[integra89ls]

I recently posted about possible interest in purchasing a 3rd gen 4runner. I think it might be in my best financial interest to go with a lower price range and go with a 2nd gen 4runner. Is the 3rd gen really worth all the extra money? I'm basically looking looking for something very reliable that has a somewhat smooth ride. I will also need decent off-road capability. How much horsepower would I be loosing by going with the 2nd gen?(I would only want a 6 cyl) What is the maximum price I should pay for a 2nd gen in great condition? Any input or tips would be greatly appriciated. Thanks.

[lee]

Originally posted by integra89ls
I recently posted about possible interest in purchasing a 3rd gen 4runner. I think it might be in my best financial interest to go with a lower price range and go with a 2nd gen 4runner. Is the 3rd gen really worth all the extra money? I'm basically looking looking for something very reliable that has a somewhat smooth ride. I will also need decent off-road capability. How much horsepower would I be loosing by going with the 2nd gen?(I would only want a 6 cyl) What is the maximum price I should pay for a 2nd gen in great condition? Any input or tips would be greatly appriciated. Thanks.

the 6cyl in 2nd gens is SLLLOOOOWWWW... owners call it the 3.slow.

its rated at 150hp i think, whereas the 3rd gen is at 183. as a 3.4 v6 3rd gen owner, i can tell you its a very nice, responsive, smooth engine thats very reliable and tough.

i love it.

whether its 'worth' the extra money is all opinion. of course i think it is, because of the creature comforts, similar capabilities offroad to a 2nd gen, better aftermarket support, improved engine, etc....

[peter78]

Originally posted by lee
the 6cyl in 2nd gens is SLLLOOOOWWWW... owners call it the 3.slow.

True, but they are really tough and are a great vehicle. They are known to last a very long time. And very capable as a off roader. Besides being slow, expect slightly lower gas mileage, aobut 14 MPG instead of 17 in the 3rd generation. They have no air bags. Look for rust, sagging rear end and head gasket problems. So have it checked out really well. Still, they are a great vehicle. Maybe a second gen can chime in and give some more input.

[joshuabrady]

The 2nd gen 4 runners are great, if they have been well maintained. as previously said they are known for head gasket problems, rust, and the terrible sagging rear end. But if the vehicle has bee well maintained, and the head gasket replaced, they are great. My 94 4-Runner could out perform many other trucks off-road, including those with lockers. The torque is great, and will climb almost anything. They are slow, but they are powerful, and the ride of my Runner is as good if not better than the ride of my 92 Lexus. I never only got 14 miles per gallon, i was usually aroun 18-21, and have spoken to people that have gotten even better gas mileage. The 3.4L in the 3rd gen is much more powerful and responsive, and it will have more features, but i like the looks of the 2nd gen over the 3rd, but that is just my opinion. What i would do before you have your mind set on either is just go test drive them both, and you will figure out for yourself if it is worth more or not. As for price on the second gen, for a really nice one with lower mileage probably around $6-7, i bought mine for $4 and then rebuilt the motor and sold it for $6,500, so they hold their value really well.

[Pittsburgh Ken]

As another 2nd gen owner I agree with peter & josh above - the sagging problem can be fixed relatively cheaply with add a leafs. the hg has been replaced by most owners I'd imagine - there's a recall that replaced most built before 10/94. The rust can be a problem - esp. with the tailgates. I've also noticed some quarky electrical problems. But all-in-all you should be able to find a pretty well maintained one that will serve you well for less than 4k (prob closer to 3k). I have 175k on mine and have averaged about 16-17mpg around town & 20 on hwy.
Good luck either way

[makakio]

Ditto the 2nd Gen comments re:
1) less power
2) lower mpg
3) no airbags
4) rear sag
5) massive factory recall re: head gasket failure
6) spare tire on tailgate carrier only (versus under car in 3rd gen), which makes getting in/out of the back a pain PLUS includes all the horrible rattles and thunks that go along w/ a high, tail-mounted spare.

Also consider that 3rd gen added:
1) vsc (or whatever the nanny is called)
2) all-wheel ABS (I think 2nd gen were rear only)
3) a tougher, improved auto trans design as 2nd gen overdrive gear was known for 'premature failure' - if 150k miles is considered premature, but Toyo improved on it nonetheless
4) importantly - about 4" added to the length of the vehicle, most of it between the axles, which lengthened wheelbase and smoothed the ride out a bunch (important to you I think). It also added about 3" of legroom to the back seat, which in the Gen2 was tight (to say the least) and in the Gen3 is downright confortable even for a sloucher. It's still hella bouncy and jouncy though.

