"Free" car a good deal or not? 2010 Toyota Highlander 3.5L AWD

General Discussion
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One of my friends owns a 2010 Toyota highlander that he has always taken great care of. There is no rust, it has new suspension and tires, the body and interior are great. You would never know it had 250,000+ miles on it. You would think it had 50,000 miles on it based on the condition.

A month or so ago the engine began misfiring with a flashing check engine light and it would barely drive. It almost got stuck in front of their garage but they got it moved out of the way enough. They called the local Toyota dealer and had it towed it. They did a bunch of work including new spark plugs, coils, and fuel injectors. The car ran great on the way home. Then the next day when started up, the check engine light was flashing again and the car would barely move.

He had it towed again to a shop that I use. They diagnosed it as a failing VVT-I system which will trash the engine when it completely lets go as the 3.5 are interference engines. It sounds like this is a labor intensive fix and a known problem with these engines of that era. I am kinda surprised a Toyota dealer just threw a couple grand in parts at it and didn’t investigate the timing, especially knowing the mileage and the engine involved.

He is own the way to buy a 2022 model with the same engine (flaws were fixed in 2013 or so) and has offered to give me the car if I take it away. I am curious if this is a good deal for me, even free.

The engine ran smooth with plenty of power until recently. It doesn’t use any oil between changes. the transmission has always shifted smoothly and seems to be in good working order. The only other issue is that the climate control system seems to take a minute or so to “wake up” and turn on. He said this started a couple years ago but hasn’t really gotten any worse. You just have to wait 30 seconds or so and fiddle with the buttons until it comes to life, then it works fine for the rest of the trip.

New reman engines costs $6000+ from the parts stores. I know these can be questionable in quality. I am going to call the shop I use about a Jasper as they use those. I am thinking that it might be a better idea just to fix the engine in it as there is nothing really wrong with it (that I know of) besides the timing problems but of course want to check here.

How are the transmissions in these things? This is the AWD model which I am sure ads some complexity but is nice to have in this area.

If I were to do this, what other parts should be changed while I am in there? It looks like the water pump is one part that you always change if you get in this far but what else? Also, would replacement VVT-I parts be an exact replacement or would the flaws in the original design be fixed? I guess another option would be if one could get a decent used engine from a 2013 or newer and swap it in. I assume that this would work by swapping the accessories.

The shop I use charges $95/hr. I appreciate the offer of the “free” car and would have a use for this but don’t want to end up spending more than the car is worth fixing it. What would the overall cost estimate be for this work?

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I have been guilty of throwing more money at something that was free, a “good deal”, or I already owned than I should have in the past.

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You even have to ask ? That thing is past it’s sell date just say thanks but you don’t need another vehicle.

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That is why I was wondering. It has some really good things going for it but some major negatives as well.

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I take it you’ll pull the the engine, put it on a stand and do your thing(s) . . . ?!

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Free is always good. Even if you don’t end up driving it and instead you take it apart to learn how it works just for fun.

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“Free is always good” has gotten me into trouble in the past but I am at least going to get a quote from the shop before saying yes or no to this offer. Owner of the shop said it is in good shape and he views this as a wear item on the Toyota 3.5L. He says they all do it after a while and that the car is otherwise in great shape. That makes the decision harder for sure. I haven’t heard how much this would cost yet. I did say I would want the water pump and anything else like that changed at the same time so that will be factored into the cost. Of course there is a lot of redundant labor so want to avoid that.

I used to enjoy tinkering more but time is pretty valuable right now with my business and all. For something this deep I would rather pay a shop. I know the labor is a huge part of the cost on this job. Sometimes free stuff has been great. I have brought machines back to life sometimes by removing a wasp nest that was holding the throttle of a small engine closed or cleaning the carbs. Basically I have nothing in stuff like this.

Also bought a couple generators online during the pandemic…. They were both DOA. Their troubleshooting and support was horrid with their steps not applicable to my problem. Eventually they refunded me and told me to keep the units and do with them what I wanted. They tried to have me ship them back but when I wheeled them into the shipping company, they didn’t look very happy. They told me it was against federal law to even have them in the building and that they couldn’t be shipped so take them away and contact the seller. The seller obviously didn’t realize an engine that had gas or oil in it couldn’t be shipped. The seller told me to do with them what I wanted when they refunded. Due to shoddy assembly during, it ended up being a low-cost part that failed and I was able to bring them back to life. They still work perfectly to this day and cost me nothing but some time. The first one took some time to figure out but the actual fix took 5 minutes. The second one was a super easy fix due to me figuring it out on the first one.

On the other hand I have dumped more money than I should have into certain things, cars or small engines, etc. I guess I see the potential in them and hate to throw something away that can be fixed. That being said, it was time for my old rusty 1997 F250 to go when the transfer case let go on me. I had decided to dump this one a while ago but those plans got put on hold when it was cheaper and faster to fix it during the pandemic when everything was all messed up. Now that I got a few more years it is looking like it was going to need new tires and some front end work when it let go. I got my money’s worth out of that one for sure and it was time to part ways with it.

I am also spending a little more to replace it with a 2018, not something older that needs a long list of repairs. Been there, done that…. I ended up spending more on something old than if I bought a much newer better model in the first place. That is why I am being more cautious this time around.

