4Runner help

[TurboStang]

Im pretty new to the toyota community so please forgive my lack of knowledge. My girlfriend has a 94' SR5 that i work on but im plannin to purchase my own. A gentleman down the street has a 96' 2wd 4runner with a 5speed and a 4 cylinder. It's way clean and has 160,000 miles on it. I have a 4wd 96' bronco so the 4runner being 2wd doesnt really bother me. Im more looking for a good daily thats good on gas. My girlfriends 4runner get 15-16 miles to the gallon. Will the 4cyl get close to the same? Im curious cause its more or less the same truck with two less cylinders to work with. On the same hand it being 2wd thats that much less weight being no second differential. Any help would be much appreciatied. Thank you.
-Chase

 

[p nut]

Does your GF drive mostly in the city? The 94's came with 3.0L V6's, which were very very under powered and a headache to work on. 96+ (3rd Gens) had the much improved 3.4L V6's. The 2.7L are good engines, too. People have reported up to 25MPG on the highway and around 20 around town. My 3.4L's have gotten ~17 around town and ~21 on the highway. So not that much different, but the power of the 3.4L is well worth it.

Also, you should look for a 4WD model. I can already foresee that you will regret it in a very short time if you go with a 2WD. I know you have the Bronco, but I will venture to predict that you will begin to like wheeling the 4Runner more than the Bronco.

If I were you, I'd look for a 96+ 3.4L V6 with a rear locker. They can be had for a really good price right now, due to the gas prices going up.

 

[TurboStang]

The bronco is pretty set up for wheeling. Its my daily now so its pretty conservative with a 4" Rancho lift and 33" X terrains. This 4 runner is too clean to hit the trail in. I know to most that seems like blasphomy but it is purdy! Yeah i've done a clutch and what not in her 94' so far everythings has been a pain workin on that truck, plugs being the worse i think, my big hands dont fit in there very well. 3.0 being underpowered is and understatement ! its a gutless wonder. Im wanting to buy the 4runner for a gas saver. My Bronco has heads/cam/intake and is getting about 9-10 mpg with a strong tailwind. Powerhouse but driving me to the poor house! Thank you much i really appreciate your input. The guy wants 3,600 for it. But being here in Colorado and it being a 2wd im sure he'll have trouble selling it. I want to pick it up for closer to 3,000 if possible. That seem fair to you? Thanks again.

 

[p nut]

I personally wouldn't touch that 4Runner for any more than $2500. If you were in GA, TX or other snowless states, then $3000 isn't bad. But you're in CO, where you'd have a hard time selling it, if you needed to in the future. Plus, if you get stuck in a snow storm with that 2WD....you will have Civics embarrassing you!

And speaking of Civics, why not a Honda? I see that you're a big Ford guy (TurboStang), so maybe getting a Honda is considered blasphemy, but my last Civic got over 40mpg's on the highway. Definitely an option for you, if you're looking for gas savings. Then you've got more cash for upgrades on your Bronco. Like I said, the 4Cyl 4Runner will net you maybe 25MPG on the highway and 20MPG in the city. And I'm sure that's being really light-footed. And if you decide to put on any bigger tires, you will see a significant drop in MPG.

 

[TurboStang]

yeah i would drive a civic too! Finding one that hasn't had the piss driven out of it is kind of a chore these days. I've yet to own anything but a ford but so far it's just been kind of a coincidence. Im not against owning something else, just haven't yet. Had a few mustangs, few different F series truck and the bronco of course. Die hard Ford fan but driving something else doen't take away from that. Toyotas have always had a following much like anything else. Plus living over 250,000 miles has its perks.

 

[p nut]

If MPG's are your top priority, I wouldn't recommend any 4Runner--4WD OR 2WD. Even a Focus would be a better fit for you. My 94 Civic had 188,000 miles and was running STRONG. No leaks and clean as a whistle. You can find a clean Civic for $3k. Maintenance would be cheaper than a 4Runner, too.