I have been a car guy for most of my life, until a couple years ago when I bought a 93 toyota pickup 4x4 std cab. After driving that around for awhile, I fell in love with the feel of frame on body construction, and the feeling of knowing you could take your vehicle anywhere you wanted! Instead of seeing windy roads and thinking about how fun it would be to tear them up, I started seeing off road areas, and think about go out there and conquer them.

After driving the pickup as a DD for a few years, I started to realize how inconvenient it is to use as a DD. No AC, cruise, or any other power options. I couldn’t even take it to the grocery store with my wife, as there would be no room for groceries! I loved the feel, and I loved to drive it, but something had to change. A few months ago, I saw a used 99 4runner with 180k mi at a used car dealer a couple blocks from my job. After test driving it during my lunch break, I realized I had to have one! I was amazed how smooth it ran and how nice it felt even with that many miles. After being used to the 22re, a 5VZ-FE feels like a V8!



After doing a lot research, I decided I would start looking for 2000-2002 4runner with less then 150k mi. The weekend before last, I found a add on craigslist for a 2001 black 4runner SR5 with 98k miles at a dealership in Tacoma. The wife, and I went up that Sunday, checked it out, and picked it up!








It had almost everything I was looking for, except a sunroof, and Grey Interior. Not having a sunroof was almost a deal breaker, but everything else was so good, I ended up settling. I am not a big fan of the brown interior, but it seems like 99% of all 3rd gens have it, so I pretty much gave up on the grey interior.

It has the limited fender flares, with the chrome bumpers, which is which is exactly what I was looking for. I was also pleasantly surprised it has a factory alarm with both keyless FOBs. They also had all of the original paperwork and manuals, which is pretty cool. It is really clean in & out except for a couple things.

The biggest problem I have with the 4runner is that it has been in the Tacoma area all of its life. Being that close to the ocean, there is salt air in the area. While at the dealership, I did a pretty thorough underbody inspection, and found some parts of the frame that that have a little bit of surface rust. The trailer hitch is has some pretty bad spots of rust, so I am planning on removing it, sanding it down, and completely refinishing it. The rust on the frame, however, will be a little harder for me to work on. I was planning on sanding off as much rust as I can get to, then using something like POR-15 on it, so it doesn’t come back. I would appreciate any tips, suggestions, recommendations on curing my frame rust problem. Also, do you guys think POR-15 would be the best product to use for this?

Overall, I love my new 4runner. It feels just as good, if not better, then my old pickup, and is so much more comfortable, and convenient then the truck ever was!

Looks like a nice one! I recently went from a Corolla to my 4runner and still getting used to how much power it has. Having no sunroof on mine was actually a selling point for me, as I intend to stick an antenna up there. You must have found one of the few without one.

Other people will know more about the rust issue, but I can say mine is from the South and so far I haven't found any rust on the body. Only place I do have it is the trailer hitch and a tad on the Brush Guard, So I suspect those are prone to getting some.

Maxil

Congrats on the purchase! 98K is mad low miles for a 2001, so that's a big plus right there, you'll get another 200K out of this one. The 4WD is my deal-breaker!

I've got two 2000's -- an SR5 and a Ltd, love them both. I've had 2 Land Cruisers before this (an FJ62 and FZJ80) so I can understand sticking with Toyota trucks.

What does the engine bay look like? I wouldn't worry so much about surface rust on the frame and hitch as the rust on brackets and cables and such in the engine bay. (But yes, POR-15 is the way to go.) My SR5 spent time in both CA and FL so the brackets in the engine bay are showing a fair amount of rust/oxidization which I've been cleaning up gradually.

Looks real good, the T4R is a very useful SUV... Not too big, not too small, and very capable / reliable!

Congrats!!

Thanks Guys!

Yea, I can't think of a better SUV that suits my needs than this 4runner.

The engine bay looks pretty good, I didn't find any corrosion in the engine bay, but I will do a more thorough inspection.

I hear a weird sound coming from the front of the car, several times, every time I drive it. It is a steady mechanical hum that lasts about 2 sec, then there is a slightly louder click or pop like sound when it is done. I have never had a vehicle with traction control or ABS, so I think it may be one of those two.

On a side note, I took my dad for a ride in the runner last night, and he said it feels better/smoother then my uncle's new Lexus RX!

Congrats on the purchase. I just picked up my first 4runner as well. I went on an internet shopping spree as soon as I got home with it

Nice find, I just bought almost the same truck last week, same year, color, nearly the same mileage. I have a sun roof and leather, but no hitch and no rear spoiler, the hitch will be my next purchase. My favorite used car purchase ever. Did you get it for a fair price? It looks crazy clean!!! Have fun and Good luck with yours.

I like that color. But I have a question. I will be getting my 2001 at the end of the month. And looking at 2001s the one I am getting has a hood scoop and all the 2001s I see on this site do not have the scoop. Can anybody fell me in on this. thank you.

Can you recommend a grease gun? I have a crappy Performance Tools one, that i tried to use on my truck, it didn't work, and just leaked everywhere. Also, do you know where I can find a diagram with those lubrication points?

Thanks

I started at the back of the driveshaft and went up to the front, i looked for all of them. Here is a writeup. 4Runners.org - Lubing Your Driveshaft

Yeah, that sound is your ABS doing a self test. It's normal but annoying. It will do it at startup and while you're driving at random intervals.

I would highly recommend a gun that you can squeeze with one hand. This allows your other hand to be free for the light or to hold the hose

Thanks for the link, looks like a good writeup! I think I will go with a Lincoln Industrial 1133, its not too expensive, and seems to have good reviews.

Terrapin, thanks for the info, I figured it was something like that. It seems to happen 2-3 times everytime I drive somewhere....thats pretty annoying. I can live with it though, as long as I know nothing is wrong.