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Pass on this one. Even if the Highlander was in clean condition (no flaws), Edmunds market value calculator shows it’s worth about $2700. Even if it runs well after replacing the engine, how long will it be before another problem crops up? At 250,000 miles, anything could fail, including an expensive transmission. Even with average mileage (130,000) the SUV is worth about $3900. Find an average example and be $3000 ahead

BTW, don’t think I’ll of your friend. The Highlander was good to him and he has an inflated sense of value, as just about anyone would. Don’t get caught up in his nostalgia.

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Let’s say you just do it yourself but take your sweet time, does that change anything? Do one hour a week every weekend. Great thing about a car you don’t need is you can take your sweet time doing repairs. Even if it takes months.

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He already posted that he is not going to do this hisself but is talking to a shop.

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Here’s what I would be asking myself:

  1. Do I NEED another vehicle right now?
  2. Do I have a place to park/store such a vehicle, while either being repaired or not used?
  3. Do you have the funds available to potentially replace the engine, transfer case (thinking of AWD system), and other major items?
  4. Finally, and most importantly…what does your wife or spouse think of this “free” vehicle?

Something may be “free” in terms of money up front…but it may cost you later in time, headaches, or money. Personally I’d say “thanks but no thanks.”

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The 2010 Toyota Highlander has a failing VVT-I system, which can damage the engine. Fixing it could cost $6,000+ for parts and labor. A used 2013+ engine could be a better option since Toyota fixed the issue. If you fix the current engine, replace the water pump and timing components. Overall, the repair costs might exceed the car’s value, so weigh the costs carefully.

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The timing has not jumped and the engine was running as of yesterday. It will be parked with no starting until we decide what to do and if I had it repaired, I think I would tow it in to avoid the risk of a complete failure which would DEFINITELY render the repair a bad idea. As long as the timing hasn’t jumped, it is just replacement of the timing components. The main cost is the 20 hours or so of labor this would require. I told the shop to call me back with a quote. I am still definitely on the fence about this.

As for the value, I am seeing these things with similar mileage and age selling for $7,000-12,000 around here.

It is sitting at my friend’s place with no big hurry although he won’t want it there forever. I have time to think about this.

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Run away from this “good deal” as fast as you can

You’ll just lose a lot of time and money

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Here are some answers to your questions.

  1. Yes, I could use another car like this. This would fill the void left by one that was destroyed by a tornado a few months ago. If it is economical to repair, then I would want it. If not, then no thanks.

  2. I have plenty of room to store a non-running car but it would go straight to the shop if I want it so this isn’t a concern. I am going to pay a shop to do the work. If I don’t want it my friend will just have it towed away as junk for whatever he can get out of it which I suspect will be very little.

  3. If engine were to need complete replacement, I wouldn’t even consider this. If it had jumped time, I would be looking at over $6000 for a parts store reman engine. I understand the parts store engines are not all that great. Something from Jasper or Toyota would certainly be more. If engine was trashed such as by having the timing jump, I would consider this a goner. If it is fixable for $3000 or so ($2000 labor, $1000 parts), I don’t think this would be a bad deal. It ran well before this happened and looks good. My friend has taken great care of it. He won’t be insulted if I say no to this offer either as he understand. He has decided not to fix it and just buy a new one. He also doesn’t have extra cars like I do so getting a new one i best.

    I would be taking a gamble on the other drivetrain components for sure. This isn’t an old manual transmission that can pretty much run forever with proper driving and basic maintenance. I know it would be a gamble. Again, if it lasted two years, that would be money in the bank with how much cars cost these days. Then I could re-evaluate. I need to look into what the drivetrain components would cost to fix as well. Right now those are fine BUT this thing has miles on it.

  4. I am single so no SO to help with the decision. I have asked several friends who are also familiar with this car and they feel it would be a good idea to get it. Yes, I would have a use for it but only if I could count on it.

The car doesn’t look like junk and up until this happened, was used on long cross-country road trips. The fact it looks so clean is another plus. If you get underneath, it is clean and there is no rust. The rest of the body and interior is the same.

I agree 100% that some things that are “free” can cost more than just buying new. Been there, done that…. There is no hurry to make a decision but I know my friend doesn’t want a non-running car just sitting around forever. Yes, technically it runs but cannot really be used.

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Fair enough on all points.

I say good luck, and happy motoring.

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Well there ya go. Grab it, then just park it until a destruction derby comes to a track near you.

Better get a copy of the rules. If you can find a free trailer, fantastic, trailer races are great entertainment.

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I have replaced many Toyota variable valve timing actuators (camshaft sprockets), routine work for experienced Toyota technicians.

How much a vehicle is “worth” is important if you are selling the car, if you are keeping the vehicle, it is not important. I feel there is a benefit in owning a less valuable car, I don’t need collision insurance on a $2,000 car and annual registration fees are less.

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That is fine for those that feel that way . There was a time when all I could afford was old cheap vehicles and I don’t intend to do it again . We just happen to like nice vehicles .We might even replace our 2024 Subaru Outback in 2 or 3 years if something appeals to us.

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What’s a typical price range for that?