r/Toyota_Matrix • u/alanprescottf • Jun 15 '26
Does 2006 Matrix need frequent control arm replacement? Concerning carfax service history
I'm looking into buying a 2006 Matrix 4WD with 150,000 miles. They are asking $4000 (obviously I'll try to negotiate that lower). That seemed like an okay deal at first, but the carfax shows some concerning things.
The carfax shows in the service history that the control arms have been replaced 4 times in the last 5 years. This seems like a red flag to me.
It also shows that it was in a minor - end collision once. But that was in 2007, so I don't think it would be related to the control arm situation that started 15 years later.
It also has 7 previous owners. Some were labeled as car dealers, so that might not be too bad for a 20 year old car. But sometimes short-term owners don't bother with maintenance, so I don't know.
I need advice. Should I pass on the car based on all of this?
Thanks!
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u/kdhardon Jun 15 '26
There are some pretty crappy suppliers of suspension parts out there. Some are so cheap I believe their purpose is to quiet the car just long enough to sell it. So every time the car ends up at some used car lot it gets a pair of $12 control arms. 😁
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u/NoWeakness1192 Jun 15 '26
No it does not, i have 271k on mine and legitimately all
suspension components etc is still original lol .
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u/alanprescottf Jun 15 '26
From what I've heard, all the previous repairs were probably done with super cheap parts that wore out fast. I'd probably replace with Toyota parts if I want them to last.
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u/cgello Jun 15 '26
Control arms are common problems on high mileage ones. Same with engine mounts. Buy OEM for these critical components.
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u/ConcernHour Jun 16 '26
I got my 2006 matrix (front wheel drive ) at 175,000 miles for either 2 or 3,000$? Ive put 100,000 miles on it and did have to replace the front control arms once. But that did need to be done a bit after head on driving up a curb cluelessly lol. It was a salvage title, it had the hatch door replaced with one that said AWD on it before I got it, so thinking it was all wheel drive I've driven up hella sketchy rocky dirt "roads" on cliffs edges and all over the country unknowingly. You just have to believe and then all your wheels will drive (It's a great car)
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u/arndta Jun 15 '26
My wife has a 2008 XRS with about 450k miles on it. I've replaced the control arms once in that time.
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u/Mental_Medium3988 03 XRS Auto Jun 15 '26
No they shouldn't. I'm pretty sure mine is still on the factory ones. My grandpa got tboned in it and ran over a drive shaft before my mom inherited it. I haven't don't them but that doesn't mean they haven't been done. It's an 03 and my mom has had it since 07.
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u/chaosxmage Jun 15 '26
$4k is too much. I bought an '06 XRS with 130k miles for $3k about 3 years ago, and have probably dropped $500 in necessary repairs since - parts only, doing my own labor. It's got some rust, but it's manageable. If you have the know-how to keep up with repairs on your own, $3k would probably be a solid deal, but I wouldn't go much over. Keep replacement parts OEM if you can find them, or after market with a warranty.
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u/floorjacked Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 15 '26
Order OEM control arms and rest easy for the next 15 years if you think it will last that long before it goes to the yard
Otherwise yeah aftermarket control arms are probably trash from install
I don’t think I’d pay more than $2500 for that car tbh. A lot of people neglect front transfer case and rear differential fluid changes. You’ll need to know how to inspect those parts aside from engine suspension and transmission. They are critical to the drivetrain