if so, price approx.)? I'm just worried if it's not possible, that I buy this car and someone has a keyless mode of entry into my car. The dealership won't deal on price but I'm tempted to say that they should at least include in the price the replacement of the keys and fobs (and possible re-programming of the car) or deduct that from the price and I'll go have it done myself. The Toyota dealership here said it's anywhere from 300-500 for the key fob with key to be replaced and 80 if it's just the key fob.

Sorry for the super long post. Thank you to anyone who reads this whole thing and responds with some advice. I'm very much out of my depth on this.

Regards,
Vanyl

[Donnie]

The coffee stain would have turned me off instantly.

Nagh, JK. Have you checked out CaeMax? I'm assuming the ones you liste are from Used Car Lot-tery's or Dealer trade ins.

Car Max will ship the one you want to see for 149.00 if you're interested. That's where I got mine. Did me real well.

[Vanyl]

It turned me off pretty quickly actually. I'm rather picky about details like that. But the guy pointed out that they hadn't cleaned it yet, they wait till it's settled due to the amount of people who come in and out of the car while looking at it.

It doesn't look like CarMax deals in Canada (it asked me to select a state and enter a ZIP code). It there a Canadian version by chance?

Cars 1 and 3 are supposed off leases. I don't know about 2 or 4. And another question I had just now is: I'm noticing a lot of 2004s just off leasing. When is it likely that the 2005s will start coming off lease? I got the impression it's usually a 3-4 year lease and thus a round of 2005s might be coming out soon with the new 2009 line-up upcoming.

[r0w]

You are going to be spending a good amount of money here, so opt for the fully loaded car SLE version. When I was shopping for my Lara, I wanted leather, power seats power doors, windows. I got my car from this place, it just so happens that he had another lara there too but it wasn't near my price range. check it out.

http://www.trader.ca/powerpage/details. ... id=6885806

[Vanyl]

That's the one I looked at: Car 3. Nothing I saw about the dealership, the dealer, the car, or the attitude/lying that was fed to me instilled any sort of confidence in that. I could have overlooked a lot of it but I was treated so horribly and then disrespected on top of it I'd never ever trust them with anything again.

[cklinh]

Notes: No keyless entry (no key fobs and it looks like only one key in total - I was pretty sure keyless entry was standard but in true salesperson form, the man supposed the owner had opted out, but I suspect they just never got the keys with key fobs).

You can pick up a couple of key fobs cheaply (<$20) and try programming it yourself.

Car 4: 2004 Black Solara SE V6 (3.0L not 3.3L)

You need to double check this... it's either 2.4L or 3.3L for 2004 and up.

With the first car and it's lack of keyless entry, if all I get out of them is the one key (obviously it has the chip in it cause it can start the car) how many should I have received (ie. would have come with the car originally)?

Should have gotten three keys, two masters, and one valet (grey).

[Sebas007]

There is only 2 engines available for the Gen 2 (2004-2008)

2AZ - 2.4L
3MZ - 3.3L

No 1MZ (3.0L) available...be aware of sellers. They don't even know what they are really selling.

[Vanyl]

You can pick up a couple of key fobs cheaply (<$20) and try programming it yourself.

[...]

Should have gotten three keys, two masters, and one valet (grey).

So it should be programmable myself so long as I get the right type of key fobs? But I'll still have to pay for the actual keys from Toyota I'm guessing since they need to have a chip in them in order for the car to start?

There is only 2 engines available for the Gen 2 (2004-2008)

2AZ - 2.4L
3MZ - 3.3L

No 1MZ (3.0L) available...be aware of sellers. They don't even know what they are really selling.

Well I haven't looked at it in person yet but yeah I was surprised at the 3.0L listing. I'm definitely double checking it. I suppose it could have been a typo on the webmaster's part.

[cklinh]

Found this, don't know if it is right...

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t172063.html

Read through the thread, as it seems like a direction may be wrong/switched or something like that...

Sequoia 01 - 03
Camry 00 - 01
4Runner 99 - 04
Sienna 99 - 03
Solara 99 - 05

1. Start with the following conditions: you are seated in the vehicle
a. Key is out of the ignition.
b. Drivers door is open, all other doors are closed.
c. Drivers door is unlocked.
2. Insert the key into the ignition (don't turn it) and pull it out.
3. Perform these steps within 40 seconds:
a. cycle the power locks 5 times, evenly spaced and relatively fast.
b. Close, then open the drivers door.
4. Perform these steps within 40 seconds:
a. cycle the power door locks 5 times. (Same as before)
b. Turn the ignition to on, then back to off.
c. Turn the ignition to on, then back to off.
d. Remove the key from the ignition.
5. Within 3 seconds, the power door locks should cycle (automatically) indicating successful entry into programming mode. Return to STEP 1 if the locks do not cycle at this point.
6. Perform these steps within 40 seconds:
a. Press the lock and unlock buttons on the transmitter simultaneously for 1 second.
b. Immediately after letting go of the lock and unlock buttons, press the lock button by itself and hold for 2 seconds. Within 3 seconds, the door locks should cycle once indicating successful programming. If the door locks don't cycle, or cycle twice, repeat steps 6a and 6b - this remote has not been accepted.
c. Repeat steps 6a and 6b for each transmitter that will operate this vehicle, including any old transmitters.
7. Close the driver door.