Although the Gen2 was a great truck, I think the Gen 3s had many improvements (especially years 2000-2003) that justify the price difference in the used market.

my 2 cents

[lee]

Originally posted by makakio
5) massive factory recall re: head gasket failure
6) spare tire on tailgate carrier only (versus under car in 3rd gen)

first of all, that was an option, not ALL 2nd gens have tires on the back, some are mounted underneath. second, this is actually a huge plus if you want to go offroad...increases ground clearance and helps with departure angle

Originally posted by makakio
Also consider that 3rd gen added:
1) vsc (or whatever the nanny is called)

vsc is a bad thing if you want to go offroad. luckily, it can be disabled and turned back on easily.

Originally posted by makakio
Although the Gen2 was a great truck, I think the Gen 3s had many improvements (especially years 2000-2003) that justify the price difference in the used market.[/B]

gen 3 was till 2002.... 99s and 2000s are widely considered the best yrs to have by people who wheel their 4runners. 01s and 02s have vsc and no locker option.

[kevin444]

find a 96-97 model 3rd gen you should be alright.

[makakio]

"first of all, that was an option, not ALL 2nd gens have tires on the back, some are mounted underneath. second, this is actually a huge plus if you want to go offroad...increases ground clearance and helps with departure angle"

So if the tires are underneath on a 2nd gen they reduce ground clearance and departure angle? Didn't know that.

Note: this is not the case w/ 3rd gen as ground clearance and departure angle are not determined by spare tire but rear diff and bumper (or tow hitch if equipped), as spare sits tucked up underneath neatly. Also, one could make an argument that with the 2nd gen, adding a rear-mount spare - and by default 100+lbs to the very tail of the truck increases the potential for sag (unfortunately common on 2nd gens) - and certainly doesn't help on-road handling.

"vsc is a bad thing if you want to go offroad. luckily, it can be disabled and turned back on easily."

Agree. VSC is not so fun offroad unless you've disengaged it by going 4Lo or locking the center diff or just applying a lot of throttle in open 4Hi mode. And it's actually caused me to get stuck once on snow when I parked in 2WD on an incline, it snowed overnight and I couldn't the truck rolling enough to get 4Wd engaged. VSC just had me competely stuck when I needed to spin a bit. Had to actually get pulled out of the parking spot (which was damn embarassing). That said, VSC is *****in' on-road and has saved my wife's ass a couple of times - once when she overcooked it into a corner in the wet and the other when she swerved hard to avoid a neighborhood cat and ended up half-on and half-off the pavement (aka: heading toward a spin and 'the rollover trip'). So I guess it depends on how you value the merits v. the defects of that kind of technology.

Most guys here (who wheel regularly) swear by the rear locker available on 1999-2000 models. I've never used one or know how it really works to improve the 4WD experience. Lee?

[lee]

the tire being mounted underneath sucks also because you cant fit anything much higher than 265/75. you can fit a 285, but you have to air it down. rear mounted tire carrier fits anything you want

Originally posted by makakio
Agree. VSC is not so fun offroad unless you've disengaged it by going 4Lo or locking the center diff or just applying a lot of throttle in open 4Hi mode.

well it actually doesnt ever disengage, unless you unplug something in the engine bay.. ill get the pic and post it up. this plug will turn ABS, VSC and TRAC off. i, with my engine running, unplug it. wheel like hell. then when im done wheeling, i shut the truck off, plug it back in, restart the truck and its all back to normal

when you lock the center diff, the vsc function is disengaged, but TRAC remains on and continues to limit wheelspin via the ABS.

thus vsc and trac SUCK offroad as they try hard to make you not spin. how? by cutting all your power when it senses wheelspin, which is a terrible move if youre trying to power through mud or snow.

as for lockers, i know conceptually how a locker works, but my words wont be clear enough. so here's a quote i found: "If you ever noticed anyone stuck, you'll see that only one wheel is spinning, the wheel with the least amount to traction. The locker just locks the rear wheels so they both spin at the same rate, that means even though one wheel may have lost traction, the other wheel helps keep the vehicle moving. "


heres the pic of the plug that disengages vsc:

[makakio]

Ooo - that's good to know! Thanks for the pic. Maybe next time I forget to leave the truck in 4wd I won't have to get pulled out of a paved parking spot. Although it was such a pain in the ass that I doubt I'll forget - ha!