4th gen ?

[3bears]

so as some of you know I totaled my very nice 3rd gen. Im looking for a replacement. 3rd gens are near impossible to find up here, and when they come up , if good, sell in 1 day.
so..a 2007 4th gen came up....has been 4sale for days. V6, 4wd, bone bone stock, cloth inside, no spoiler or sunroof. needs tires, 260k. The only current and decent looking 3rd gen for sale local is a 280k 2000 with a rebuilt title at same price. I am driving a borrowed subie with check engine lights.
according to all I have read on the 4th gen forum, it misses the big issue of head gasket failure on early 4th gens.
BTW plenty of you have told me, and i can see, plenty of 3rd gens 4sale in the lower 48, but take that price and add about 3+k to get it here, plus my time to come look at. ( or wait till summer after covid to drive through canada for about 1500)
5th gens are an arm and a leg. only one local, a 2015 and they want over 25k for it. Tacos, if any good, 2003+ will go for over 10k. A 2005 taco with a 4cyl went for 10k and lasted a day. ( those are 4wd, yes cheap 2wd are up here for less, but i wont do 2wd up here)

so asking my fellow 3rd gen folks......4th gens any good ?

 

[Devbot]

If I recall 4th gens commonly trans issues on top of the head gaskets
the interior is too dated for me imo; very 2000s
right now is generally a poor time to shop for a vehicle so I wouldn't expect reasonable pricing; pandemic has people strapped for money, especially as the holidays approach. I remember you wrecked though so I get you're not in much position to pick and choose, just saying it's probably gonna be that way for a while, or at least the way I see it

 

[3bears]

If I recall 4th gens commonly trans issues on top of the head gaskets

had not heard about tranny issues, ill check. Head gaskets were an issue on years 2004-2006 and im looking at a 2007.
if all early 4th gens including the 2007 had head gasket issues than I need to know.

 

[brillo_76]

I suspecting the head gasket issues where do to the switch from cast to all aluminum engine. I unfortunately dont have much experience with a 4th gen. :-(

I would research that section to see what flaws they have. Maybe just minor things as each generation is has different issues.

 

[jgue467]

My understanding is the V8s are The most reliable.

The '05+ V6 has VVTi, good for about an extra 40 ponies/#s of torque, so the one you're looking at is good. I've driven the 4.0, it has plenty of power, the V8 of course is plenty of beast. The V6 has a timing chain, the V8 still has a timing belt.

I'd just go for it, check under its skirt, drive it and decide. Luck.

 

[tx_shooter]

so as some of you know I totaled my very nice 3rd gen. Im looking for a replacement. 3rd gens are near impossible to find up here, and when they come up , if good, sell in 1 day.
so..a 2007 4th gen came up....has been 4sale for days. V6, 4wd, bone bone stock, cloth inside, no spoiler or sunroof. needs tires, 260k. The only current and decent looking 3rd gen for sale local is a 280k 2000 with a rebuilt title at same price. I am driving a borrowed subie with check engine lights.
according to all I have read on the 4th gen forum, it misses the big issue of head gasket failure on early 4th gens.
BTW plenty of you have told me, and i can see, plenty of 3rd gens 4sale in the lower 48, but take that price and add about 3+k to get it here, plus my time to come look at. ( or wait till summer after covid to drive through canada for about 1500)
5th gens are an arm and a leg. only one local, a 2015 and they want over 25k for it. Tacos, if any good, 2003+ will go for over 10k. A 2005 taco with a 4cyl went for 10k and lasted a day. ( those are 4wd, yes cheap 2wd are up here for less, but i wont do 2wd up here)

so asking my fellow 3rd gen folks......4th gens any good ?

My "other vehicle" is a 2006 Tacoma with the V6 and automatic. It has over 350k miles on it and has been a great vehicle. The seat room is bigger than my 3rd gen and the steering wheel has the radio controls (small difference but I do miss it). I was originally shopping for a 4th gen 4Runner when I found my 3rd gen.

I would not think twice about getting that rig and enjoying the extra comforts. As a platform there are a lot more options for suspension, armor, and roof racks. Both generations are great platforms. If I find myself in your current position I will be shopping for a 4th gen.

 

[thegipper]

Another known issues is 4Lo not working because the actuator seizes up. If you look into a 4th gen, make sure the 4Lo engages. Apparently you want to engage 4Lo every couple months to keep everything free and moving and most owners never use it.

Other than the HG issues on the early 4.0s, I think they are a pretty solid rig like the 3rd gen.

 

[thatoneguy]

4th gens are extremely reliable, arguably more so than 3rd gens. No timing belts to replace on the V6, by 2005 the V6 got the bulletproof 5 speed automatic. Generally I'd get a 2006-2009 for ultimate peace of mind. The V8 is very nice, but it's even thirstier, and requires $$ timing belt changes. My uncle got his 2006 up to 350k miles before selling it for a brand new one.

