1988 T4R SR5 4WD for $2k - Good Deal?

Dylan

Dylan

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Saw a local ad for an '88 T4R SR5 4WD for just under $2,000. It's an Auto V6 with ~202 on the clock. Body looks great, very minor imperfections/rust spots. It has all stock features for the most part...inclinometer too!

Wanting to know what in particular I need to look for/at before considering this purchase. Is the price fairly reasonable? Any specific questions I should ask?
 

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i would deal with them i never pay asking price and judging by the picture the rust on the rear wheel well has been covered up a bit so its prolly worse then it looks which is common.
 
Bad_Vision said:
judging by the picture the rust on the rear wheel well has been covered up a bit so its prolly worse then it looks which is common.
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Yeah there are some other close up pics acknowledging the wheel well rust spots...not too worried about that though. I'm not real familiar with 1st gens and didn't know if there were any known issues I should keep an eye out for.
 
Dylan said:
Saw a local ad for an '88 T4R SR5 4WD for just under $2,000. It's an Auto V6 with ~202 on the clock. Body looks great, very minor imperfections/rust spots. It has all stock features for the most part...inclinometer too!

Wanting to know what in particular I need to look for/at before considering this purchase. Is the price fairly reasonable? Any specific questions I should ask?
Click to expand...

I saw this T4R in Autotrader... has over 30 pics of the inside, outside, and under hood. It does not have a clinometer as you can see here...
23937719269.312488840.IM1.24.565x421_A.562x421.jpg


I too was thinking about how it looks as if the fender wells have been masked to cover up some rust. However if you are local to where this truck is, I say go take a look at it. Another thing that caught my eye in the autotrader ad was this...
23937719276.312488840.IM1.31.565x421_A.562x421.jpg
>NO COMMENT<

The price is in the ballpark for a private party sale, but seems to be low for a dealership. It must have been on the lot for some time now.
 
1st Gens are popular here in Montana, and we never see them below $2k if they are worth a Hoot! Probably worth a test drive....to a mechanic, have 'em look it over. It's worth a hundred bucks for a professional exam.
Most folks here seem to avoid the 6cyl motor and much prefer the 22r 4cyl.
Not sure why, but all of my Toyo trucks have had the 4cyl.
 
1st Gen 4Runner said:
It does not have a clinometer as you can see here...
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Ya man, you're right...I confused it with another one I was looking at last night. I listed the tachometer and I had a brain fart. Either way it's only a couple hours from me and looks appealing. There's an even cleaner one here in town that looks mint, it's an '89...but they're asking $5k...
 
Dylan said:
Ya man, you're right...I confused it with another one I was looking at last night. I listed the tachometer and I had a brain fart. Either way it's only a couple hours from me and looks appealing. There's an even cleaner one here in town that looks mint, it's an '89...but they're asking $5k...
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I have been doing a lot of searching lately and to find a 1st Gen in excellent condition, I am seeing that $5K is more acceptable of an asking price than I had originally expected. There are some out there with an asking price of over $9K, but of course the owners of these are trying to cover the cost of their aftermarket add-ons. The 1st Gen 4Runners are very much a wanted commodity, and I don't expect that to change any time soon.
 
1st Gen 4Runner said:
I have been doing a lot of searching lately and to find a 1st Gen in excellent condition, I am seeing that $5K is more acceptable of an asking price than I had originally expected. There are some out there with an asking price of over $9K, but of course the owners of these are trying to cover the cost of their aftermarket add-ons. The 1st Gen 4Runners are very much a wanted commodity, and I don't expect that to change any time soon.
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Right, and for my purposes I'm looking for an additional vehicle I can work on a little and get to know more about. I don't have the means to spend 9k on a 24 year old car anyway...2k is another story.
 
I don't understand that. The 3.0 is rated for significantly more horsepower than the 22re - personally, I'd avoid the 3.0 to not have to deal with the overheating, but if gutless is a concern, you really don't want the 4 banger.
 
well just keep in mind with your engine the gm 4.3l vortec swap is only about 1000$ if you spend right
transmission bellhousing adapter kit with flywheel and starter is 450.
a v6 4.3l with no computer can be found for $300 easy
add a carb and intake kit for another $300
pre 1997 "160 hp (119 kW)–230 lb·ft (312 N·m)"
post 1997 "180 hp (134 kW)-235 lb·ft (319 N·m)"
This swap has been done many times and the 4.3l platform has been know to produce 300hp with minor engine mods and reinforcement.

my point is dont concern yourself with the powerplant make sure the frame and body are what you want!
and i wouldnt buy it if has rust holes surface rust is ok but any holes and you can bet on 5 years down the road having BIG holes
 
v6

Do the 5vzfe swap :nerd: Ive test driven both 4cyl and 6cyl autos and the 4cyl has better pickup. Also the v6 is a gas guzzler. Plus youve got the head gasket problem. Guess if you plan on doing an engine swap it doesnt matter anyways.
 
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Bad_Vision said:
well just keep in mind with your engine the gm 4.3l vortec swap is only about 1000$ if you spend right
transmission bellhousing adapter kit with flywheel and starter is 450.
a v6 4.3l with no computer can be found for $300 easy
add a carb and intake kit for another $300
pre 1997 "160 hp (119 kW)–230 lb·ft (312 N·m)"
post 1997 "180 hp (134 kW)-235 lb·ft (319 N·m)"
This swap has been done many times and the 4.3l platform has been know to produce 300hp with minor engine mods and reinforcement.

my point is dont concern yourself with the powerplant make sure the frame and body are what you want!
and i wouldnt buy it if has rust holes surface rust is ok but any holes and you can bet on 5 years down the road having BIG holes
Click to expand...

This has intrigued me. I think i will research this further.
 
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