Just bought an 05 with 198,xxx miles. Love it! Only problem is that when the gas motor is running it almost sounds like valves are out of adjustment. Is this a common problem? Do I need to be concerned with rebuilding the motor? Own all toyotas and none have ever made a noise like this. Any help is appreciated.
If you got it cheap, just change the motor No it's not normal. I've had a car that made that sound too, it was trouble free for the 50k miles I had it
If the noise is from the valve train, the engine may eventually burn a valve. This will not likely leave you stranded, but it will essentially ruin the engine. But it's probably not worth the involved process of replacing the lifters now to repair it. If the noise is from the lower half of the engine, there may be a more disastrous failure. You may want to get someone with a mechanic's stethoscope to diagnose it. And check the oil often. These cars with that mileage typically consume some oil. If you have the original traction battery, the engine may outlast the battery. Ten years is good service.