Also, as long as you have an original master, you can program another key with the chip (i.e. you can program your car to recognize the chip that is in the key).

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t371582.html

For 2002+ Toyota, Lexus
Add Duplicate Key
Requires one working Toyota/Lexus Master Key.
1. Make sure all doors and windows are closed.
2. Insert Master key into the ignition cylinder.
3. Cycle the ignition cylinder from On to OFF five times.
4. Open and close the “driver side” door 6 times.
5. Remove the Master Key and insert the new duplicates key.
6. TURN THE IGNITION CYLINDER ON.
7. The new key will be registered after 60 seconds. The THEFT light on the dashboard will go out, indicating that programming has been completed.

[Vanyl]

Thanks for those instructions! If I go with the keyless one I'll definitely be trying that. Do you know about re-setting the program in the car? I'm concerned about a previous owner or the dealer having a key fob that will work for my car... If I read the first instructions correctly it sounds like al old transmitters would be re-set...? Since it says you need to re-enter the old ones as well?

If it likely I could find car keys with chips in them like I would blank key fobs?

[Black Bob]

Car 1: I would say that coffee stains can be made "almost" unnoticeable if detailed/scrubbed correctly, however rear mats makes even the toughest stains unnoticeable. Programming keyfobs for your car are no big whup but it may cost you grief or money to get extra keys. (Does anybody know if totally brand new keys are needed and do they need to be programmed into the car?) Any "grunge" on the display and console are easily cleaned.

Car 2: Coming from owning Ford trucks with V8's, I'm personally not into 4-cylinders.....but with the price of gas up there (ouch), it's your call. Oh yeah, chicks dig sunroofs if you don't have a convertible.

Car 3: Do you really want to give your money to this lying, jerk-off dealership? Hmm, although all it needs is a battery, they decided to just store this perfectly-working-never-been-in-an-accident $15,428.48 car out of eyesight. Pure genius, he probably thought that lie up in a bar. Also, I like the one about the strong lefty constantly slamming the hood down too hard. He probably thought that lie up in a crackhouse.

Car 4: Like car #1, I like this one too. I like the services the dealership offers.

Whatever you choose, taking a test drive is a must. Heck, take multiple test drives of the same car if need be. Attain a car history (if possible) and a mechanic to inspect it for better piece of mind.

[Vanyl]

Car 1 I forgot to mention has another 325 in 'admin fees' added on it. The dealer got in contact today and i willing to sell me the car 'as is' and possibly drop the price 500 (almost enough to get the keys and fobs if I have Toyota supply them) and says that "$325 admin charge is the money [we] play with ... if [you] buy 'as is', [we] don't charge the $325," but somehow the dealer says that translates to a $500 drop in the sticker price?

Car 4 I saw last night has a lot of the extras I saw in the SE (V6 3.3L [I checked under the hood, thanks to everyone for pointing that mistake out, even the dealer didn't know he was wrong], sunroof, 6-CD changer, etc.). It doesn't have leather seats but it seems to have oil-guarding and what appears to be skirts on the front, back, and sides. I don't know if this picture will help or not but this is a picture of the car:



I wasn't sure but they look like factory installed ones so I'm thinking with all the extras on this that aren't normally found on an SE it's possible that the original owner ordered it custom or bought a custom order that the orderer didn't take off the lot.

It's a two-owner car apparently. It was leased off the local Toyota dealer here, then turned in there and bought by a student who moved back to his home country and sold the car to this dealer now.

It was still under warranty when this dealer got it and he noticed a weird noise in the gear changing from 2nd to 3rd and so he had a new transmission put into the car. The listing listed new brakes as well (but the dealer didn't bring it up). There's a few dings on the paint on the back (a rather short one but really deep into the bumper). There's some stains which I'm assuming will wash out (the front seats have nasty sweat stains all the way around the head rest parts, as well as the coffee cup holder is grossly coffee-coated) and the gear shift handle (which seems to be leather bound) is peeling from wear which is odd on a primarily automatic car (though it's possible it was driven in manual mode, which might explain the need for a new transmission but it's only a 2004 so that's kind of sad too). I did notice that many of the bolts under the hood were rusty but I'm not sure if that really affects the car too much.

