I looked at a 90 4R today. 4x4, manual trans, 224K miles. Has a salvage title when it was wrecked but was repaired (looks like it was done by toyota - cuz it's a good job), some minor scratches and a puncture in the metal. Floorboards are beat up - truck was used on lots of logging roads. Was thinking about picking it up to use for offroading so I don't beat up the 06 sport.
the car lot is asking $2995 but will go down to $2300. Engine sounds ok, has a knock in it.
I know toyotas are reliable but anything I need to look out for with this one other than the salvage title.

imo its not worth 2500 with a salvage title, not to mention the knock. I'd offer 1000 cash or wouldn't drive it home, rod knock can be very costly, could just be a loose valve but im gonna guess prob not, plus being a salvage title means it has sustained significant damage so who knows what kind of little gremlins you'll run into, i just think you'll end up spending quite a bit before its over so try to get it cheap or not at all. 224k isnt bad for a yota but will prob need a new timing chain, head gasket, and other nickel and dimers, be carful what you get yourself into

My cousin got in to a wreck in his 91' Volvo 240, I think, any way he totaled the car and had it repaired anyway. The body shop fixed the body damage how ever did not fix a loose battery and Leakey break line. Long story short coming in to his neighborhood a break line and fluid was set on fire by a battery arch, or something to that effect. So pretty much just because the car looks fine doesn't mean its reliable or safe. So be careful.

$2995:awais: are you crazy

Salvage title
logging roads(which means beat to hell)
rod knock

How much will you pay me to take this POS off your hands is what you should say to them.


BTW Tapping is valves/knocking is a rod
And don't mistake tapping for valves it could be the injectors they are load on the 3.0 V6



Mike

Well guys, some may think I'm crazy but I ended up getting the 90 4Runner for $2,000. Decided to take it to Toyota dealer to check out and have the timing belt changed. The reason is is "salvage" is only because of body damage which has been repaired by the private dealer selling the vehicle. Toyota checked out all the under carriage, frame etc and all is fine. The former owner said due to age and miles on the vehicle, insurance totalled it instead of repairing it. This is typical in older vehicles.

Inside needed a good cleaning but now looks like new again. Mostly dust. Just shampooed carpet, seats and door pannels and what a difference.

Outside damage was front passenger fender which was repaired but not painted, only primered. And the radio antenna doesn't work. Everything else does. All power windows work perfectly. I took off door pannels and lubed everything. Seats don't even have wear marks. Manual trans has no "play" in the shift pattern. 4x4 engages and works. Right now, I can't see any problems except the parking brakes need adjustment. Rear brakes are new. Oh, the other things, I don't have the tool to lower the spare tire. Gota find one of those.

$2000,00 may be more than some are willing to pay but we looked and looked and even older models with more miles and not everything working are priced higher. Sometimes it's a matter of supply and demand. Here is Oregon, everyone who does offroading has a Toyota. The $2000.00 is 1/4th of what my ATV cost and I can drive it to work, and use it for hunting, fishing, and offroading without the worry of damaging anything too expensive such as my $40,000 F-250 and new 06 4Runner.

So please don't bash me too much. And here in Oregon, registration is only $60 a year.

Come to find out, the noise we hear in the engine is actually one of the injectors. How long will these things last when they start "tapping" or "ticking". Dealer said engine is fine other than that noise.