1997 4runner pics. Can someone check out the damage?

[Precision]

I'm traveling 6 hours to pick this 4runner up and want to make sure there's nothing serious going on with rust and the frame etc. It has 133k on it.

 

[Precision]

 

[Precision]

 

[Hepar]

How much are you planning on paying for it?

 

[I_bRAD]

Wonder how long that oil has been in there! Looks pretty dark

 

[Precision]

I literally have a matter of hours before this is no longer available. I need someone to assess the pics and let me know if its clean or not. The owner is a 15 year Toyota service managers. Forget how much I'm paying I wouldn't pay $1000 for a rust bucket I'd just move on. In a serious time time crunch someone please evaluate what you see and whether or not to walk away. Is the rust bad or is it clean?

 

[TXRick]

Sounds like you're rushing to make a decision. That's never a good idea. I see a lot of rust.

 

[Hepar]

Forget how much I'm paying I wouldn't pay $1000 for a rust bucket I'd just move on.

Well, from the opinion of someone from the PNW, that's a rust bucket. But opinions vary.

 

[threadlessclimber]

I also live in the Northeast and I ended up flying to South Carolina and buying a rust free 4runner. It was a 2,000 mile two day test drive but I re-routed my trip to visit my brother who is a head brewer at Butternuts brewery. Cheers to free beer. Trust me rust free is worth it on a truck that could drive forever.

 

[tx4r3g]

Forget how much I'm paying I wouldn't pay $1000...............but what your paying for it does matter, if you are getting it for free or maybe a couple hundred dollars then i might get it if it was me, other wise i would run away not walk away from it... i would hate to be the mechanic working on it. i see lots of rust. sry just my opinion. good luck

 

[LittleCaesar]

From what I can see with a cursory Internet look, I'd say the diff oil has never been touched and doubtful that you could get the axle fill nut off, not to mention that the axle itself is on its last leg. The upper control arms need to be replaced, so might as well change the lowers as well. The right CV is leaking.

As Precision pointed out, what would concern me the most is the condition of the oil. It is hard to get the oil looking like such in the 5vz, so I would assume that normal maintenance has not been performed. If you had a scope to look underneath the valve cover, it could tell without bias if sludge is present.

IMHO, if you are getting this for under $2000, and are a shadtree mechanic with a high mechanical acumen, then maybe. Otherwise, I'd look harder for another one.

 

[Precision]

I'm passing on it. Just told the guy.

 

[tx4r3g]

I'm passing on it. Just told the guy.

i think you made a good choice.....keep looking you will find the one for you...good luck and happy hunting.........:gun4:

 

[ColoradoTim]

good call~!

 

[nissanh]

Good decision. If the owner won't take care of it, the truck is trash.

When I lived in snowing area, I used to wash the under carriage of my 4runner once every 2-3 days. It is cold outside, but it is worth. Lazy people loose lot of money and this is one such instance.

 

[Diverse4runner]

The main place to look for rust is the rear control arm mounts in between the exhaust and in between the fuel tank.

But I agree with everyone else that is quite a bit of rust. Just make sure its not Rot surface rust is cheaper to fix than rot.

My main turn away is any rust on the body. If there is rust on the body its going to be a lot worse underneath.

 

[OffRoadGuy]

I would pay $1000 for it in heart beat. One man's junk is another man's treasure :rockon:

 

[audiness]

I would only buy that thing if it were dirt cheap, too much rust