 

[BackOff]

The v6 HG design changed after 12/05.

The v8 wants a timing belt every 90k miles.

I think the transmission issue is because that "lifetime" naming scheme. Also sealed after they got the 5speed.
No one ever changed trans fluid...doh.

Is some issues with rattling and leaking sunroof. Same with spoiler, leaks.

 

[blarchitect]

Did you post on 4th gen section asking about known common faults?

 

[Thebeastlives]

I have had a 4th gen since 08 and it now has almost 300k on it. Our 3rd gen was our first 4 runner but it isn't the best 4 runner. The 4th is much more powerful and rides far smoother on the road and offroad better than the 3rd gen. There has been very few non maintenance related issues on this vehicle. Change the fluids, brakes and battery and it just runs. It still has the original water pump, alternator, fuel pump etc . The 4wd atrac system with the rear locker is just as good as our 5th gen Trd offroad under most situations. My son now has it and he tows his utv with it all over the mtns which the 3rd gen could never do unless you are going to get ticket for driving to slow.

 

[toyotaspeed90]

The v8 is a 2uz that is also found in the landcruiser, LX470, Tundra, and Sequoia.

It doesn't need a timing belt every 90k, that's probably the overly ambitious service maintenance recommendation.

When we bought our first 3rd gen it needed a timing belt (first one at 310k miles) so I did it. I dec6it would then be a good plan to do it on our 01 LX (which we have since sold). The design is almost identical. It isn't uncommon to hear of these having timing belts first done at 200k.

I would say 120-150k is about right and replace the pulleys at the same time, just like the 5vz.

 

[BackOff]

The v8 is a 2uz that is also found in the landcruiser, LX470, Tundra, and Sequoia.

It doesn't need a timing belt every 90k, that's probably the overly ambitious service maintenance recommendation.

When we bought our first 3rd gen it needed a timing belt (first one at 310k miles) so I did it. I dec6it would then be a good plan to do it on our 01 LX (which we have since sold). The design is almost identical. It isn't uncommon to hear of these having timing belts first done at 200k.

I would say 120-150k is about right and replace the pulleys at the same time, just like the 5vz.

From what i read the recomended service is 6-7 years or 90k miles whatever comes first.
I guess you could let it go till it blows up too.
Probably cost you more than just a belt at that point though.

 

[rwh963]

4th gens are extremely reliable, arguably more so than 3rd gens. No timing belts to replace on the V6, by 2005 the V6 got the bulletproof 5 speed automatic. Generally I'd get a 2006-2009 for ultimate peace of mind. The V8 is very nice, but it's even thirstier, and requires $$ timing belt changes. My uncle got his 2006 up to 350k miles before selling it for a brand new one.

this. my '07 V6 w/215k miles has been excellent (owned since new). just get a pre-purchase inspection, and roof for body and frame rust spots (under doors, rear hatch, etc).

 

[brillo_76]

Pros and cons to everything. The 3rd gens are smaller. The 3rd gens are the last of the cast block non interference engines in the 4 runners. It's the last of the manuals. It's the last of 4 runners sharing the same frame as the Tocumas.

I am sure newer gens have a lot improvements. As technology and engineering changes. Plus roemer and wider passenger space.

I use 3rd gens for my DD and my work mobiles.

In alot of areas in this country the 3rd gen numbers are getting scarce. So I really cant blame anyone looking at newer gens. 4th, 5th or 6th gens... Just get ready as the later models newer years price climbs exponentially.

This is why I use 3rd gens for work beaters. Great Dependable rides that get me from A to B.






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[Doc3g]

Here's a screenshot of data I pulled over at carcomplaints. It is, ofc, self-reported, but you can see that there is a big jump in the number of reported issues between 3rd vs 4th gen. If you go to the site you can see more specific details of the reported problems.

 

[toyotaspeed90]

From what i read the recomended service is 6-7 years or 90k miles whatever comes first.
I guess you could let it go till it blows up too.
Probably cost you more than just a belt at that point though.

That's usually the service recommendation for any Toyota engine with a belt.

The 5vz and 2uz should have the same recommended replacement.

 

[BunkerBuddy]

hi...I just signed on as a new user. I am completely lost on the site lol. I was looking around to see if we could post a vehicle for sale on the site. I cannot find anywhere that tells me either way. I want to post my vehicle for sale but do not want to go against the rules of the forum if this is not acceptable. Do you know?

 

[beklemmung]

hi...I just signed on as a new user. I am completely lost on the site lol. I was looking around to see if we could post a vehicle for sale on the site. I cannot find anywhere that tells me either way. I want to post my vehicle for sale but do not want to go against the rules of the forum if this is not acceptable. Do you know?

Did you spend more than 8 seconds looking around?
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/for-sale-vehicles/

 

[BunkerBuddy]

yes I did. Not good at this. However, I did find the sale location (by accident may I add). Thank you for responding. I'll get the hang of it eventually.