This guy include everything in the price and is willing to haggle a little so I'm stuck between this and Car 1. I'm checking out Car 1 again tonight since it's been a while and I now have a better idea of what I'm looking for.

Paint-wise, on Car 4, I'm just a little concerned with the gouge in the back and the dings on the front. It has a wind deflector on the front which is Toyota branded so I think was factory or at least dealer installed, but the bolts are eating into the top of the bumper where the hood meets it at the front and that seems odd to me. Are they normally bolted around the edge of the hood so that it's resting partially on the bolts?

I'm kind of leaning towards Car 1, and the fact I could program key fobs myself is a nice piece to know. Car 4 comes with for sure two keys with chips and fobs, but he doesn't know if he has the gray valet key. I'm going to ask Car 1's dealer how many keys he has for the car, if it's just one or maybe two. That should cut down on my cost if he has two instead of just one of them.

The coffee stain on Car 1 is on the side of the middle 'hump' of the back foot-wells so the floor mats won't cover it, for sure, but both cars have the mats included.

[Zedster]

Do you have a carfax report or some sort of service like that so you can check on the status of cars? If yes, I personally would recommend you either buy it directly from Toyota, or from someone in a personal sale... Otherwise these second hand dealership's warranty is worth nothing for the price they tag on. I'm pretty sure you can get it for much cheaper too if you buy it directly from someone instead of through a shady dealership...

[CosmicGrooves]

Car 4 looks great in the pic... to bad it doesn't have leather though. The lip kit is a very nice option but it depends on what you want.

[Vanyl]

We do plan to do a carproof/carfax report on which ever car I decide on before buying it, but that wouldn't cover non-reported damage to the car would it? For example I drove my Protege (accidentally) into a curb (I skidded into it, technically) and that caused a lot of damage to the car. I would disclose this if I was planning on re-selling it (which I'm not) but would that show up on a report like carfax if I didn't report the damage to anyone, just paid out of pocket to fix it?

I went back to Car 1 last night to look at it. Wow! I was so upset to see what they did!!! They have a 'photobarn' where they put cars when they take photos of them for their website. While driving it out of the photobarn the dealer smashed the right hand side mirror. It's totaled. The silver part of it just dangles now. They're taking it in for repair but wow... nice going, huh? Plus while I test drove it again a warning light came on. We mistook it at first for a brake system warning light since it looked like it but apparently when it's yellow that means low tire pressure. The hood does have some paint chips but that's expected in a four year old car I think.

A very interesting development is the fact that they magically "discovered" a key fob for the car. It was located in the file folder for the car and the man I've been dealing with said the only way he found out is by looking in that file (well why the heck didn't he look there before telling me it had no keyless entry?). He said he wasn't sure it would work, so I told him to go out and test it. He did and it works. So now that car comes with TWO black master keys, the gray valet key and ONE programmed key fob. It's amazing what they'll "find" when you make a stink about it. My friend and I suspect they bought a key fob and programmed it after I said I'm not sure I want it without keyless entry and then they lied and said maybe someone "opted out" of it. lol Suddenly it does have keyless entry. Imagine that. So key-wise this car would only cost me one 20$ key fob and programming time.

I wouldn't probably take the car at the lower 500 (plus 325) price because it means buying it as is, without it being safety certified or having it cleaned and the paint touched up. I'm just not certain that I wouldn't drive it off the lot and find issues when I get it safety certified and I bite the bill on it. New brakes and maybe new tires and there's my 800 "saved" right there. He told me the tires have enough tread on them, but I'm doubtful of that. I want to take it to an independent mechanic, I think, I just don't know one in that city.

I personally would recommend you either buy it directly from Toyota, or from someone in a personal sale... Otherwise these second hand dealership's warranty is worth nothing for the price they tag on. I'm pretty sure you can get it for much cheaper too if you buy it directly from someone instead of through a shady dealership...

I'm just worried about buying it from someone who is selling on their own. I don't know what they'd disclose to me and what they wouldn't. I found only 1 at a Toyota dealership and they were sending it back to Toyota Credit so they wouldn't give me a buy-out price on it.

Car 4 looks great in the pic... to bad it doesn't have leather though. The lip kit is a very nice option but it depends on what you want.

Well I chose the Solara for it's drive-feel but also for it's sporty look. I like the skirts on Car 4, but I'm not sure about some of the other stuff (like the lack of leather which I really like). It has a 6-CD changer but I don't know if Car 1 has it. The dealer is pretty much useless with any questions about that stuff. It's like asking my grandmother how to install a motherboard. Blank faced and slack jawed. Car 4 has it, but no idea on Car 1.