Rust in '06 4runner, good to buy?

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lpell7

New member
Hey y'all, new member here and have been just scratching the surface of 4runners. My GF (lives in NJ) has a brother who is willing to sell me his '06 4runner for 8.5-9k. it has 150k miles and has been serviced by the brother and the previous owner for 12 years, carfax report is about as good as you can make it. Now, I live in Dallas, and I would buy and drive this car down whenever I can. The biggest issue I am finding with these otherwise amazing tanks is rust, especially with owners up north. I asked my GF to send me pics of the undercarriage to give me an idea of what I could potentially be buying, and I was wondering what y'all think of it/ with me living in Texas, would it be worth it for me to buy then seal the car for future use. Again, thanks for the help
 

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So thats about the rust level on mine. Rust on the frame welds arent a concern, but there are some other areas around some of the predrilled holes that are common. It has a little more rust in the engine bay than id expect, but most of that should be cosmetic.

You can wire wheel the frame and coat it. There may be some rust on the inside of the frame, but if there is no ongoing exposure to salt, it shouldnt be a problem.

Other areas to check are the frame under the rear bumper and making sure the spare tire winch works

If you can get it for 8k or less, might be worth it for you
 
Thanks for that! yeah my hope is that it can be fixed with a wire brush and coating. final say will come tomorrow with mechanic giving a detailed look at it. last pic she sent has me worried though with what looks to be a crack on the back end, let me know what you think, thanks again!
 

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Based on the photos, I'd rate that truck as being in "OK" condition. Mice may have been nibbling on that rectangular pad (firewall) and the cabin air intake, below the windshield is clogged with debris....check the cabin air filter behind the glovebox, mice love that area. You want to make darn sure the truck goes into 4-high and lo. If I lived in TX, I'd be looking for a (cleaner) southern or southwestern truck even if it I had to spend a little more. 4th gen is an awesome platform....I like driving my '05 over my '17!
 
I general the frame does not look that bad.
The spare tire winch seems in a pretty rough condition and might not budge when needed. It happened to my but luckily didn't leave me stranded.
Anyway, the new part is about $150 and it's a chain not a wire so should be more rust resistant. Cost me $170 in labor at body shop to get replaced and is worth every penny.
 
Looks ok assuming it's the original paint and nothing has been painted over.

However, make sure to check the problematic areas, such as front radiator support corners, rear corners behind the bumper cover, i.e. places where dirt and moisture accumulate over time and cause most of the damage. I wouldn't worry re few small holes here and there, those are easily fixable. Plus some bolt-ons like spare tire supports are cheap and easily replaceable.
 
Looks like a new exhaust and muffler from the Y pipe back, the old one probably rotted out.

But the frame and everything looks safe, just fluid film it once a year and it should last forever in Texas.

If the differential was cracked in that last pic, oil would be leaking out, so its probably just a large flake of rust coming off.
 
Is it really possible to take 4Runners in this condition (rust wise) and drive them reliably in a dry, non-salted area?

Coming from a dry, non-salted area, this level of rust seems excessive. But I have no baseline as every car I've owned/driven has had zero rust. I ask because I am finding lots of good prices out east, but everything in California is overpriced.
 
Motonoia said:
Is it really possible to take 4Runners in this condition (rust wise) and drive them reliably in a dry, non-salted area?

Coming from a dry, non-salted area, this level of rust seems excessive. But I have no baseline as every car I've owned/driven has had zero rust. I ask because I am finding lots of good prices out east, but everything in California is overpriced.
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Yes. Having lived in Syracuse (heavy snow and salted roads) and then in North Carolina, it certainly is. The ongoing exposure to salt is a big concern in rusting, if you take out the exposure before it gets too bad, significant progression of rusting can take decades.

IF it is mild enough (just on the weldlines) you can make it go away completely. Even mild surface rust, you can treat with a rust reformer/ converter and paint again and not likely have issues. EVen if there is a small amount of rust thats hidden inside the frame, if its all washed out and fluid film applied etc, shouldnt progress to be a problem

But yes, I see all the time people from the Southwest or Cali who have this notion that any rust is a ticking time bomb. Biggest issue is that bolts become seized and are tougher to remove, otherwise generally a little rust never hurt anything
 
Echoing that the rust isn’t too bad here! Outside of a wire wheel, consider a needle scaler to help knock it down quicker.
 
Picture 5 is the one I'd be concerned with the most of these as there looks to be some thick flaking on the frame center-ish in the picture. I'd be jabbing that hard with a screwdriver as mine rotted from the inside out. Also check the frame corners deep behind the rear bumper. If you buy it you want to pull the bumper off so you can clean and neutralize the rust that most likely has started back there.
 
Just check the frame rails really well before you do buy it. And if you do i would recommend removing as much loose scale as you can and spraying the entire frame inside and out with a product call "Fluid Film"
 
I bought an 01 T4R with frame rust that was minimum and 1.5 years later I had to get it fixed. I would make sure to get a couple people to look at the frame and rust just to play it safe.
 
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one term: PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION! if interested, get that thing to a toyota dealer, spend $150 and get it looked over bow to stern. they might be able to zoom call. do not trust the girlfriends brother! once you buy it, its your responsibility. and like others have said, you should be looking around your salt free region.
 
It looks good to me. my 03 been driven over sea water and leaving in NY close to the ocean. It has way more rust than that and still running strong worry free.
you will have to invest in some good shocks and tires.
 
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I'm in NJ and picked up a 2004 V6 Sport with 185k for $5,700 in March last year. Your engine bay looks exactly like mine. Eventually you will need to replace the exhaust manifold, skid plate and gas tank shield, all those were too rusted on mine. I'm also worried on the spare tire, check if that pully still works. You will need to budget to do those replacements. My frame looks better, no rust chipping on the side, I'd say it looks "OK" as someone else said. I'm exceptionally worried about the crack in the rear, budget that as well. Personally I would pass, I see at least $2,000-$3,000 worth of repairs to get it up to shape. Lot less if you're mechanically able. I see you are waiting on a preinspection report, good move.

My previous owner had it listed at $7,500 and after a preinspection at a local Toyota dealership, they found leaking oil, leaking transmission fluid, leaking washer fluid and they pointed out the rust. I went through the history of maintenance receipts from the first owner and he spent $21,000 on maintenace in the first 12 years of it's life in Wayne, NJ. I spent $2,500 in repairs and routine maintenance like new brakes/pads, spark plugs, cracked manifold, brake calipers, etc. so now I'm $8,200 all in but it's in tip top shape to reach 300k miles. I'm in North Jersey, you won't believe the amount of salt they're throwing out on the road this winter, it's like coke spilled on the highways in Miami during the 80s. How's the body and the interior. I'd offer $6,000
 
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