DaveInDenver
Rising Sun Ham Guru
Yeah, I mistyped, I meant skid plates. It wouldn't be as easy to take off the sliders. I had mine on the mind, which are bolted on.Sliders are welded on, I suppose I could grind them off and get something for them especially since they hadn't even gotten scratches yet. Skids and winch I def want to take off. I would also grab the radio I put in there and put the old one back I suppose. So you think it might not be a bad idea depending on the buy back price to just junk it? I can def sell the motor, trans (it's a 5 speed so hot commodity), transfer and elocker. I might go ahead and take my tires and wheels and swap that if I get a Sequoia (would be tricky to do that if I junked it as I probably couldn't stall long enough). Probably a few other things I could part on it like UCAS, front diff (someone might want it with the rear anyway), LCAs, brand new rear arms, etc.
I'd be realistic about parting out. Think about the work to do it. And then when you're done you have a stripped hull to dispose of. Plus there's no guarantee that anything on the chassis isn't tweaked and would fit on a straight truck necessarily. Buyers would want to know and I'd personally be offering less on bumpers and skids with the expectation I'd have to rework them maybe to fit. Nice interior parts are always worth something.
The engine, transmission and locked diff aren't gold. If it was a gear-driven t-case or an R151F that would have quite a bit of value but a 5VZ/R150F/VF1A isn't a gold mine. Engine has good value for someone who blowed up theirs or for a swap.
Look at what they're going for in junk yards to give yourself some reference: https://www.car-part.com/
Same with the lockers. You know how much you paid so that's what they're worth. When you add up the drivetrain it's probably a solid 40% of the total loss offer but that's only after you've pulled it apart, listed it and worked through 4 flakes to get to someone with cash and a trailer to pick it up.
If you want to use parts from a new truck you need to buy it first before you accept the insurance offer. They won't leave you the truck long when they pay you and it might be that they give you the check when they're hauling it away.
They've seen every scam so they're not going to give you $7,500 and let you pick the truck clean for a month before they take it. They're banking on it having salvage or auction value, too. In fact they may give you less money if you strip or exchange parts.
What to do in your case is tough. It's hard to find a nice 3rd gen 4Runner for a reasonable price and you've put a lot of sweat into it. But it's also not the very most rare of vehicles and I wouldn't be so sure it's not cockeyed now with two fairly significant hits in a month. The total loss offer they made is pretty fair, too.
In my mind the main question is whether you want to stick with the 3rd gen or not.
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